ã€ŠStarship Amritaã€‹


 Chapter I - The Fugitives

    Throughout the boundless Cosmos, the living stars are linked by the myriad filaments of the Starflow.

    Across the starry sea travels the Starship Amrita, forever pursuing its ancient mission.

    Chapter I ¨C The Fugitives

    Mu pulled her hood down further as she approached the brightly lit and bustling street. Instinctively, she glanced back the way she had come, her eyes scanning the shadowy alleyway. It was lit only by the pink glow of a sign that flickered between the characters for ¡°beer¡±, ¡°rice wine¡± and ¡°girls¡±. With that final scouring of the shadowy recesses, she satisfied herself. No black cat. Not yet.

    An ageing tram rattled by, bobbing unevenly on the invisible cushion that suspended it above the roadway. It was followed by a pair of luxury black town cars. Amongst it all, small hoverbikes and robotic rickshaws were ubiquitous, obeying no road rule, save to seek the quickest route. The immense neoclassical and art deco fa?ades lining International Road were often marred by huge lights and glowing billboards, advertising the latest holodramas. Devilishly handsome leading men and beguiling and glamorous leading ladies smiled down on the masses below, their figures towering several storeys. Along the wide footpaths people of all sorts ambled along, at times gazing in at the luxurious shop fronts.

    Mu was in two minds. Her hood hid her identity well enough, especially from the omnipresent cameras, but she also knew such attire, out here in the city¡¯s great central artery, marked her as a shady character from the city¡¯s dimmer districts, worthy of suspicion.

    Ah, nothing for it, she thought and stepped out onto the footpath. There¡¯s every manner of person imaginable here. Who¡¯s going to notice little old me?

    Besides, International Road cut through the heart of the city, a long straight cleave. There was no way of reaching her destination without crossing it. So, she joined the thronging crowds, feeling self-conscious about her every movement. Despite her urge to find a crossing and get off International Road as quickly as possible, she paused after a short while to gaze into a shopfront. Smiling holographic models showed off their cheongsams, shifting through cycles of flattering poses.

    I could¡­ thought Mu for a moment, then reminded herself she was only looking to keep up appearances. Onwards.

    Still, maybe a cheongsam would be a good alternative to the Aixin court dresses she was used to¡­ she¡¯d consider that later. For now, she had somewhere to be.

    Reaching a crossing, she waited for the lift. When it arrived, she stepped in, along with several others. Quiet, instrumental Shangxia jazz played over speakers. Mu lowered her head, so as not to make eye contact with any of the other occupants. They stopped shortly and the doors opened onto an elevated walkway spanning the road. As she crossed, she gazed out at the ordered chaos of the traffic, its lights a river of gleaming gold in both directions. Somewhere, high above, the night sky retreated meekly before the illumination of the city.

    Reaching the far side, she endured another brief lift ride, reaching the street below. She paused a moment to re-orientate herself then set out once more. As she was walking along, keeping her eyes mostly down to avoid catching anyone¡¯s attention, she felt an impact against her shoulder. Spinning instinctively, she saw a man in a crumpled white suit running away. He had an instrument case slung over his shoulder.

    ¡°Sorry!¡± he called out as he ran, not stopping.

    Shaking her head, she had just started walking when the crowd ahead of her parted. A group of uniformed men emerged, running in the same direction as the man who had collided with her. She barely got out of their way in time. They said nothing as they passed.

    Satisfying herself that no one else would come barrelling towards her, she resumed her journey.

    What was that all about? she wondered. Even as she did so, she felt a familiar sensation in some recessed part of her mind. It was the tingling of the Starflow. Pausing a moment, she looked back, but both the man and his pursuers had vanished. There¡¯s something¡­

    She shook the thoughts from her head. She had distracted herself enough looking for that damned black cat. She didn¡¯t need any other cryptic nonsense getting between her and her main goal: to get off world. The Cosmos could send her all the visions and premonitions it wanted, but as far as she was concerned, she was still master of her destiny, and Mu was going to look after Mu, first and foremost.

    Here.

    She heard it almost like a voice in her head. Looking around, she saw a narrow, covered arcade branching off the street. It had a distinctly dingier look than any of the shops around it.

    I guess that¡¯s my style now, thought Mu.

    She headed into the arcade, its doors sliding open. The shops inside were of a wide variety: a few tailors, an emporium selling rare off-world ingredients, an electronics repair place. Passing by these and others, she found a branch, where a narrower hallway lead off to some abandoned shopfronts. The signs had all been removed, and there was no knowing what they¡¯d once been. The light was particularly dim here, and none emanated from within the deserted shops. One was distinct, though, baring the image of a rearing white horse on the glass front.

    That¡¯ll be mine, thought Mu.

    She reached inside her cloak and pulled out her tablet. She brought up the cryptic message she¡¯d received and re-read it:

    Bright Eyes¡¯ messenger will meet you at the Haowen Arcade off International Road. Find the store with the mark of home. Here is the key.

    She touched the link at the bottom of the message. A moment later the door of the shop with the white horse beeped and obligingly slid open. Glancing around and seeing no one, Mu stepped in.

    She observed the empty shop. It truly was empty ¨C no furniture, no shelving, no people.

    ¡°Now what?¡± she asked out loud. She jumped slightly when she heard a noise, but realised it was the door beeping as it locked behind her. Letting her heart slow, she spoke again, ¡°Bright Eyes?¡±

    There was silence in answer. But it didn¡¯t last long. There was another sound from deeper inside the shop and she whirled around to face it, her cloak flaring out around her. Then she saw the small service bot ambling over to her, having come through a back door she hadn¡¯t at first noticed.

    ¡°Greetings, Madame Mu,¡± said a voice from the bot, ¡°Bright Eyes sends his regards.¡±

    ¡°Hello¡­ you,¡± said Mu, uncertainly.

    Without responding to her greeting, the bot began speaking, ¡°Bright Eyes confirms that the Resonance Bureau has dispatched two agents of the Interstellar Fugitives Section of its Enforcement Division. Bright Eyes confirms that these agents have been dispatched from the Imperial Capital to a destination within the territory of the Onyx Tortoise Banner. Bright Eyes believes with ninety percent certainty that the destination world is Shangxia.¡±

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    Mu sighed. ¡°So¡­ they know my secret, and they know where I am.¡±

    The bot continued, ¡°Bright Eyes surmises that this indicates that your case has been officially transferred to the jurisdiction of the Bureau, further indicating an awareness of Madame Mu¡¯s special status. Bright Eyes does not believe that this indicates that Tender Hand has been compromised.¡±

    ¡°She would never betray me,¡± said Mu, firmly.

    ¡°In light of the high probability that Enforcement Agents are bound for Shangxia, Bright Eyes recommends you pursue off-world transportation.¡±

    ¡°I figured. That¡¯s the plan,¡± said Mu.

    ¡°Please hand over your tablet for disposal. Bright Eyes has provided a new device to replace it. You will find tickets for transportation to the Orbital Ring,¡± said the bot. A section of it slid away and a small tablet emerged. Mu took the tablet and placed her previous one in the now empty slot. The tablet vanished inside the bot. ¡°Bright Eyes recommends against utilising the Starlift Elevator to access the Ring. The tickets provided are for uncrewed STOC transport to the Ring. Directions to the port of departure have also been provided.¡±

    ¡°Alright,¡± said Mu with another sigh. ¡°So, I should head there now? And, ah, what about when I get to the Ring? What then?¡±

    ¡°Bright Eyes has recommended not immediately heading to the port,¡± said the bot.

    ¡°So¡­ wait¡­ if these agents are coming, aren¡¯t things pretty urgent?¡±

    ¡°Bright Eyes believes that if Madame Mu follows her special intuition, and departs when the correct sign presents itself, she will secure off-world passage from the Ring.¡±

    A thought occurred to Mu. ¡°Is the sign a black cat?¡±

    The bot paused a moment before responding. ¡°Bright Eyes has not specified that information.¡±

    ¡°Right,¡± said Mu nodding slowly. ¡°And¡­ if I¡¯m waiting for this sign, what do I do in the meantime?¡±

    ¡°Please remain inconspicuous and concealed,¡± said the bot.

    ¡°Easy for you to say,¡± muttered Mu.

    ¡°I will now self-destruct. Please leave these premises,¡± announced the bot.

    Mu took an instinctive step back. ¡°Well¡­ bye, friend¡­ I guess,¡± she said and with that she headed to the door. It beeped and opened again. She stepped out into the dark arcade. Behind her there was a small popping sound and a flash.

    Earlier that day, Tavian groaned as he awoke, putting a hand to his clammy forehead. He could feel the pounding in his head that signified he¡¯d had a few too many drinks the previous evening. As he came to terms with the grim realities of his self-inflicted condition, he opened his eyes and took in his surroundings.

    He wasn¡¯t in the storage room behind the club that had been his bedroom of late. No, this was something else entirely. Spacious. Opulent. And this bed. So comfortable.

    I¡¯ll just sleep a little longer, he thought.

    A moment later, though, he startled to proper wakefulness, sitting up. Blinking, he took in his surroundings, his heart pounding, the vaguest hints of last night swimming back into his consciousness, poking through the boozy shroud. He looked down at himself, noticing he was naked. Next his glance settled on the lump beside him, shrouded in luxurious bedding. But unmistakable was the silky black hair splayed across the opulent pillows. Then the lump shifted, rolling over. Sleepy eyes blinked back at him.

    ¡°Huh?¡± came the woman¡¯s voice.

    ¡°Hello,¡± said Tavian in the Imperial Common Tongue, unsure of what else to do.

    ¡°Who¡­ wha--?¡± the woman stuttered, attempting to make sense of the situation.

    ¡°Tavian,¡± said Tavian, indicating himself with an index finger to the centre of his chest. This explanation didn¡¯t seem to satisfy the bed¡¯s other occupant. Confusion reigned a few moments in her eyes until a note of panic made itself apparent.

    ¡°What did we¡ªWhat did we do?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯d say we made love,¡± said Tavian. ¡°I¡¯m assuming it was excellent, though¡ªwell, it¡¯s ungallant of me to say so, but truth be told I don¡¯t really reca¡ª¡±

    The woman sat bolt upright, the sheets and blankets falling away from her. ¡°You have to leave! You have to get out of here,¡± she said, pulling the bedding back up to protect her modesty.

    Tavian felt a wave of nausea wash over him. ¡°I¡¯m not totally clear on where¡­ here¡­ is exactly,¡± he said.

    The woman shook her head. ¡°You were with the band, weren¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°You do remember me!¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not joking,¡± said the woman. ¡°You have to go. We¡­ what we did was a mistake. Please, you have to get out of here.¡±

    Tavian pushed away the bedding and stood, making no effort to cover himself. The woman looked away quickly, staring at a spot on the bed in front of her, her cheeks flushing red.

    ¡°I might need some directions,¡± said Tavian, swaying unsteadily on his feet as his eyes darted about the immense bedchamber, searching for his clothes.

    ¡°You¡¯re in the West Gate Yamen,¡± said the woman.

    Tavian blinked a moment. Sensing his lack of understanding, the woman looked his way. ¡°You¡¯re in Governor Yucheng¡¯s mansion!¡± she snapped, before quickly looking away again.

    Some memories asserted themselves more strongly. ¡°Wait!¡± said Tavian, ¡°Governor¡­ you¡¯re¡­¡±

    ¡°Li Mingxia,¡± said the woman, between clenched teeth. She was looking around the chamber.

    ¡°You¡¯re the Governor¡¯s¡­?¡±

    ¡°Concubine, yes. Now look away,¡± she instructed.

    ¡°My dear, I think I¡¯ve already seen every¡ª¡±

    ¡°Look away!¡±

    ¡°Yes, m¡¯lady.¡±

    Tavian gazed at the window through which early morning sunlight was streaming. He blinked a few times, trying to push away the nausea. He heard rustling sounds behind him. The sound of footsteps followed and then, ¡°You can look back. Please get dressed. I¡¯m not talking to you with all your¡­ business¡­ hanging out.¡±

    He turned around and Mingxia was now wearing a loose-fitting silken tunic and trousers. She had laid out some crumpled clothes on the side of the bed. With one arm she indicated them, ¡°Please,¡± she said.

    Tavian walked over, giving her an appraising look as he walked past. She returned his look with a scowl, her arms crossed. He pulled on the crumpled white suit from the night before and sat on the side of the bed.

    ¡°Is that better?¡± he asked, smiling her way.

    ¡°Yes,¡± she said. ¡°Now can we return to the matter of you leaving?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m all for that, though I am wondering how we got here in the first place,¡± said Tavian.

    He could see from the sudden concern that contorted Mingxia¡¯s face that she was now also wondering how they got there and who had seen them. ¡°That doesn¡¯t matter right now,¡± she said, flustered. ¡°We need to figure out how to get you out.¡±

    ¡°And do you have any suggestions about that?¡± asked Tavian.

    For the first time Mingxia grinned. With one hand she pointed. Tavian looked the way she was indicating and saw the window.

    ¡°No¡­¡± he murmured.

    ¡°I think so,¡± said Mingxia.

    ¡°How high up are we?¡±

    ¡°Very.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll die.¡±

    Mingxia shrugged. ¡°If you understood the situation we¡¯re in properly, you¡¯d probably agree that only one of us dying is a pretty good outcome, on balance.¡±

    ¡°Is there a way I could leave¡­ without dying?¡± asked Tavian. ¡°It¡¯s just I kinda like me and would rather¡­¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t see why,¡± muttered Mingxia.

    ¡°Hey, you clearly liked something about me, y¡¯know, since we¡ª¡±

    ¡°Shut up!¡± she snapped.

    ¡°¡ªmade love,¡± he finished. ¡°But back to the not dying thing¡­¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s a ledge outside the window. You could definitely try not dying.¡±

    Tavian felt his brain slosh about like a broken egg yolk. Narrow ledges didn¡¯t especially appeal.

    ¡°Is there another way?¡±

    Mingxia pointed at the double doors that served as the chamber¡¯s entrance. Like everything in the vast chamber, they were elaborately decorated ¨C in this case with two huge, dragon-headed tortoises facing each other.

    ¡°You could go out the front door. The guards will seize you and execute you ¨C probably a little bit of torture first ¨C and then, in all likelihood, they¡¯ll do the same to me.¡±

    ¡°Hrm¡­¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sure there are some that might consider such an outcome their twisted idea of romantic, but I¡¯m sorry, I really don¡¯t feel that way. I¡¯ve survived enough awful men already ¨C I don¡¯t want you to be the one that gets me killed after all that.¡±

    ¡°M¡¯lady¡¯s words are too kind,¡± said Tavian, attempting a grin, but a potent brew of nausea and fear got in the way.

    ¡°I¡¯m not joking about the torture and death thing,¡± said Mingxia. ¡°So, if you¡¯d please,¡± she continued, indicating the window once more.

    ¡°Death either way,¡± mused Tavian.

    ¡°Like I said, if we could keep it to just one of us, I¡¯d really appreciate it. By which I mean hurry up,¡± said Mingxia.

    Tavian rose again. He found his shoes and slipped them on. Brushing down his white jacket in a vain attempt to straighten it, he looked around the room once more. ¡°I had a case with me,¡± he began. Mingxia walked to the other side of the bed and lifted up an instrument case.

    ¡°This?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s the one,¡± said Tavian, taking it from her and slinging it by its strap over his shoulder.

    He strode towards the window and peered out. The yamen was no skyscraper, but the window was high enough to ensure his best outcome was probably two broken legs. He reckoned this would make his chances of escape slim. The height also made the yolky slurry of his brain lurch about, the world briefly swirling unpredictably about him.

    I guess it was always going to end something like this, he thought. Good run. I guess.

    He turned back away from the window to look once more at Mingxia. ¡°It¡¯s been a blast,¡± he said with a slight bow.

    ¡°If it helps, on balance, I¡¯d definitely prefer you didn¡¯t die,¡± said Mingxia. ¡°But, ah, please hurry.¡±

    Tavian succeeded in beaming widely to her. He unslung the case once more and opened it, taking the mandolin from within before closing and re-slinging the case. He stepped backwards up onto the low window ledge. Mingxia¡¯s expression was some blend of concern, confusion, and fascination.

    Tavian strummed the strings of the mandolin. ¡°Guide me, Lady Anu!¡± he yelled.

    With that he stepped backwards into the air.

 Chapter II - The Gamblers

    Chapter II ¨C The Gamblers

    Mu glanced around as she turned into the narrow alley, the buildings clustering tightly around. A few other pedestrians roamed the streets, no one sparing her a glance. A waist-coated doorman stood beside an otherwise inconspicuous door. A sign by the door announced the presence of cocktails and live music.

    Not knowing what else to do Mu stepped towards him.

    ¡°Good evening, madame,¡± he said politely.

    ¡°I¡¯d, ah, I¡¯d like to go in,¡± said Mu, not knowing what else to say.

    The man seemed to observe her, smiling the whole time. Glancing around once more, Mu slipped down her hood, letting her long silken black hair spill out. She flashed him her most charming smile.

    ¡°Of course,¡± he said with a nod. He seemed to touch something in his pocket and the door swung in, revealing a dimly lit staircase, descending below street level. Above the stairs was a sign that simply read Silver Moon Lounge. Mu hurriedly descended the stairs, reaching a second door at the bottom, this one unattended. She slowly pushed it open.

    The atmosphere hit her senses all at once. The air was redolent of cigar smoke, perfume, and alcohol. The lighting was dim. The place hummed with the melodies of Shangxia jazz, the murmur of dozens of conversations, and the clink of glasses. She took a few steps farther inside, the door closing softly behind her. A long, ornate bar stretched along one side of the room, its back wall lined with shelves laden with uncountable bottles, shining glasses suspended from racks above. At the far end of the room a stage ¨C lit by soft lights of changing colours ¨C was home to a band. Before them stood an elegant woman in a sleek, glittering qipao, crooning softly, her voice deep and smoky and laden with nostalgia, despite her apparent young age. Patrons were arrayed on barstools and at private booths; others formed couples, swaying on the dancefloor.

    Mu made her way to the bar and took up position on a barstool. Her hood was still down and she continually glanced around. So far, though, no one had so much as spared her a glance. That in itself was odd ¨C Mu was used to being noticed.

    A bartender wandered over to her. ¡°Can I get you a drink, madame?¡±

    ¡°A cocktail, please. Surprise me.¡±

    ¡°Certainly,¡± said the bartender, nodding and turned to begin work. Mu had never had a cocktail. The drinking at the Imperial Court always consisted of traditional wines and spirits. Time to try something new. Blend in.

    A napkin was placed in front of her and a glass followed a moment later. The drink had a pinkish-red hue, with what looked to be a plum sitting in it. She paid and then took a sip, slowly swivelling on the bar stool to once again take in the vista of the club. She grimaced slightly as she took her sip, then returned to the drink, taking another. An acquired taste, she figured, but not wholly unpleasant.

    Waitresses in tight-fitting cheongsams moved expertly amongst the tables and booths, carrying aloft trays of drinks, their high heels clicking on the scuffed wooden floor. Somewhere a man let out an uproarious laugh that pierced through the languid atmosphere momentarily before everything returned to a lazy swirl of smoke and music and shadow.

    She eventually spotted what she was looking for. The gambling tables ¨C the abode of tiles, cards, and dice. Men and women crowded around them, intensely engaged with the goings on at the tables. As Mu watched she felt something brush against her arm. Startling slightly, she swivelled to see the sensation¡¯s source.

    A man in a high-collared suit was standing there, smiling at her.

    ¡°Could I perhaps buy your next drink, madame?¡± he asked in a smooth tone as he leant in close, his hand lingering at her elbow.

    Mu slowly sipped from her cocktail, holding his gaze as she did so. At length she replied, ¡°I¡¯m quite alright,¡± she said with a smile that never quite reached her eyes.

    Swallowing, the man seemed to linger a moment, unsure, then with a slight bow of his head he vanished into the crowd.

    Mu took another sip of her drink before rising to her feet. She slowly threaded her way across the bar, weaving amongst the booths, patrons, and waitresses. Reaching a table where a game of tiles had just finished up, she cleared her throat and spoke up.

    ¡°May I join?¡± she asked.

    A bald man with a long moustache and immaculately tailored three-piece suit looked up at her from where he sat at the table. ¡°Of course, madame,¡± he said, casting a sideways glance at the man standing to his side. The standing man leant down and whispered something in the bald man¡¯s ear, then straightened back up, clasping his hands behind his back.

    Mu looked around at the other occupants of the table. A woman maybe twice Mu¡¯s age, elegantly dressed and sour-faced. An off-worlder in a crumpled white suit. He smiled roguishly when Mu momentarily met her gaze, and she quickly turned away.

    ¡°Need I explain the rules?¡± asked the bald man, his gaze picking out Mu.

    Mu smiled obligingly, ¡°I should be fine, thank you.¡±

    ¡°Excellent. If you would, Mr Lin,¡± he said and a man in a waistcoat and bowtie began distributing tiles. ¡°I¡¯m Wei Jiang. And who do we have joining us tonight? Well, Madame Chen, I of course recognise,¡± said the bald man, his arm indicating the older woman. She nodded in acknowledgement, but did not smile.

    ¡°Tavian Locke, at your service,¡± said the off-worlder in the white suit, smiling broadly once more.

    ¡°Mu,¡± said Mu, offering nothing further.

    Mr Wei smiled. ¡°Mr Locke, Madame Mu, a pleasure to have you with us.¡±

    Thus, the game commenced. Bets were placed. Tiles were turned.

    And Mu reached out to the Starflow.

    For his part, Tavian had played a hundred games of chance on a hundred worlds and figured many of the fundamentals were the same. He observed the others for the first few rounds, playing cautiously. Once he felt confident that he had the gist of the game, he started putting some money up.

    He observed the other players. Madame Chen, he figured, was a bored woman with plenty of money and nothing much to spend it on. She was disappointed with life and saw little hope of improvement. May as well fritter that money away on tiles and drinks.

    The others were something else. Mr Wei was undoubtedly involved in organised crime. The mostly silent man who stood by him at all times and constantly surveyed their surroundings was undoubtedly some kind of bodyguard or lackey. A few other suited men watched them from far corners of the room. Whatever the details, Mr Wei was clearly a man used to getting what he wanted.

    Don¡¯t beat him too badly, Tavian thought to himself.

    Then there was the younger woman. A beauty, no doubt, but there was more than that which caught Tavian¡¯s eye. There was the strange cloak she wore, but at times he caught glimpses of what was under it. It wasn¡¯t standard Shangxia eveningwear. It was the kind of traditional dress worn by the Aixin elite. Then there were mannerisms. She moved with a practiced grace, a trained elegance. And when she spoke it was with the unmistakable accent of the nobility. Imperial Standard wasn¡¯t Tavian¡¯s native tongue, but the accent was too obvious to be missed.

    Another concubine chancing a night out on the town? No, she had a far more refined air than someone like Li Mingxia. She was high born. Tavian vaguely wondered whether she thought she was being subtle with that cloak. He was sure he wasn¡¯t the only one who had picked her out. Mr Wei certainly had as well.

    Well, after last night, no more going after girls with lofty connections, thought Tavian.

    He sipped his water. No more booze, either. Not after last night. Tonight, he had to remain sharp. He¡¯d barely escaped the Yamen this morning, having been on the run from the moment his feet touched softly down in the courtyard below Mingxia¡¯s bedroom window. The stars may have guided him, but without a basic survival instinct he wouldn¡¯t last.

    Here at least, he was probably safe from the Governor¡¯s security forces. Mr Wei didn¡¯t strike Tavian as the sort of man who hung about in places full of government employees.

    Tavian looked about the table at the little holographic displays next to each player. A few rounds in and Tavian was up a little, Mr Wei a lot. Madame Chen and Madame Mu were both down a little. For his part, Tavian would be happy enough coming away from the table with just a little more than he had arrived with. For now, he took in the symbols on the upturned tiles. Pausing a moment he entered his bet.

    Mr Wei smiled at him. A moment later the remaining tiles were flipped by Mr Lin and the displays shifted. Mr Wei¡¯s winnings increased. Tavian¡¯s took a hit, whilst Madame Chen edged into positive territory. Mu¡¯s remained static in slightly negative territory.

    ¡°Not to worry, Mr Locke,¡± said Mr Wei. ¡°You are doing well for someone new to the tiles.¡±

    ¡°How did you know?¡± asked Tavian.

    ¡°Just a hunch,¡± said Mr Wei.

    New tiles were distributed. It was in that moment that he saw something like the flicker of a smile dart across Mu¡¯s face. Mu caught him looking at her, their eyes meeting briefly. Her face went blank again and she looked away.

    This time, once bets were entered and the last of the tiles were turned, the numbers shifted considerably. Madame Chen was back in the negative, now joined in that territory by Tavian. But more notably, Mr Wei¡¯s winnings were halved and Mu¡¯s suddenly leapt into positive territory.

    Madame Chen scowled at Mu.

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    ¡°Well, well, brains, not just beauty, Madame Mu,¡± said Mr Wei.

    Tavian looked at her, but her face was expressionless now. There was something about that smile before¡­

    Things took an unexpected turn from there. Round after round every other player¡¯s winnings began diminishing, whilst Mu¡¯s became ever larger. Finally came a moment when with a sound of disgust Madame Chen abruptly quit, signing over her losses. She was gone in a flash. Mr Wei tapped the man standing beside him who leant in. They had a brief whispered exchange. Tavian looked at his numbers. He was down more than he could rightly afford. Meanwhile, Mu¡¯s expressionless face had gained a great deal more life. Tavian recognised the look now on her face for what it was: smugness.

    Mr Wei let out a sigh. ¡°Well, I think I may have to follow Madame Chen¡¯s example. A wise man knows when he has lost.¡± His words were calm, but his tone and his expression suggested more than a little frustration. He nodded to Tavian and Mu. ¡°I¡¯ll take my leave.¡±

    With that he stood and walked away, the other man following with him. Mr Lin looked Tavian¡¯s way expectantly. Tavian threw up his hands. ¡°Who am I to think I can do any better than such veterans. I believe I, too, must concede.¡±

    Mu flashed him a victorious grin. ¡°Not one more round?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m afraid not,¡± said Tavian. Leaning closer to her, he said, ¡°I don¡¯t know how you did it, but you have us all beat.¡±

    With that he signed over his losses and closed out the game.

    Walking away, Tavian heard Mr Lin say, ¡°Congratulations, Madame Mu.¡±

    Unsure what to do next, Mu wandered back to the bar. She found the bartender who had served her earlier.

    ¡°Another of¡­ those¡­ things¡­ from before,¡± she said.

    ¡°Right way,¡± said the bartender. When he returned with her drink and placed it in front of her, he spoke again, ¡°The tables treat you well?¡±

    Mu sipped her drink. ¡°Very well.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m glad to hear it, Madame.¡±

    Mu was sitting there, taking in the music and contemplating whether or not to try another table when she felt something brush up against her arm. Turning, half expecting to see the man from earlier back for another try, she instead found herself face to face with Tavian Locke.

    ¡°Oh,¡± she said, ¡°It¡¯s you.¡±

    Tavian laughed. ¡°Is that anyway to speak to someone who just donated you a whole lot of money?¡±

    Mu smirked. ¡°You seem like a proud man, Mr Locke. I hope I didn¡¯t wound you too severely.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve had worse,¡± he said.

    Mu observed him a moment as he leant across the bar, attempting to flag down a bartender. It was in that moment that she realised he was the man who had passed her in the street earlier that day, running from the authorities.

    ¡°Is that why you¡¯re on the run?¡± she asked.

    He looked back at her, his face registering surprise. ¡°Ah,¡± he said, ¡°No. That¡­ that was for other reasons. Have¡­ have we met before?¡±

    ¡°You passed me in the street earlier. You appeared a little preoccupied.¡±

    ¡°Right,¡± said Tavian. The bartender had come over to him and he ordered another glass of water.

    ¡°Going hard tonight, I see,¡± said Mu.

    ¡°Going hard is what got me chased down the street,¡± replied Tavian.

    ¡°You do have some caution.¡±

    ¡°I do,¡± he said, nodding and then sipping his water. ¡°How about you? What you did back at that table wasn¡¯t all that cautious, was it?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not the one who lost money.¡±

    ¡°No,¡± Tavian conceded, ¡°But sometimes losing is the more cautious approach.¡±

    Mu grinned, ¡°I¡¯m sure that¡¯s reassuring to tell yourself.¡±

    Tavian pointed in the general direction of the gambling tables. ¡°Mr Wei back there doesn¡¯t strike me as the sort of man who takes well to losing money.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sure he¡¯ll live,¡± said Mu.

    ¡°I hope you do,¡± said Tavian.

    ¡°Are you threatening me?¡± asked Mu, outrage creeping into her voice.

    ¡°Me? No. But him? I¡¯d be careful, if I were you. In fact, instead of sitting here and chatting with me, I¡¯d be thinking about making myself scarce, if I were you.¡±

    Mu sipped her drink, in part to give herself a moment to think. ¡°I¡¯ll be fine.¡±

    Tavian leant closer to her. She leant back slightly in reaction.

    He spoke softly, ¡°I know you cheated back there. I don¡¯t know how. But I know you did. And if I know that, I can guarantee Mr Wei does as well. It¡¯s not just how he reacts to losing money, you need to worry about. It¡¯s how he reacts to being cheated out of it.¡±

    Mu did her best to look indignant. ¡°I won fair and square!¡± she insisted.

    ¡°Look, I don¡¯t care about my money. Well¡­ I do, but whatever. Take it. It¡¯s yours. Congratulations. But I don¡¯t think Mr Wei will be as obliging. You¡¯re not from around here¡ª¡±

    ¡°And you are?¡± snapped Mu.

    ¡°I know the streets,¡± said Tavian, ¡°And I know Mr Wei¡¯s type. I¡¯m not sure you do. Don¡¯t be too proud to take my advice.¡±

    Mu paused legitimately this time, her drink halfway to her mouth. She considered what he was saying.

    Seizing the moment, Tavian spoke again. ¡°Come with me. I¡¯ll escort you out. We¡¯ll disappear in the streets. Then we can go our separate ways.¡±

    A suspicion struck Mu. ¡°How do I know I can trust you?¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t. But I think you realise what I said about Mr Wei is right. I trust you of all people know which is the sensible gamble here.¡±

    Mu ran her index finger along her lips as she thought.

    ¡°Fine,¡± she said. She threw back the remains of her drink and grimaced. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s not rush,¡± said Tavian. ¡°Just calmly head for the exit.¡±

    Tavian rose from his barstool first. Mu followed close behind. They began walking towards the door. Mu glanced around the room. She noticed two men in suits at the far end of the bar had risen to their feet and were slowly walking in the same direction as her and Tavian.

    Without turning to face her, Tavian spoke softly, so that she could only just hear him over the noise of the club. ¡°When we get out the front door, we may need to move quickly.¡±

    Mu nodded, though Tavian wouldn¡¯t have been able to see the gesture. Off to one side she noticed too more men moving quite obviously in their direction. ¡°I think you might be onto something,¡± she said to Tavian.

    ¡°Just keep moving,¡± he said.

    Slipping amongst the patrons, they reached the lower door. There was a cabinet beside the door and Tavian leant to open it. From within he pulled something. Mu realised in a moment it was the instrument case she had seen him carrying when he ran into her on the street.

    ¡°You got a gun in there?¡± she asked.

    ¡°No,¡± he said, though offered no further explanation, pushing open the door. ¡°Quickly. No point in trying to be subtle now.¡±

    With that they both took the stairs at a half-run. Reaching the top, Tavian hit a button by the side of the door and it swung open.

    ¡°Thank you, good sir,¡± said Tavian to the doormen as they darted past.

    Mu pulled her hood back up. ¡°Where now?¡±

    ¡°Somewhere busier is probably best,¡± said Tavian.

    ¡°Won¡¯t the authorities be on the lookout for you somewhere busier?¡± asked Mu as the two of them reached the corner of the alley the Club was on.

    ¡°I think someone¡¯s on the lookout for me just about everywhere now,¡± replied Tavian.

    At that very moment four men in dark suits stepped out of the shadows ahead of them. More footsteps behind them signalled that the men from the club weren¡¯t far behind.

    ¡°Well, shit,¡± said Tavian, coming to a stop, sticking his arm out, to signal to Mu to stop also.

    Mu looked around. Sure enough four other men were now strolling up behind them. ¡°Think they¡¯ll talk?¡± she asked.

    ¡°Wouldn¡¯t count on it,¡± said Tavian. ¡°Don¡¯t suppose you know how to fight?¡±

    ¡°I do alright,¡± said Mu.

    Tavian looked at her, surprise on his face. ¡°Really?¡±

    ¡°Really,¡± affirmed Mu, her hand sliding under her cloak.

    One of the men in front of them stepped forward. ¡°Mr Wei doesn¡¯t like cheaters,¡± he announced, his hand reaching under his jacket to reveal a sword at his waist.

    Mu was about to protest, but Tavian held out his hand. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t bother arguing,¡± he said, seemingly sensing what was coming.

    ¡°So, it¡¯s going to be a fight then,¡± Tavian continued, louder.

    ¡°That¡¯s up to you,¡± said the lead thug, drawing his sword. At this the other men all drew their own weapons.

    Mu closed her eyes as the fingers of her concealed hand wrapped around the hilt at her waist. The Starflow came as reliably as ever. She watched as the first man stepped forward, his sword raised in a powerful, but slow overhead strike. Tavian deftly manoeuvred aside and the man finished up next to Mu.

    Mu opened her eyes. Everyone was unmoved.

    ¡°Alright,¡± she said.

    A moment later the lead thug stepped forward, blade arcing up overhead. No sooner had he finished than Mu¡¯s blade emerged in a flash from its sheath, travelling through a wide horizontal arc. Everything seemed to freeze for a moment and then the man took one slow step forward before he keeled over, blood erupting from a gaping hole in his side. Mu cast her cloak off and brought her sword around into a guard position, both hands now on the hilt.

    Then chaos erupted.

    Two men came from behind, but Tavian was quick. He moved with carefully practiced speed and efficiency, shockingly agile. In a moment he was now behind those men and the case was unslung from his back, swinging around and catching one man across the back of his head. The other man had not yet fully turned when a spinning kick from Tavian sent him sprawling sideways.

    Mu let the Starflow go directly to her blade. She reacted to the attackers before they even moved. Another man caught her blade to the neck. There it lodged a moment and though she could feel the next attack coming, she couldn¡¯t extricate herself quickly enough. Tavian¡¯s case though caught the attacker approaching her and a moment later she had pulled the sword free in a spray of blood and viscera.

    A few more moments and it was over. Three men lay dead, the others staggered or crawled away.

    Tavian turned to Mu.

    ¡°Wow,¡± he said.

    She was silent a moment, then her sword clattered to the ground. Her hands reached up to cup her face. ¡°Oh no¡­¡± she muttered.

    ¡°Oh no?¡± asked Tavian, walking towards her.

    Mu was breathing heavily.

    Tavian gently laid a hand on her shoulder. ¡°Are you hurt?¡± he asked.

    She shook her head. Then she lowered her hands, turning two watery eyes towards Tavian, his image blurry. ¡°I¡¯ve never killed anyone before.¡±

    Tavian looked around the scene. ¡°Maybe they¡¯re faking?¡± he said, even as he pulled back the toe of his shoe from the expanding pool of blood on the ground. ¡°I gotta say, that was unexpected.¡±

    Mu clenched her fists by her side, looked to the sky and breathed in deeply. She wiped away the tears, then bent to pick up her sword. She strolled over to one of the downed men and drew the sword along his jacket, both sides. Inspecting the blade she sheathed it again. Still trembling she turned to a silently waiting Tavian.

    ¡°I¡¯ve been trained,¡± she said.

    ¡°I¡¯ll say,¡± said Tavian. ¡°Who exactly are you?¡±

    Mu looked him in the eyes again, considering carefully her next words. Satisfying the debate in her head she nodded slowly.

    ¡°My name is Aixin Mukushen of the Mukta Clan, Princess of the White Horse Banner.¡±

    Tavian was speechless.

    ¡°Until six weeks ago I was betrothed to the future Emperor of Aixingo. Now¡­ now I don¡¯t know.¡±

    She paused another moment.

    ¡°What I do know, is that what¡¯s following me is far more dangerous than these thugs. You may want to part ways with me before anyone connects you to me.¡±

    Tavian laughed, shaking his head. ¡°My dear, until just now I thought I was probably the most wanted person on this planet. But even if I¡¯m only number two, I still think we may share a goal.¡±

    ¡°To get off-world,¡± said Mu.

    ¡°To get-off world,¡± confirmed Tavian. ¡°I think we just discovered that we make a good team. So why don¡¯t we cooperate?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t think you understand who¡¯s pursuing me,¡± said Mu.

    ¡°I can guess. And I¡¯m not keen to meet them. But let¡¯s work on not meeting them together. What do you say?¡± said Tavian, extending a hand.

    Shakily Mu extended her hand, grasping his. They shook and she withdrew. ¡°Alright,¡± she said. ¡°I have transport organised ¨C a STOC to the Orbital Ring.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s a start,¡± said Tavian.

    ¡°But, um, I¡¯m supposed to wait for a sign,¡± said Mu.

    Tavian looked at her quizzically. ¡°A sign?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s hard to explain,¡± said Mu, her mind spinning as she wondered how to convey Bright Eyes¡¯ cryptic directions in a way that would make sense.

    However, even as she stood there, contemplating, she heard the sound of someone clearing their throat behind them. Spinning, her hand instinctively went back to her sword¡¯s hilt. But she saw no one.

    ¡°I think I can help with that sign,¡± announced a smooth and refined voice.

    Mu was struggling to work out where the voice was coming from when she saw a wide-eyed Tavian standing with an outstretched finger pointing into the shadows. She looked the way he was pointing.

    A black cat wearing a red bow-tie strolled into the light.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to startle you,¡± announced the cat, ¡°But I think Mr Bright Eyes might have wanted you to wait for me.¡±

    Mu didn¡¯t know what to say. Beside her Tavian was silent.

    ¡°My name is Apollo, and I think I can help you get off world.¡±

 Chapter III - The Star-Forged Knight

    Chapter III ¨C The Star Forged Knight

    Tavian glanced from the black cat to Mu and back again.

    Mu nodded. ¡°We should follow him.¡±

    ¡°Sure, why not?¡± muttered Tavian.

    Apollo darted across the street and turned. ¡°You will be pursued. I suggest we move quickly.¡±

    ¡°Right,¡± said Mu, who appeared to be taking this latest development entirely in her stride. Though in her suddenly business-like and focused demeanour Tavian thought he detected a distinct effort to push away certain other emotions. Glancing at her side he saw her hand was still trembling.

    Mu and Tavian followed Apollo quickly, moving between shadows. The backstreets of this district of the city were a fugitive¡¯s best friend, deeply lit and seldom graced by the authorities¡¯ presence. That said, it wasn¡¯t the authorities that they were now chiefly concerned about. Tavian hadn¡¯t spared another glance at the scene of their confrontation, but he knew it was grim. His hands hadn¡¯t been so clean as Mu¡¯s, but the thought of killing still didn¡¯t sit easily with his conscience, no matter who it was.

    Did I even kill one of them? he thought to himself. He didn¡¯t think he had. Each of the three that died had fallen to Mu¡¯s remarkably sharp sword.

    As Tavian was thinking, he was moving. Apollo guided them in quick bursts, moving rapidly ahead, stopping for them to catch up, then moving again. Tavian had spent plenty of time in these streets over the past year or so, but now even he wasn¡¯t entirely sure where they were.

    Mu seemed to be having the same thoughts. ¡°We are heading to the spaceport, right?¡± she asked Apollo.

    ¡°We are heading to a spaceport, yes,¡± he said. ¡°I believe this is the safest route.¡±

    Tavian and Mu exchanged a brief glance and continued following their feline guide through the narrow and shadow-swathed streets of the slumbering city. They didn¡¯t run, but still moved swiftly. Occasionally they would encounter other people, but seldom did they attract much attention. Most of the others were patrons on their way to or from the district¡¯s many underground clubs and bars.

    At length their unusual party of three emerged from the shadowy warren onto a wide road. All of the vehicles on the road appeared to be uncrewed transports, a steady stream of them turning into a gate on the far side of the road. Nestled in amongst large warehouses and factories, a sign read: No. 3 Shangxia Tianyigang Orbital Freight Handling Facility.

    ¡°Are we freight now, then?¡± asked Tavian.

    ¡°There are STOCs there that will transport us to the Ring. If I¡¯m not mistaken the tickets Miss Mukushen has are for a STOC from this very facility,¡± said Apollo.

    Mu took out her tablet and glanced at the tickets Bright Eyes had provided her. She nodded. ¡°It does say they¡¯re for here.¡±

    ¡°Freight it is,¡± said Tavian.

    A short way away an underpass led to the far side of the road. There they took the personnel entrance and emerged into the vast facility beyond. The main part of the facility was a colossal warehouse with shipping crates stacked to precipitous heights. Row upon row of these crates extended out into the distance, creating a disorienting and borderline surreal effect. Hovering robots moved along the aisles between the crates, at times selecting or off-loading one. The robots showed no signs of heeding their arrival.

    ¡°It¡¯s got a cosy vibe,¡± said Tavian, to no one in particular.

    ¡°This way,¡± said Apollo.

    Now they were off the streets, they moved more slowly, walking along the seemingly endless aisle between the shipping crates. There was little sound about, except for the whir of the freight-handling robots and the occasional clanks, bangs, and groans as they loaded and unloaded crates. Tavian¡¯s eyes scanned the dimly lit aisles as they passed one after the other, searching for any sign of a threat, but he saw nothing. From time to time, he looked back over his shoulder, constantly beset by the sensation that something was pursuing them. Yet for all he expected to see another group of gangsters heading their way, he saw nothing at each turn. He allowed himself a moment to hope they might actually escape the planet without further incident.

    Mu, however, wasn¡¯t on the same wavelength this time. ¡°We¡¯re about to run into trouble,¡± she announced, her gaze darting about as Tavian¡¯s had been. She too appeared to see nothing.

    ¡°You sure?¡± asked Tavian, though even as he asked, he did notice one thing: all of a sudden there were no freight handling robots anywhere near them.

    ¡°I am,¡± said Mu, ¡°I¡¯m never wrong about this sort of thing.¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s right,¡± agreed Apollo, his ears standing up and moving about.

    In a moment Mu¡¯s sword was drawn. ¡°They¡¯re coming,¡± she said.

    ¡°Where?¡± asked Tavian, looking around again and still seeing nothing.

    Mu paused a moment, seemingly trying to work out the answer. Then her eyes went wide. ¡°DUCK!¡±

    Apollo was gone like a streak of black lightning. Tavian didn¡¯t need a second hint and threw himself to the ground, as Mu did the same. He felt a burst of heat and then saw a rocket streaking away from them, having come from behind.

    A blinding flash and a roar of noise.

    ¡°Stay down,¡± shouted Mu. ¡°Follow me.¡± Crawling on her knees and elbows, still clutching her sword, she made her way out of the aisle they had been walking in. Once out of the line of sight of their pursuers she rose to her feet. Tavian followed a moment later.

    ¡°Where too?¡± asked Tavian.

    Mu looked unsure, but spoke anyway, ¡°This way.¡± She headed along the side aisle and when they came to the next junction took a left, followed by a right shortly afterwards, zig-zagging away from their previous location. In the distance they could now hear voices. And the voices were joined by a whirring noise.

    ¡°They¡¯ve got drones,¡± announced Tavian, breathlessly. ¡°How¡¯d some gangster in a nightclub find a rocket launcher and drones that quickly?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not the gangsters,¡± said Mu, without looking back at Tavian, as they ran.

    ¡°Then--?¡± began Tavian.

    ¡°It¡¯s the authorities¡­ I think¡­ I think it¡¯s the governor¡¯s household guards,¡± said Mu.

    Tavian¡¯s brain froze a moment as it simultaneously dealt with the immediate priority of their escape and the information he¡¯d just received. Before he could fully comprehend it, all Mu skidded to a halt, flinging out her arm to block him.

    ¡°More coming this way,¡± she said. ¡°It¡¯s¡ªThese are the gangsters.¡±

    ¡°Wait, what!?¡± exclaimed Tavian. ¡°They¡¯re both here?¡±

    ¡°I think they¡¯re cooperating,¡± said Mu.

    ¡°I¡¯d ask if you were sure¡­ but I feel like you always are, aren¡¯t you?¡± said Tavian.

    ¡°You¡¯re learning,¡± said Mu. ¡°Can you climb?¡±

    ¡°Can I--?¡± began Tavian, but Mu was already leading by example. She had kicked off her shoes and was attempting to scale the front of a shipping crate. With a leap Tavian leapt up and managed to wrap his fingers around a ridge atop another crate, heaving the rest of his body up with a great strain on his core muscles. ¡°I think they¡¯ll still see us,¡± he said to Mu, who was awkwardly crouched on the narrow lip of crate that was exposed, her head bowed to avoid hitting the crate above. Tavian found he needed to remove the instrument case off his back in order to fit between the overhanging crate and the one they were on.

    ¡°Not quick enough,¡± she said, and he saw her sword was once again in hand.

    ¡°We gonna ambush them?¡± he asked.

    ¡°Yes. Now shut up until my mark,¡± said Mu.

    ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am,¡± said Tavian.

    The whir of a drone was drawing closer. He looked over at Mu and she held up one finger to steady him. He nodded and didn¡¯t speak, barely remembering to breathe.

    The whirring got louder.

    Then a black, dragonfly like machine rounded the corner, its angry red sensors scanning the scene. It seemed to sense something and move closer.

    ¡°You, wait,¡± whispered Mu.

    The dragonfly drone heard her and rotated in place in the air. But even with its machine reflexes it wasn¡¯t quick enough to match Mu¡¯s preternatural reaction time. She launched herself from the top of the crate, grabbing the drone with one hand and dragging it to the ground. With her other hand she drove her sword through its core, causing an eruption of sparks. She quickly yanked her sword free just as a voice yelled out, ¡°They¡¯re here!¡±

    No sooner had the voice shouted than in a fluid movement Mu thrust around the corner of the lowest shipping crate, catching someone just outside Tavian¡¯s field of view. She leapt backwards away from the corner and Tavian heard hurried footsteps. Mu slipped back behind the minimal cover of the crate on which Tavian was perched, just as two armed thugs in suits stepped around the corner. This time they were armed with automatic rifles rather than swords.

    ¡°Tavian, now!¡± yelled Mu.

    Kicking off a metal support behind him he launched himself from the top of the crate. With less elegance than he might have liked, he barrelled into the lead thug and sent both of them tumbling backwards. There was a loud sequence of bangs as one of the men inadvertently discharged his weapon. Tavian stumbled to his feet first and gave the man immediately in front of him a hard kick to the ribs. He quickly yanked the gun from the man¡¯s hands and spun it around to point at the other thug. There was a split second where a bang rang out and Tavian wasn¡¯t sure which of them had managed to fire first. Then he saw the blood seeping through the man¡¯s shirt and realised he wasn¡¯t feeling anything. Panting he stepped back, lowering the weapon to point at the first man.

    ¡°Don¡¯t try anything stupid and I won¡¯t have to kill you,¡± said Tavian. The man said nothing, but nodded. Mu had now walked up beside Tavian, slipping her previously abandoned shoes back on.

    ¡°Wanna take a gun?¡± asked Tavian, indicating the man he¡¯d shot.

    ¡°Not my style,¡± said Mu. ¡°Let¡¯s keep going.¡±

    ¡°Do we have any strategy here?¡± asked Tavian.

    ¡°Not exactly,¡± said Mu. ¡°But so far so good, right?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not sure so good would be how I¡¯d put it.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re alive.¡±

    ¡°For now,¡± said Tavian, ¡°Okay, lead on.¡±

    ¡°Apollo¡¯s up ahead,¡± said Mu.

    ¡°I was wondering where our feline friend had gotten to,¡± remarked Tavian as they stepped out into the perpendicular aisle. He noticed a woman¡¯s body just around the corner as they stepped out. Mu appeared to be deliberately not looking that way. He cast a glance behind him, but the man he¡¯d downed was as good as his word and wasn¡¯t following. Distantly he could hear the whir of drones and the voices of many different people.

    Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author.

    We¡¯ll never outrun the drones, thought Tavian. I wonder how many they have?

    They rounded another corner. Tavian¡¯s sense of direction was utterly shot ¨C every one of these aisles looked identical to every other. He wasn¡¯t even sure if they were currently in an aisle running parallel on perpendicular to the one they¡¯d started in. It was an uncomfortable feeling, aggravated by the ever-present sounds of their pursuers. But in a strangely reassuring sight, he saw a black cat sitting serenely in the middle of this aisle.

    ¡°Hello, again,¡± he said.

    ¡°Hello, Mr Locke,¡± said Apollo. ¡°This way if you¡¯d please.¡±

    Tavian once again found himself in the novel situation of following a talking black cat to escape those mercilessly hunting for him. He barely had time to wonder how Apollo knew his name.

    ¡°I don¡¯t suppose you have a plan?¡± asked Tavian, unable to escape the absurdity of asking such a question of a cat, even as he did so.

    ¡°Reinforcements should be arriving shortly,¡± said Apollo.

    ¡°Reinforcements?¡± asked Tavian, looking Mu¡¯s way. She just shrugged.

    Before the conversation could continue any further, they rounded yet another corner and immediately saw one of the dragonfly drones.

    ¡°Targets sighted!¡± announced the drone.

    Tavian didn¡¯t waste a moment before levelling his new rifle at the machine and squeezing the trigger. The machine fell from the air, but he could already hear the sounds of many boots and voices closing on their location.

    ¡°Quickly!¡± hissed Apollo and they broke into a sprint.

    Tavian wasn¡¯t sure if he felt, heard, or saw it, but in the next moment he was aware of bullets passing close by his face. Mu was saying something, but Tavian¡¯s mind didn¡¯t quite comprehend it. Not that he needed to. He leapt into the nearest cross-aisle, even as sparks flew and bullets ricocheted off crates and steel beams. Tavian spun around and dropped into a firing position.

    Mu walked up behind him. Footsteps were getting closer, but the bullets had stopped. She raised a hand and pointed. ¡°Nudge the barrel just around the corner on my count and fire in this direction. Three¡­ two¡­ one¡­ GO!¡±

    Tavian did as he was told and let out a burst on full-auto.

    ¡°Now run,¡± said Mu.

    He leapt to his feet and kept going. Whether his carefully directed shot had hit anything he didn¡¯t see and Mu didn¡¯t say, but they were once again moving at a sprint, Apollo up ahead.

    ¡°They¡¯re closing in from that way too,¡± said Mu, pointing off to their right.

    ¡°Reinforcements will be here soon,¡± insisted Apollo, who moved so quickly that he had to repeatedly stop so as not to lose his human companions.

    Tavian was feeling the burn from their extended sprint when they turned a corner and he saw an actual wall with a door up ahead. They charged through and emerged into a gaping hangar, open to the night air at one end, various STOCs lining the multiple decks of landing bays. Apollo turned right and they followed him up a metal staircase, loud clanks accompanying every step they took. They had barely reached the top when more shots rang out behind them and they ducked low to put a metal barrier between them. Even as they did so a titanic roar filled the hangar and everything began to tremble.

    Bullets flew overhead as they ran as fast as they could whilst bent double. Tavian heard a loud explosion, audible even over the roar above, and dodged just in time as a shard of metal went flying by, the detritus of a rocket impact nearby.

    The roar was getting louder.

    Then the roof of the hangar tore asunder. A fiery rain descended and something moving much too fast to see streaked by, smashing into the ground floor of the hangar like a meteorite impact. Even hundreds of metres away, Tavian felt the shockwave flow through the air. Fiery scraps of metal, some giant shards, erupted out in every direction, causing a chain reaction of secondary collisions and explosions, all radiating out from the central impact crater.

    Behind them the guns had ceased firing. Tavian peered through a newly opened hole in the barrier and saw where the thing had landed. Where there had once been a floor, there was now a pool of molten metal. Dripping with liquid fire, an almost demonic being arose from the infernal lake, difficult to fully comprehend through the shimmering heat haze. It looked like a knight¡¯s armour, but forged in the heart of star. Steadily it rose into the air, its visor gleaming like a gateway to hell.

    Mu and Tavian were silent, watching on in awe.

    Apollo licked his paw, then looked at them with his lamp-like eyes. ¡°I believe our cavalry has arrived.¡±

    Then a booming machine-like voice filled the hangar, laden with menace. ¡°All hostile forces, stand down immediately. Any who resist will be exterminated. You have ten seconds to lay down arms and depart.¡±

    ¡°What is that?¡± asked Tavian.

    ¡°The cavalry, like I said,¡± said Apollo, wriggling his whiskers, ¡°We¡¯ll handle proper introductions later. For now, follow me.¡±

    They began preceding along the elevated walkway, avoiding multiple piles of flaming metal and the occasional freshly opened gap.

    As they went, another voice filled the hangar. This one seemed to also originate from the star-forged knight, but had a distinctly different quality to it. Instead, it sounded like a young female. ¡°Loved the entry, Big Guy, no notes there. I think maybe the warning might have been better with a slow, ominous countdown, like¡ª¡± here the voice paused and there was a sound of a clearing throat. The voice resumed in a rather weak impression of the menacing voice they¡¯d heard before, ¡°Ten¡­ nine¡­ eight¡­ y¡¯know? Just adds tension.¡±

    At this curious announcement, Apollo made a sound like an exasperated sigh. Before Tavian could formulate the question to ask what was going on, there was a loud noise and a rocket shot out from somewhere behind them. It wasn¡¯t aimed at them this time. Instead, it slammed into the knight.

    Moments later the young voice piqued up again, ¡°Oooh, these numbers are goooood. That thing did absolutely nothing to you. Not a scratch. These poor bastards. That was a really stupid move. All yours, Big Guy.¡±

    The metal knight rotated in the air to face the direction from which the rocket had been fired. Now it spoke in the original menacing voice. ¡°You were warned. All remaining hostiles will be exterminated.¡±

    ¡°Yeah!¡± said the young voice, enthusiastically. ¡°Exterminated! Scary.¡±

    The knight held up both arms and almost blindingly bright lances of light shot out. They cut through giant metal beams like they simply weren¡¯t there. There was the sound of voices yelling out, a few gunshots. Then nothing. The beams vanished, but eight spider-like rocket launchers extended from the knight¡¯s back, like a spider¡¯s legs. A deafening barrage erupted, and everything behind them turned to fire and smoke with the roar of concussive explosions and the scream of rupturing steel. An acrid burning smell filled the air and the air itself was becoming uncomfortably hot.

    ¡°Hahaha!¡± rang out the young voice. ¡°So cool. You are the apocalypse on two legs. I am shaking ¨C literally shaking ¨C up here.¡±

    There was a moment¡¯s pause, then:

    ¡°Oh, shit! Just realised I had comms set to broadcast. Hi everyone! Don¡¯t mind me. Just been running some tests up here. Carry on what you were doing.¡±

    With that the younger voice went quiet.

    The more intense voice spoke instead. ¡°Captain Apollo, my scans indicate all pursuers have been neutralised. You are free to proceed to the launch vessel.¡±

    Apollo arched his back and stretched out his front paws, then turned to face the other two, ¡°I dare say our path should be clear now. Not far to go.¡±

    Mu once again shrugged in reply to Tavian¡¯s enquiring glance. They set off a short distance farther and reached a landing platform that still had an intact STOC on it. Apollo stopped, looking expectantly at Mu, who got the message. She pulled out her tablet, made some on screen motions then touched the tablet to the terminal at the entrance to the landing pad. There was an agreeable bing and the STOC came to life, its side door sliding open.

    ¡°3ST Surface-to-Orbit Craft D3875861Q7 ready for passenger transport,¡± announced a computer voice.

    ¡°So, we¡¯re good to go then?¡± enquired Mu.

    ¡°I guess so,¡± said Tavian. ¡°Though, I¡¯m a little concerned that after all¡­ this¡­¡± here he indicated the burning ruins behind them, ¡°That we might have attracted some attention to our departure here.¡±

    At that moment the knight landed on the walkway behind them.

    ¡°Ah, Kal, thank you for joining us,¡± said Apollo.

    ¡°Captain,¡± said the knight, with a nod. A moment later the helmet appeared to retract into itself and disappear down into the suit of armour¡¯s neck, revealing a man¡¯s face. He had short dark hair, speckled with greys and a similar beard clinging to his square jaw. Numerous scars blotted his face.

    ¡°Everybody, please meet Kallistos Nyx,¡± said Apollo. ¡°He is my chief of security.¡±

    ¡°Er, hi,¡± said Tavian. ¡°Quite the show back there.¡±

    ¡°Hello, sir,¡± said Mu, ¡°Thank you for helping us out.¡±

    ¡°My pleasure. You can call me, Kal,¡± said the knight.

    ¡°Now, Mr Nyx, is Miss Reid still there?¡± asked Apollo.

    ¡°I¡¯m here,¡± said the girl¡¯s voice from before in a cheerful tone, ¡°What d¡¯you need, Cap?¡±

    ¡°Mr Locke here is concerned that our journey to the Ring will be followed by the authorities after the¡­ commotion,¡± said Apollo.

    ¡°Nothing to worry about there. I¡¯ve accessed the STOC¡¯s flight guidance and transponder systems. It will take a course to the Ring that will mask its true port of departure and its transponder will feed false data to the air traffic control systems anyway. Unless the powers that be ground all surface-to-orbit traffic planet-wide, you should all be fine.¡±

    ¡°Thank you, Miss Reid. Where would we be without you?¡± asked Apollo.

    ¡°Probably on the surface for waaay longer,¡± replied Miss Reid.

    ¡°Don¡¯t get too full of yourself, Nova,¡± muttered Kal.

    ¡°Hey, I just take pride in my work. What I pulled off today was pretty damn awesome. Of course, full credit to you to, Kal. You were the one actually there and blowing shit up, and no one can take that away from you.¡±

    Kal seemed to scowl, but Tavian could tell he didn¡¯t really mean it.

    ¡°Alright,¡± said Kal, ¡°Let¡¯s get on board before anyone else turns up here.¡±

    Apollo wordlessly bounded over to the STOC and leapt on board. Kal indicated to Tavian and Mu that they should follow and they promptly did so. Kal seemed to scan their surroundings one more time before following them. The STOC¡¯s door closed behind him.

    ¡°Now embarking for Orbital Ring Port Tianzhu 63S,¡± announced the computer.

    Moments later they had lifted off and were bound for the Orbital Ring.

    Goodbye, Shangxia, thought Tavian, It has been an adventure.

    He caught Mu looking his way and gave her a slight wave. She rolled her eyes and turned away.

    More adventures to come, I¡¯d say.

    The fires in No. 3 Shangxia Tianyigang Orbital Freight Handling Facility were still burning long after the STOC took off on its journey to the Ring and dawn¡¯s first light spilled across the wreckage. Two solitary figures strolled into the ruins of the hangar, their long coats swirling about them.

    One of the figures, a tall and thin man surveyed the scene. He had one normal eye and another that had been replaced by some sort of cybernetic implant. His black, double-breasted coat rose to a high mandarin collar. He was clean shaven and had short, neat hair. His black leather dress shoes were immaculately polished despite the dust and debris they were surrounded by.

    His companion stepped up beside him. She was a woman, only slightly shorter with long, straight dark hair. One of her eyes had similarly been replaced with an implant. One side of her head was missing hair, being entirely covered in metallic instruments. She wore an identical outfit to the man, right down to the uncannily shiny leather shoes.

    ¡°Any survivors, Mr Wang?¡± she asked of the man.

    ¡°At least two, Ms Chu,¡± he replied.

    They strode deeper into the hangar, picking their way among the obstacles without even looking where they were going. Mr Wang stopped again and looked about.

    ¡°One is to your right, Ms Chu. I will investigate the other.¡±

    With that they split up. Ms Chu¡¯s head was unmoving, but her artificial eye seemed to move about with a life of its own as she walked amongst the rubble. At length she reached a large steel beam, partially melted and re-solidified at one end. The beam was maybe thirty by fifty centimetres thick and over two metres long. Casually, she bent down and with one black-gloved hand lifted up the beam and cast it aside with an almighty clang.

    She called out to her companion. ¡°Mr Wang, I have a survivor here.¡±

    ¡°Acknowledged,¡± came the only reply. ¡°I am still locating the other survivor.¡±

    Gazing back at her from beneath the rubble was a filthy face, caked with dried blood and dust, hair partially singed away. ¡°Water, please,¡± begged the woman.

    Ms Chu gazed at her a moment before responding. ¡°If we assess your condition to be non-terminal, we can provide hydration once you answer our questions.¡±

    A fearful expression flitted across the filthy face. ¡°Whatever you need.¡±

    ¡°Who do you work for?¡±

    ¡°Mr Wei¡­ of¡­ of the White Gang.¡±

    ¡°Who were you pursuing here?¡±

    ¡°Two gamblers who stole money from Mr Wei,¡± said the woman in the rubble. She descended into a meek coughing fit before she could continue. ¡°They also killed Gang enforcers.¡±

    ¡°It seems they are quite dangerous,¡± remarked Ms Chu, ¡°Do you know their names?¡±

    ¡°Tavian Locke¡­ he was one. The other was a Madame Mu.¡±

    ¡°Madame Mu. Likely Princess Mukushen,¡± remarked Ms Chu.

    ¡°Princess¡­?¡±

    Ms Chu ignored the other woman and removed one of her gloves. The hand underneath was partially cybernetic and partially biological. She placed two machine fingers to the temple of the woman in the rubble. Moments later she withdrew the fingers and replaced the glove.

    She spoke while straightening up. ¡°Your condition is terminal. Hydration will be of no effect.¡±

    ¡°Please¡­¡± begged the woman.

    ¡°This is not a priority at present,¡± said Ms Chu.

    ¡°Then just kill me.¡±

    ¡°My orders do not permit me to terminate any Aixingo citizen unless not doing so would jeopardise the mission,¡± replied Ms Chu and began walking away. The woman¡¯s cries behind her descended into a muffled coughing fit.

    Ms Chu made her way to Mr Wang¡¯s side. He was standing over an injured man in uniform. ¡°Mr Wang, I have interviewed one survivor. Her testimony indicates that Princess Mukushen was likely present during the key events here.¡±

    Mr Wang turned to his partner. ¡°This gentleman has confirmed that members of Governor Aixin Yucheng¡¯s Household Guard and enforcers in the employ of the White Gang were both present. He states that his orders were to apprehend a Mr Tavian Locke. He says they were ordered to cooperate with the White Gang. The White Gang were in pursuit of both Mr Locke and a Madame Mu.¡±

    ¡°This corroborates the testimony I received,¡± said Ms Chu. ¡°Did either of the fugitives cause this destruction?¡±

    ¡°Allegedly this was done by a third party ¨C an individual wearing mechanised armour.¡±

    ¡°An accomplice,¡± remarked Ms Chu.

    ¡°Yes, that seems likely. It appears we were too late here to apprehend Princess Mukushen,¡± said Mr Wang.

    Ms Chu nodded. ¡°I believe we should visit the Governor. It may not be too late to lock down the Orbital Ring.¡±

    ¡°I agree, Ms Chu.¡±

    With that they began to walk away. The man in uniform called after them. ¡°Who are you?¡±

    Mr Wang slowly walked back and knelt down beside the injured man. He extended his hand and a few moments later there was a bright electronic chirp. With a struggle the injured man pulled out his tablet. There a business card had appeared:

    Special Agent Wang

    Interstellar Fugitive Retrieval Section, Enforcement Division

    Bureau of Resonance.

 Chapter IV - Gong Sheng Xing

    Chapter IV ¨C Gong Sheng Xing

    Mu sat, gazing out the window, her chin resting in her hand, her elbow resting on the window sill. Dawn¡¯s first light was spreading across the billowing cloud tops, tingeing them with pink light as the stars and moon still twinkled overhead, though now fading before the coming of the day. She thought she¡¯d gain a sense of relief watching as she slipped the bonds of the planet¡¯s gravity, but she felt nothing of the sort, just a tight knot in her stomach and a sense of profound exhaustion.

    She had partially listened in to Tavian, Apollo, and Kal talking. She knew Apollo and Kal had a starship docked at the Orbital Ring, and that was where they were heading. But she wasn¡¯t sure they¡¯d be able to make their way from STOC to starship without incident. They¡¯d made a big commotion on the surface, and despite Nova¡¯s insistence that their port of departure would be masked, Mu knew security would be extremely tight. For all she knew there was a welcoming committee up at the Ring, just waiting for their arrival.

    That was part of why Mu was feeling the way she was, even as she gazed out the window at the dreamy vista unfolding below.

    She heard a noise behind her. Someone sat down.

    ¡°You doing alright?¡± asked Tavian.

    Mu half turned to him. She shrugged. ¡°We got away.¡±

    ¡°We did. For now.¡±

    Mu gave a slightly bitter laugh. ¡°For now,¡± she agreed.

    Tavian was silent a moment. ¡°Anything you want to talk about?¡±

    Mu turned fully to face him. ¡°Not really,¡± she said.

    Tavian said nothing in return. Mu felt the silence draw out. ¡°Seriously,¡± she added.

    Tavian shrugged. ¡°Sure. Fine. No need to talk.¡±

    He said the words, but he didn¡¯t give any sign of intending to move way. Mu glared his way, but he held her glare, still saying nothing. Evetually, she sighed.

    ¡°What¡¯s your deal, anyway?¡± she asked.

    ¡°Oh, so we are talking?¡± he asked and she rolled her eyes.

    ¡°You know who I am. You know why I¡¯m running. What about you? I know nothing about you, other than that you are a bad gambler and you sort of know how to fight.¡±

    Tavian raised his eyebrows. ¡°I¡¯m a good gambler when someone isn¡¯t using their Starflow resonance to cheat. I¡¯m guessing you¡¯re a¡­ Starseer, yeah?¡±

    ¡°I may be.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re definitely a Resonant. And if you¡¯re from the Imperial Court, you¡¯ve got to be a Starseer of Nara Enduri, right?¡±

    Mu was about to reply, but changed directions at the last moment. ¡°I thought I was asking you about what your deal was, not telling you more about me?¡±

    Tal smiled mischievously. ¡°You caught me!¡±

    Mu turned her head to the side, lowering her chin, and raising an eyebrow. ¡°So?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m just a traveller. Just some guy wandering the Cosmos,¡± said Tavian.

    ¡°Oh really? And why does half of Shangxia want you dead?¡± asked Mu.

    ¡°I think you¡¯re being unfair. It¡¯s a quarter of the planet at most. And I have more than a little evidence pointing to the fact that a good portion of the planet¡¯s population wants to sleep with me too, so¡­ y¡¯know¡­ it all evens out.¡±

    Mu scowled. ¡°You are a disgusting man, Mr Locke.¡±

    Tavian just laughed, as he did in response to most things. ¡°I have been told that I am of particularly low moral character, yes.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not something to be proud of.¡±

    ¡°Aye, sure, but then again, we met when you cheated me out of gambling money in a seedy night club, so perhaps we¡¯re just two peas in a pod.¡±

    ¡°I am not like you, Mr Locke,¡± said Mu, in a tone of greater exasperation than she actually felt. Somehow, for all of his uncouth ways and unearned arrogance, she found talking with Tavian distracted her from her more morbid musings.

    ¡°That¡¯s true, too. You¡¯re not nearly as good looking as I am.¡±

    ¡°I do not like you, Mr Locke.¡±

    ¡°Aww, but I like you plenty. Also, I didn¡¯t mean that last one. You¡¯re plenty attractive.¡±

    Mu chose to ignore this line of conversation, ¡°What¡¯s with the case you always carry around?¡±

    ¡°This?¡± asked Tavian, picking up the case, which had been sitting beside him.

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    Tavian opened it and pulled out a stringed instrument from within. Mu recognised it as a mandolin. ¡°This,¡± he said, strumming a chord, ¡°Is my livelihood.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re a musician?¡± asked Mu.

    ¡°Amongst other things,¡± said Tavian. ¡°I am a Bard.¡±

    ¡°Really, a bard?¡± asked Mu, ¡°What does that involve?¡±

    ¡°I travel, I recite stories and poetry, I play music,¡± said Tavian.

    ¡°That, ah, pay well?¡± asked Mu.

    ¡°Less well than I¡¯d like,¡± said Tavian, grinning once again, ¡°But I am a loyal follower of Lady Anu.¡±

    ¡°I see,¡± said Mu, nodding. She did not in fact see. ¡°And what was it you did to get the authorities chasing you back, back down there?¡±

    Before Tavian could reply, Kal interrupted. ¡°We¡¯ll be docking with the Orbital Ring shortly. Be alert. Nova says she¡¯s covered our tracks, but there are no guarantees. When we get out there, do anything and everything I say. No questions. Got it?¡±

    ¡°Whatever you say, Boss,¡± said Tavian, flashing a thumbs up.

    ¡°You¡¯ve gotten us this far,¡± said Mu. ¡°I¡¯ll follow your guidance.¡±

    Kal regarded her a moment longer. ¡°Good,¡± he said. ¡°Now, if you¡¯ll excuse me, I can¡¯t disembark looking like this.¡±

    With that he stepped away from them. He placed a hand to his chest and spoke. ¡°Nova, it¡¯s Kal. Time to disengage this thing.¡±

    ¡°You got it,¡± came Nova¡¯s ever-cheerful voice.

    Moments later the armour began folding in upon itself. Eventually it fell away from him, a small box ¨C seemingly impossibly small. Underneath Kal was wearing a sleeveless, dark grey undershirt and bulky military-style utility pants tucked into large combat boots. His left arm was entirely mechanical, with no attempt to hide its nature. His right arm was bulging with muscle and covered in tattoos. Even without the power-armour he was a mightily imposing individual. On his belt was a small sidearm. He pulled it out and inspected it briefly. Satisfied he returned it to its place.

    Tavian put his mandolin back in its case. He slung it over his shoulder. He picked up the rifle he had taken from one of their downed foes back on Shangxia. Holding it up he asked,

    ¡°Should I bring this?¡±

    Without a word, Kal reached over and took it. He inspected it as he had his own firearm, and then handed it back to Tavian. ¡°Unless, you¡¯ve got anyway of concealing it, I wouldn¡¯t bother. It¡¯ll attract more attention than it¡¯ll help. ¡®Specially with about three rounds left.¡±

    ¡°Right,¡± said Tavian.

    ¡°Find somewhere to conceal it. We want to be a long way away from this STOC before anyone finds anything suspicious.¡±

    Tavian briefly looked around and found a closet filled with miscellaneous electronic equipment. He pulled some of it out, pushed the rifle to the bottom, then piled the original contents on top.

    ¡°So, if we get ambushed, are we going to be fighting our way out?¡± asked Tavian.

    ¡°We don¡¯t want to be doing what we did down on the surface up here,¡± said Kal. ¡°Besides, life becomes a lot easier after we depart if the Amrita itself doesn¡¯t get linked to any of this ¨C not to either of you, not to me blowing up half a freight port.¡±

    ¡°Makes sense,¡± said Tavian. ¡°I guess we¡¯re doing it stealthy, then.¡±

    ¡°I think that would be best,¡± said Apollo. ¡°And I believe we¡¯ve arrived.¡±

    Just as he spoke the word ¡®arrived¡¯, there was the gentlest of thuds and they could see the metallic immensity of the Orbital Ring out the window.

    ¡°You have arrived at your destination,¡± announced the onboard computer, ¡°Orbital Ring Port Tianzhu 63S.¡±

    Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.

    ¡°Alright, guys, hurry up and disembark. I¡¯ll erase the STOC¡¯s security recordings,¡± came Nova¡¯s voice from some indeterminate source.

    ¡°Thank you, Miss Reid,¡± replied Apollo.

    Kal was first out, stepping through as the door slid open, his eyes scanning the scene. Apollo strolled out, slipping by his feet. Tavian followed, with Mu bringing up the rear.

    The docks were a perfunctory and utilitarian affair, with little by way of adornment, everything in an unremarkable, if clean white. After scanning the seemingly deserted room, Kal appeared to be satisfied.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± he said. He touched something at his ear. ¡°Nova, have you got those credentials worked out for Mr Locke?¡±

    ¡°I think I¡¯ve got something that will hold up to scrutiny, yeah,¡± said Nova. ¡°Tavian? Can I call you, Tavian? Great! Well, Tavian, can you tap your tablet to Kal¡¯s and I¡¯ll upload credentials for you. That should get you through customs, although I still need to figure out a bypass for the facial recognition scanners. But not to worry! Leave it with me, we¡¯ll get you guys here soon enough. In the meantime, enjoy the Ring. Might I suggest we get some changes of clothes for our fugitives?¡±

    ¡°Where will we find those?¡± asked Tavian.

    ¡°Do I have to do everything?¡± exclaimed Nova. ¡°You¡¯ve got tablets, use ¡®em. Find your style. Or not. Right now you two stand out way too much. Can I suggest some casual streetwear? Grab some hoodies, hide those beautiful faces till we get that whole situation sorted. Oh! And in case you¡¯re wondering, I couldn¡¯t hijack the cameras in the landing bay you¡¯re in, but I did manage to shut them down. Problem is, someone will probably be in shortly to check on that situation, so you should probably leave. Tavian, Mu, there are bathrooms around the corner. Hide there. Kal? Could you get them some clothes if they send you sizing info.¡±

    Kal grumbled. ¡°Shopping for clothes for these young folk isn¡¯t really my thing.¡±

    ¡°Look, I really should be getting on with the main task of saving everyone¡¯s arses here, but, if I must, I¡¯ll find a nearby store, place an online order, and you can just go pick it up, Kal. Guys, send me your size data. Or, like, send it to Kal, and he can send it on to me. Y¡¯now, since we haven¡¯t exchanged deets yet. Really must get onto that.¡±

    ¡°Sounds like a plan,¡± said Tavian.

    Mu took out her tablet, typed in her sizing data. She looked at Kal and met his eyes. He raised his tablet and they tapped them together, as he shook his head. ¡°Look, young lady, I don¡¯t even know what these numbers mean.¡±

    Tavian did the same and soon Kal tapped his screen a few times. Moments later they heard Nova again. ¡°Got ¡®em. Oooh, you guys are in good shape. Alright, I¡¯m gonna place these orders, Kal you go collect. Mu, Tavian, you guys hide in the bathrooms. Cover your faces once you get into the hall outside. Just act like you¡¯ve had a big night at the clubs down on the surface and after your flight you¡¯re all queasy and have to hurl up your guts for a solid half hour. No one will question that. Naw, you guys are gonna look great in this stuff! Alright, order placed. Now, if no one else has any basic human adult tasks they need help with, I¡¯m gonna turn my brilliant mind to the simple task of cracking the security of Imperial Customs. Y¡¯all good?¡±

    ¡°Thank you, Miss Reid,¡± said Apollo once more.

    ¡°No worries, Cap,¡± said Nova.

    With that Nova went silent.

    ¡°Alright, you heard what the lady said,¡± said Kal, seemingly trying to regain an air of authority. ¡°You two hide in the bathrooms. I¡¯ll go get these outfits for you.¡±

    Mu pulled her hood up and they headed through the door on the far side of the landing bay.

    Tavian was ahead of her, his hand covering his face. His body language was doing a fine impression of a man attempting to avoid throwing up, but increasingly losing the struggle. Mu thought it was likely an impression informed by experience.

    She reached the door and stepped inside the dimly lit bathroom, which was immaculately clean and scented with flowers. She found a cubicle, closed the door, and sat on the closed toilet, pulling out her tablet. She brought up the site of the Shangxia Orbital Ring and found Tianzhu 63S. Nearby attractions included the Temple of Gong Sheng Xing and its gardens. It was a short journey from the shopping district that immediately surrounded the port. She remembered from her lessons that Gong Sheng Xing was one of the Awakened Stars, worshipped by the Shang since before the unification of the Eight Banners and the foundation of the Aixingo Empire. Today the Shang, who made up most of the Empire¡¯s population, were still permitted to worship Gong Sheng Xing and the other Old Stars, but they had to accept the primacy of Nara Enduri. And all Resonants of the Old Stars had to register with the Resonance Bureau.

    Or else, thought Mu, her mind returning to her own circumstances.

    At any rate, if they had to fill some time while Nova worked her magic, the temple gardens seemed as good a place as any. She figured they¡¯d be under less surveillance there. She¡¯d suggest it to Kal and Apollo. Her tablet vibrated.

    It was Tavian.

    Kal has clothes. Come out. Not going in.

    She sighed and headed to the entrance. Kal gruffly handed her a shopping bag without a word. She returned and explored what she had been given. Baggy sweat pants ¨C looked comfortable at least. What looked to be a small sleeveless cropped top. A giant hoodie. And finishing it off: high-top sneakers, a cap, and a pair of large, dark sunglasses. It¡¯d do.

    Mu hurriedly changed into her new outfit, though her previous outfit was no simple affair and took some time to remove. She placed her old outfit into the bags Kal had handed her and left the cubicle to observe her reflection in the mirror. She barely recognised herself in the person that stared back at her. Her usually immaculately maintained hair was something of a mess after their wild escape from the surface; she did her best to straighten it out with her fingers, but it was a futile effort. Still, she looked sufficiently anonymous. On a final thought she zipped up the hoodie. Satisfied, she headed out.

    She was met by Tavian, who was dressed in jeans and a similarly baggy hoodie, cap, and sunglasses combo. It was a far cry from the white suit he¡¯d been in until now. Kal had also donned a large leather jacket, which hid some of his more noteworthy features. She also belatedly noticed that Apollo was now wearing a blue bowtie.

    ¡°Ah yes,¡± said Tavian, also noticing, ¡°An impeccable disguise, Mr Apollo.¡±

    ¡°I thought so,¡± replied Apollo. ¡°Shall we get moving?¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s a temple with extensive gardens not far from here,¡± said Mu. ¡°Perhaps we can lay low there until we hear from Nova?¡±

    ¡°I think that is an excellent idea, Miss Mukushen,¡± said Apollo.

    ¡°Sounds good to me,¡± said Kal.

    Tavian just shrugged.

    ¡°Lead the way, then,¡± said Kal.

    Mu glanced at her tablet. With a few taps she brought up a map. ¡°This way,¡± she said.

    They headed down the corridor they were in and entered into a brightly lit and crowded area in the form of a shopping mall. Some effort had been made to provide ambience, with many potted plants and more diverse ¨C if muted ¨C colour palette. At some points large windows opened onto a vista of Shangxia below, blue seas and green continents partially obscured by swirls of white cloud. Periodically doors led off the sides of the main thoroughfare, apparently leading to other docking bays.

    At length they emerged into a large atrium. High above was a bright orb, apparently hovering in place. It cast the entire atrium in sun-like light. A central bamboo grove surrounded a water feature of rocks and moss. Elevated promenades encircled the atrium, each above the other and connected by escalators. Mu led them past the water feature and up an escalator. There they saw a sign for the Gong Sheng Xing Temple. Departing the mall, they stepped out into a much larger expanse, the ceiling and its artificial suns high above. They were now surrounded by bamboo, separated by long gravel paths. A traditional gate bore the characters for Gong Sheng Xing above the entrance.

    ¡°Pretty,¡± remarked Tavian. ¡°Almost makes you forget you¡¯re about a hundred metres from the vacuum of space.¡±

    ¡°Many people live their whole lives up here, seldom going to the surface,¡± said Apollo. ¡°It¡¯s not so strange. The Empire is relatively conservative about such things, preferring to stick to settling planets. Many civilisations live almost entirely in space habitats.¡±

    ¡°True that,¡± said Tavian, ¡°I spent six months on an asteroid mining settlement in the Twin Star Empire. Kind of a bleak place, but it had its own character. The miners had plenty of folk songs that I recorded. Many of them were about the whores, but in fairness, they were very talented¡ª¡±

    ¡°Mr Locke!¡± snapped Mu.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Princess, I¡¯ll be more respectful of your delicate sensibilities.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not delicate!¡± seethed Mu. She knew Tavian was deliberately trying to get a rise out of her, so she resolved to not let him get under her skin going forward. She could see from the expression on his face just how much glee he took in other people¡¯s offence.

    ¡°The Twin Star Empire,¡± mused Kal quietly as they continued walking. ¡°That¡¯s where Xerxes was from. Once my unit and I were sent to investigate an asteroid mining community.¡±

    ¡°Ah, you were a soldier. I mean, I¡¯d kind of figured, but, anyway ¨C I bet you would agree with me, even if it offends the Princess,¡± said Tavian.

    ¡°There were no whores, no folk songs. We were sent there because it had gone dark. Turned out the Host of Xerxes had arrived. Some giant mechanical monstrosity was devouring the asteroid belt whole, refining everything into raw material for the Host¡¯s war machine. There were no survivors of the attack, no one to ask what happened. I could tell you a few more stories like that. Needless to say, I¡¯m not too fond of the Twin Star Empire and those Gathasians.¡±

    Mu noticed Tavian seemed slightly taken aback for once. He sounded defensive when he spoke. ¡°I don¡¯t think most folks in the Twin Star Empire are all that fond of Xerxes, either.¡±

    Kal gave a derisive snort, but said no more.

    ¡°We are in a pretty place,¡± said Apollo, ¡°Perhaps we could speak of more cheerful things.¡±

    Kal looked at the cat and sighed. ¡°They¡¯re nice gardens.¡±

    Mu perked up. ¡°If you think these are nice, you should see the Imperial Gardens on Aixingo. Oh, or the flower fields of Lan He!¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t think they let my sort into the Imperial Gardens,¡± said Tavian, with a laugh. ¡°Come to think of it, Princess, would they let you in there anymore?¡±

    ¡°Believe me, they want nothing more than to have me back on the Capital,¡± said Mu.

    Tavian gave a dreamy smile. ¡°Must be nice to be wanted.¡±

    ¡°I could do with less of it,¡± said Mu.

    They had emerged from the long gravel path to a wide clearing in which sat the main building of the temple. A few people were there making offerings or praying. A couple of monks walked about. Apart from being much smaller than the likes of the Celestial Pagoda at the Imperial Court, the style was quite distinct, reflecting a much more distilled Shang architectural style instead of the blend of Aixin and Shang styles that dominated the buildings of the Court. Still, it gave Mu an odd combination of familiarity and nostalgia when she gazed upon it.

    ¡°Would anyone like to offer a prayer?¡± asked Apollo.

    ¡°I don¡¯t follow these Aixin stars,¡± said Kal.

    ¡°Shang,¡± corrected Mu. The look Kal gave her suggested he didn¡¯t fully appreciate the distinction she was making.

    ¡°All stars are joined by the Starflow, Mr Nyx, regardless of which you follow,¡± said Apollo.

    ¡°I¡¯d like to pray for a hearty meal and a good night¡¯s sleep,¡± said Tavian.

    ¡°Certainly, Mr Locke,¡± said Apollo and lifted a paw in the direction of the temple.

    Apollo seemed to think for a moment. Then he put down the bag he was carrying and unslung the case from his back. ¡°I have my own way of praying,¡± he said.

    Surely he isn¡¯t, thought Mu, but as she watched Tavian walked, mandolin in hand, over to one of the monks. A conversation ensued and the smiling monk nodded, smiling beneficently. With that Tavian sat down on the steps of the temple and began strumming.

    After a few moments, having found his tune, he began singing softly in a voice far more refined and beautiful than Mu could ever have imagined him possessing. Despite herself she sank into the sound of his song. She was not alone. Around them the other temple-goers and even the monks appeared to be held in rapt attention as he strummed and sang.

    Mu couldn¡¯t understand the language he was singing in, but somehow the song still filled her mind with images. People in many different costumes, on many different worlds, singing and dancing and feasting. The images floated, ethereal and intangible, but in their wake they left a sense of calm and warmth. More than that, as Tavian sung, she could feel the Starflow as she normally did when summoning it for her Starseeing, but it felt excited, like it was resonating specifically with Tavian¡¯s song. And between each of those images, separated by time and space, she could sense the mighty filaments of the Starflow, connecting it all.

    With a few final strums Tavian fell silent. It took a moment later for Mu to realise she¡¯d been holding her breath.

    The monk Tavian had spoken too walked over to him and clapped him on the back, smiling broadly. Mu just gazed at him, her mind still processing everything that had just happened.

    Who are you?

    After a few moments Tavian walked over to the rest of them, smiling. He returned his mandolin to its case and slung it once more over his back. As he walked past Mu he gave her a wink.

    Apollo strolled over and brushed up against Tavian¡¯s leg. In a quiet voice she heard him say, ¡°I was not wrong about you, Mr Locke.¡±

 Chapter V - Starship Amrita

    Chapter V - Starship Amrita

    The simple act of playing and singing left Tavian feeling a little less of the weariness and stress of the past two days. Plus, he took more than a little joy in the expression he¡¯d seen on the Princess¡¯ face as he¡¯d walked back over from the temple steps.

    ¡°So, what now?¡± he asked, sitting down on a stone bench at the edge of the clearing that surrounded the temple.

    ¡°We wait here until we hear from Nova,¡± said Kal.

    ¡°There are worse places,¡± said Tavian. He leant back and gazed up at the ceiling above. It reflected the false sunlight back towards him.

    After a few moments he detected movement in his peripheral vision. Looking down he saw Mu had taken up the spot next to him on the bench. He resisted the instinct to say something to her as she sat down and instead resumed gazing up.

    Don¡¯t push too hard, he told himself.

    Instead, it was Mu who spoke. ¡°You¡¯re not wrong about a meal and a sleep,¡± she said.

    Tavian looked her way in surprise. Kal and Apollo were a short distance away, discussing some matter.

    ¡°I woke up yesterday with a hangover and a whole lot of fresh problems on my hands and I haven¡¯t had any sleep since,¡± he said.

    ¡°Not a very restful day¡­ night¡­ either,¡± remarked Mu.

    ¡°I could definitely do with some calm now,¡± agreed Tavian.

    She was being surprisingly diplomatic.

    Music never fails, he thought.

    ¡°What do you suppose the rooms on the Amrita are like?¡± asked Mu.

    ¡°The Amrita?¡± asked Tavian.

    ¡°Pretty sure that¡¯s what Kal said the ship was called.¡±

    ¡°Oh right. Who knows? It is apparently a ship captained by a cat,¡± said Tavian.

    Mu laughed.

    Tavian continued, ¡°I¡¯ve been on a lot a starships, but that¡¯s a first.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve only been on a few,¡± said Mu, ¡°But I can¡¯t say any of them were captained by cats.¡±

    ¡°The Cosmos is vast and full of wonders,¡± muttered Tavian.

    There were a few moments of silence. Then Mu leant over to him. Speaking quietly, she said, ¡°Why do you suppose Apollo and Kal are helping us?¡±

    Tavian laughed. ¡°I thought you knew something. Apollo seemed to know whoever arranged those STOC tickets for you.¡±

    Mu shook her head. ¡°I have someone helping me. Someone from the Imperial Court. But he never communicates directly. That said¡­ I don¡¯t know¡­ He never said anything about Apollo¡­ but Apollo knows about him.¡±

    ¡°Well, Princess¡ª¡± Tavian began.

    Mu interrupted, ¡°You can just call me Mu.¡±

    ¡°Well, Mu, you seem to know things you¡¯re not meant to. Perhaps Apollo is the same.¡±

    ¡°You think he¡¯s a Starseer?¡± asked Mu.

    ¡°He¡¯s a talking cat who captains a starship. Him being a Starseer would arguably not crack the top five most surprising facts about him.¡±

    Mu nodded. ¡°I guess.¡±

    ¡°But going back to your question: I have no idea. But it¡¯s similar to what I said to you back at the nightclub: we don¡¯t know whether we can trust him, but we know he¡¯s certainly helped us thus far, and following him seems like the most sensible gamble we can make.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re more persuasive than I¡¯d like to give you credit for,¡± said Mu.

    Tavian beamed. ¡°I know. But if you¡¯re still not sure, why don¡¯t you use those powers of yours and have a little peak into what the future holds.¡±

    ¡°I have already,¡± said Mu, ¡°It¡¯s not like I can see exactly what will happen ¨C not more than a few instants ahead ¨C but I definitely get the sense that following Apollo is the right thing. Plus, Starseeing aside, he knows who my helper at Court is, so either he¡¯s some agent of the Resonance Bureau and I¡¯m already compromised, or he¡¯s genuine. What¡¯s happened has happened, we can only change what hasn¡¯t yet come to pass. So I may as well trust him.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re a smart one,¡± said Tavian.

    ¡°Thank you, your praise means the world to me.¡±

    ¡°Hey, we almost had a nice thing going there,¡± said Tavian.

    ¡°Don¡¯t think that me being civil means we¡¯re friends,¡± said Mu.

    ¡°Wouldn¡¯t dream of it, Princess.¡±

    ¡°I said to¡ª¡±

    ¡°Sorry, slipped out,¡± said Tavian with a laconic grin.

    Apollo and Kal were coming back towards them.

    ¡°Nova¡¯s got you sorted. Time to move,¡± said Kal.

    Tavian leapt to his feet and clapped his hands. ¡°Alright, let¡¯s hope this Nova chick knows what she¡¯s doing.¡±

    ¡°I sure hope she does,¡± said Mu, rising more slowly.

    With that they were once more on their way. Just beyond the far entrance to the temple grounds was a rapid transit tube that connected to the part of the Ring where the Amrita was docked. Despite the pods of the tube having windows looking out on the planet, there was little sense of the phenomenal speed at which they were moving around the Ring. Everything below looked graceful and calm, a bright expanse of blue and white against the stark background of space. Looking forward or back Tavian could see the immense arc of the Ring vanishing into the distance. It was only when looking in these directions that he got some sense of their velocity.

    It took them about forty-five minutes by Tavian¡¯s reckoning to reach their destination. They disembarked and headed out into a large, crowded concourse. At the far end was a sign marked Offworld Processing. Below it, another sign read Bureau of Customs, Ministry of Civil Administration.

    ¡°Out of curiosity, will they just let a cat through?¡± asked Tavian.

    ¡°The Captain has all the necessary accreditation,¡± replied Kal.

    ¡°Guess they will then.¡±

    They joined the end of the Offworld Processing queue. The line was long, but it soon broke up into several smaller queues and things seemed to be moving quickly. Each person stepped into a small chamber, was scanned, and moved on. Kal stepped through confidently, then Apollo. Tavian was next. He gave a grin to Mu, then stepped into the chamber.

    It¡¯s all on you now, Nova, he thought.

    Moments later the door on the other side of the chamber opened with a cheerful chime. He stepped forward and out, the door closing behind him. He walked over to wait with Kal and Apollo.

    Mu will be the real test. The local Governor might want me, but Mu¡¯s probably on some Empire-wide registry.

    He didn¡¯t have to worry though. Moments later Mu stepped out. She had a look of nervous relief on her usually serene face. Breathing in deeply she adjusted her cap and sunglasses and walked over towards them.

    ¡°All good,¡± she said.

    ¡°Let¡¯s get to the Amrita,¡± said Kal and they turned to follow him.

    Mu had walked just two steps when a hand tapped her on the shoulder. She spun around to see a uniformed Customs Bureau officer.

    ¡°Excuse me, miss,¡± she said. ¡°Would you please accompany my partner and I?¡±

    Mu felt a knot of panic form in the pit of her stomach. She glanced over at the others. Kal wore a stoic expression, though there seemed to be an extra note of grimness to it now. He gave a single slow nod. Tavian smiled, though she could see the nervousness in his eyes.

    ¡°All good,¡± he said, ¡°We¡¯ll wait here.¡±

    Apollo¡¯s bright yellow eyes peered back at her. He twitched his whiskers, but said nothing. Breathing in deeply, Mu returned her gaze to the Customs agent. ¡°Of course.¡±

    She didn¡¯t have to go far. The two agents led her through a nearby door into a short hallway and then through another into a cramped office. One agent sat down behind the singular desk, adjusting her tie as she did so. The other agent, the one who had tapped Mu on the shoulder, remained standing. She indicated for Mu to sit in the only free chair.

    ¡°You are Qing Zhu, yes?¡± said the agent behind the desk, examining a tablet.

    Mu took a moment to realise these were the credentials Nova had made for her. ¡°Ah, yes, that¡¯s right.¡±

    ¡°Uncertain about your own name?¡± asked the standing agent.

    ¡°No, no¡­ sorry, I¡¯m just a bit of a nervous traveller. Never been pulled up like this before,¡± said Mu.

    She willed her nerves to calm and reached out for the Starflow. There was definitely something concerning ahead, but it felt like it wasn¡¯t coming in the next few minutes. She reached for the concept of the Resonance Bureau, to see if it meshed with her near future. Somewhat.

    She breathed in deeply.

    ¡°I¡¯m Lieutenant Shu,¡± said the sitting officer, ¡°This is Sergeant Li.¡±

    Mu looked from one to the other. ¡°Um, hello,¡± she managed.

    ¡°Do you know why we called you in here?¡± asked Lieutenant Shu.

    ¡°No,¡± said Mu, ¡°I would like to.¡±

    ¡°On which world was the issuing office of your travel credentials?¡± asked Sergeant Li.

    Mu had a moment of panic then returned to the Starflow. She probed the path of ¡°Aixingo¡±. Disaster lay that way. She probed ¡°Shangxia¡±. As she suspected, that was the safe option.

    ¡°Shangxia,¡± she confidently replied.

    ¡°And when was it issued?¡± asked Li.

    She probed the ranges of numbers, narrowing in on the preferable outcome. She answered, a little less confidently than before.

    This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

    Li nodded and leaned in to say something in Shu¡¯s ear. Shu in turn nodded and Li left the room, closing the door behind her. Mu sat and looked expectantly at the Lieutenant.

    ¡°Miss, there are some irregularities with your credentials. Rest assured, if you have done nothing wrong, we should have the issue resolved shortly and you can be on your way.¡±

    Mu reached forward. The future was teetering on some outcome, but it was out of her reach. That did little for her nerves.

    The Starflow was weak here. Or at least compared to what she had known growing up. At the Imperial Court on Aixingo, orbiting around Nara Enduri, it was a deluge of power, the gift of the Empire¡¯s patron deity. Out here, around an unawakened mid-resonance star, it was a mere trickle.

    Except when Tavian was playing, she thought and was surprised that she had such a thought in that moment.

    A minute or two passed and Mu waited nervously. Lieutenant Shu said nothing, clearly happy to let Mu stew in the silence. Then the door slid open and Sergeant Li returned. She bypassed Mu without looking at her and walked over to the Lieutenant. Once again, she whispered something in the Lieutenant¡¯s ear.

    The Lieutenant looked up at Mu.

    ¡°All sorted. You are free to go. The irregularities have been cleared up,¡± said Shu.

    Letting out a sigh of relief Mu rose to her feet, bowing her head slightly as she uttered her thank yous. Sergeant Li ushered her out.

    ¡°Good chat?¡± asked Tavian, upon seeing her emerge.

    ¡°Delightful,¡± said Mu. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±

    They had a little further to go, but soon reached a door. Next to it was a screen displaying Astral Gate 711-8A6. Currently docked: Amrita.

    ¡°We made it!¡± exclaimed Tavian.

    ¡°We¡¯re not on board yet,¡± said Mu, glancing about. Events had transpired well, but she was still unnerved by being taken aside.

    Kal walked up to the door and it slid open. A wide corridor led to an airlock. Windows along its length clearly showed the sleek vessel beyond, one quite unlike any Mu had ever seen before. It was golden in colour and conjured the image of a cosmic manta-ray. Every part of its surface was covered in swirling, decorative patterns. It was a thing of beauty, but also utterly alien.

    Kal clearly saw her and Tavian admiring the ship. ¡°Quite the beauty, isn¡¯t she?¡± he said, and she could hear the pride in his voice as he spoke. He voice was barely more than a reverential whisper as he said the next words, ¡°The Starship Amrita.¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s quite something,¡± said Mu.

    As they reached the end of the corridor Apollo bounded ahead and came to sit in front of the airlock. ¡°Before we board, as Captain of the Amrita, I¡¯d like to formally welcome you, Miss Mukushen, Mr Locke, to my humble starship.¡±

    ¡°Thank you so very much,¡± said Mu. ¡°For everything. I¡­ I still don¡¯t¡­¡±

    ¡°We can speak more once we¡¯re aboard,¡± said Apollo. At that moment the doors slid open and revealed a warm light from within. ¡°Come in, please.¡±

    They followed the black cat through the airlock and it slid shut behind them. Inside a small entrance hall led into a large, open space, around which windows looked out into space beyond. The interior was lit in a homely fashion, the lighting soft and comfortable. Comfortable furniture was arrayed around to create a friendly and conversational space. But for the starry vistas outside, none of it gave the impression of being the inside of a starship.

    ¡°You made it!¡± announced Nova¡¯s voice.

    Mu and Tavian both looked around to see where she was, but realised a moment later that the voice was coming over some sort of speaker. Mu gave Tavian a puzzled look, which he returned.

    ¡°Oh, I see what¡¯s happened,¡± said Nova. ¡°I am actually the Amrita¡¯s on-board computer. It is cute that you thought I was a human though. I am getting better at pulling that one off.¡±

    Tavian smiled and laughed. ¡°You did a very good impression. You had me fooled.¡±

    ¡°Same,¡± said Mu, still coming to terms with this revelation.

    Not a moment had passed when an arm appeared around Mu¡¯s shoulders. Another was thrown around Tavian¡¯s. And hanging in between them was a girl with messy red hair, partially tied up in a pony tail. A wicked grin was plastered across her face.

    ¡°Nah, for real though. I was fucking with you that time. I¡¯m not a computer,¡± said the girl.

    As Mu dealt with the whiplash of this revelation, the girl stepped back and Mu took in her appearance. She was the best part of ten centimetres shorter than Mu and skinny. She had bright green eyes and a smattering of freckles on her cheeks and across the bridge of her nose. A pair of what looked to be high-tech goggles were pushed up on top of her head. She wore a sleeveless cropped top that left her midriff bare and a pair of loose-fitting pants with a myriad of pockets and pouches, held up by a belt with a variety of tools hanging from it. The outfit was completed by a pair of thick gloves and some large bulky working boots.

    ¡°Nova Reid, at your service,¡± said the girl. ¡°Sorry for all that. I couldn¡¯t help myself. And you totally bought it! Terrific. Oh, and Mu, sorry about the whole thing at customs. I may have left a teeny-tiny bit of meta data behind while creating your credentials. My bad. Still, nothing too catastrophic. You made it, after all.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, thanks,¡± said Mu, ¡°It¡¯s great to meet you.¡±

    ¡°Great to put a face to the voice,¡± said Tavian, with a finger gun in her direction.

    Nova rapidly waved two finger guns back at him, then lifted them to point upwards, looking down at her hands. ¡°Coooool¡­¡± she said, with a slightly mocking smile.

    ¡°We should introduce the rest of the crew,¡± said Apollo. ¡°Miss Reid, I trust Ostara and the others are aware our guests have arrived?¡±

    ¡°Oh, they¡¯re aware. Although, let¡¯s be real, Seraphina won¡¯t be coming. Ostara and Harry, though--- oh! Here they are.¡±

    A door opened and two more people walked in.

    The first was a thin man with blond hair, his long fringe swept to one side. He had a certain dandyish charm about him that bordered on being handsome in Mu¡¯s estimation. He wore a waistcoat which was black apart from two subtle rose motifs on the front. Underneath he had a cuffed and collared white shirt and skinny tie with more overt rose motifs. His outfit was completed by immaculately creased black slacks and shiny leather shoes. His deep brown eyes gazed at them through a pair of fashionable glasses.

    Behind him walked a tall woman with long, wavy brown hair and bright purple eyes. She wore a long flowing white dress, off shoulder and belted high, an amethyst jewel at the front of the belt. She wore a beatific smile and even her walk suggested immense reserves of calm and grace.

    The two newcomers stopped a short distance from where Tavian and Mu stood.

    ¡°Harry Zhang, at your service,¡± said the man.

    ¡°I already did the ¡®at your service¡¯ thing,¡± said Nova. ¡°Get your own thing, Harry.¡±

    ¡°Well,¡± said Harry, temporarily stopped in his tracks, ¡°I think it was my thing before it was Nova¡¯s, but pleased to meet you anyway.¡±

    ¡°Hi,¡± said Tavian.

    ¡°Hello,¡± said Mu.

    ¡°And I¡¯m Ostara,¡± said the woman with a smile that told Mu that everything was right with the world. ¡°So nice to have you join us.¡±

    ¡°Oh, our pleasure,¡± said a smiling Tavian, with what Mu took to be a little too much enthusiasm.

    Don¡¯t ogle, she mentally reprimanded him. Though in truth her own eyes had once or twice dwelt on Ostara¡¯s ample cleavage.

    ¡°Ostara is my second-in-command,¡± said Apollo, strolling into the centre of the assembled group. ¡°We would all be lost without her.¡±

    ¡°Apollo¡¯s too kind,¡± said Ostara.

    ¡°Mr Zhang cooks our meals and manages our supplies,¡± said Apollo.

    ¡°And if you ever want a magical experience, m¡¯lady,¡± said Harry, now looking Mu¡¯s way, ¡°Please visit me in the bar.¡±

    Oh no, now there¡¯s two of them, thought Mu. She gave him a perfunctory smile and said nothing.

    ¡°Harry does make wonderful drinks,¡± said Ostara.

    ¡°And Miss Reid here is our¡ª¡±

    Nova interrupted the Captain. ¡°I fix things. And if they¡¯re not broken, I improve them.¡±

    ¡°That she does,¡± said Apollo. ¡°And I think you¡¯re fairly familiar with Mr Nyx¡¯s role. He is our sword and shield.¡±

    Kal just nodded their way.

    ¡°Miss Seraphina is also here somewhere, though perhaps you can make her acquaintance later,¡± said Apollo. ¡°She is our expert in all of the¡­ stranger things we encounter out in the Cosmos.¡±

    ¡°Sera might take a little while to warm up to you, but she¡¯s very nice when you get to know her,¡± said Nova.

    ¡°Good to know,¡± said Tavian, glancing around the room. Looking back the way of the assembled group he said, ¡°Well, I am Tavian Locke. Thanks for having me.¡±

    ¡°And I am¡­ Mu,¡± said Mu.

    Tavian threw an arm around her shoulders and she tensed up. ¡°She¡¯s being humble,¡± he said, ¡°She¡¯s really Princess Aixin Mukushen of the¡­ sorry, you¡¯ll have to remind me of the rest.¡±

    Mu was annoyed at Tavian, but she also figured there was little point in concealing her true identity from this group who had already done so much to get her away from her pursuers. ¡°Princess Aixin Mukushen of the Mukta Clan of the White Horse Banner. But you can call me Mu.¡±

    ¡°Wow!¡± exclaimed Harry, placing a hand to his chest, ¡°An actual princess here on our ship.¡±

    ¡°Please don¡¯t make a big deal of it,¡± said Mu.

    ¡°I promise I¡¯ll tone it down,¡± said Harry, ¡°If, you promise to come to the bar and tell me the whole story.¡±

    Mu sighed. ¡°Fine.¡±

    ¡°Exciting,¡± said Harry.

    ¡°Please, don¡¯t push it,¡± said Mu.

    ¡°Careful,¡± said Tavian, ¡°This one¡¯s prickly.¡±

    Nova sidled up to Mu and whispered into her ear in a voice that was entirely loud enough for everyone else to hear, ¡°Careful of Harry. He will try and make a move on you. When he does you should turn him down. Like every other woman.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t listen to her,¡± said Harry.

    ¡°What have I gotten myself into?¡± asked Mu.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± said Tavian, ¡°But it seems like it¡¯s going to be fun.¡±

    Apollo made a throat clearing noise and they all looked down to where he sat in the centre of their little circle. ¡°It is wonderful to see everyone already getting along. Ostara and I have a few matters to discuss before we make our departure, but please make yourselves at home.¡±

    ¡°Before you go¡­ can I ask why you helped us?¡± said Mu.

    ¡°It seemed like the right thing to do,¡± said Apollo. ¡°Just a feeling, I guess. Now there will be plenty of time to explain everything later, but I must be going now.¡±

    Ostara walked up to Mu and wrapped her in a hug. Mu experienced a feeling of warmth and safety in that moment like she could seldom remember ever having felt before. Ostara pulled back and pecked her on both cheeks.

    ¡°It truly is a pleasure to have you on board with us,¡± she said before repeating the gesture with Tavian who seemed to turn into some sort of pale invertebrate in her wake. With that she swept from the room, following Apollo.

    ¡°Your first hug from Ostara,¡± said Harry. ¡°It¡¯s a special moment.¡±

    ¡°Not gonna lie,¡± said Nova, ¡°Ostara gives pretty good hugs.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll be in my quarters if anyone wants me,¡± said Kal and with not a word more departed the room.

    ¡°Well,¡± said Harry. ¡°You two must be tired. Nova was telling me some of the story earlier. Sounds like quite the adventure. But Ostara has organised rooms for you. Perhaps we could show you?¡±

    ¡°So, we¡¯re just part of the crew now?¡± asked Tavian.

    ¡°Don¡¯t fight it,¡± said Mu, elbowing him in the side, ¡°I need a bed.¡±

    ¡°I think that was a yes,¡± said Tavian, pointing at Mu with his thumb.

    ¡°Right this way,¡± said Harry. They followed him, Nova bringing up the rear.

    They exited the large room by the door Harry and Ostara had entered through. Beyond was a long hallway, lit and furnished in much the manner of the room they¡¯d just been in.

    ¡°We call that the common room,¡± said Harry. ¡°Most of the¡­ lifestyle stuff is this way. We all have our rooms down this end. Except for Apollo, he¡¯s got his own little¡­ thing going on near the bridge. I¡¯ll give you a proper tour later, but the ship¡¯s got everything you could need. There¡¯s a gym, a pool, kitchen, dining area, my bar¡ª¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not technically his,¡± interrupted Nova.

    ¡°My bar,¡± continued Harry, ¡°The library. Everyone¡¯s rooms. Upstairs are the gardens. Ostara tends to them, but I help out, at least with the edible stuff.¡±

    ¡°The more important stuff like the engine room, bridge, armoury and whatnot is down the other end,¡± said Nova.

    ¡°I think eating is pretty important,¡± said Harry.

    ¡°I think breathing is too. How will your fancy cooking go if I mess up the life support systems and no one can breathe?¡±

    Harry shook his head. ¡°Nova likes to think she¡¯s the most important person here.¡±

    Mu reflected that after everything they had experienced recently, Nova did indeed seem like a fairly pivotal part of the whole operation.

    They stopped a little way down the hallway where a shorter hallway branched off. There were doors either side and a window looking out into space at the end, a pot plant sitting in front of it.

    ¡°Mu, your room is on the right. Tavian, you¡¯re on the left,¡± said Harry. ¡°Everything should be set up there for you. The beds are made.¡±

    Mu looked Harry¡¯s way. ¡°I have to have the room opposite him?¡± she asked.

    ¡°He can¡¯t be that bad,¡± said Nova.

    ¡°Wait till you get to know him,¡± said Mu.

    ¡°How long have you two known each other?¡± asked Harry.

    ¡°A few hours longer than we¡¯ve known the rest of you,¡± replied Tavian. ¡°At any rate, I have no complaints about the room Madame Ostara has graciously given me. But I guess I don¡¯t have the exacting standards of an Imperial Princess.¡±

    ¡°Oh no, I see it now,¡± said Nova.

    ¡°Told you,¡± said Mu. ¡°But yes. Thank you all for everything you¡¯ve done. Of course. And please thank Ostara and Apollo for me.¡±

    A pause.

    ¡°Is it weird if I just go sleep now?¡±

    Nova and Harry both shook their heads. ¡°Of course not,¡± said Nova. ¡°If you want we¡¯ll wake you when we get going. Or not. Up to you. Either way, lets exchange contacts.¡±

    Nova held out her tablet and Tavian and Mu both tapped theirs to hers. They followed suit with Harry.

    ¡°Let us know if you need anything,¡± said Nova. ¡°Or Kal. He seems grumpy a lot of the time ¨C and he for sure is ¨C but he¡¯s pretty helpful anyway.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll keep that in mind,¡± said Tavian.

    ¡°Don¡¯t you need sleep too, Nova?¡± asked Mu. ¡°You¡¯ve been up for a lot of our adventure so far.¡±

    Harry laughed. ¡°This one¡¯s blood is mostly energy drinks at this point. I don¡¯t think she ever sleeps.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not that bad. But you two have been up since yesterday morning. I¡¯ve only been up since early this morning. Anyway, we won¡¯t hold you up any longer. Get some sleep. Chill. Sing out if you need anything.¡±

    ¡°Thank you,¡± said Mu.

    Nova shrugged and smiled. ¡°Eh, it¡¯s nothing. C¡¯mon, Harry. Let¡¯s leave them be. Wanna make me a burger?¡±

    ¡°Do I want to? No. But will I? Also no.¡±

    With that Harry and Nova disappeared around the corner, their conversation dwindling as they went. That left Mu and Tavian standing alone in the hallway with only the pot plant to keep them company.

    ¡°Seems nice here,¡± said Tavian.

    ¡°It does. I¡¯m going to bed,¡± said Mu.

    ¡°Wonderful idea,¡± said Tavian and turned to his door. She heard a beep and the opening of the door.

    ¡°Goodnight, Princess,¡± she heard him say.

    ¡°Goodnight¡­ you,¡± she said and opened her own door, stepping in without looking back.

    The room beyond was cozy and surprisingly large. There was a large bed to one side, with a window that looked out on the stars. The wall opposite the window housed an enormous screen, a couch facing it, a beanbag to one side, and a coffee table in front. A desk with a mirror was against the wall across from the door, and next to it another door that Mu soon discovered led to a walk-in wardrobe and bathroom.

    Returning to the main room she strolled over to the bed. She pulled off her hoodie, shoes and socks and flopped back onto the bed.

    Closing her eyes, her feet not yet up on the bed, she felt herself drifting away. As she did, a soft melody on mandolin filled her mind. Whether heard or remembered, she wasn¡¯t sure.

 Chapter VI - Oblivions Shadow

    Chapter VI ¨C Oblivion¡¯s Shadow

    Mu plunged back into the water, diving into the sun-dappled shallows with joyous abandon. Around her, the rest of the pod was similarly frolicking, swirling about amongst the beams of light that penetrated the surface and shimmered down through the water column. Bright corals and a myriad of life in innumerable forms covered the seabed, small fish swirling about in a profusion colour. Mu swam through this scene of florescent activity, her heart light and her mind firmly planted in the present, glorious moment.

    She sang to her pod-mates and they sang back. Ahead of her raced Milos and she watched as with a great effort of fins and tail muscles he propelled himself up and erupted through the surface. Inspired, Mu dived near to the seafloor, avoiding the sharp corals and picked up speed, before angling upwards and following Milos, exploding into the air and taking in the sparkling vista, myriad diamonds of light dancing on the sea¡¯s surface under the perfect azure skies. She took in a deep breath of that fresh air and plunged back down, crying out with joy.

    ¡°What a day,¡± said Milos, swimming up next to her.

    ¡°So different to yesterday,¡± said Mu, circling about her friend.

    In the distance she noticed the vast ruin of the Celestial Pagoda, wrapped in vines, and covered in crimson flowers, but she ignored the sight. No time for such troubling thoughts. Today was a day for frolicking in the shallows with the other youngsters of her pod. The storm had passed, the Black Emissary of the Stars was with the Orcalord, and as far as she was concerned, all was well. Pythia smiled upon them this day.

    One member of the pod called out to the others, telling them that they had swum ahead, and that the tides and winds were such that today it was possible to ride a single wave the length of the North Gorge. As one the youngsters of the pod followed him, singing the Hymns of Pythia as they went.

    The North Gorge was angled in a way that when the tides were right, the great swells of the deeper sea would rise and be channelled as breaking waves along its length, perfect for surfing. The leader demonstrated the principle, leaping into the wave the moment it crested before crashing down in a tumble of white foam, sweeping shoreward down the narrow, rocky defile. The others needed little more encouragement, jumping in pairs or trios into the waves as each new one rolled in. They found the perfect spot, where the rise in the seafloor caused the oceanic swells to teeter up and break.

    Mu followed Milos and the two of them waited in eager anticipation as a mound of water advanced their way. From where she was, her head poking through the surface, her fins and tail moving gently to hold her in place, she could see the swaying verdant greenery atop the cliffs of the North Gorge. She could see the white sand of the small and distant beach at the far end of the Gorge. She could see the white birds swirling in that perfect cloudless sky, occasionally diving to snatch up a fish. And high above, though she couldn¡¯t look directly, was brilliant Pythia, shining its gift of life and warmth and prophecy down on the blue world.

    The wave came and Milos gave a sharp whistle to signal its arrival. Mu needed no more urging, propelling herself forward with all her might until she felt the powerful tug of the wave and knew she was one with it, rushing towards that distant sandy shore. Everything flew by at an unbelievable pace; her being was nothing but exhilaration. Finally, as she bowed out of the wave at the last possible moment before being slammed into the shore, she let out a cry delight, joined as she did so by Milos.

    She felt a strange pull. Not as strong as the pull of the wave when she first leapt into it, but strong nonetheless. And this time it was pulling her away from shore. She guessed the water had to flow back out once it had rushed in, so she let herself be swept back towards the Gorge¡¯s entrance, seeing Milos beside her. But the pull was getting stronger. Something felt wrong.

    Having dived beneath the surface she now returned, pushing her head into the air. There was something very odd occurring at the horizon. It was as if it were the wrong shape, rising like a broad-topped mountain of water. And she now saw that behind that mountain was rising the moon, far larger than ever she¡¯d seen it before. Far closer.

    The pull of the water was getting stronger. She couldn¡¯t swim against it. She was out of the Gorge now, but the water was continuing to rush towards that great blue mount on the horizon. Towards the dawning moon. It felt like falling, but in the wrong direction.

    Her confusion turned to horror as an immense shape began to reveal itself from behind the moon. Even as it did, she witnessed as cracks snaked out across the surface of the moon. The great shape emerged more clearly into her view, no longer hidden by the moon. It was no celestial body. It was like an immense skull, completely black, but illuminated by patches of red or purple light emanating deep from within. Around it was a halo of seven snake-like heads and behind it a long, coiling tail. The mouth of each of the snake-like heads seemed to open to reveal a star-like furnace within.

    She realised too that the thing had not been hiding behind the moon ¨C it was simply much more distant. Now it was approaching at an alarming velocity, increasingly filling the sky, yet still farther than the moon. Its shadow was upon the water and the light of Pythia was occulted by its immense and terrible form. It was something too large to exist. And too terrible to exist, but by the design of a mind of infinite malevolence.

    Pieces of the moon streaked across the sky and vanished from view, racing towards the beast. The mountain on the horizon had sunk back into the ocean, but now the ocean itself reached not for the decaying moon, but towards the beast.

    Mu felt herself being lifted upwards. She turned towards Milos, and caught one last glance of his terrified eyes before he hurtled into the sky and was gone. Around her, her pod-mates were experiencing the same fates. Beneath her the North Gorge was no longer recognisable as the island cracked and ruptured. Chunks of coral and seafloor were now breaking away and launching into the heavens with the remains of the ocean that once covered them.

    But the Beast was once more dwindling now. She understood, instinctively what would happen next and felt the weakening of its pull. She felt a moment where she was suspended in the air, droplets of water glistening about her, like tiny aqueous planets. Then the pull of the surface was reasserted, weakly at first, but then more strongly and she felt herself accelerating downwards once more, flailing her fins and tail to no avail. Below her, where once was the mouth of the North Gorge, now there was a gaping chasm, water cascading down into its inscrutable, shadowy depths.

    As she plunged, the last thing she saw was the Beast, distant now, opening its colossal maw. And into that horrendous abyss plunged Pythia, its light forevermore extinguished from the Cosmos.

    And as Mu tumbled into darkness, she remembered the Orcalord¡¯s words: ¡°The Oblivion¡¯s shadow is long, but the Black Emissary brings us hope.¡±

    Mu awoke in a sweat, pushing lank strands of her hair from her eyes with one hand, whilst she placed the other against her chest to still her rapidly beating heart. She took a moment to satisfy herself that she hadn¡¯t fallen from great heights. She pushed back the luxurious sheets of her grandiose bed before sitting up and swivelling about so she put her feet into the silken slippers beside the bed. She walked across the opulent chamber and poured herself a glass of water from the jug that sat upon her desk.

    She picked up her tablet and looked at the display: 0306. Sighing she gazed around the familiar surroundings.

    It had all been a dream, then. Certainly, the weird dolphin stuff, but the bit with the talking cat and the travelling bard too, she guessed. She tried to expunge the disturbing legacy of the dream from her mind, gulping down more water. She would have to talk to Bright Eyes tomorrow. He would know what to do.

    Wait, she paused a moment, Bright Eyes? His name is¡­

    But the name wouldn¡¯t come to her.

    Slowly the bedroom door swung open. She turned to look that way, but no one was there.

    ¡°Hello?¡± she called out tentatively. ¡°Tender Hand?¡±

    The names¡­ what were their names?

    This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.

    There was no reply.

    She walked slowly towards the open door. Still seeing no one she stepped through and peered about the room beyond. ¡°Hello?¡± she called again.

    This time she got an answer. ¡°Princess Mukushen, do you remember me?¡±

    The voice was soft, lilting ¨C pretty, almost. It spoke in an impeccable accent, the cultivated manner of those raised in the Imperial Court.

    Mu looked around, but still saw no one. The voice sounded like it was coming from everywhere at once.

    ¡°I¡¯m still dreaming,¡± said Mu.

    ¡°I would contend that you¡¯re as awake as ever you¡¯ve been.¡±

    Mu took another step and stumbled slightly. She saw that a thick vine was running along the floor, brightly coloured flowers sprouting from it in numerous places, interspersed with wicked thorns. She followed its length and saw that it ran up the wall and that there were more. Many more.

    ¡°No, this is a dream,¡± said Mu.

    She walked toward the far door and pushed it open, emerging into the corridor beyond. Here everything was thick with vines and flowers, the walls and pillars cracking as they were strangled by the plants. And down the far end was something that Mu took to be some sort of enormous flower bud, taking up much of the wall. She walked toward it, picking her way carefully amongst the vines, lest one of the thorns pierce the delicate fabric of her slippers.

    ¡°What you saw before truly happened,¡± said the voice.

    ¡°Impossible,¡± said Mu, as she walked closer to the great flower bud.

    ¡°It is the past ¨C the distant past of a distant world. I, however, am closer.¡±

    ¡°Who are you?¡±

    She had almost reached the bud. Around it the vines were moving before her very eyes, moving like a seething pit of snakes.

    ¡°I am your near future. The future of your world,¡± said the voice, malice and delight blending in its soft and sing-song sound.

    Mu stood before the bud.

    She detected a smell. It was a sickly sweetness that made her stomach lurch. It was a smell like decay.

    And the bud, slowly, began to open, great petals the length of her arm unfolding, long tendrils of a sticky, sap-like substance stretching out and drooping down as they unfurled. As more and more of the flower opened, Mu could see that there was something darker inside, long black strands. It took her a moment later to realise what she was seeing:

    Human hair.

    And as the flower completed its horrific unveiling, she saw the full scope of what it contained. It was Tender Hand ¨C loyal and kind ¨C crucified within the innards of the flower, cruel thorns piercing her limbs. And where her stomach had once been was a gaping cavity, dripping with white sap and bursting with a profusion of smaller flowers.

    ¡°I will see you soon, Princess Mukushen,¡± said the voice.

    This time Mu awoke for real.

    Mu took a few moments to satisfy herself that she was truly awake.

    She took in her surroundings. At some point she had clearly slid off the bed and had fallen asleep in a sitting position on the floor, her back slumped against the side of the bed. She was wearing her clothes from the day before, which were at least reasonably comfortable, if not quite the silken pyjamas she was used to. Groggily, she rose to her feet.

    Outside the night side of Shangxia was visible, the lights of its many vast cities gleaming in the dark, the oceans and forests and farmlands appearing as undistinguished expanses of black. The lights in the room were on, but dim, though Mu had no memory of turning them down. Perhaps it was some automatic process. After swaying a few moments in place, she walked to the bathroom, where she turned on the tap and splashed her face with some cold water. Drying off with a small hand towel she gazed at her bedraggled reflection. If anything, she looked even more exhausted than she had before, her sleep fitful and disturbed by these dark visions.

    Is it guilt? she wondered.

    Guilt for leaving behind her family who had sacrificed so much to secure her marriage to the future Emperor? Guilt for the effort Bright Eyes and Tender Hand had put in to secure her escape at such immense personal risk? Or were these dreams truly born of foresight? Was the ultimate guilt hiding these visions from the Empire? Shirking her responsibility. Was there a future in which Empress Mu conferred with the Grand Astronomer at the Bureau of Celestial Foresight and steered the Empire away from disaster and towards prosperity and peace?

    But don¡¯t I get a choice?

    She shook her head, trying to clear these feelings. She walked back out into the bedroom and looked out the window. At the glittering lights of the cities far below. She thought of the nightclub in which she and Tavian had met. She thought of the traffic ¨C and boutiques and theatres ¨C  that lined International Road, of the winding streets they had fled through behind Apollo. That had all been just one portion of one city. What she could see now from up here was so much vaster. And Shangxia was but a single world. One world of the forty million over which the dominion of the Sons of Nara Enduri stretched. Forty million worlds around somewhat less than forty million stars ¨C and even that number accounted for less than one in ten thousand stars in the galaxy. What did her right to choose matter in the face of such numbers?

    No! she insisted to herself. I get to choose how I spend my one and only life. No one else gets to decide. Not my parents, not the Emperor, not Nara Enduri Itself.

    I am not a slave to destiny.

    At that moment there came a rapping upon her door. She glanced up, startled from her contemplation of the planet below. She had almost convinced herself that she had imagined it, when she heard it again. She walked slowly over to the door. Tentatively she tapped the panel at its side and it slid open. The lights in the corridor outside had also dimmed, providing a night time ambience.

    Standing in the hallway, just in front of her door, was a raven. As she watched the bird it stretched out its wings ¨C all six of them.

    Oh no, thought Mu, I¡¯m still dreaming after all.

    ¡°Caaaw,¡± said the raven. It looked back along the corridor behind it, then back at her.

    ¡°You want me to follow?¡± asked Mu.

    She could have sworn it nodded.

    Maybe it¡¯s not that complicated, thought Mu, Maybe I¡¯m just going insane.

    Nonetheless she stepped out into the corridor and allowed the door to close behind her. The raven bounded along, stopping at times to let her catch up before fluttering on. It reminded Mu of her and Tavian following Apollo through the Shangxia streets. They reached a little spiral staircase and Mu descended one level, still following the bird. Finally, they reached a singular door at the dead end of a shadowy hallway.

    ¡°Caaaw,¡± said the raven, once more stretching its three pairs of wings.

    Mu stepped towards the door. The panel showed that it was locked, but she pressed the intercom button. There was a buzz. No one inside spoke, but after a moment the door opened. The raven flew into the darkness beyond. Mu followed, the door shutting behind her.

    At the centre of the room stood a short young girl, maybe Nova¡¯s age, though her stature almost made her look younger. Like Mu, she was barefoot, but that was where the similarities in their attire ended. The girl was wearing a frilly black dress, approximately knee-length and off shoulder, covered in silver and purple details ¨C possibly abstract patterns, though some looked almost like runes. Over this dress she wore a long cloak which reached to the floor, clasped by some sort of black jewel just below her collarbone. On her head she wore an immense hat with a circular, floppy brim and rising to a crooked, conical point. A witch¡¯s hat, one might say. Notably the girl had long, straight white hair and eyes that were an intense red that Mu had never seen before. The raven fluttered to the girl¡¯s shoulder, where it settled.

    ¡°Thank you, Matthias,¡± said the girl, stroking the raven¡¯s head.

    Mu also noticed that the girl appeared to have drawn some sort of circular symbol on the ground, possibly a mandala of some sort. Around the room the only light was that provided by flickering candle flames. Strange aromas filled the air, utterly foreign to Mu.

    ¡°Princess Mukushen,¡± said the girl.

    ¡°That¡¯s me,¡± said Mu, ¡°Though, ah, you can call me Mu.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re a Resonant,¡± said the girl, her voice a monotone, her eyes seeming to blink less than was the usual amount.

    ¡°Yes,¡± said Mu.

    ¡°A Starseer.¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    The girl seemed to observe her, her eyes darting up and down. ¡°You don¡¯t look very much like a princess.¡±

    Mu could only laugh. ¡°Sorry to disappoint, it¡¯s been a rough couple of days.¡±

    The girl didn¡¯t seem to react. She continued to stare at Mu in silence, her red eyes bright even in the room¡¯s low light.

    A thought occurred to Mu. ¡°Are you Seraphina?¡± she asked.

    The girl nodded. ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°Pleasure to meet you,¡± said Mu.

    Not saying anything, Seraphina walked closer to Mu. As she approached the disparity in their heights became even more apparent. The raven fluttered up to find a perch elsewhere in the room. Stretching up, Seraphina placed a hand to the side of Mu¡¯s face, startling her.

    ¡°You¡¯ve seen things tonight, haven¡¯t you?¡± said Seraphina.

    ¡°I had some dreams¡ª¡± began Mu.

    ¡°Not dreams,¡± said Seraphina, ¡°You know they¡¯re not dreams.¡± Seraphina¡¯s hand stroked the side of Mu¡¯s face. Her skin was unsettlingly cool. ¡°I sense the shadow on you. Like back there.¡±

    ¡°Back where?¡± asked Mu.

    ¡°Hecate. The witches, the ones that killed us. Killed my coven, that is. It was the same shadow,¡± said Seraphina.

    ¡°I¡¯m not sure I understand,¡± said Mu, but she remembered something from her dream.

    The Oblivion¡¯s shadow is long.

    ¡°Neither do I,¡± said Seraphina, at length, pulling her hand away. ¡°You should tell Apollo what you¡¯ve seen. I¡¯ll come with you.¡±

    ¡°Okay,¡± said Mu, uncertainly.

    ¡°Tomorrow,¡± said Seraphina.

    ¡°Okay.¡±

    ¡°You can¡¯t sleep, can you?¡± asked Seraphina.

    ¡°I¡¯m so tired,¡± said Mu.

    ¡°But you can¡¯t sleep.¡±

    ¡°No,¡± said Mu, shaking her head. ¡°No, I can¡¯t.¡±

    ¡°You need to free yourself from the shadow,¡± said Seraphina, turning her back on Mu and walking to one side of the room, kneeling down to rummage through a cupboard. ¡°I have a way.¡±

    ¡°Some¡­ potion?¡± asked Mu, her eyes now taking in the mysterious assortment of bottles on shelves around the room.

    Seraphina turned around and handed something to Mu.

    ¡°Games,¡± she said.

    Mu looked down and realised she¡¯d been handed a videogame controller.  ¡°Games?¡±

    Seraphina shook her head enthusiastically, taking a seat facing a big screen, beckoning for Mu to sit beside her. For the first time Seraphina seemed animated.

    The character select screen appeared.

    ¡°I play as the great ape. Nova plays as the woman with power armour. There¡¯s the princess with the magical triangles¡­ but maybe you want something different?¡±

    ¡°I can be anyone?¡± said Mu.

    ¡°Anyone you like,¡± said Seraphina.

    Mu smiled.

 Chapter VII - Fragile Future, Ominous Past

    Chapter VII ¨C Fragile Future, Ominous Past

    Ding! Ding! Ding! Ding! Ding! Ding! Ding!

    Tavian found himself startled to wakefulness by the repeated intrusive sound. He sat bolt upright and looked around. A big blue planet was out the window.

    Strange, the club¡¯s storage room doesn¡¯t normally have a planet in it.

    Ding! Ding! Ding!

    He shook his head, his mind swirling about, trying to piece together where he was and what he was doing. Amrita. He was on the Amrita. It all came back to him in a moment.

    Ding! Ding! Ding!

    He looked towards the door, becoming aware he was hearing a doorbell. He rose to sit on the side of the bed, rubbing his eyes. His clothes from yesterday lay in a crumpled heap on the floor, where he¡¯d thrown them before collapsing into bed. Still naked, he strolled over to the panel by the door, pressing the intercom button.

    ¡°Just give me a moment, I¡¯ll be out¡ª¡±

    Only he hadn¡¯t pressed the intercom. He¡¯d opened the door. Outside stood Nova, some sort of package in her arms. She blinked a few moments, then grinned.

    ¡°I thought you might need some fresh clothes¡­ and¡­ um¡­ I guess I was right,¡± she said. She looked down. ¡°Mmm, not bad.¡±

    ¡°Sorry¡­¡± muttered Tavian, grabbing the bundle from her and hitting the button to close the door.

    Muffled through the door he heard Nova saying, ¡°I¡¯ll see you later. Probably less of you, though.¡± Shortly after he heard the sounds of another doorbell ringing across the hall.

    Tavian headed for the shower, cracking his neck as he walked. He examined his reflection briefly. His hair was messy, but that was normal. He looked properly rested at least. Come to think of it, he didn¡¯t know how long he¡¯d slept for. He stepped into the shower and turned on the water, relishing the feeling, washing away the sweat and grime of the mad few days they¡¯d just been through.

    He wasn¡¯t quite sure what the future held now, but that was nothing new. Planet after planet, that¡¯d been the way since he left home twenty years ago. He¡¯d find gigs, expand his repertoire, move on. He never put down roots anywhere. He¡¯d find out what the Amrita¡¯s next destination was and make his way that far, provided it was far enough away to avoid any of the trouble he¡¯d found himself in on Shangxia.

    That had all been a little inconvenient. He didn¡¯t own much, but apart from his mandolin ¨C which he never parted with ¨C everything else he owned had been left behind in that storage room behind the club on Shangxia. Frustratingly he¡¯d also paid his rent for the space in advance to Mr Wu, the club¡¯s miserly owner, who had no doubt disposed or sold his things by now. The Governor¡¯s men had probably turned up at Mr Wu¡¯s by now, assuming they¡¯d worked out that was where Tavian had met Mingxia. Tavian was certain Wu would sell him out in a heartbeat.

    Oh well, thought Tavian, Such is life.

    He still wondered why Apollo and crew had helped them and been so accommodating. Tavian wasn¡¯t used to people sticking their necks out for him. While everyone here seemed genuine, he still couldn¡¯t quite come to terms with the idea that people might just help strangers for the sake of it. There was something Apollo wasn¡¯t telling them; he was sure of that. His inclination was that it probably had more to do with Mu than himself ¨C he was no one special.

    Mu on the other hand. Mu was special. An Imperial princess, a Starseer¡­

    And a beauty.

    It must be demeaning for someone like that to find herself on the run with someone like him. Perhaps he should go easy on teasing her. But he struggled with that. The temptation would just not leave him alone. He decided he¡¯d call her Mu at least. Not Princess. That would be a start.

    He wondered what he would do in her situation. The logical answer was become an Empress. Be revered across countless worlds. Live a life of opulence and luxury. There were probably a hundred trillion girls across the Empire that dreamt of such a thing.

    But he¡¯d be lying if he picked that answer. He knew why Mu had done what she¡¯d done. For a certain sort of person a sufficiently gilded cage might be consolation enough for clipped wings, but for himself ¨C and he was sure, for Mu ¨C it was intolerable.

    What a thing! he thought, To rule a Cosmos, yet never experience it.

    He closed his eyes and stared up into the stream of water, letting it run down his face. Stepping away he turned it off, stepped out, and towelled himself dry. Wrapping the towel around his waist he headed back to the bedroom, where he¡¯d left the clothes Nova had handed him. He opened the package and found a handwritten note:

    I chose these for you specially. Hope you like them, Pretty Boy.

    <ul>

    <li>Harry</li>

    </ul>

    ¡°Pretty boy¡­¡± murmured Tavian. Harry was the pretty boy! Tavian liked to think of himself as more ruggedly handsome.

    Casting aside the note, he inspected what Harry had provided him. A long-sleeved, v-necked cotton shirt. A black waistcoat with ornate golden buttons. A pair of light brown slacks. Some sort of cloth belt that bordered on a cummerbund. A pair of pointy toed leather boots.

    Tavian nodded appreciatively.

    Not bad, Mr Pretty Boy, not bad.

    As he was picking up the shirt to put it on, something fell out. He realised it was a razor, wrapped in another note.

    Looking a bit hirsute there.

    <ul>

    <li>H</li>

    </ul>

    ¡°Hirsute? Who says¡­¡± muttered Tavian, but he rubbed his chin and cheeks and felt the prickle there. ¡°Whatever,¡± he said and headed to bathroom again to tidy up.

    Returning, he finished dressing and, satisfied with his appearance after he¡¯d spent a little time artfully ruffling his hair, he headed out. As he stepped through the door to his room none other than Mu herself was coming down the hall. She was dressed as she had been last he saw her, minus the hoodie and shoes.

    ¡°Wow, Princess. You look truly awful,¡± he said. Ah, shit! I was s¡¯posed to be nicer.

    Mu looked at him with vacant eyes, great dark bags below them, creasing her usually perfect skin. ¡°Thanks,¡± she said. There was a look on her face that suggested she might be about to offer some retort, but in the end, it appeared she couldn¡¯t even be bothered.

    Well now I feel bad. I wasn¡¯t even kidding. She looks awful. ¡°Didn¡¯t you get any sleep?¡±

    ¡°A little. I had some dreams,¡± said Mu.

    ¡°About me?¡± he said and reprimanded himself. Stop it!

    ¡°I was a dolphin. Sun got eaten. Flower ate my friend.¡±

    ¡°Sounds like pretty normal stuff,¡± said Tavian. ¡°Um, I think Nova left you some fresh clothes,¡± he said, pointing at a package sitting in front of her door.

    ¡°Thanks,¡± said Mu, bending to pick up the package.

    ¡°I was going to chase down some breakfast. Maybe some coffee could help you? Y¡¯know, if you wanted to join me,¡± said Tavian.

    ¡°Coffee?¡± asked Mu.

    ¡°You don¡¯t know what coffee is? Wow, you really have had a sheltered life. It¡¯s like tea. I assume you know tea, right? That¡¯s like a big deal in the Empire, yeah? Well, it¡¯s like tea, but more¡­ wakeful. It¡¯ll wake you up.¡±

    Mu still had a half-dazed expression. ¡°Sounds good. I¡¯m discovering a lot of new things. Did you know about videogames?¡±

    Tavian gave her a puzzled expression. ¡°I am aware of them as a concept. You been playing videogames all night? With who? Nova? She seems like a gamer. Oh, please tell me it¡¯s not that Harry guy.¡±

    Mu stared at him blankly a few moments, blinking slowly, saying nothing. ¡°Um¡­ we¡¯ll talk over this coffee stuff. I¡¯m going to freshen up.¡±

    With that she hit the button on the panel to open the door and headed inside.

    ¡°Don¡¯t fall asleep in the shower!¡± Tavian called after her.

    A short while later they found themselves sitting at a table by a window in the Amrita¡¯s mess. From the kitchen came the sounds of clanking, sizzling, and chopping as Harry set about making breakfast. Both Tavian and Mu had insisted that something simple was fine, but Harry seemingly ignored them. He made a pot of strong coffee for them, then set to work, promising a magical experience.

    ¡°So, you weren¡¯t gaming with him,¡± said Tavian, sipping his coffee and pointing with his free hand to the kitchen. Black with five sugars, just how he liked it.

    Mu was now wearing a light cotton dress, cropped jacket and simple black flats. Presently, she was inspecting her coffee like it was some strange artefact of a long-lost culture. ¡°It smells kind of good and bad,¡± she said. ¡°What were you saying?¡± She took a tiny, hesitant sip. ¡°Oooh! Hot!¡±

    ¡°Who were you gaming with?¡±

    ¡°Seraphina.¡±

    ¡°Sera¨C who? Oh wait, wasn¡¯t she the other crewmember who didn¡¯t greet us? What¡¯s she like?¡±

    Mu was blowing repeatedly on her coffee. ¡°She seems nice. Kind of weird, but nice.¡±

    ¡°Weird, how?¡±

    ¡°I think she might be a witch,¡± said Mu, braving another sip.

    ¡°A witch? Like, pointy hat and everything,¡± said Tavian, pointing at the top of his head where there was no hat.

    ¡°Pointy hat and everything,¡± said Mu. ¡°Hrm¡­ I think I like it. But also¡­ not? But¡­¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ll get used to it,¡± said Tavian.

    ¡°It¡¯s not much like tea,¡± said Mu, ¡°I don¡¯t know why you said that. But I do feel more awake.¡±

    Tavian grinned. ¡°Well, that¡¯s good, because while I¡¯ve never specifically heard of anyone dying of sleep deprivation, you looked like you just might.¡±

    Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.

    ¡°I still need a lot of sleep,¡± said Mu. ¡°I fell asleep in Seraphina¡¯s lap last night. Kind of awkward, given I¡¯d only just met her.¡±

    ¡°Happy to provide a lap pillow for you, if you need,¡± said Tavian.

    ¡°Urgh, every time I start to think you¡¯re not terrible, you say something to remind me that you definitely are,¡± said Mu.

    Tavian just laughed.

    A thought seemed to occur to her and she looked out the window beside them. ¡°Any idea why we¡¯re still docked around Shangxia?¡±

    Tavian shrugged. ¡°So far this morning, I¡¯ve only spoken to you and Harry. Oh, and Nova¡­ but there wasn¡¯t much, um, opportunity to chat then.¡±

    Mu seemed to sense there was more to that story, but didn¡¯t pry. Before they could keep talking Harry, wearing a white apron and chef¡¯s hat, appeared carrying a large tray, which he set down on a table beside theirs. He placed plates with chopsticks and spoons down in front of them then returned to his tray. He began explaining what he was handing them each time he placed something down.

    ¡°Steamed white rice. Youtiao ¨C you can dip them in the soy milk here. Sheng jian bao ¨C fried to absolute perfection, if I do say so myself. I¡¯ve got some tea eggs here, and some scallion pancakes. Tofu pudding with chili oil. Sticky rice rolls with shredded pork. Got some sweet and sour soup here. Oh, and some rice congee if you want something heartier. Try the tea eggs with that and maybe a bit of this pickled lotus root and cabbage here. A sprinkling of green onions too. And here¡¯s some extra chili oil, oh, and my very own truffle soy sauce ¨C had to hunt across three worlds to find those truffles. It pretty much makes anything you put it on an orgasmic experience.¡±

    Tavian and Mu had been watching in stunned awe as these items were laid on the table before them, one after the other. Tavian turned to Harry when it appeared he was finally done.

    ¡°I was just expecting a piece of toast,¡± he said. ¡°I¡¯m suspicious though. Have we just been brought here to be fattened for the slaughter?¡±

    Harry seemed to stare out the window into space. ¡°I¡¯ve pushed through many culinary frontiers, but human flesh is one I¡¯m yet to reach,¡± he said.

    Tavian looked at Mu. ¡°I¡¯m a good ninety percent sure that was a joke.¡±

    Mu looked Harry¡¯s way. ¡°Here¡¯s hoping.¡±

    Harry now pulled up a chair at the end of their table and sat with his elbows resting on it, his chin in his hands. ¡°How is it?¡±

    Tavian was still surveying the array, deciding what to start with. He settled on ladling some hot and sour soup into a bowl, grabbing a scallion pancake alongside it. Mu meanwhile seemed to be having less trouble, loading her plate up with a wide assortment of items. Tavian tasted the soup.

    ¡°It¡¯s good,¡± he said. Harry seemed unsatisfied with this response. ¡°Could I trouble you for your thoughts, Princess?¡±

    ¡°Mu,¡± said Mu, through a full mouth. ¡°Ip¡¯s goob.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll give you a moment,¡± said Harry, smiling obligingly.

    ¡°You got any idea why we¡¯re still docked at the Orbital Ring?¡± asked Tavian.

    ¡°Oh yeah, about that. Ostara tells me Apollo wants to see everyone in the common room after you guys have had breakfast. There¡¯s been some sort of complication.¡±

    At those words Mu temporarily stopped stuffing her face, swallowed, and looked up, concern filling her eyes. ¡°A complication?¡±

    Harry shook his head. ¡°I don¡¯t know the details. But Apollo hasn¡¯t called us together urgently, so it can¡¯t be anything too serious, right?¡±

    ¡°I guess so,¡± said Mu. Her chopsticks had been paused halfway to her mouth, holding a piece of lotus root. She was still looking concerned as the lotus root resumed its journey to her mouth.

    The doors to the mess flew open at that point and the sound of loud, very bad singing filled the room. In walked Nova, bulky headphones over her ears. She was wearing a full body jumpsuit and had her goggles down over her eyes. They all turned to look at her. After a moment she seemed to become aware of this fact, lowering her headphones to hang around her neck and pushing her goggles up to the top of her head.

    ¡°Was I too loud?¡± she asked.

    ¡°Not at all,¡± said Harry.

    ¡°Ooh, Harry. Harry, my man. My darling. Light of my life. What are your thoughts on exactly what time it becomes acceptable to eat a hot dog? Asking for a friend.¡±

    ¡°Nova, I am not making you a hot dog. If Princess Mukushen¡ª¡±

    ¡°Mu,¡± interrupted Mu.

    ¡°¡ªand Mr What¡¯s-His-Face here¡ª¡±

    ¡°Tavian,¡± said Tavian.

    ¡°¡ªare willing to share, you can have some of this food.¡±

    Nova had reached the table and leant over, squinting her eyes at the collection of food. ¡°Hrm¡­ I see vegetables. Not really my vibe.¡±

    ¡°Heathen,¡± said Harry.

    Nova pulled up a chair next to Harry. She unzipped her jumpsuit and pulled her arms out of the sleeves, allowing it to fall to her waist. Underneath she was wearing a crop top identical to one she had on yesterday.

    ¡°Ah, that¡¯s better,¡± she said. ¡°Been doing some maintenance. Calibrating the jump drive, and so forth. You wouldn¡¯t believe how complicated everything is with this ship. It¡¯s like nothing I¡¯ve ever worked with before. Took some real getting used to at first. Big learning curve. But she¡¯s my baby now.¡±

    ¡°Is that the delay?¡± asked Tavian.

    Nova shook her head. ¡°No. None of it was essential. I was just taking the opportunity while we were waiting here in dock. You heard about the meeting Apollo has called?¡±

    ¡°I told them,¡± said Harry.

    ¡°Do you know anything about it?¡± asked Mu, nervously.

    Nova tilted her head to one side, seemingly thinking a moment. ¡°I¡¯ve got some idea. When Harry and I were out earlier getting you guys fresh clothes ¨C looking nice, by the way ¨C I spoke to someone who said they were out shopping to pass the time, because their ship to Jindao was stuck in dock. Seems like all interstellar traffic has been halted.¡±

    Tavian looked over at Mu, who clearly shared his concern at this news.

    Mu spoke. ¡°That can¡¯t be a coincidence. Stopping all traffic for the whole planet. They wouldn¡¯t do that lightly. Think of the costs!¡±

    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m guessing there¡¯s gonna be a lot of angry people,¡± said Harry.

    Mu had placed her chopsticks down now and was drumming her fingers on the table. ¡°It must be the Resonance Bureau. Local authorities wouldn¡¯t dare. The agents must be here.¡±

    ¡°Agents?¡± asked Nova.

    ¡°Resonance Bureau enforcers. They¡¯re hunting me. They won¡¯t let anything get in their way,¡± explained Mu.

    ¡°We can handle them,¡± said Tavian, trying to sound confident.

    ¡°No, we can¡¯t,¡± said Mu.

    ¡°Hey, you saw what happened at that spaceport back on the surface?¡±

    ¡°No, I¡¯ve already told you: they¡¯re not like those thugs or even the Governor¡¯s guards. They¡¯re out of our league.¡±

    She paused a moment, clearly deep in thought.

    ¡°I should leave. If they¡¯ve shut down traffic, they must be closing the net. No one here is safe.¡±

    Harry leant forward and placed a hand on Mu¡¯s shoulder. She didn¡¯t pull away. ¡°Apollo will decide what risks we take. But be warned, he doesn¡¯t abandon people.¡±

    Mu leapt to her feet, her eyes welling with tears, her hands clenched at her sides. ¡°I don¡¯t want anyone to get hurt for me.¡±

    ¡°Mu¡­¡± said Tavian, reaching her way, but this time she did pull away.

    ¡°No!¡± she snapped. ¡°I¡¯ve already killed people to get this far. It¡¯s too much. No more. I¡¯ll surrender to them.¡±

    With that she stormed out of the mess.

    ¡°Should we¡­ follow her?¡± asked Harry.

    ¡°She¡¯s not getting off the ship without talking to Apollo,¡± said Nova.

    Tavian stared at the door through which she¡¯d left. ¡°She just needs some sleep,¡± he said. ¡°She¡¯s had a rough few days.¡±

    He hoped he was right.

    Mu lay face down on the bed.

    What am I going to do? she asked herself. Am I really going to surrender?

    If only she could contact Bright Eyes. If only Tender Hand was here with her. She was so far from everything she knew, everyone she knew. In that moment she felt the overwhelming weight of her isolation. She felt alone. She felt every bit of the lightyears that separated her from home.

    What have I done? she wondered.

    In her mind¡¯s eye she saw a great flower, its petals gradually opening.

    Who am I to fight destiny?

    The doorbell rung.

    She looked up and then rose shakily to her feet, straightening her dress. She dabbed her eyes dry. She opened the door.

    Apollo entered, brushing against her leg as he did so, his back arching up. Behind him was Seraphina, dressed just as she had been the previous night, witch¡¯s hat and all.

    Apollo had switched back to a red bowtie.

    ¡°You¡¯ve had visions,¡± said Apollo, leaping elegantly onto her bed and settling into a loaf position, his tail curled around one side. ¡°Seraphina has told me.¡±

    Mu walked over to the desk and grabbed the chair, placing it facing the bed. She gestured towards it, looking Seraphina¡¯s way. The girl shook her head and instead walked over to the rug in the centre of the room and sat down on the floor, her legs crossed. Mu shrugged and sat in the chair herself.

    ¡°I did,¡± she said, her voice and breathing shaky.

    ¡°Tell me about them,¡± said Apollo.

    Mu looked Seraphina¡¯s way. She gave a slight nod. ¡°I was a dolphin, swimming in the sea. It was kind of fun.¡±

    ¡°Being a dolphin would be fun,¡± remarked Seraphina in an absent-minded tone.

    ¡°But then everything went crazy. The moon broke apart and then the whole planet and some giant monster ate the sun.¡±

    At this Apollo¡¯s ears pricked up, his fur bristling. It was only a moment, and then he resumed his relaxed posture. ¡°Did you have any sense of where you might be?¡± asked Apollo.

    Mu thought for a moment. ¡°The star was called Pythia. I think it might have been an Awakened Star.¡±

    Apollo appeared to consider this for a moment. ¡°Are there any other key details you remember? Names, places, times, events¡­¡±

    ¡°There was an¡­ ¡®Orcalord¡¯? Some sort of authority figure. And there was something called the Black Emissary of the Stars¡­ it was with the Orcalord. I dunno, I don¡¯t remember much more. Ah! The Orcalord said the Black Emissary was hope, or something like that. It didn¡¯t seem very hopeful at the time. Everything went dark, the Beast ate the sun ¨C Pythia ¨C and that was the end of the dream. Does that¡­ does any of that¡­ make sense?¡±

    Apollo stood and stretched his front legs before settling back down. ¡°It does. What you saw actually happened. You saw it through the eyes of someone who has long been dead. But it wasn¡¯t just a dream.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m a Starseer,¡± said Mu, ¡°I Resonate with the Starfow, with Nara Enduri¡­ to see the future. Not the past. The future.¡±

    ¡°Eeach Resonant Resonates with the Starflow differently,¡± said Apollo. ¡°Not all Starseers, not all Resonants of Nara Enduri are the same. And sometimes the full scope of the power granted by the stars is not wholly apparent until someone of particular power comes along.¡±

    ¡°Like a Theophant?¡± asked Mu.

    ¡°Those who have experienced Theophany are in a category of their own,¡± said Apollo, ¡°No, I¡¯m talking about regular Resonants. There is a great and varied scope of Resonance, and I believe you are particularly attuned to the Starflow. Your power is not merely limited to the future and things yet to pass, but to all of time, forwards and backwards.¡±

    Mu paused a moment. ¡°I¡¯ve never seen backwards before¡­¡±

    ¡°Haven¡¯t you?¡± asked Apollo, blinking slowly in her direction. ¡°Physicists say that mathematically, time is no different, forward or backwards. It¡¯s symmetrical. The only thing that gives it its arrow is entropy. To a power such as yours, there¡¯s no inherent reason that peering backwards should be any different to peering forwards.¡±

    Seraphina spoke up. ¡°On Hecate witches of the Oculus Coven practice Far-Scrying to peer both forward and back in time and see occulted events. Nara Eduri and the Witching Star are very different, but the Starfow is one and the same everywhere in the Cosmos. Your sight may work according to similar principles.¡±

    ¡°Indeed,¡± agreed Apollo.

    ¡°How do you know that these were real events¡ªare you saying that a giant beast actually ate a star? How is that even possible?¡±

    ¡°The Cosmos is vast,¡± said Apollo. ¡°It contains far more and far stranger things than most imagine.¡±

    ¡°But a beast that can eat a star¡­ surely¡­¡± Even as she spoke Mu found herself deeply disturbed by the very thought of such a thing. In that moment she was brought back to the feeling she had during the dream, the feeling of profound wrongness. Even if such a thing did exist¡­ it shouldn¡¯t.

    ¡°The Starflow sent you that vision for a reason,¡± said Apollo. ¡°Pythia, like Nara Enduri, was a star that grants prophecy.¡±

    ¡°Are you saying Nara Enduri is at risk?¡± asked Mu. ¡°The Imperial fleets¡­ they¡¯re beyond number. Even a beast of that size would be no match for them. They could destroy whole star clusters if they wished.¡±

    Apollo sighed, a strangely human sound coming from a cat. ¡°I won¡¯t pretend to know precisely what message was intended by that vision. But I do believe it was a warning. And that aligns with what I want to tell you.¡±

    Mu had almost totally forgotten her other concerns; her mind was so absorbed in what Apollo was saying. ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± she asked.

    ¡°Some of the others have told me you intend to turn yourself in to the authorities,¡± said Apollo.

    ¡°I¡­¡± Mu began, but she felt less sure than she had before. ¡°I don¡¯t want anyone else to get hurt.¡±

    ¡°The universe isn¡¯t cruel, but it isn¡¯t necessarily benevolent either,¡± said Apollo. ¡°People get hurt whatever path we take. For many it is sufficient to act with good intentions. But for those of us with the gift ¨C or the curse ¨C of foresight, that isn¡¯t enough. If outcomes are foreseeable, then it is to them we should look, for ultimately, they will matter far more than our intentions. We must probe the myriad branching roads forward and find the outcome in which there is the least suffering and the most joy.¡±

    Mu considered the black cat¡¯s words a moment. Then it struck her, ¡°Wait, you said ¡®those of us¡¯? You are a Starseer too?¡±

    ¡°Princess Mukushen,¡± said Apollo. ¡°I led you here for a reason. You have a role to play. I would urge you trust me and do not turn yourself over to the Resonance Bureau.¡±

    ¡°If you want me to trust you¡­ I don¡¯t want to be rude¡­ but surely¡­ if you just tell me your plan, your purpose, maybe then¡ª¡±

    ¡°The future is fragile. I can only reveal so much, lest the very knowledge of the future I seek cause it to shatter. Calm your mind, peer forward, satisfy yourself that you can trust me. Then we will discuss how we will evade the Resonance Bureau,¡± said Apollo, adding, ¡°Without further bloodshed.¡±

    At this, Seraphina stood and reached into her voluminous cloak. From it she pulled three sticks of incense. She raised her opposite hand, two fingers pointing up and a small flame appeared. She lit the incense and began to swirl it about. Smoke of many colours began to fill the room and Mu felt her mind begin to calm. Her heartbeat slowed.

    She opened her eyes, but the room was gone.

    She floated in the void of space.

    Before her was an immense and burning ball of plasma.

    She knew its many names.

    The Seer Star; Shepherd of Destiny; Master of the Long Road to the End of All Things; the Inextinguishable Flame and Evershining Light; the Great One by whose mandate the Emperors of Aixingo ruled.

    Nara Enduri.

    As she floated there in the void, gazing down on the tempestuous surface of the star a great golden ray of light shot out and touched her heart.

    Her eyes closed and she reopened them. She was lying on the bed. A pair of yellow eyes and a pair of red eyes gazed down at her.

    Apollo was sitting on her chest, Seraphina standing by her side. The smell of incense still filled the room.

    ¡°I trust you,¡± said Mu.

    ¡°Excellent,¡± said Apollo, leaping from her chest to the floor. ¡°Now if you¡¯ll come with us to the common room, we have plans to make.¡±

 Chapter VIII - Heist Committee

    Chapter VIII ¨C Heist Committee

    Tavian walked into the common room and found he was almost the last one ¨C only Nova was missing. In a voluminous armchair sat Ostara, one leg elegantly folded over the other. On the arm rest was Apollo, his tail twitching slowly. Standing just behind the chair was a short girl with white hair and intense red eyes, wearing a dark robe and an over-sized witch¡¯s hat.

    Seraphina, I guess.

    Harry was not so much sitting in a chair as he was draped over one, with one of his legs hanging over the arm rest. He was wearing a white suit that left his ankles bear, with a salmon pink shirt and matching pocket square. He had a pair of brown leather brogues on. A marked contrast was Kal, dressed as he always was, sitting in the next chair, straight-backed and alert.

    Opposite them was Mu, staring off into the distance.

    ¡°Well, that¡¯s almost¡ª¡± began Apollo, but was interrupted when the door opened and Nova came rushing in.

    She tripped, immediately sprang back to her feet. ¡°I¡¯m fine. I¡¯m here. Nobody panic.¡±

    Realising there were no empty chairs in the circle she pushed one across the room loudly and wedged it in between Tavian and Mu. ¡°Hi guys,¡± she said with a smile, dropping into the chair.

    ¡°Everyone is here then,¡± said Apollo. ¡°Ostara?¡±

    Ostara smiled, her gaze sweeping the group, seemingly making eye contact with each of them along the way. ¡°I think most of you are aware by now that we are stuck in port. All outbound interstellar traffic has been frozen. We believe the order came down from the Resonance Bureau, though it was published by the Governor¡¯s Office. We are fairly confident that they are after Mukushen, though Tavian may or may not be a secondary target for them. Right now, we need to put our heads together and work out a few contingencies based on what we think is going to happen next.¡±

    Tavian leant forward to see Mu past Nova. ¡°Not turning yourself in anymore?¡± he asked.

    ¡°The Captain has convinced me to stay,¡± said Mu, quietly.

    ¡°That¡¯s great,¡± said Tavian, ¡°Because¡ªwell, obviously I¡¯m happy for you and all. But also, I don¡¯t know if you realised this, but I¡¯m pretty sure they know we were together, and if you turn yourself in, it probably won¡¯t be much of a leap to find me. And I can¡¯t go to prison ¨C I¡¯m much to pretty. Although, I¡¯d be more likely to be put down like a dog in a windowless room by some henchman of a corrupt politician.¡±

    ¡°Your concern means the world to me,¡± said Mu.

    ¡°People do say that it¡¯s my caring nature that they most love about me,¡± said Tavian.

    Ostara smiled. ¡°If we could perhaps attend to the topic at hand.¡±

    Nova leant forward. ¡°I say we make a run for it. Blast our way out, if necessary. I can guarantee the Amrita¡¯s weapons systems are up to it, and she can outrun any junk the authorities have got floating around here.¡±

    ¡°I appreciate the enthusiasm, Nova, but the Amrita spends a lot of time in Imperial space and in Imperial ports. It would be best if we could defuse the whole fugitive situation instead of exacerbating it,¡± said Ostara.

    Kal spoke up. ¡°Are we one hundred percent on that?¡± he asked. ¡°Because I was on board with Nova¡¯s plan.¡±

    ¡°Ostara¡¯s right,¡± said Apollo. ¡°Whatever we do, it should be with the aim of decreasing the amount of surveillance on us and increasing our freedom of movement.¡±

    ¡°Besides,¡± said Ostara with a little laugh, holding out her hands in a gesture that signalled she was being very reasonable, ¡°You two got to have your fun when we extracted Mukushen and Tavian from the surface.¡±

    Harry smirked, ¡°I¡¯m pretty sure that them having their fun is why we¡¯re currently in this situation. They¡¯re not happy unless something¡¯s getting broken.¡±

    Nova gave an expression of mock outrage. ¡°Hey! That¡¯s not fair. I fix things! Fixing things is like my whole deal,¡± she said, then added in a quieter voice, ¡°Though explosions are pretty great¡­¡±

    ¡°We did what was necessary at the time,¡± said Kal.

    ¡°It was a pretty dicey situation,¡± said Tavian, ¡°I for one am pleased that Kal turned up and melted everything.¡±

    Ostara cleared her throat. ¡°The past is the past. We¡¯re here now. Mukushen and Tavian made it. We have to work out how to ensure that all of that effort was not in vain. Remember: the outcome we want here is leaving Shangxia with the crew intact, the ship intact, and no one coming after us.¡±

    ¡°Ah,¡± sighed Tavian, blissfully, ¡°That¡¯s the dream, ain¡¯t it? No one coming after us.¡±

    ¡°I am hoping we can make it a reality,¡± said Ostara.

    ¡°Seems to me,¡± said Harry, ¡°We¡¯ve got two options if the authorities come looking: we hide these two, or we disguise them.¡±

    ¡°They already cleared customs under false identities. Security footage from the Ring will show them boarding the Amrita,¡± said Nova.

    A thought occurred to Mu. ¡°That¡¯s true, but don¡¯t forget, they also queried my credentials.¡±

    ¡°And passed them,¡± said Nova.

    ¡°Sure,¡± said Mu, ¡°But if they¡¯re being told to track down fugitives now, don¡¯t you think they¡¯ll revisit their suspicions and take a closer look?¡±

    Nova conceded the point, ¡°It¡¯s possible, I guess.¡±

    ¡°So, we hide?¡± asked Tavian.

    ¡°Didn¡¯t Nova say they already know you came onboard?¡± asked Harry. ¡°But disguises could be fun! I could work out a whole new look for the two of you.¡±

    ¡°They don¡¯t need disguises, Harry,¡± said Nova, ¡°They need to look like the people that cleared Customs.¡±

    ¡°Still, Mu, I think you would look sensational as a blonde.¡±

    Mu looked sceptical. ¡°I don¡¯t think that¡¯d work.¡±

    ¡°Oh no, it totally would,¡± said Harry, ¡°My hair¡¯s basically the same colour as yours naturally and look: blond.¡±

    ¡°She doesn¡¯t want to be blonde,¡± said Nova. ¡°And they don¡¯t need disguises. Although¡­ have you thought about red? Redheads are sexy.¡±

    ¡°Are they? How long since you¡¯ve had a boyfriend, Nova? Oh wait, you never have,¡± said Harry.

    ¡°Harry, don¡¯t be a bitch,¡± snapped Nova.

    Ostara sighed. ¡°Keeping you all on topic is like herding¡­¡± she glanced at Apollo, ¡°¡­something. Something that isn¡¯t easy to herd.¡±

    ¡°Y¡¯know,¡± began Harry, ¡°I feel like we¡¯re missing a key part of the puzzle here.¡±

    ¡°Oh?¡± said Ostara, raising an eyebrow.

    ¡°Yeah. Like we know why Mu¡¯s running. She¡¯s basically embarrassed all of the most powerful people in the most powerful empire in the history of the Cosmos. And we know Tavian was with her during various incidents, that probably earnt him accessory status¡­ but he was already on the run when Mu first met him, right? Like, I¡¯m not wrong about that, am I?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re not,¡± said Mu.

    Tavian shuffled in his chair.

    ¡°Just seems to me we should know all the facts, if we¡¯re going to be making plans,¡± said Harry.

    ¡°I¡¯ve been trying to get this out of him since we met,¡± said Mu, ¡°And he always weasels his way out of giving me a straight answer.¡±

    ¡°Well, Mr Locke?¡± asked Harry, staring Tavian¡¯s way.

    Tavian glanced around. He noticed everyone else¡¯s eyes were on him, with the sole exception of Seraphina who was busily booping her raven on the beak with her index finger.

    ¡°So¡­¡± he began. ¡°I was in a club¡­¡±

    ¡°Tracks so far,¡± said Mu.

    ¡°I was part of the band, I¡¯ll have you know,¡± said Tavian.

    ¡°Much call for mandolins in night clubs?¡± asked Mu.

    ¡°Not a great deal, it¡¯s true,¡± said Tavian, ¡°But I play lots of instruments. Some might call me a musical prodigy. Not me, of course, because I am but a humble man, but some might. This night: I was playing double bass.¡±

    Tavian had noticed the woman at a table near to the stage quite early on. She was sitting with three other women of a similar age, but something about her in particular struck Tavian. Perhaps it was the inscrutability of the emotions he knew were behind that carefully maintained smile. Or perhaps it was the glorious length of leg revealed by the side split in her dress. Whatever it was, Tavian was intrigued.

    The protocol was standard. Make eye contact frequently, especially when the music gave him moments to shine and display his virtuosity. Make her feel special. Noticed. Beautiful.

    After a while they finished a song. A harried looking woman approached them on stage. ¡°Take a break,¡± said Mrs Hua, the manager. ¡°You¡¯re back on in ten. Because Mr Wu is generous. That isn¡¯t ten minutes and thirty seconds. It¡¯s ten minutes.¡±

    ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am,¡± said Fang, their singer. She walked past Tavian on her way backstage.

    ¡°I think she¡¯s into you,¡± she whispered into Tavian¡¯s ear as she passed, indicating the front row of the audience.

    ¡°Here¡¯s hoping,¡± said Tavian. He set the double bass aside, rose to his feet, straightened his tie, and descended off stage, making as if he was heading to the bar.

    He stopped when he reached her table. ¡°Enjoying your night?¡± he asked.

    She looked at him, her default smile shifting to something more genuine. He noticed with delight that she was gently biting her bottom lip. ¡°It¡¯s been nice so far.¡± Long eyelashes fluttered at him.

    The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

    ¡°Would a drink enhance the experience?¡± asked Tavian, holding out a hand. The woman looked at her companions who gesticulated towards Tavian. She took the offered hand and rose to her feet, hooking arms with him.

    He headed to the bar. ¡°I¡¯m Tavian, by the way.¡±

    ¡°Mingxia,¡± she replied.

    ¡°Pleasure to meet you, Mingxia,¡± he said.

    They reached the bar. ¡°Evening, Tavian,¡± said the bartender. ¡°What¡¯ll it be?¡±

    ¡°Gin on the rocks, two olives. And whatever the lady would like,¡± said Tavian.

    ¡°I¡¯ll take the sparkling,¡± she said.

    ¡°Put it on my tab,¡± said Tavian.

    The bartender looked like he was about to say something. Tavian raised a finger to his lips and gave an imploring look. The bartender nodded. Mingxia turned to look at Tavian and he lifted his hand to adjust his hair. He smiled at her.

    They got their drinks and turned around, leaning on the bar. ¡°I haven¡¯t seen you hear before,¡± commented Tavian.

    ¡°First time, in here,¡± said Mingxia.

    ¡°To your liking?¡± asked Tavian.

    ¡°I¡¯m still deciding,¡± said Mingxia, locking eyes with him as she sipped her drink.

    ¡°You¡¯re friends seem nice,¡± said Tavian, indicating in the direction of her table.

    ¡°They do, don¡¯t they? Only met them tonight and they invited me to sit with them,¡± said Mingxia.

    ¡°You came alone?¡± asked Tavian.

    ¡°I thought I might meet some nice new people,¡± said Mingxia, reaching into her small handbag. She pulled out a small case and withdrew a long cigarette, placing it in a cigarette holder between her lips. Without missing a beat, Tavian pulled a lighter from his jacket and lit the cigarette for her. He didn¡¯t smoke, but he always kept a lighter. An important tool of his trade.

    ¡°Thank you, Tavian,¡± she said, breathing out a cloud of smoke.

    ¡°How have the new people been so far?¡± asked Tavian.

    ¡°Well, they buy me drinks and they light my cigarettes, so they¡¯re either nice, or they want something from me,¡± said Mingxia.

    Tavian grinned, ¡°Sometimes people are just nice for the sake of it. It doesn¡¯t have to be transactional. Even if there are certain things they might¡­ like.¡±

    ¡°Perhaps you can demonstrate the kindness of strangers. Walk me home later, so I don¡¯t need to make the trip alone,¡± said Mingxia.

    ¡°Of course,¡± said Tavian. ¡°It would be my pleasure. Now I really must be getting back on stage. These fine people deserve music.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll be watching,¡± said Mingxia.

    Tavian escorted her back to her table then ascended the steps to the stage. Fang walked past him again. ¡°How¡¯d you go?¡±

    ¡°All going to plan,¡± said Tavian.

    ¡°Atta boy,¡± said Fang, and she stepped up to the microphone.

    They kicked off the music again, Tavian continuing to make sure to direct all his attention at Mingxia. She reciprocated in kind. She was close enough to the stage that her face was lit up by the lighting there, ensuring she stood out more against the dimly lit club beyond.

    At length the band finished. Mrs Hua appeared again. ¡°Alright, you¡¯re done. You can fuck off now,¡± she said. ¡°Mr Wu will have your pays tomorrow.¡±

    ¡°Charming as ever,¡± said Tavian as he passed her.

    ¡°Whatever,¡± she said, with a role of her eyes and walked off hurriedly.

    Fang strolled over to where Tavian was packing away his instrument. ¡°Want me to give you a little boost?¡±

    ¡°Such a good wing-woman,¡± said Tavian. ¡°Although, y¡¯know, if you¡¯re going to recommend a product in good conscience, you should really sample it yourself first.¡±

    ¡°Oh, I¡¯m sorry, darling, it¡¯s never going to happen. But I¡¯ll go get you your consolation prize,¡± she said and with that she strolled off stage.

    He saw her chatting with Mingxia, but he couldn¡¯t hear what was being said. There was laughter though. That was a good sign.

    He walked over to the saxophonist, hauling the double bass in its case. ¡°Can you get this back to Leon?¡± he asked.

    ¡°I¡¯ll get it sorted,¡± said the saxophonist, ¡°Thanks for filling in the last few nights.¡±

    ¡°Thanks for having me,¡± said Tavian. ¡°My other gig fell through and Mr Wu doesn¡¯t let me stay here for free.¡±

    With that he headed to Mingxia¡¯s table. ¡°Meeting the lovely Miss Fang, I see,¡± he said.

    ¡°We were just talking about you,¡± said Mingxia.

    ¡°All good, I hope?¡± said Tavian.

    ¡°Of course,¡± said Fang. ¡°But, I must be going. I¡¯ll leave you two to it.¡±

    She turned and headed back towards the stage, momentarily resting a hand on Tavian¡¯s shoulder as she passed. Tavian turned his attention to Mingxia.

    ¡°You¡¯re probably about due for another drink, right?¡± he asked.

    ¡°I could go another,¡± she said.

    ¡°Shall we?¡±

    Mingxia excused herself from the rest of her company and made her way to the bar with Tavian. This time they took up seats at the bar.

    ¡°Tell me, what do you do with yourself?¡± said Tavian.

    Mingxia paused a moment, seemingly considering her answer. ¡°I¡¯m an actress. Aspiring actress.¡±

    ¡°Do you do acting?¡± asked Tavian.

    ¡°Well, not big roles or anythi¡ª¡±

    ¡°But you act?¡±

    ¡°Yes¡­¡± said Mingxia, ¡°I act.¡±

    ¡°Then you¡¯re an actress,¡± said Tavian. ¡°No aspiring about it.¡±

    Mingxia laughed. ¡°I¡¯d be charmed, if I weren¡¯t so suspicious of your motives.¡±

    ¡°I said I¡¯d walk you home,¡± said Tavian.

    ¡°You think I¡¯m that easy?¡± said Mingxia, still grinning.

    ¡°Well,¡± said Tavian, ¡°I was kinda hoping¡­¡±

    Mingxia laughed again and took a big gulp of her drink. ¡°I¡¯m still gonna need some convincing,¡± she said.

    ¡°What sort of thing do you find convincing?¡± asked Tavian.

    Mingxia held up a hand. ¡°Ah, no. You can¡¯t just straight up ask. That¡¯s cheating.¡±

    ¡°Fair,¡± said Tavian.

    ¡°But you can start by telling me a bit about yourself,¡± said Mingxia. She took a gulp and raised up an empty champagne flute. ¡°Bartender? Can you pop another of these on Tavian¡¯s tab?¡±

    That¡¯s gonna hurt tomorrow, thought Tavian. Eh, whatever. ¡°I¡¯ll take what she¡¯s having.¡±

    ¡°Bubbly, really?¡± said Mingxia, turning his way.

    ¡°You make it look enjoyable,¡± replied Tavian.

    ¡°I¡¯ll toast to that,¡± said Mingxia, taking two full flutes from the bartender and passing one to Tavian. They clinked their glasses together and took a sip. ¡°Well, then, why don¡¯t you tell me about yourself.¡±

    Tavian shrugged. ¡°Not much to tell. I grew up living in a tiny flat with my loser dad. Never met my mum. Left home at thirteen and never looked back. Been making ends meet by travelling around. Playing music. Telling stories.¡±

    ¡°Bit harsh on your old man,¡± said Mingxia.

    ¡°Maybe. You didn¡¯t know him. He didn¡¯t do much for me. Didn¡¯t do much for himself. We were so poor, for so long. And he lost Mum,¡± said Tavian.

    Mingxia looked pensive for a moment. ¡°Sometimes people find themselves in tough situations through no fault of their own,¡± she said.

    Tavian knew he needed to change the subject. ¡°How¡¯d you get into acting?¡±

    Once he got Mingxia started on that topic properly, she was away, and the conversation stayed safely away from the topic of his past thereafter. There was passion there, realised Tavian. Plenty of people came to the big city with dreams of becoming a star, thinking only of the trappings of fame and fortune, imagining themselves on the vast holographic billboards on International Road. Mingxia wanted that too, but Tavian could tell from the way she spoke about the acting craft and about her idols and her favourite films that there was so much more as well.

    In that passion he recognised something familiar: that one thing he really liked about himself.

    That one thing he couldn¡¯t always find.

    Tavian leant back in the chair.

    ¡°Anyway, one thing led to another, and I went home with her. I¡¯m sure you all want the lurid details, but sadly I can¡¯t remember much because we had quite a few more drinks after that, but I can assure you that they were surely lurid and wonderful,¡± said Tavian.

    ¡°Ew. Gross,¡± said Mu.

    ¡°Okay, so that was a fascinating tale about you picking some actress in a nightclub,¡± said Harry. ¡°Great delivery, I can see you are a professional storyteller¡­ but¡­¡± he sighed now, as if carefully considering his next words, ¡°What the fuck did that have to do with why you are being chased by the Governor¡¯s guards?¡±

    Tavian laughed and slapped his palm to his forehead. ¡°Ha! I forgot a key detail. Turns out the actress thing? Yeah, that was more of a side gig. Her main thing was that she was the concubine of Aixin Yucheng. Y¡¯know, the Governor.¡±

    There were a few moments of silence while everyone considered this new information. Surprisingly, it was Seraphina who spoke first. ¡°That probably made the Governor mad,¡± she said.

    Harry nodded fervently. ¡°Sera here is a careful study of human emotion, and I think she¡¯s probably right on that assessment. Which begs the question, why did you do that?¡±

    ¡°Because he is a slimebag who can¡¯t keep it in his pants,¡± said Mu.

    ¡°It¡¯s true, just this morn¡ª¡± began Nova, but then seemingly thought better of continuing.

    ¡°Well, just like you listening to my story just now, I didn¡¯t find this quirky little factoid out until somewhat later. I believe it was the next morning when I woke up inside the Governor¡¯s mansion,¡± said Tavian.

    ¡°When you went to the Governor¡¯s mansion, it wasn¡¯t a giveaway?¡± asked Mu.

    ¡°See, I don¡¯t remember that part,¡± said Tavian. ¡°Or why we went there instead of just a love hotel¡­ or how we got in. Sometimes I just do remarkable things, and I don¡¯t know how.¡±

    ¡°How did you get out?¡± asked Nova.

    ¡°It was tricky. Took all my wiles,¡± said Tavian.

    In that moment a thought seemed to strike Mu. ¡°What happened to her? To Mingxia?¡±

    Tavian looked at her, confused for a moment. He shrugged. ¡°How am I supposed to know? Haven¡¯t really had much of a chance to catch up these past few days.¡±

    ¡°You put her in this terrible situation¡­ and just left?¡± asked Mu.

    ¡°I probably would have gotten shot¡­ or maybe tortured ¨C she seemed to think tortured was a possibility at the time,¡± said Tavian. ¡°I didn¡¯t really have much choice.¡±

    ¡°And what do you think was going to happen to her?¡± asked Mu.

    Tavian was finding it uncharacteristically difficult to come up with something to say.

    ¡°Bit of a dick move, man,¡± Nova added helpfully.

    Tavian shrugged. ¡°What was I s¡¯posed to do? Stay there and get myself killed in solidarity with her situation?¡±

    ¡°You shouldn¡¯t have done any of it in the first place,¡± snapped Mu.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t know she was a concubine,¡± said Tavian. ¡°Really, my only crime is going home with an attractive person I met in a club. You mean to tell me you¡¯ve never done that?¡±

    Mu was silent a moment.

    ¡°Oh right,¡± said Tavian. ¡°I guess you were keeping yourself pure for the future Emperor. Well, anyway. I didn¡¯t do anything wrong. If she¡¯d told me up front, maybe I would have reconsidered. But she didn¡¯t.¡±

    Mu¡¯s eyes flared with anger. ¡°Maybe she feels trapped. Maybe she wanted a taste of freedom. You ever think about that? Can you even imagine what her life must be like, trapped in the Governor¡¯s mansion all day and night, just a tool for his prestige?¡±

    ¡°Okay, okay,¡± said Tavian, holding up his hands defensively. ¡°I hear you.¡±

    Nova had pushed back her chair so that she was no longer directly between them.

    ¡°And I get it. It¡¯s a bad situation. I feel bad for her. I do. I really do. But what was I supposed to do? It¡¯s all clear in hindsight, hell ¨C maybe if I had your magical foresight, I could have avoided the whole situation. But I don¡¯t; I didn¡¯t. At the end of the day, I did what I needed to do to stay alive.¡±

    Mu sighed. She relaxed her posture. In a quiet voice she spoke, ¡°We need to help her.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry?¡± asked Tavian.

    ¡°We need to help her. We need to go back and get her out,¡± said Mu.

    ¡°Am I hearing this right? Didn¡¯t we start this meeting with the goal of working out how to escape this planet. Now you want to go back to the surface? Directly to the Governor¡¯s mansion? Weren¡¯t you despairing about getting away from the Resonance Bureau?¡±

    Mu shook her head. ¡°It¡¯s not about what is easy, it¡¯s about what is right.¡±

    ¡°This is insane,¡± said Tavian.

    ¡°You¡¯re coming with me. We¡¯ll leave the Amrita and go make things right. It¡¯ll be risky, but it¡¯ll at least mean everyone here is safe and we can do our best to help Mingxia.¡±

    Tavian was speechless.

    ¡°I¡¯ve heard things about this Governor. Think about what she said to you, about what would happen. And we saw at the spaceport how his guards were collaborating with the gangsters. He¡¯s not a good man, and this poor girl is at his mercy.¡±

    Tavian sighed and looked down at his hands, which were sitting in his lap.

    ¡°You said yourself: you were affected by her dreams. By her passion for acting. Are you so cold-hearted you could just up and abandon her? Sail off into the stars?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m realistic. It¡¯s not that I don¡¯t want to help her. It¡¯s that there isn¡¯t any way to do it,¡± said Tavian, though he could almost see the excited gleam in Mingxia¡¯s eyes as she talked about her passions.

    ¡°You know,¡± said Nova, ¡°It does strike me that you already said you got into the mansion unnoticed. Got to her bedroom.¡±

    Tavian shook his head. ¡°I have no memory how. None whatsoever.¡±

    Nova grinned. ¡°Exactly! You were drunk as hell! Yet you still did it. Can¡¯t be that hard, right?¡±

    ¡°What are you suggesting?¡± asked Tavian.

    ¡°No promises¡­. But the surveillance system on the Ring is probably all part of one big government procurement contract. Chances are the system at the Governor¡¯s mansion is basically the same as up here. I¡¯ve already partially cracked the cameras on the Orbital Ring, maybe I can try and find my way into those for the Governor¡¯s mansion? Again, no promises¡­ but if I could, I might be able to work out how you got in last time. At some point you must disappear off the cameras, and that could give us a clue.¡±

    Mu shook her head. ¡°I don¡¯t want you to be involved.¡±

    ¡°Lady, I don¡¯t wanna put too finer point on this, but you and Tavian are dead if you go back there without my help. Without all our help. So don¡¯t argue,¡± said Nova. At this she turned to the others, ¡°Right, guys?¡±

    Ostara nodded. ¡°It¡¯s the right thing to do. And we¡¯ve already committed to getting Mukushen and Tavian away from Shangxia. If this needs to happen first, then let¡¯s do it.¡±

    ¡°It will be dangerous,¡± said Apollo. ¡°But if everyone agrees to help, then I am willing to do so.¡±

    Kal rose to his feet. ¡°Nova, get me some schematics for this mansion. I¡¯ll start putting together an operations plan.¡±

    Harry threw up his hands. ¡°Eh, I¡¯ve got nothing in my diary. Just let me know how I can help in cleaning up Tavian¡¯s mess, and I¡¯ll do it.¡±

    ¡°Mr Tavian,¡± said Seraphina. ¡°I haven¡¯t known you long, but in the time that I have, I have concluded that you are a very silly man. But that poor lady is probably very scared and alone right now. So, I think we should help.¡±

    ¡°I guess it¡¯s hate on Tavian day,¡± said Tavian with a sigh.

    ¡°You don¡¯t get to be the victim,¡± said Mu. She looked around at everyone. ¡°I don¡¯t expect anyone to stick their neck out for us. Not anymore than you already have. Tavian¡¯s not wrong, though. Doing this will fly directly in the face of the objective we were discussing at the start of the meeting. But I get the feeling I¡¯m not going to dissuade any of you. So, thank you. I don¡¯t know why you¡¯re all so good. But thank you.¡±

    ¡°We got you, girl,¡± said Nova, laying a hand on Mu¡¯s shoulder.

    Tavian leant back in his chair. ¡°I¡¯ve cheated Death one too many times lately. I guess I¡¯ve built up a debt. Stars guide me, I¡¯m in.¡±

    He rose to his feet. No one else followed.

    He looked around. ¡°I don¡¯t know what the next step is here, but Kal was already on his feet, so I figured that was part of it.¡±

    Behind him Nova leapt up. ¡°However we do it,¡± she began, ¡°I think it¡¯s time we launch Operation Concubine Heist.¡±

 Chapter IX - Blueprints and Battleplans

    Chapter IX ¨C Blueprints and Battleplans

    ¡°Alright,¡± said Ostara, ¡°Launch we will. Nova, you get to finding those schematics Kal wants. Kal, I¡¯ll leave the operational planning to you. Until Nova gets those schematics for you, why don¡¯t you do a bit of an inventory. Make sure we¡¯ve got all the equipment we might need. Once you¡¯ve got a bit of an idea of what¡¯s going to be necessary to crack this nut, we can reconvene here and work out what everyone¡¯s individual roles will be. Until then, everyone should relax, rest up, do what you need to be ready. This isn¡¯t going to be easy.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m on it, boss,¡± said Nova and half speed walked, half skipped out of the room. Kal just nodded and strode out behind her.

    Mu was turning to head out as well when she heard Ostara calling her name. She turned and walked back. Apollo had already left, so Ostara was alone now, sitting in the armchair, the very picture of serene elegance with one leg folder over the other and her hands resting on her knee.

    ¡°Yes?¡± said Mu. For all of Ostara¡¯s warmth and kindness, she still didn¡¯t feel like she had a good handle on the woman. There were depths there ¨C depths she didn¡¯t yet fathom.

    ¡°I just wanted to tell you that I think what you¡¯re doing is very brave,¡± said Ostara.

    ¡°Everyone else is going in with me, I¡¯m hardly alone or unique,¡± said Mu.

    ¡°But despite everything ¨C despite the pressure I know you¡¯re under, you still argued to do this at great personal risk. You didn¡¯t have to do that, but you did. I think that speaks volumes about the quality of your character. And I know Apollo, and I am sure he saw that in you from the very beginning, that¡¯s why he set everything in motion to bring you aboard,¡± said Ostara.

    Mu shook her head slowly. ¡°Everyone has done so much¡ª¡±

    ¡°No, you don¡¯t need to feel guilty. Apollo brought you here because he wants you here. He brought you here because at some point he will need you. You don¡¯t need to feel guilty. And you¡¯ve just shown that you¡¯re no self-interested freeloader.¡±

    ¡°But I¡¯ve now gone and put everyone on the ship at even greater risk,¡± said Mu.

    ¡°No. You can¡¯t think like that. No one on the Amrita does anything by compulsion. Everyone is free here. They are helping because they want to, because they saw from your passion that it was the right thing to do. Now, come with me,¡± said Ostara, rising to her feet.

    ¡°Oh¡­ sure,¡± said Mu. She followed Ostara as she strode from the common room towards the aft-facing door. Beyond they ascended a stairway Mu had not yet been up. At the top was a small room with a door flanked by two pot plants. Ostara opened the door and ushered Mu inside.

    Mu was immediately astounded. A great domed expanse of glass covered the immense room beyond. Outside, a glittering profusion of stars shone brightly in the depths of space. And all around them were lush plants: fruit trees, shrubs, vines, ferns, flowers in every shape and colour. There was a fountain, featuring a woman carved of white marble, draped in robes, pouring an amphora of water. Along each side of the room were cloisters lined with ornate marble columns, each one wrapped in vines. Amongst the overflowing, verdant abundance wound cobbled paths, small lights offering soft illumination.

    ¡°Welcome to my gardens,¡± said Ostara.

    ¡°They¡¯re beautiful,¡± said Mu, her eyes slowly taking in the sight ¨C not something she ever would have imagined finding on a starship.

    ¡°I believe that in the quiet places, among the flowers, you can hear the song of the Cosmos, if you know how to listen. I come here when something weighs heavily upon me. There is something just so therapeutic about tending to living, growing things.¡±

    Mu just nodded.

    ¡°Tell me, Mukushen,¡± said Ostara. ¡°What is your favourite flower?¡±

    Mu thought only a moment. ¡°Peonies,¡± she said. ¡°White peonies. My mother would always place a bouquet of them in my bedroom when I was a little girl.¡±

    Ostara smiled and nodded, her eyes scanning the garden. ¡°This way,¡± she said.

    They walked along a winding path among the many plants until Ostara stopped at a stand. She bent down and gently plucked a single white peony and handed it to Mu. ¡°Take in its scent, take in its beauty,¡± she said.

    Mu held it to her nose and breathed in deep, feeling calm flow over her with the familiar fragrance. She looked at Ostara. She smiled. ¡°Thank you,¡± she said.

    Ostara smiled back. ¡°Mukushen¡­ Mu¡­ you prefer Mu don¡¯t you?¡±

    Mu nodded.

    ¡°Mu, peer forward. Perhaps your vision is clouded right now. We are far from Nara Enduri, far from the great filaments of the Starflow¡­ but I¡¯m sure when you look forward for the outcome of this mission, you will sense that there is at least hope. And no small portion.¡±

    Mu lifted her gaze to the stars above and drew the Starflow in, feeling it Resonate with her being, with her mind. She opened the eye within and gazed forth. The Starflow spread out through her light cone, diffusing as it spread towards the edges of time and space. But long before that impossibly distant horizon, she felt those moments in time that surely represented their mission to Shangxia. The events were unclear, as Ostara had predicted, but through the fragmentary imagery and mess of sensations she did find what she was looking for: that kernel of hope, that spark of optimism.

    She lowered her eyes once more to meet Ostara¡¯s gaze. ¡°It¡¯s there,¡± she said. ¡°There¡¯s hope.¡±

    Ostara smiled and nodded. ¡°I know.¡±

    ¡°Do you have foresight too?¡±

    Ostara laughed ¨C a soft and lilting sound. She shook her head, an infectious smile across her face. ¡°No, no. But I have faith in Apollo. He would not have approved of your mad idea if he didn¡¯t foresee at least a chance of it succeeding.¡±

    ¡°Mad?¡± asked Mu, smiling, but raising an eyebrow.

    ¡°Mad,¡± reaffirmed Ostara. ¡°But we¡¯re all mad enough to go along with it. And mad enough to succeed.¡±

    ¡°Thank you, Ostara,¡± said Mu. ¡°Here I am, virtually a complete stranger, but it feels like I¡¯ve known you forever.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s my duty to look after the people on this ship,¡± said Ostara. ¡°My duty, and my pleasure. Now, you, my dear girl, need to get some sleep.¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s too much to do!¡± protested Mu. ¡°I¡¯ll just have some more coffee if I feel tired. Have you tried coffee? I just discovered it. It¡¯s amazing!¡±

    Ostara placed a hand on her shoulder. Mu only now fully appreciated how much taller than her Ostara was. She wondered whether she might even be taller than Tavian. ¡°Coffee might be wonderful, but right now you need sleep. No one will be helped if you can¡¯t function come the hour. Nova and Kal will be a while yet getting everything ready. Go to your room and sleep.¡±

    Mu was about to say something, but Ostara cut her off.

    ¡°That¡¯s an order,¡± she said.

    Mu nodded. ¡°Okay.¡±

    ¡°Stop by Seraphina¡¯s room if you need some help getting to sleep. She will give you something.¡±

    Mu nodded. And with that she left Ostara¡¯s garden, clutching a single white peony to her chest.

    With not much for it, Tavian headed to the mess to fix himself a tea. He took up a seat by the window and sat, nursing his mandolin and absent-mindedly strumming, gazing out on the blue vista of the planet below. In these moments he liked to detach himself, to forget any song he¡¯d learnt and reach out to feel the Starflow, letting it guide his fingers. There was insight to be found in these chords of the stars. It was as if Lady Anu herself was singing to him, humming her cosmic lullaby.

    He knew the most ambitious Resonants, those who aspired to Theophany, would sit for days, weeks, or months, meditating and dwelling on the Starflow. They called it cultivating Manda. This was his way of cultivating Manda, he supposed, though to what end he did not know. He certainly didn¡¯t aspire to Theophany. He had no need of the power of a God. He didn¡¯t want to rule the Cosmos, just to live in it.

    Live and let live. That had always been his motto. It should be a simple thing, he thought. At least it would be if everyone else abided by it. But of course, they didn¡¯t. The Cosmos was full of Governor Yuchengs, of Wei Jiangs and White Gangs ¨C those who weren¡¯t content with their share and wanted everyone else¡¯s. It was full of Resonance Bureaus who weren¡¯t content to live their preferred way, but instead demanded that everyone else should as well.

    Mu had really gone after him in that meeting. As far as he saw it, none of this would have happened if everyone else would just calm down, chill out, and follow the way of the Lady Anu. Then he and Mingxia could have simply met, had their fun, and parted amicably. Fun, joy, pleasure ¨C these were good things and there was nothing morally wrong in cultivating them. Forget Manda, happiness was where it was at.

    But maybe Mu had a point. Wishing the Cosmos was some way did not make it so.

    Tavian gave a frustrated strum. He could feel no songs of Lady Anu. He could barely feel the Starflow. His mind was racing, unsettled.

    He set aside the mandolin and reached over to grab the steaming hot teapot. He poured a little into his cup and raised it to his lips, blowing gently. He took a sip, dwelling on its warmth, on the bitter tannins, on the floral earthiness. As he placed the cup back on the table, Harry appeared, dropping into the chair opposite.

    ¡°Feeling musical?¡± asked Harry, indicating the mandolin.

    ¡°Always,¡± replied Tavian, although it was almost a lie at that moment.

    ¡°I play the trumpet,¡± said Harry.

    ¡°Cool,¡± remarked Tavian. He looked at Harry a few moments more, expectantly.

    Harry brushed his long fringe away from his eyes with his fingers. He smiled. ¡°I think you¡¯ve got a long way to go to get out of Mu¡¯s bad books.¡±

    Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there.

    ¡°I¡¯m aware,¡± muttered Tavian, darkly. ¡°I was hoping going on this little rescue mission might do the trick. Y¡¯know, if I live.¡±

    ¡°Is it important to you?¡± asked Harry.

    ¡°Living? Yeah.¡±

    ¡°Getting into her good graces.¡±

    ¡°What are you implying?¡±

    Harry shrugged. ¡°Nothing.¡± He paused a moment, before changing the subject. ¡°But this isn¡¯t a suicide mission. Apollo¡¯s generous, but he certainly isn¡¯t foolish, and if he¡¯s given the nod to this little jaunt, it means he thinks we can succeed.¡±

    ¡°Well, that¡¯s something,¡± said Tavian.

    ¡°We¡¯ve been through some shit,¡± said Harry. ¡°On this ship. And we¡¯ve always come out the other side. This crew knows what they¡¯re doing.¡±

    ¡°What do you bring to the table?¡±

    ¡°Kal¡¯s in charge of this mission. I¡¯ll do what he needs me to do.¡±

    ¡°Can you fight?¡± asked Tavian.

    ¡°I do alright,¡± replied Harry. ¡°But I can do much more than that. I can make disguises, I can act any part that¡¯s needed, create one hell of a distraction. I¡¯ve got my fair share of talents to contribute to this little enterprise. What about you? Gonna serenade the guards?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯d be surprised what can be accomplished with a little music¡­ if you know the right notes to play.¡±

    ¡°Mysterious,¡± said Harry. ¡°You like keeping people in the dark, don¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°I share what I need to,¡± said Tavian. ¡°Not more.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re crewmates now, no need to keep secrets.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m on board with this mission. Crewmates, though? We¡¯ll see.¡±

    ¡°Real lone wolf, huh?¡± said Harry. ¡°Well, there¡¯s a reason that wolves usually hunt in packs.¡±

    ¡°The more people, the more complications.¡±

    ¡°You seemed to find some complications just fine while all on your own. Luckily now you¡¯ve got the rest of us to uncomplicate things for you,¡± said Harry.

    ¡°Lucky me,¡± said Tavian. ¡°Look, are you just here to give me grief? I¡¯ve said I¡¯m in.¡±

    Harry grinned. ¡°I just wanted to get a sense of who you are. If I¡¯m about to leap into danger, I like to know who the guy leaping with me is.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m solid,¡± said Tavian.

    ¡°Great,¡± said Harry. ¡°Look forward to working with you.¡±

    ¡°Oh, it¡¯ll be a blast.¡±

    ¡°Everyone here?¡± asked Kal, looking around.

    Mu was sitting in a chair facing him, her arms crossed, watching intently. She had spent most of the last eight hours sleeping and was feeling much more like her regular self again. To assert this fact, she had once more dressed in her Aixin court dress, having carefully prepared her hair and makeup. It gave her a sense of confidence and security to once more appear like her old self, even if it was part of what she was running from.

    They were in a small room near the front of the Amrita, which Nova had apparently dubbed the briefing room, but which otherwise seemed to serve no specific purpose. Kal was standing in front of a large display screen. In front of him was an unusual looking podium. Nova sat off to one side, staring at a smaller screen, hidden from the rest of them. Everyone else was seated in the two rows of chairs facing the front.

    ¡°I believe so,¡± said Ostara, who was seated behind Mu. ¡°Before you start, though, Kal, if I could have a moment.¡±

    ¡°Of course.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve asked Nova to set up a monitor on online traffic and the Orbital Ring¡¯s security. I¡¯m hoping it will allow us to catch wind of any movements from the Resonance Bureau while we¡¯re carrying out this operation,¡± said Ostara. ¡°With any luck we can stay one step ahead of them, even misdirect them, if necessary.¡±

    Mu nodded. ¡°Good. It makes me nervous to know they¡¯re looking for me, but having no idea how close they are. I keep getting these feelings. I¡¯m not sure if they¡¯re premonitions or just nerves¡­ but they¡¯ve got me concerned nonetheless.¡±

    ¡°Leave it to Nova and I,¡± said Ostara.

    ¡°Thank you.¡±

    ¡°Excellent,¡± said Kal. ¡°Well, I¡¯ll start by providing you all with an overview of the layout and security features of the mansion first, and then we¡¯ll burrow down into specifics of how we go about securing the objective,¡± said Kal.

    ¡°Mingxia,¡± said Mu, letting a little indignation creep into her voice.

    ¡°Yes, Miss Mingxia,¡± agreed Kal, briefly glancing her way, before turning back to the display. ¡°The Governor¡¯s mansion ¨C officially the Shangxia City West Gate Yamen ¨C sits near the western outskirts of the Old City of Shangxia, the planetary capital.¡±

    ¡°Makes sense,¡± remarked Harry.

    ¡°It is a walled compound with one main building and several out-buildings. The perimeter has both automated and human security and the air above is patrolled by drones. There are three routes of ingress to the main building, which we are reasonably confident is where we¡¯ll find our object¡ªMiss Mingxia.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re confident she¡¯s still there?¡± asked Harry.

    Nova answered. ¡°I managed to access cameras covering just about every angle around the compound. I swept through all of the footage with a facial recognition program, using an old acting headshot I found. Absolutely no sign of her leaving the compound in the time since Tavian last saw her there.¡±

    ¡°And,¡± Harry began, looking around at the others before continuing, ¡°I don¡¯t want to get too dark about this¡­ but we¡¯re sure that the governor hasn¡¯t¡­ you know¡­ done anything to her?¡±

    Nova looked over at Kal and then back to Harry. ¡°We can¡¯t¡­ we haven¡¯t managed to find any footage of her¡­ but¡­ I mean¡­¡±

    Ostara spoke up. ¡°The Governor is a public figure. People know who his concubines are. Unfortunately, we can¡¯t guarantee that he won¡¯t hurt Mingxia, but I believe we can be confident he won¡¯t take any more¡­ permanent action. He may have no scruples, but he doesn¡¯t want to have a situation which will be awkward to explain.¡±

    Mu nodded fervently. ¡°She¡¯s alive. I can¡¯t see exactly how this mission will turn out, unfortunately, but I would be able to tell if it was going to be all in vain. I¡¯d sense that.¡±

    ¡°Okay,¡± said Harry. ¡°Glad to hear it.¡±

    ¡°Right,¡± said Kal, with a hint of impatience. ¡°Like I was saying: there are three routes of ingress. The first is the main entrance, which comes off Onyx Tortoise Boulevard. The second is for goods deliveries and the like, and comes off the small laneway on the far western side of the compound. Nearby to this one is an underground service tunnel, used strictly for maintenance purposes. This would likely be the easiest route to take in order to remain unseen, but it is highly circuitous and difficult to navigate. We¡¯re also unclear what ¨C if any ¨C security measures might be in place to detect access via this route. My suspicion is that any access to the tunnel when not in use would trigger some form of alarm or defence mechanism.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s your recommendation then?¡± asked Tavian.

    ¡°Nova?¡± said Kal, prompted by Tavian¡¯s question.

    Nova grinned. ¡°I found you,¡± she said.

    ¡°You found me?¡± asked Tavian.

    ¡°I found you. I implemented another program to search your face on all the surrounding cameras and I found the moment you and Mingxia returned to the mansion,¡± said Nova. Mu noticed, that she always had a distinct sense of pride in her voice whenever she talked about her techniques and solutions. ¡°And you were sloshed. Like, shitfaced. Both of you. I totally get why you made such dumb decisions now.¡±

    ¡°It may not have been my finest moment,¡± said Tavian.

    ¡°Do you have any fine moments?¡± asked Mu. She didn¡¯t get more than a slight shake of the head in response from Tavian.

    ¡°Anyway, you two used the goods deliveries entrance,¡± said Nova. ¡°Oh, and also, I found your escape. One thing I¡¯m unclear on due to the angle kinda obscuring things, but how did you get down from that high window without¡­ y¡¯know¡­ dying?¡±

    ¡°Lucky, I guess,¡± said Tavian.

    ¡°Hrm,¡± said Nova, her eyes narrowing as she gazed at Tavian. Mu made a mental note to get Nova to show her the footage later. She¡¯d clearly seen something unusual about Tavian¡¯s escape from the yamen. ¡°Well, anyway, my main takeaway from watching your arrival is that the security isn¡¯t nearly as tight as we might have thought. Mingxia talked the two of you in past the guards on the gate, and I guess no one checked the footage until the next day, after your escape.¡±

    ¡°It seems that while there¡¯s plenty of security in place, they are not engaging in best practice,¡± affirmed Kal. ¡°I have determined we are unlikely to avoid detection on entry, so our best option is to aim to be granted entry on some premise.¡±

    ¡°Sounds like disguises are in order!¡± exclaimed Harry, rubbing his palms together eagerly.

    ¡°That may indeed need to be a component of this plan,¡± conceded Kal. ¡°Princess Mukushen?¡±

    Mu was about to insist on just Mu, but decided she¡¯d fight that battle later. ¡°Yes?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m aware you are eager to participate in this mission, however, I believe that given your wanted status ¨C even if we do disguise your appearance ¨C it might be safer, from an overall op-sec standpoint, for you to remain on the Amrita.¡±

    Mu shook her head vigorously. There was a part of her that acknowledged what Kal was saying, but she wasn¡¯t going to have any of it. She simply refused. This had all been at her assistance. There was no future in which she let the others assume all the risk. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I have to go,¡± she said.

    ¡°I thought you might say that,¡± said Kal. ¡°There may be an option to get you inside. Harry, we might get you in on this too. You see¡­ the Governor appears to be a man of voracious appetites¡­ and, well, possibly¡­¡±

    Nova interrupted him. ¡°Kal is too much of a gentleman to say it, but what he¡¯s attempting to work his way towards saying is that we could disguise you as a prostitute and Harry as your pimp.¡±

    Tavian sniggered.

    Mu took a moment to take this in. ¡°A prostitute¡­¡±

    ¡°A lady of the night,¡± added Nova, helpfully.

    ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll do it,¡± said Mu.

    ¡°And how do I get in?¡± asked Tavian. ¡°As the only one who has actually been inside in person, surely I need to be there.¡±

    ¡°We haven¡¯t worked this part out yet,¡± said Kal. ¡°But I agree it would be useful for you to be there.¡±

    ¡°The Governor swing both ways?¡± asked Tavian. ¡°Because I¡¯m game. I¡¯m sure I¡¯d be a top tier whore.¡±

    ¡°Well, you already basically do the job for free,¡± remarked Mu.

    ¡°Hey, that¡¯s derogatory to sex industry workers,¡± said Tavian.

    ¡°What, including you in their number?¡± asked Mu.

    ¡°Your whole tone.¡±

    ¡°Rich coming from you.¡±

    ¡°Can we, perhaps, get back on topic?¡± remarked Kal. He cast a knowing look Ostara¡¯s way. ¡°From our observations, the Governor¡¯s interests do not extent beyond the ladies.¡±

    Mu was still glaring at Tavian so she saw the exact moment the idea occurred to him. ¡°Drugs!¡± he exclaimed.

    ¡°The booze not enough anymore?¡± asked Nova.

    ¡°I¡¯ve seen enough of Shangxia¡¯s rich and powerful while working in clubs. If they¡¯re hiring prostitutes, they¡¯re for sure also buying drugs. Not a complete night otherwise.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re suggesting we pass you off as a drug dealer?¡± asked Kal.

    ¡°Precisely,¡± said Tavian. ¡°But I¡¯m also guessing we can¡¯t just turn up at the entrance with a surprise delivery of girls and drugs for the boss.¡±

    ¡°This is an element of the plan we still need to refine,¡± said Kal. ¡°We need to gather more intelligence about the logistics of the Governor¡¯s¡­ indulgences. But I think, in principle, your idea is a good one.¡±

    ¡°Mrs Hua,¡± said Tavian.

    ¡°Man, you gotta stop just blurting out random things without elaborating,¡± said Nova.

    ¡°She was the manager of the club I was staying and working at before. She arranges everything for the owner, Mr Wu, and his VIP guests. There isn¡¯t a pimp or dealer in Shangxia City that she doesn¡¯t know,¡± explained Tavian.

    ¡°Will you be welcome back there?¡± asked Mu.

    ¡°Maybe if someone else goes and breaks the ice first, things might go a little smoother,¡± said Tavian.

    ¡°Harry, sounds like a job for you,¡± said Kal. ¡°Masquerade as a VIP wanting to buy drugs and women at this club Tavian is talking about. Hopefully this woman is as well connected as he says and we can work out how to pull this off.¡±

    ¡°Oh, this is going to be fun,¡± said Harry.

    ¡°It¡¯s not meant to be fun,¡± said Mu.

    ¡°But it doesn¡¯t hurt if it is,¡± replied Harry, grinning broadly.

    ¡°Well, it sounds like we have the beginnings of an access plan,¡± said Ostara. ¡°But what about once we are inside?¡±

    ¡°Well, assuming we don¡¯t just switch to Plan B, we need to be careful to avoid getting into a firefight. There are a lot of armed guards in there.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s Plan B?¡± asked Mu.

    ¡°Same as rescuing you. I turn up in the power armour and start blasting,¡± said Kal.

    ¡°Let¡¯s keep that as Plan B for now,¡± said Mu. ¡°So, we need to find our way to Mingxia, and then get her out without causing a fuss?¡±

    ¡°That would be optimal,¡± said Kal.

    ¡°And I am right in thinking that the current plan is for the infiltration group to be myself, Tavian, and Harry?¡± she asked.

    ¡°I will be on standby,¡± said Kal. ¡°But I believe a smaller group will be easiest for the purposes of keeping a low profile.¡±

    ¡°Governor not the kinda guy to want multiple ladies?¡± asked Tavian. ¡°Kinda seems like he would be. Guy''s got a wife, multiple concubines, and he¡¯s still hiring prostitutes.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not doing it, if that¡¯s what you were suggesting,¡± said Nova.

    ¡°Well, unless he¡¯s the sort that likes them young, that probably wouldn¡¯t work,¡± remarked Tavian.

    ¡°Hey!¡± snapped Nova. ¡°I am a grown woman.¡±

    ¡°If you say so, kid,¡± said Tavian and Nova glared at him.

    Ostara spoke up, cutting off this line of conversation. ¡°I have rented us a nearby apartment which we can use as a forward base for this operation. Kal will remain on standby there.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ll also use that as our base while we collect this additional intel and firm up the shakier elements of the plan. At this stage I am not wholly satisfied with the level of detail we have about the interior and the security measures there,¡± said Kal.

    Seraphina spoke up at this point. She held up her hand, her raven perched on it. ¡°Matthias and I can help,¡± she said.

    ¡°Help how?¡± asked Kal.

    ¡°I can come to this apartment on the surface. I can see through Matthias¡¯ eyes. He can scout the Yamen for us,¡± said Seraphina.

    ¡°Are you sure, dear?¡± said Ostara. ¡°Do you feel comfortable going to the surface?¡±

    Seraphina breathed in deeply. ¡°I want to help.¡±

    ¡°Alright, that settles it. Myself, the Princess, Tavian, Harry, and Seraphina will head to the surface. Nova, you can stay here with the Captain and Ostara to provide mission support and continue to collect electronic intel or find security exploits,¡± said Kal. ¡°Everyone happy with that so far? It¡¯s not the tightest operational plan I¡¯ve ever made, but it¡¯s a start.¡±

    Mu nodded. ¡°I think we can make this work.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m looking forward to it,¡± said Harry. ¡°Mu, you and I are hitting the shops when we get down to the surface and finding our disguises. Tavian, you should be good as is ¨C you already look like a drug dealer.¡±

    Tavian frowned at him, but didn¡¯t comment further.

    ¡°I will go pack my things,¡± said Seraphina.

    ¡°Raaaark!¡± said Matthias.

 Chapter X - Onyx Tortoise Boulevard

    Chapter X ¨C Onyx Tortoise Avenue

    ¡°Hello,¡± beamed the short, cheerful middle-aged woman that met them by the door on Onyx Tortoise Boulevard. ¡°My name is Yao Zhi. You must be Madame Ostara¡¯s niece, I take it?¡±

    Mu nodded. ¡°That¡¯s me,¡± she said.

    ¡°And Madame Ostara said you¡¯d be bringing some friends,¡± said Yao Zhi, her gaze flitting about the others. Tavian and Harry smiled back at her. Seraphina just stared blankly. Kal didn¡¯t so much smile as slightly raise his chin in a gesture of rudimentary acknowledgement.

    The landlady appeared to want to ask more questions, having seen Mu¡¯s friends, but apparently erred on the side of politeness and said nothing. Her gaze drifted over Harry who smiled widely, flashing his perfect white teeth. She blushed slightly and looked away, her gaze instead falling on Seraphina.

    The young witch had removed her hat; a pair of dark sunglasses hid her bright red eyes. However, her long white hair was still very much on display, creating an unusual combination with her youthful appearance. She still wore her customary dress and robes, but had donned a pair of surprisingly bulky boots, the first time Mu had seen her wear footwear of any kind. Finishing off her ensemble was an enormous and very battered suitcase that she seemed to carry with greater ease than one might expect from one so small.

    The seemingly perpetually flustered landlady composed herself and spoke again, ¡°I expect you¡¯ll be wanting to see the apartment?¡± she asked.

    ¡°That would be lovely,¡± said Mu.

    ¡°Yes, of course, right this way,¡± said Mrs Yao.

    She led them into the building¡¯s lobby. A uniformed concierge waved to Mrs Yao as they passed and headed for the lift. Once inside they rode swiftly to the twelfth floor. They were led along a short corridor ¨C softly lit, and tastefully decorated ¨C to a door in front of which Mrs Yao stopped. She opened the door with a key card and passed another pair of cards to Mu.

    ¡°This is it,¡± she said, ¡°Would you like me to give you a little tour?¡±

    Mu shook her head, ¡°That should be fine thank you.

    ¡°Okay, well, enjoy your stay. Please let me know if you require any assistance,¡± said Mrs Yao, glancing about the group.

    ¡°Thank you, m¡¯lady,¡± said Harry, and he took her hand and lightly kissed it. She went bright red, smiled, nodded and then bustled back. As she went, she glanced once more back in their direction. Harry waved and she turned quickly again.

    ¡°Shall we?¡± said Mu, gesturing with an upturned palm and outstretched fingers towards the apartment. They all headed in and she closed the door behind them.

    ¡°Shame we¡¯re not saying longer,¡± said Harry, ¡°She was into me.¡±

    ¡°Sure, she was,¡± said Mu.

    ¡°I¡¯m always a hit with the older ladies,¡± said Harry.

    ¡°Good for you,¡± said Tavian.

    As they talked Kal had immediately set about checking out every detail of the apartment, inspecting every corner and cupboard with intense focus. Both the architecture and design of the apartment gave the impression that it was at least a century old, maybe more. It was very tastefully decorated in a fusion of modern and classical Shang style, that gave it a certain timelessness, despite the obvious age of the building itself. It consisted of one large open-plan living area with lounge, dining, and kitchen. Hallways came off either side of this, presumably leading to bedrooms and bathrooms. Along one wall, a large row of windows looked out across the street.

    ¡°How much did Ostara pay for this?¡± asked Tavian.

    Mu looked his way. It looked nice enough. How expensive was it? She didn¡¯t even have a ballpark idea. ¡°Does it look expensive?¡± she asked.

    Tavian laughed out loud. ¡°Maybe not to a princess,¡± he said.

    ¡°It does. It definitely does. I guess Ostara wanted to spoil us.¡±

    ¡°It was simply the best positioned place available,¡± said Kal, without turning to look their way.

    Seraphina had by now entered and sat on one of the couches, placing her suitcase on the coffee table. She set about rummaging through it and pulled out her hat, placing it upon her head with a look of satisfaction. She removed her sunglasses, carefully folding them and placing them in a case, then proceeded to remove her boots and socks and place them in the suitcase.

    ¡°That¡¯s better,¡± she said, looking a lot more like her standard self. She held up one hand and whispered, ¡°Corvum voco.¡±

    There was a little puff of black mist and Matthias the Six-Winged Raven appeared, now perched on her hand.

    ¡°Don¡¯t see that everyday,¡± said Tavian to Mu.

    ¡°No, you don¡¯t,¡± she said, her eyes staying fixed on the raven.

    ¡°Which room is mine?¡± asked Seraphina.

    ¡°Whichever you like,¡± said Mu.

    ¡°I need a room with a window so Matthias can come and go,¡± she said.

    ¡°Take your pick.¡±

    With that Seraphina disappeared down one of the hallways, giant suitcase, and raven along with her.

    ¡°Okay, I guess the rest of us should get settled,¡± said Mu, ¡°Then we can work out what the next steps are. Everything looking alright, Kal?¡±

    ¡°Nothing untoward so far,¡± replied Kal.

    ¡°That¡¯s good,¡± said Mu.

    With that Mu set off after Seraphina, heading to find a room. The first room she encountered was already claimed. The witch was now sitting cross-legged in the centre of the room, incense burners surrounding her. The window was open and she was facing it. The raven was nowhere to be seen. Troublingly her usually bright red eyes were now pure black ¨C no pupil, iris or sclerae, just pure black.

    Unsettling, thought Mu.

    Not long later Mu heard a knock on her door. She was sitting at a desk in one corner of the room by the window, reading something on her tablet when she heard it. She looked up from what she was reading and turned towards the door.

    ¡°Come in,¡± she called out.

    The door opened and Harry appeared, holding two steaming cups. ¡°Kal¡¯s ready to talk tactics in the loungeroom. I thought you might want some coffee.¡±

    Mu¡¯s eyes brightened and before she knew it, she was reaching out in Harry¡¯s direction. ¡°Yes, please!¡±

    He smiled as he handed her one of the cups. She immediately took a big gulp.

    ¡°Ow! Hot, hot, hot!¡± she said.

    ¡°I was gonna warn you, but you just went for that,¡± said Harry. ¡°You alright?¡±

    Mu nodded then blew on her coffee. She got to her feet and followed Harry out to the loungeroom. Tavian was already seated on the lounge, while Seraphina was seated cross-legged on the rug. Kal was pacing up and down with his hands behind his back. Harry sat down in an armchair and Mu took up a spot next to Tavian on the couch.

    ¡°Okay,¡± said Kal. ¡°Here¡¯s the plan: we need to work out how we fake a delivery to the Governor¡¯s mansion before we can resolve many more of the finer details. That means, Harry you need to get all the necessary details from Tavian and head to this nightclub. Seraphina has already begun scouting the compound and will provide us with a much more detailed picture than the initial schematics that Nova was able to get hold of. Mu, why don¡¯t you go find yourself a suitable outfit for this mission?¡±

    ¡°I think I should help with that,¡± said Harry.

    ¡°You¡¯re going to the nightclub.¡±

    Mu spoke up this time. ¡°Thing is, I don¡¯t really know what I¡¯m suppose to wear in order to look convincingly like a prostitute.¡±

    ¡°I can help,¡± said Tavian.

    ¡°Of course you can,¡± said Mu, catching some side eye from Tavian in response.

    ¡°That¡¯s sorted then,¡± said Kal.

    ¡°Just¡­ out of curiosity. And I know I already agreed to this, but are we absolutely set on the drugs and prostitute plan?¡± she asked.

    ¡°Anything else and there will be invoices, formal procedures, and whatever else. This is the only way we get admitted, but don¡¯t risk getting caught by formal security checks,¡± said Kal.

    Mu nodded. ¡°I guess she said.¡±

    Having conceded this, she changed the topic.

    ¡°Any word on the Resonance Bureau?¡±

    Kal shook his head. ¡°Haven¡¯t heard anything from Ostara or Nova.¡±

    Mu sighed. ¡°I want to hear something. Anything. We know they¡¯re here¡­ but what are they doing?¡±

    ¡°Can¡¯t you look forward and find out?¡± asked Tavian.

    ¡°It¡¯s not that simple. My foresight¡¯s weak here. And more than that¡­ I¡¯ve heard things about Resonance Bureau agents.¡±

    ¡°What sort of things?¡± asked Tavian.

    ¡°I¡¯ve heard it said they have techniques to completely suppress their Resonance with the Starflow,¡± said Mu. ¡°This means even the Starseers of the Bureau of the Celestial Foresight can¡¯t predict their actions. All enforcement agents of the Bureau are Resonants themselves, but they¡¯re completely invisible to other Resonants ¨C whether through Foresight or any other sense. At least that¡¯s what I¡¯ve heard. I dunno¡­ I¡¯ve tried myself to look for any signs of them in the future, but the answers I get are vague at best. When I was being interrogated by the Customs Bureau I tried to see if they were going to hand me over to the Resonance Bureau. All I got was some faint sense that the Resonance Bureau was involved¡­ somehow.¡±

    ¡°But they didn¡¯t hand you over,¡± said Harry.

    ¡°No¡­ but I think it might be true, what they say. That the agents can hide from foresight. And that makes me feel very uneasy. I just want to know,¡± said Mu.

    ¡°Well, Nova is monitoring closely for any signs of them,¡± said Kal. ¡°You¡¯ll know as soon as she does.¡±

    His words did little for her anxiety, but she resolved to focus on the mission at hand. She¡¯d brought them all here, so she had to be on top of her game now. She just hoped when the Bureau made its move there¡¯d be some sign, some forewarning.

    ¡°Have you found anything yet, Seraphina?¡±

    ¡°I can show you,¡± she said. ¡°Please bring me a glass.¡±

    Mu looked at Tavian, he shrugged. She stood and walked to fetch a glass from the kitchen. She placed it on the table in front of Seraphina.

    ¡°Thank you,¡± said Seraphina.

    With that the witch breathed in deeply and tilted up her head until she was looking directly up at the ceiling. Her eyes went completely black once more, as Mu had seen them before, and she reached up one hand, two fingers extending towards her eyes. As Mu watched she jabbed these fingers into her eyes, the surfaces rippling like some black pond. A moment later she withdrew her hand and long, oozing tendrils of black sludge accompanied the tips of her fingers. With her other hand she picked up the glass and moved it underneath, so that the sludge drizzled into it. Then she shut her eyes and gave a flick of her wrist, sending a few remaining droplets of the sludge flying off. She opened her eyes again and they were their usual red. She looked right at Mu.

    ¡°Drink this,¡± she said, handing the glass to Mu.

    ¡°Um¡­¡± said Mu.

    ¡°It¡¯s not very tasty, I¡¯m sorry,¡± said Seraphina.

    ¡°That¡­ that wasn¡¯t my main concern,¡± said Mu.

    She held up the glass and eyed its contents gingerly.

    ¡°Drink up,¡± urged Tavian, leaning forward with an all to amused expression on his face.

    ¡°You know, if you want to pass it this way, I¡¯m sure I could make it into a solid cocktail for you,¡± said Harry. ¡°Might need to get some flavour notes off Seraphina first though, know what I¡¯m working with. Not too familiar with¡­ eye¡­ goo.¡±

    Mu ignored the two of them and after a deep breath to steel herself she threw back the contents of the glass. Contrary to what Seraphina had led her to expect it had almost no flavour at all. No, it was the texture that was thoroughly disturbing, somehow wet and dry at the same time. It felt like it clung to the edges of her mouth and throat, thick and viscous. And it was strangely uneven in temperature, some patches warm, others quite cold. With a great effort Mu forced it down, then resisted the multiple activations of her gag reflex that ensued. She sat perfectly still for a moment, eyes closed, until she was convinced that she wasn¡¯t going to throw up.

    She opened her eyes. Everything was normal. ¡°What, um, what is this supposed to do?¡± she asked.

    ¡°It will take a moment,¡± said Seraphina.

    Then it hit. It felt like an all-mighty force had yanked Mu from where she sat. She went rocketing through the air, into the hall, into Seraphina¡¯s room, and then out the window. She looked down and saw that somehow, she wasn¡¯t falling. No, she was soaring. Up and up, over the bustling street below. There was the wall of the Governor¡¯s compound and then the courtyard filled with gardens and ponds and miniature canals, crossed by little bridges. With a burst of exhilaration, she swept lower, pulling up just before she struck the ground. A moment later she passed through a moon gate, into a secluded courtyard. There she came to a stop, perching atop a small wall. Beside a lotus pond in the centre of the courtyard was a little open-air pavilion. Seated in it were two men, one rather girthy individual dressed in Aixin court robes, the other tall and thin in more Shang-style robes.

    As she came to terms with what she was experiencing, she heard a voice in her head:

    ¡°I believe that fat man is the Governor.¡±

    ¡°Seraphina? Is that you? What¡¯s happening?¡±

    ¡°You are seeing Matthias¡¯ memories.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m¡­¡± Mu only realised now that they¡¯d stopped that she couldn¡¯t look around. Before everything had been moving too fast for her to realise that she wasn¡¯t making choices about what to look at. ¡°How do I¡­ how do I get out?¡± asked Mu.

    ¡°You don¡¯t like it?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a little disconcerting,¡± said Mu. ¡°How about you just tell us what you saw? Or what Matthias saw?¡±

    ¡°Okay,¡± said Seraphina.

    In the next moment everything that Mu had just seen rushed by her again, this time in reverse and at far greater speed. A second or less later she had the sensation of falling back into her own body

    ¡°You, ah, doing alright there, friend?¡± asked Tavian.

    Mu was panting, as if she¡¯d just run a race. She shook her head to clear it and glanced at Tavian, blinking uncomprehendingly at him a few times before what he¡¯d said registered properly in her mind.

    ¡°I saw the Governor,¡± she said.

    Tavian was quiet.

    Seraphina decided this was the time to jump in with an explanation. ¡°I showed her some of what Matthias has seen.¡±

    Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.

    ¡°Ah,¡± said Tavian.

    ¡°It was like I was the bird.¡± Mu looked at Seraphina now, having regained her composure. ¡°I think once you¡¯re done with scouting around, Kal needs to see everything.¡±

    Seraphina nodded. ¡°That was the plan. I thought you might want to understand what I¡¯m doing.¡±

    ¡°I understand, and it¡¯s terrifying,¡± said Mu.

    ¡°I¡¯ve always thought being a bird would be cool,¡± murmured Tavian, absentmindedly.

    ¡°Sorry, by the way,¡± said Mu, to Seraphina.

    Seraphina didn¡¯t respond.

    ¡°What you¡¯re doing is great and that was very interesting. I just found it¡­ troubling that I couldn¡¯t move or look anywhere at will. How do you do it for so long?¡±

    ¡°When I¡¯m scouting, Matthias and I are one. He is my familiar,¡± said Seraphina. ¡°What we were seeing then, though, was just a memory, so we couldn¡¯t see anything that Matthias had not already seen.¡±

    ¡°Right,¡± said Mu. ¡°I get it.¡±

    ¡°Alright,¡± said Kal. ¡°Seraphina will provide me with the final results once she has completely scouted the compound. In the meantime, it is almost night. Harry, you need to get moving to this nightclub. Get all the details you need from Tavian and be on your way.¡±

    Harry could sense Kal¡¯s growing frustration with the amount of time it was taking him to get ready, but if he was going to play this role, he was going to nail it. As such he spent a little extra time putting the finer touches on his ensemble. Foregoing the more modern style of most of his outfits, he had elected to adopt a style more specific to Shangxia, with a dark mandarin-collar suit with embroidered details on the cuffs. He finished off the outfit with a long coat which he hung around his shoulders, a banded fedora, and a pair of small round glasses.

    Once satisfied with his ensemble he headed out into the night. The city was bustling with activity, bright lights from buildings and bill boards illuminating the scene, traffic flowing continually along Onyx Tortoise Boulevard. Harry hailed a cab and input the destination information Tavian had given him.

    A short while later he stepped out into a much narrower street in a far less salubrious part of town. A sign confirmed he¡¯d found Mr Wu¡¯s Jazz Lounge and Cocktails. He strolled with all the swagger he could muster up to the doorman and flashed his most winning grin.

    ¡°I¡¯m here to see Mrs Hua,¡± he said.

    ¡°Is she expecting you?¡± asked the doorman.

    ¡°She is,¡± said Harry.

    Tavian had sent a message through some contacts, but they hadn¡¯t heard anything back. Nonetheless, Harry was just going to plough ahead and hope for the best. He¡¯d asked Mu how she thought things would go and she¡¯d given him a thumbs up. Whether that was just optimism on her part, or actual foresight, he wasn¡¯t sure, but he chose to believe the latter.

    ¡°Your name?¡± asked the doorman.

    ¡°You can tell her Mr Zhang is here to see her,¡± said Harry.

    The doorman tapped his ear and relayed this information. A moment later he seemed to get his reply. ¡°The General Manager will see you shortly. Someone will escort you inside.¡±

    ¡°Thank you, my man, you¡¯ve been most helpful,¡± said Harry with another smile. The doorman remained stony faced.

    Harry stepped inside once the door opened. Inside he waited a few moments before his escort appeared. He was led across the club¡¯s floor, through a back door and down a miniature labyrinth of corridors before they reached an office. His escort hit the intercom and announced Harry. A moment later the door opened and he was ushered through.

    Inside was a dimly lit and fairly simple office, its d¨¦cor in stark contrast to the club outside. Behind a desk sat a woman in her thirties or forties, dressed in a floral-patterned qipao. Her hair was in a bun, with a few stray strands framing her face. She wore a pair of glasses through which he frowned at Harry.

    ¡°Mrs Hua, I presume?¡± said Harry. ¡°A pleasure.¡±

    ¡°Mr Zhang?¡± said Mrs Hua, pronouncing the name with active distaste. ¡°Your contacts don¡¯t fill me with an abundance of confidence.¡±

    ¡°Well, you see, my father is an important man, so I need to use¡­ more discrete channels than I might optimally.¡±

    ¡°Whatever. Hurry up, tell me what you want. I¡¯m busy here ¨C the band¡¯s been missing a player the last few nights and all the replacements are lousy musicians or drunkards or both.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll cut to the chase then,¡± said Harry.

    ¡°Please do,¡± scowled Mrs Hua.

    ¡°I¡¯m taking a little break here on Shangxia with a few close acquaintances and we were looking to have a good time. We were told that you were the person to speak to,¡± said Harry, his smile never leaving his face despite what bordered on active hostility emanating from Mrs Hua.

    ¡°Why does this involve me?¡± snarled Mrs Hua. ¡°See our bartenders if you want the best drinks in the city.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sure your bartenders make excellent cocktails, but I was ideally looking for something¡­ more. Something that will really take our evening to the next level. And perhaps some¡­ pleasant company on the side,¡± said Harry, vaguely wondering whether he was coming off as sufficiently sleezy to pull off the role.

    ¡°I told you I was busy didn¡¯t I?¡± said Mrs Hua.

    Harry nodded. ¡°You made that clear.¡±

    ¡°Well then please don¡¯t waste my fucking time,¡± said Mrs Hua. ¡°You want drugs and women?¡±

    Harry decided the time for subtlety was at an end. ¡°That¡¯s right.¡±

    ¡°Anything in particular?¡±

    ¡°Happy to sample the local delicacies. That said, my acquaintances are rather particular, so we would only want the finest quality. I am willing to pay whatever is necessary,¡± said Harry.

    ¡°I¡¯ll arrange someone to get in touch,¡± said Mrs Hua.

    Harry took in a breath. This was the key moment. ¡°If I may be so bold¡­ could I ask if you might be familiar with who¡­ His Excellency¡­ liaises with? It¡¯s just my father has previously had dealings with the Governor and I know for a fact he is a man of exceptional tastes.¡±

    ¡°I am not in the business of giving out the details of clients,¡± said Mrs Hua.

    Harry had no time to think strategy and so improvised on the go. ¡°Of course, and believe me, I absolutely appreciate the need for discretion, especially for a man of His Excellency¡¯s standing. And I absolutely don¡¯t need any specifics, it¡¯s just that if I am to spend a large sum, I want to be confident in the quality I¡¯ll be receiving.¡±

    Mrs Hua removed her glasses and lifted up a cloth, wiping the lenses before replacing them. ¡°Mr Zhang, I am not in the business of connecting clients to inferior products. I assure you, anyone I recommend will supply a product of the most exquisite quality.¡±

    Harry took just a moment to consider before flashing her with a conciliatory grin. ¡°Of course, of that I have no doubt. But even within the finest tier of product there is still someone who has the best of all, is there not? And I trust that His Excellency would have the discerning taste to recognise such¡ª¡±

    Mrs Hua leant forward. ¡°Mr Zhang, I agreed to this meeting against my better judgement. I do not know you and I do not know who this father of yours is. So, unless you want to start providing me with more information, I may well be disinclined to continue. I may also start to become a little suspicious about why you are so specifically interested in the Governor¡¯s suppliers.¡±

    Tavian had warned Harry that Mrs Hua was not the easiest woman to deal with, but Harry was starting to think he¡¯d underestimated the difficulty of the task. He¡¯d have had more luck charming a brick wall. His mind rapidly parsed the options. There was a point where it was better to withdraw in defeat and try to find another angle. If he pressed too hard word might reach the Governor, which could compromise everything.

    Still, time enough for one last gambit.

    ¡°I don¡¯t want to cause any trouble for you, Madame General Manager,¡± said Harry, holding up his hands. ¡°Given your time is valuable, I shan¡¯t take up anymore of it. Why don¡¯t I place my faith in your assuredly good judgment and we¡¯ll leave it at that. And of course, a referral fee will be in order for your efforts, plus significant repeat custom.¡±

    Mrs Hua stared back at him with sceptical eyes. ¡°Fine. Give your details to Mr Li on the way out and someone will be in touch.¡±

    Mission accomplished. If the mission were to score drugs and prostitutes, thought Harry. Still, he judged it too dangerous to push any harder now.

    ¡°Thank you so very much, Madame General Manager,¡± he said with a bow.

    Mrs Hua looked as unimpressed as ever. ¡°Get out of my sight before my better judgement kicks in.¡±

    With one more bow, Harry rose to his feet and headed for the door. It slid open and he stepped outside. The man who had escorted him in when he arrived stepped forward. ¡°Your tablet, please?¡±

    Harry passed him the device and a moment later the man handed it back. ¡°Someone will be in contact shortly. You are welcome to wait in the bar in the meantime.¡±

    With nothing better to do Harry headed to the bar. Taking up a seat he leant forward. He raised a finger when a bartender looked his way and asked the bartender to surprise him when he came over. Shortly after Harry was sipping an entirely pedestrian cocktail, his back now to the bar, observing the club. The band was up on stage. A pretty woman with extremely long hair was singing in a pleasingly smoky voice.

    I wonder if that¡¯s Tavian¡¯s friend, Fang?

    Harry hadn¡¯t quite finished his drink when a message flashed up on his tablet:

    Mr Zhang, you are cordially invited to the Jade Lounge.

    There was nothing to indicate who had sent the message.

    Harry flagged down the bartender again. ¡°Another of those please¡­ and where might I find the Jade Lounge?¡±

    The bartender gave him a surprised look, but gave him the directions. Downing the remnants of his first drink, Harry took the second and headed the way he¡¯d been directed. The Jade Lounge was behind a closed door with an attendant outside.

    ¡°Mr Zhang,¡± said Harry, introducing himself, ¡°They¡¯re expecting me.¡±

    ¡°Of course, sir,¡± said the attendant and the door opened.

    Inside were several men, but only one of them was seated. He was a bald man with a long moustache and an immaculately tailored and no doubt very expensive suit. At Harry¡¯s entrance the man smiled and rose to his feet, walking forward to shake Harry¡¯s hand.

    ¡°Welcome, Mr Zhang. I am Wei Jiang. The General Manager tells me you are a man of very particular tastes. I believe I have it within my power to ensure that your every desire is satisfied.¡±

    Compared to Mrs Hua, Mr Wei was a ray of sunshine, but there was an underlying vibe from him that Harry found undeniably sinister.

    Not that he¡¯d let that impact his performance. ¡°That is excellent to hear,¡± he said, then made his gamble, ¡°Mrs Hua says you take care of some of Shangxia¡¯s¡­ most illustrious.¡±

    Something flashed across Mr Wei¡¯s face, almost imperceptible and too quick for Harry to definitively identify. An infinitesimally short time later his customary smile had returned. ¡°She does, does she?¡± he asked. ¡°Well, I can assure you, my client list is filled with satisfied individuals. And I can also assure you that you will be among the most illustrious company there is here on Shangxia.¡±

    Most illustrious. Does that mean the Governor?

    Regardless, he didn¡¯t think he was likely to get anymore info out of Mr Wei, so he decided his best bet was to wrap things up here and get Seraphina and Nova to conduct their respective surveillance on Mr Wei. With any luck that would reveal what they needed for their plan. It was a solid lead, if not the confirmation he¡¯d been hoping for.

    They discussed arrangements for supply and payment. ¡°My couriers will make the delivery as soon as possible and the girls can be there at the time that suits you and your associates,¡± said Mr Wei.

    Perhaps Seraphina could conduct surveillance on the ¡°couriers¡± as well.

    Options, at least.

    ¡°Thank you very much,¡± said Mr Zhang. ¡°It has been a pleasure doing business with you and I look forward to a fruitful relationship in the future.¡±

    Mr Wei smiled.

    Harry wandered back out into the main area of the club. The band was still performing. On a whim he went and sat down at the bar again. He raised his tablet and took a snap, shooting it Tavian¡¯s way.

    Harry: This your friend Fang?

    Tavian: Yes. But don¡¯t bother.

    Harry: She turn you down?

    Tavian: No. But I know she¡¯ll turn you down.

    Harry: That almost sounds like a challenge.

    But that¡¯s not why I¡¯m messaging.

    She well connected?

    Tavian: She¡¯s been here longer than me.

    Might know something.

    Harry: She trustworthy? Can she keep a secret?

    Tavian: She¡¯s solid.

    That settled it.

    Harry ordered another drink and waited for the band to reach one of its periodic breaks. He casually strolled over to the stage. As he walked, he did his best to inconspicuously glance around. He couldn¡¯t see Mrs Hua or Mr Wei anywhere, but didn¡¯t doubt there were cameras watching.

    ¡°Miss Fang?¡± he said, reaching the stage.

    She smiled at him in a polite yet perfunctory manner. ¡°Hello.¡±

    He could see she was quite happy to leave it at that, so he spoke up again, though quietly enough that only she could hear. ¡°I¡¯m a friend of Tavian¡¯s.¡±

    Her head flicked around. ¡°Tavian¡¯s? How is he?¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s alive,¡± said Harry.

    Fang held up a hand and walked over to the stairs, descending from the stage. ¡°What¡¯s happened to him?¡± she asked when she reached where Harry was standing.

    ¡°Anywhere more private to speak?¡± asked Harry. ¡°Probably best that Mrs Hua doesn¡¯t get wind of any of this.¡±

    The look in Fang¡¯s eyes said she understood. ¡°Follow me.¡±

    He did as she instructed and not long after he found himself standing with her in a dimly lit alleyway outside. She took out a cigarette and offered the case to Harry. ¡°You smoke?¡±

    ¡°Not usually,¡± he said, ¡°But I guess it might look better for the cameras. I assume we¡¯re still being watched here.¡±

    ¡°Always a safe assumption,¡± said Fang. Harry took a cigarette and she lit it for him. He took a drag and coughed a little.

    ¡°Smooth,¡± she said.

    ¡°Oh, that¡¯s me,¡± he said, still spluttering slightly. ¡°Harry, by the way.¡±

    ¡°So, what secret things do you want to tell me?¡± she asked. ¡°Keeping in mind I¡¯ve got to be back on that stage in about ten minutes.¡±

    ¡°Well, Tavian¡¯s alive, like I said,¡± said Harry.

    ¡°I¡¯m glad. I think I would have been genuinely sad if he were dead,¡± said Fang, exhaling a thick cloud of smoke which wafted lazily up into the night air. ¡°The last time I saw him he was working his magic on some pretty young thing. Figured he might have been caught by a jealous husband.¡±

    Harry took the smallest of drags on the cigarette. ¡°Funnily enough, that¡¯s not too far off what happened, actually.¡±

    ¡°Oh? Who was the husband?¡±

    ¡°Before I say anything more, you need to swear to secrecy. Don¡¯t tell anyone a word of what I¡¯m about to tell you.¡±

    ¡°Fine,¡± she said.

    ¡°Great. Because I don¡¯t want to bullshit you. And I¡¯m not going to bullshit you,¡± said Harry.

    ¡°My suspicion that someone is about to bullshit me always goes up immediately after someone tells me they aren¡¯t going to bullshit me,¡± said Fang. ¡°But for some reason I trust you. Even if you are a friend of Tavian¡¯s.¡±

    Harry grinned and half-laughed, half-spluttered. ¡°The woman Tavian went home with was the Governor¡¯s concubine.¡±

    It was Fang¡¯s turn to splutter. ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°Well, Tavian had to flee. Then the¡­ er, our little¡­ group decided ¨C collectively ¨C that Tavian kind of had a responsibility for anything that happened to this young lady after he fled. So now we¡¯re going to rescue her.¡±

    Fang looked incredulous. ¡°You¡¯re going to break into the Governor¡¯s Yamen to rescue one of his concubines from his clutches?"

    "That is what we are going to do,¡± said Harry.

    ¡°Well, I always felt Tavian was a bit crazy, but I guess his friends are too,¡± said Fang.

    ¡°Regardless, I¡¯ll cut to the chase before you have to go back,¡± said Harry. ¡°The Governor hires prostitutes and buys drugs, right?¡±

    ¡°Sure,¡± said Fang, ¡°Everyone knows that.¡±

    ¡°Do you know who supplies him?¡±

    ¡°Everything like that in this city is controlled by the same people,¡± said Fang. ¡°The White Gang. I saw Mr Wei in the club tonight.¡±

    ¡°It is him¡­¡± said Harry, more to himself than to her.

    ¡°I¡¯d assume so,¡± said Fang.

    Harry looked her in the eyes. ¡°You¡¯ve been very helpful.¡±

    ¡°Glad I could help you and Tavian in getting yourselves killed,¡± said Fang, stubbing out her cigarette.

    ¡°Well, I¡¯ll let you get back to the stage. Er¡­ I¡¯m just thinking, this whole little secret conversation might look less suss if we were to make-out. Just a little. For appearances.¡±

    Fang laughed. ¡°I can see why you are Tavian¡¯s friend. Sorry, dear, not happening.¡±

    ¡°Damn, it would have really annoyed Tavian,¡± said Harry.

    ¡°Well, if it¡¯s to annoy Tavian¡­ hand me your tablet.¡±

    Harry did as he was told. She held it out at arm¡¯s length then bent in to kiss him on the cheek, snapping a picture at the same time. ¡°A souvenir,¡± she said with a grin, passing him back the tablet, before heading inside.

    ¡°Bye,¡± he said.

    He glanced down at the photo and smiled.

    ¡°The couriers will be making a delivery tomorrow,¡± said Harry. ¡°We can track them, find out when they¡¯ll next be headed to the Yamen. We intercept. In we go, before anyone realises anything is wrong.¡±

    ¡°It won¡¯t be easy,¡± said Kal, ¡°But yes, I think it is our best bet. Only trouble is the drugs and the girls don¡¯t show up at the same time, based on what you¡¯ve heard. We might need to stagger your arrivals. Then it¡¯ll be a matter of linking up on the inside, getting to Miss Li¡¯s room and getting her out.¡±

    ¡°I have finished mapping the Yamen,¡± said Seraphina.

    ¡°Show us where to go, we¡¯ll make the interception, and we¡¯ll be on our way,¡± said Tavian.

    ¡°This is mad,¡± said Mu.

    ¡°That¡¯s the Amrita way,¡± said Harry, grinning.

    ¡°Alright,¡± said Mu. ¡°I guess we move.¡±

    ¡°Game on,¡± said Tavian.

    Governor Aixin Yucheng leant back in his high-backed chair and gazed up at the ceiling, letting out a long sigh. The meeting with the capital¡¯s Combined Chamber of Commerce had taken far longer than he cared for. It was getting dark outside. It had been a painful experience from start to finish.

    There¡¯s going to be a rebellion if the Imperial Government doesn¡¯t restart interstellar departures, he reflected glumly. And everyone will blame it on me.

    The day had not been a pleasant one. He had only that morning received news that his great aunt would be visiting Shangxia next week. He knew the only reason she would come was to attempt to dig up dirt on him. She was forever scheming to have her son replace him as Governor of Shangxia.

    He¡¯d deal with that situation tomorrow.

    For now, he needed to let off some steam. He hit a button on his desk. ¡°Have Li Mingxia brought to my chambers,¡± he said. ¡°And a bottle of baijiu.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Your Excellency,¡± came the reply from the other end of the intercom.

    He was about to make his way back to his chambers when the intercom buzzed once more. ¡°I¡ªI¡¯m sorry, Your Excellency, but there is someone here¡ª¡±

    ¡°I am finished for the day. Schedule them for a meeting if they¡¯re worth my time.¡±

    There was no time for the reply to come.

    The doors to his office slid open and a man and a woman in long dark coats walked in, both significantly taller and thinner than the Governor himself.

    ¡°Excuse me!¡± barked the Governor in outrage. He was about to say more when he began taking note of their distinctive features. Particularly the unconcealed cybernetic implants on their heads. With a sinking feeling, he realised who they were. He had already had the distinct displeasure of meeting them once before.

    They confirmed it a moment later. ¡°Greetings, Your Excellency. As you may recall, I am Ms Chu, this is Mr Wang. We are from the Interstellar Fugitives Section of the Enforcement Division of the Bureau of Resonance. We will be requiring an update on the search for the fugitives.¡±

    Why are they so interested?

    He was interested in capturing the bastard who had slept with Li Mingxia right under his nose. That took guts or stupidity ¨C perhaps both ¨C but whatever the case may be, the Governor was determined that he would pay a very dear price.

    But the Resonance Bureau was interested in the woman. Who was she? She was dangerous, he knew that much. Bai Qiang had told him that one of his White Gang lieutenants ¨C some Wei Jiang ¨C had lost a number of men to her on the night of the incident at the Tianyigang freight facility. So, she was probably an unregistered Resonant. But that didn¡¯t explain it all. Whole planets didn¡¯t get shut down for days on end to contain a single unregistered Resonant. And these agents ¨C they weren¡¯t from a local field office; they had been dispatched directly from the Imperial Capital. There was more to this story, and infuriatingly he ¨C the planet¡¯s Governor ¨C was being left in the dark.

    But at least he had some news for the agents.

    ¡°The woman you¡¯re hunting. Whatever her real name ¨C and might I say, our operations would go more smoothly if you would reveal that to us ¨C she is now going by an alias. Qing Zhu. What¡¯s more, she has returned to the surface. One day ago.¡±

    ¡°Is she in custody?¡±

    The Governor gulped. ¡°Unfortunately, we only connected that alias to her belatedly. We are currently attempting to narrow down her whereabouts. The Customs Bureau flagged her credentials for some irregularities when she went to the Ring, after the incident at the freight facility, but they let her go.¡±

    ¡°Her current whereabouts are unknown?¡±

    ¡°We have had some minor technical glitches with some of our surveillance systems, but the problem should be resolved shortly. We believe she is in the Capital and if she makes a single move, we¡¯ll pick her up,¡± insisted the Governor.

    ¡°Mr Wang,¡± said the female agent, ¡°I do believe the Governor¡¯s words indicate that the Planetary Government¡¯s efforts have been unsatisfactory.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Ms Chu, I agree,¡± replied the male.

    ¡°Wait, wait, wait!¡± interjected the Governor in outrage, ¡°It is the Customs Bureau that let her slip through. That¡¯s a matter for the Imperial Government, not the Planetary Government.¡±

    The agents were not dissuaded. ¡°Your surveillance systems have failed during a critical security incident. This is indicative of sub-optimal practices within the Planetary security apparatus.¡±

    ¡°Ms Chu, I believe we should requisition Planetary Government security forces in order to ensure operational goals are met,¡± said Mr Wang.

    ¡°I agree, Mr Wang. Governor, we will have the formal requisition documentation forwarded to your office as a matter of some urgency. We shall deal with Imperial Customs separately. You are to provide us with a comprehensive brief of all security and surveillance resources in place and make such resources fully available to us,¡± said the female agent.

    ¡°I¡ª¡± spluttered the Governor. ¡°This is an outrage.¡±

    ¡°You are welcome to appeal to the Grand Council,¡± said the male agent. ¡°His Imperial Excellency, Aixin Ulu?un, Prince of the First Rank and Minister for Civil Administration has provided the Bureau with special operational orders, which include authorisation to requisition all Banner- and Planetary-level Government resources as required to apprehend the target.¡±

    The Governor shook his head slowly, barely believing what he was hearing. ¡°Banner-level? Who is this woman?¡±

    ¡°She is an extremely dangerous unregistered Resonant,¡± replied the female agent.

    ¡°Did you have any further questions?¡± asked the male agent.

    So many.

    But he didn¡¯t know what to say. He shook his head, still in disbelief.

    ¡°Very well. The requisition documentation shall be deposited with your office tonight. Please ensure all briefing information is provided to us with the utmost haste and accuracy. Thank you, Your Excellency.¡±

    The Governor watched as the two agents left.

    He breathed out and slumped in his chair. Everything had gone mad in a matter of days. He called out for his secretary.

    Li Mingxia¡¯s latest round of punishment would have to wait. Apparently, there was work to be done.

 Chapter XI - Concubine Heist

    Chapter XI ¨C Concubine Heist

    So far, so good, thought Tavian as they approached the Yamen.

    They had successfully intercepted a delivery. Now came the moment of truth. The car turned into the laneway that ran along the back wall of the complex.

    The others had queried Tavian on whether he could pass as a dealer working for the White Gang, given he clearly wasn¡¯t a Shangxia native. He insisted it wasn¡¯t an issue, as he had known a number of offworlders who had come to the planet seeking fame and fortune and ended up working for the criminal underworld. People like Wei were more than happy to exploit those who were alone and had nowhere to turn.

    That¡¯s what he had told them; as he approached the gate he dearly hoped he¡¯d been correct.

    The car announced they had reached their destination and he exited, straightening his suit. He adjusted his sunglasses and tie and walked towards the gate. The city¡¯s lights were blinking on and the sunlight was fading from the sky. Unlike the grandiose front entrance, this one was rather unremarkable. No guards were in sight, but there was a small intercom panel to one side. Glancing up and down the alley he hit a button on the intercom.

    ¡°Please state your name and purpose,¡± came a gruff voice.

    ¡°Seamus Michaels,¡± said Tavian. ¡°I have a special delivery for His Excellency¡­.¡± Here he paused, remembering the code, ¡°It shines like Chang Xi¡¯s Divine Lantern.¡±

    There was a pause at the other end.

    Did I fuck that up? Tavian wondered.

    But no, the response came a moment later.

    ¡°Stay put, we will meet you shortly.¡±

    The line went dead and Tavian waited, once again looking around the alley. He could hear traffic from the far end, but no one was to be seen in the alley itself. He glanced up at the sky. Thick clouds billowed above, illuminated by the light of the city. Somewhere up there was the Orbital Ring and the Amrita, but there was nothing to be seen tonight.

    He was snapped back to the moment when the door swung open. A man wearing the uniform of the Governor¡¯s Household Security appeared.

    ¡°You are late,¡± said the man.

    That was on purpose. The designated time for Tavian¡¯s delivery was significantly earlier than that for Mu and Harry¡¯s arrival. But in order to rendezvous with them, he would need to slip away from his escort. They had figured this action would immediately put security on higher alert, making Mu and Harry¡¯s entry more difficult. This meant there was a narrow window of timing. Mu and Harry couldn¡¯t arrive so much later than Tavian that he would actually have reached the Governor¡¯s private chambers by the time they arrived, and he couldn¡¯t slip his escort so early that their entry might be barred. That meant they couldn¡¯t enter more than six minutes apart ¨C just less than the time it took to get from the entrance of the Yamen to the Governor¡¯s chambers, and conveniently about the same amount of time it took to get from the complex¡¯s rear gate to the main entrance of the Yamen-proper.

    ¡°My apologies,¡± said Tavian.

    The guard looked him over. ¡°You¡¯re not the usual guy.¡±

    Tavian shook his head. ¡°I assure you the product itself is the same as ever.¡±

    ¡°You can leave the product with me, I will take it to His Excellency,¡± said the Guard.

    This caught Tavian off guard. ¡°My instructions were to deliver it directly to His Excellency.¡±

    The guard glared at him. ¡°That won¡¯t be necessary.¡±

    Tavian¡¯s mind raced. ¡°I have a range of products. I believe His Excellency may have questions.¡±

    The guard looked displeased with this. ¡°Wait here,¡± he said. The door closed again.

    Tavian did his best to look unperturbed. He assumed he was under surveillance.

    The door opened again a moment later.

    ¡°You can come with me. You are not to leave my sight for a moment,¡± said the guard. ¡°Please relinquish any weapons you have and we¡¯ll get you scanned.¡±

    Tavian wasn¡¯t in the business of carrying a firearm, but this time he had one for authenticity¡¯s sake. He turned it over to the guard. He was ushered into a small chamber where some sort of machine gave him a once over.

    If they¡¯re going to flag me for who I really am, now will be the moment, thought Tavian.

    But the moment passed and he stepped out of the chamber, the guard apparently satisfied.

    ¡°Your tablet?¡± asked the guard. Tavian turned it over and the guard ran it through another device, then handed it back.

    Tavian took it and ever-so-lightly tapped the screen in a quick, pre-determined pattern. The software Nova had installed on it would recognise this as the signal that he was in and to start the countdown to the moment she would unleash the distraction that would allow him to slip his escort.

    With that he set off with the guard. He had a pretty good idea of the layout of the complex, thanks to both Nova¡¯s and Seraphina¡¯s intel-gathering. The rear section of the complex was far less impressive than the front, which was covered in immaculately maintained gardens and courtyards. Here many of the more utilitarian functions of the complex were housed, though some attempt had still been made to tie the aesthetic in with the grandeur of the front-facing section.

    There were some rudimentary gardens in place, but mostly it was a maze of tightly clustered buildings separated by laneways and the occasional courtyard. Tavian had the route from the rear gate to the Yamen well memorised, though things looked a little different from ground level. Nonetheless, he was able to keep fairly good track of where he was going as they proceeded.

    They passed various people that Tavian took to be staff, but no one took much heed of him along the way. At one point he caught sight of Matthias, perched atop a nearby roof. It was reassuring to know that Seraphina (and likely, by extension, Kal) were watching. At least as far as Tavian could tell, everything was so far going to plan, although he told himself the most difficult portion of the plan only started once he slipped his escort and they became wanted.

    The guard didn¡¯t pay him much attention either as they walked, his mind seemingly elsewhere. Tavian checked his tablet. Nine minutes until Nova¡¯s big moment. As long as he didn¡¯t get held up, he would be inside the Yamen itself by the time that moment hit. Then it would just be a matter of locating the other two. They should be entering in three minutes. Kal had planed everything out in precise detail.

    They emerged from the network of laneways through a moon gate into a much larger courtyard than any they had thus far walked through. On the far side of the courtyard was the Yamen itself, wide stairs ascending to its entrance. At the centre of the courtyard was a large equestrian statue. The Aixin sure loved their equestrian statues of ancient princes and emperors, though Tavian doubted many Aixin leaders ever sat atop a horse. Still, it was a key distinguishing feature of Shang and Aixin statues ¨C Shang statues were always depicted wearing long robes and, if they were men, sporting beards near as long, looking sage-like ¨C a stark difference to the more martial qualities of Aixin statues.

    They passed the statues and ascended the stairs. Two guards flanked the entrance to the Yamen, spears in hand (though Tavian noticed the sidearms holstered on their belts as well).

    ¡°Special delivery for His Excellency,¡± said Tavian¡¯s escort.

    This better not take long, thought Tavian ¨C just six minutes remained until showtime. Harry and Mu were no doubt at the gate at this very moment.

    One of the other guards was remarking on Tavian¡¯s lateness to his escort, who grumbled in acknowledgment. Tavian surveyed the courtyard. He could see other guards at various positions or patrolling in the vicinity of the Yamen. Regardless of how competent or otherwise security was, there was certainly plenty of it.

    ¡°Come on,¡± said his escort eventually, and Tavian followed him inside.

    The inside had a distinctly more modern look to the traditional style of the exterior, though it retained some elements that blended traditional elements into the overall aesthetic. Various recesses in the walls showed off ancient vases and statuettes. From their scouting, Tavian knew that up ahead was a central nexus from which the various wings of the Yamen radiated. If they were still on schedule, it would be about a minute after they passed that chamber that all hell would break loose. Hopefully Mu and Harry were inside the Yamen by the time that happened.

    Tavian breathed in deeply.

    Almost showtime.

    As it happened, Mu and Harry had a smooth journey from the gate to the Yamen. Mu saw that as they entered, Matthias the raven fluttered in behind them. He had appeared when they entered the main courtyard and followed them since then. Somehow none of the guards seemed to notice him. Mu wondered if that itself was the result of some magic of Seraphina¡¯s. With a little smile she gave a small wave to Matthias as he followed them along the hallway towards the central chamber of the Yamen.

    Any moment now, she thought.

    Hopefully Nova¡¯s distraction would be sufficient to give them the space they needed to reach Mingxia¡¯s room.

    And hopefully she¡¯ll be there.

    That said ¨C when Mu had voiced concerns to Kal, he had reassured her that if Nova¡¯s first attempt at pulling away security didn¡¯t work, both he and Seraphina had contingencies in place. One way or another, they were going to create one hell of a ruckus.

    Mu had given Kal one last condition before they¡¯d locked in the plan: ¡°No one dies, okay?¡± she said.

    ¡°I¡¯ll do my best,¡± said Kal. ¡°The rest will be up to you.¡±

    She¡¯d reiterated the point when they¡¯d parted ways with Kal, leaving him and Seraphina back at the apartment.

    She saw they¡¯d reached the main chamber. It was hexagonal in shape, with many doors and a ceiling that rose high in the centre. It was a design that was common across the Empire. Back on Aixingo itself many of the grand buildings of state and the residences of nobility included such a room. Apparently, they mimicked the shape of an ancient yurt, though a bit of creative imagination was required to see the similarity, so abstracted had the design become over the years of cultural symbiosis with the Shang that had occurred during the Empire¡¯s long existence.

    It was almost time.

    Their escort led them down one of the halls that branched off that central chamber. This must be the Governor¡¯s private wing.

    As they approached, she felt herself getting nervous. She was feeling increasingly invested in the fate of Mingxia. The gilded prison she¡¯d escaped from at the Imperial Court was never deliberately cruel, but it was oppressive and soul crushing in its sheer inhumanity. For all the beauty of the gardens ¨C of the temples, the pagodas, the grand pavilions ¨C there was little to truly nourish the soul, the artifice of it all overwhelming.

    She thought of the borderline desperation in her mother¡¯s voice when she had been trying to persuade Mu that it was an honour ¨C a joy, even ¨C not merely a duty, to marry the Prince-Imperial. Far from being persuaded by her mother¡¯s words, she recognised in them the outcome of generations of systematic oppression, beating down the individuality in all who were part of the Imperial machine.

    Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings.

    ¡°You will be the Mother of Theophants.¡±

    The grandiosity of it never compelled Mu; no, rather it repelled her. Drove her here.

    Mother? Broodmare, more like.

    And listening to Tavian¡¯s story she recognised in Mingxia¡¯s actions that same desperation to escape that she herself had always felt. But she also recognised that out here, far from the niceties of the Imperial Court, Mingxia¡¯s cage was like to be one far more brutal than her own. With that thought in her mind there was no choice. She had to save this woman she had never met.

    So here she was.

    Sneaking into the Governor¡¯s Yamen on this strange world of Shangxia.

    When it happened, everything happened quickly.

    Mu heard a series of loud bangs from somewhere outside. Moments later alarms started going off everywhere at once. Their escort held out his hand to halt them and immediately started speaking through his comms unit.

    Even as he was talking there was another series of loud bangs, one after another, in extremely rapid succession.

    ¡°Follow me,¡± said the escort, ¡°There is a security situation. You are to remain in a secured area until we retrieve you.¡±

    With that he led them a short distance along the corridor and opened a door. They stepped inside.

    ¡°You will stay¡ª"

    He never finished. Mu spat out the small capsule that she¡¯d held under her tongue since they entered. With one swift movement she snapped it open in front of the guard¡¯s face. His eyes widened in shock and then he sagged to the ground. Mu and Harry opened a nearby cabinet and shoved his unconscious form inside before closing it once more.

    Harry lifted up his tablet and tapped a few buttons. ¡°You there, Tavian?¡±

    There was no response.

    ¡°He¡¯s probably just occupied,¡± said Mu, when Harry looked over at her. ¡°Let¡¯s just head to Mingxia¡¯s quarters, he¡¯ll find his way there.¡±

    Harry nodded.

    They stepped back out into the hall and a black shape came rocketing towards them. Mu extended her hands and in a puff of black mist her sword and scabbard materialised, dropping into her grasp. Alongside it was a holster. She threw this to Harry who withdrew the pistol inside and inspected it.

    ¡°Thanks, Matthias,¡± she said. ¡°See if you can find Tavian.¡±

    The bird squawked and darted up the hall ahead of them.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± said Mu and Harry nodded.

    They had only gone a short way when Mu signalled for Harry to stop. ¡°Guards will be coming shortly,¡± she said.

    ¡°That foresight of yours is mighty helpful. Is this room safe?¡± asked Harry, indicating a nearby door.

    ¡°Room¡¯s empty,¡± said Mu and they darted inside.

    Sure enough they heard voices and footsteps outside all of fifteen seconds after they¡¯d ducked into the room. They waited a little longer.

    ¡°Sounds safe now,¡± said Harry, his ear pressed to the door.

    Mu nodded and they crept back out, looking up and down.

    Mu¡¯s mind was abuzz with possibilities. She could sense the constantly intertwining and unravelling paths, shifting in a frenzied dance of possibility and probability. It almost made her head hurt as she tried to focus both on what was in front of her, and any sign of imminent danger along those tangled futures.

    Nonetheless, they pushed forward. Mingxia¡¯s chambers weren¡¯t far ahead and they reached them shortly.

    ¡°There¡¯s one guard with her,¡± said Mu, and even as she said it, the future where they burst into the room and were immediately placed at gunpoint evaporated. She probed different possible paths forward, striving to find one where they managed to neutralise the guard. Her own demand that there be no killing certainly made things trickier, but she didn¡¯t want to spill any more blood after their first escape from the surface.

    Even as she was contemplating what to do, footsteps came up behind them. She had been so focused on what would happen when they entered Mingxia¡¯s bedchamber that she missed the person approaching them from behind entirely.

    Harry had apparently been caught out too, because both of them spun around at the same time. Her heart went into overdrive as her hand flew to her sword and she tried to process the baffling web of foresight. Before her eyes had even registered who was approaching, those futures resolved themselves into a safe one.

    ¡°Sorry, I got delayed,¡± said Tavian.

    ¡°Weren¡¯t you ahead of us?¡± asked Harry.

    ¡°I was¡­ had to get creative to escape my super-persistent escort,¡± said Tavian, then pointed to the door they were standing before, ¡°This it?¡±

    ¡°This is it,¡± Mu confirmed. Her heart beat was slowing just a little again.

    ¡°You make a very pretty prostitute, by the way,¡± said Tavian, looking her up and down.

    ¡°Thanks,¡± she said rolling her eyes, then turned her attention back to the room. ¡°There¡¯s a guard in there.¡±

    Tavian seemed to think for just a moment. ¡°What if I go first, distract him, then you two jump in and take him down a moment later.¡±

    ¡°Got any more of those sleepy time capsules?¡± Harry asked her.

    ¡°Oh sure,¡± she said, ¡°I swallowed a six pack before we came.¡±

    ¡°No need for sarcasm,¡± said Harry.

    ¡°Good at swallowing. Important skill in your line of work,¡± said Tavian.

    ¡°I will kill you once this is done,¡± said Mu, then turning to Harry she said, ¡°I¡¯m being serious. He¡¯s dead.¡±

    Harry smiled and nodded. ¡°I believe you. Now, what¡¯s the plan?¡±

    ¡°Oh, I think we¡¯ve sorted that,¡± said Tavian and before either of them could react, he opened the door and stepped through, yelling ¡°Don¡¯t shoot!¡± even as he did so.

    ¡°That bastard,¡± Mu muttered, her hand returning once more to the hilt of her sword.

    She was standing off to one side of the door and couldn¡¯t look into the room beyond without revealing herself to its occupants, but she could hear the voices clearly from inside.

    ¡°Who are you?¡± demanded one.

    ¡°Oh¡­ I seem to have gotten lost. I had a security escort, but when all those explosions started occurring, we got separated. Perhaps you can help me?¡±

    Mu slowed her breathing and concentrated. She foresaw herself and Harry stepping through the door, just as the guard inside reached where Tavian was standing, close to the entrance. It was probably close enough that she and Harry could surprise and apprehend the guard before he could shoot either of them, but with the Starflow so weak here the picture became fuzzy even more than about ten seconds away from the current moment.

    ¡°On my mark,¡± she mouthed to Harry and she hoped he understood her. He nodded, so she figured he at least thought he understood her.

    ¡°Why are you here?¡± she heard from inside, footsteps getting closer.

    ¡°I was supposed to be meeting with the Governor,¡± said Tavian. ¡°Er, His Excellency.¡±

    In that moment another voice, this one belonging to a woman, sounded: ¡°Tavian?¡±

    ¡°You know him?¡± came the voice of the guard.

    Then came the sounds of a physical altercation.

    ¡°Now!¡± yelled Mu and both her and Harry rushed into the room.

    But things had happened fast. Tavian already had the guard secured; his arm held behind his back. The guard¡¯s firearm fell to the ground with a loud clatter.

    ¡°Nice work,¡± said Harry, upon seeing Tavian.

    ¡°What should we do with him?¡± asked Tavian, then he looked over at the room¡¯s other occupant. A young lady dressed similarly to Mu was standing a short distance away. ¡°Any ideas?¡± Tavian asked her.

    The woman came closer. ¡°You¡¯re alive¡­ Why are you here?¡±

    ¡°For you,¡± said Tavian.

    ¡°For me?¡± asked the woman.

    ¡°Li Mingxia?¡± asked Mu, approaching her.

    She looked at Mu warily. ¡°Who are you?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m a¡­ friend¡­ of Tavian¡¯s,¡± said Mu. ¡°My name¡¯s Mu.¡±

    ¡°Oh, so we are friends!¡± said Tavian brightly. He was still holding the guard, who was struggling, but Harry had now joined Tavian and the guard¡¯s struggles were in vain.

    Mingxia regarded Mu, then Tavian, Harry, and the guard. ¡°Yes, I¡¯m Li Mingxia. There¡¯s a bathroom through there. We can probably trap him inside.¡±

    ¡°What are you doing, Lady Li?¡± demanded the guard.

    Mingxia didn¡¯t reply to him as Harry and Tavian manhandled him over to the door she¡¯d indicated.

    Mu was distracted from what happened next as she was slammed by a bizarre sensation. All at once she felt a titanic wave of Starflow wash over her, quite unlike anything she¡¯d felt previously on Shangxia. It was only there a moment, but she was left reeling in its wake.

    Her tablet vibrated, and half-dazed from what had just happened, she lifted it up. It was Kal. She answered.

    ¡°Princess Mukushen, did you feel that?¡± came Seraphina¡¯s voice over the line.

    ¡°Yes,¡± she said. ¡°What was it?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± said Seraphina, ¡°But I will have Matthias try and find out.¡±

    ¡°Let me know if it¡¯s anything we should be worried about,¡± said Mu and hung up.

    On the far side of the room Harry and Tavian had seemingly managed to successfully secure the bathroom door with the guard inside. Mingxia was standing in the centre of the room, her arms crossed over her chest.

    ¡°Why are you here?¡± she asked.

    ¡°Like I said, to rescue you,¡± said Tavian.

    ¡°After you abandoned me?¡± she asked.

    Only now did Mu take a proper look at her. She was troubled by what she saw. Mingxia¡¯s make up was good, but it wasn¡¯t good enough to hide the swelling around her face, nor her black eye. She felt a rage swell up inside her.

    ¡°What did he do to you?¡± she asked.

    Mingxia turned Mu¡¯s way. ¡°He beat me. Of course. Frankly I was lucky that¡¯s all that happened.¡±

    ¡°We should kill this bastard,¡± said Mu.

    ¡°Wasn¡¯t your whole thing not killing anyone?¡± said Tavian.

    Mu was in no mood to joke. ¡°I¡¯ve known men like this Governor all my life. They think they own women. They become violent when they find out otherwise.¡±

    Harry laid a hand on Mu¡¯s shoulder, but she shook it off. Unperturbed, he spoke, ¡°Mu, we have to get out of here. That¡¯s the best thing for everyone. That¡¯s the best thing for Mingxia.¡±

    Mu knew he was right. She looked again at Mingxia, attempting a smile. ¡°Will you come with us?¡±

    Mingxia looked towards the bathroom door, then back again. She laughed bitterly. ¡°Well, I just helped you guys stuff a guard in there, so I¡¯m probably in for worse if I stay.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t have to live like this,¡± said Mu.

    Mu thought Mingxia must have recognised her sincerity and desperation, because something changed in the other girl¡¯s demeanour a moment later. She nodded slowly, breathing out. ¡°I believe you,¡± she said. Then she repeated, with emphasis added, ¡°I believe you,¡± she said to Mu, before glancing Tavian¡¯s way. He gave a defensive gesture, but both Mu and Mingxia locked him with piercing glares.

    Mu walked over to the other woman and wrapped her in her arms. ¡°You¡¯re going to be safe. We¡¯re going to get you out of here.¡±

    After a moment of surprise, Mingxia returned the hug. ¡°I don¡¯t know why some stranger is doing this for me. But thank you.¡±

    Mu pulled away. ¡°After I heard what he had done, I had to.¡±

    Mingxia looked for a moment like she was going to ask Mu something, staring into her eyes. But the moment passed and she looked away.

    ¡°With that sorted, perhaps we should get a move on?¡± said Harry.

    ¡°Yes,¡± said Mu. ¡°Let¡¯s.¡±

    Her tablet buzzed again and she looked at its screen. Nova. ¡°Hello?¡±

    ¡°Target secured?¡± asked Nova.

    ¡°We have reached Mingxia,¡± confirmed Mu.

    ¡°Do you need any more explosions?¡± asked Nova. ¡°¡¯Cos I¡¯ve got more drones if you want more explosions. I feel like the people of the city are enjoying the fireworks display, anyway.¡±

    ¡°Probably wouldn¡¯t hurt,¡± said Mu.

    ¡°Say no more,¡± said Nova, ¡°I¡¯m your girl.¡±

    There was a pause on the other end.

    Then: ¡°You¡¯ve got company closing in,¡± said Nova. ¡°I can¡¯t see all the angles, but they can¡¯t be more than a minute from you.¡±

    Mu decided to walk out into the corridor, but before she did so, she peered along that path, gazing into the moments to come. Out in the corridor she saw nothing. No guards, just a corridor, empty as it had been when they¡¯d entered.

    ¡°Are you sure? I¡¯m not sensing anything,¡± said Mu.

    ¡°Positive,¡± said Nova.

    Strange.

    ¡°Alright, we¡¯ll get moving. Thanks,¡± said Mu, shutting off the call. She turned to the others. ¡°Nova says we¡¯ve got company closing in. Let¡¯s go, now.¡±

    The other three nodded. Tavian paused a moment and as Mingxia walked past him he handed her the butt of the guard¡¯s confiscated pistol. ¡°Know how to use it?¡±

    ¡°Point it at the bad guys?¡±

    ¡°More or less,¡± said Tavian. ¡°Just try not to shoot us or yourself.¡±

    ¡°Thanks for the tip,¡± said Mingxia. She took the offered firearm and Tavian waved her to lower it. Mingxia looked slightly annoyed with herself that she¡¯d needed the pointer, but nonetheless lowered the weapon.

    ¡°We¡¯ll work on trigger discipline later,¡± said Tavian. ¡°Let¡¯s get going.¡±

    With this exchange over, Mu stepped out into the corridor, her own hand resting upon her sword hilt.

    It was not as she¡¯d foreseen.

    Two figures were walking slowly along the corridor towards them. Both tall, both thin, both wearing long dark coats.

    And both had cybernetic implants, inhuman eyes gazing at her.

    She looked once more into the future and saw only an abyss.

    ¡°Oh,¡± she said, as the others emerged and stopped behind her.

    ¡°What is it?¡± asked Harry.

    ¡°It¡¯s them,¡± said Mu.

    Neither Harry nor Tavian seemed to have to ask any follow up questions, instantly understanding who she meant.

    The two figures stopped a short distance from them.

    ¡°Princess Mukushen, I am Mr Wang. This is my associate, Ms Chu. We are from the Interstellar Fugitives Section of the Enforcement Division of the Bureau of Resonance. His Imperial Excellency, Aixin Ulu?un, Prince of the First Rank and Minister for Civil Administration has ordered us to escort you to Aixingo.¡±

    Mu drew her sword, adopting a combat stance.

    ¡°You can tell my father I¡¯m never coming back,¡± she said, her fingers flexing around the hilt of the sword.

    Tavian and Harry stepped forward, standing either side of her, levelling their own weapons.

    ¡°Can I point it yet?¡± asked Mingxia.

    ¡°Point away,¡± said Tavian, his eyes never leaving the two Resonance Bureau agents.

    ¡°Princess Mukushen, I would strongly advise you and your colleagues to stand down and drop your weapons,¡± said the female agent. ¡°If you fail to comply, we will be forced to eliminate them.¡±

    Mu slowly shook her head. ¡°I¡¯ve already given you my answer. If you want me, come and get me.¡±

    She looked over at Harry. ¡°You should all get out of here. I will hold them. These aren¡¯t opponents you can fight.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t think they are opponents you can fight either,¡± said Harry.

    ¡°They won¡¯t kill me,¡± said Mu. ¡°Go!¡±

    Then she felt it. Just like before.

    A great surge of the Starflow. And she could sense where it was going, pouring into the two agents. It was so potent she felt like she could almost see them, gleaming like twin suns in that hallway.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Princess Mukushen,¡± said the male agent. ¡°Our orders stand.¡±

    Then they rushed forward, moving with inhuman speed, bright light flaring around them. It was fast, but it happened as if in slow motion to Mu, foresight and her own vision seeming to meld into one. No longer were the agents concealed, now they were blazing beacons of power.

    Then it came. A shadow on six wings.

    Matthias rushed forward along the corridor, inserting himself between her and the agents. One agent struck him and he went flying across the corridor striking the wall with a plaintive cry.

    For a fraction of a second the agents paused.

    Matthias¡¯s broken body rose up into the air, not by force of his wings, but lifted by swirling tendrils of black mist. Around his limp form was a growing globe of spiralling darkness. It expanded out in all directions and when it was gone, Seraphina was hanging in the air, her hands outstretched in front of her.

    ¡°Seraphina!¡± exclaimed Mu.

    ¡°You should go, Princess Mukushen,¡± said Seraphina. ¡°None of you will escape otherwise.¡±

    Mu shook her head. ¡°No, you can¡¯t fight my battle! They¡¯ll kill you!¡±

    Seraphina turned briefly to Mu, her red eyes as impassive as ever. ¡°I stand a better chance than anyone else.¡±

    She turned back to the agents, who had seemingly paused to assess this new threat. ¡°After all,¡± said Seraphina. ¡°I am a Sister of the Melusine Coven, Daughter of the Witching Star. No imperial agent has ever set foot on Hecate, but by the consent of the Sisters. You do not have my consent to pass, and you shall not.¡±

    Seraphina began moving her hands around to form a circle of purple light, gleaming arcane symbols filling the air.

    ¡°Run,¡± said the witch.

    Mu didn¡¯t argue this time.

    They all ran.

    As she ran, she heard the agents one last time. ¡°Then, witch, you shall perish.¡±

 Chapter XII - Battle of the West Gate Yamen

    Chapter XII ¨C Battle of the West Gate Yamen

    ¡°Damn it!¡± exclaimed Kal, throwing down his tablet.

    What was happening in there? Seraphina had said she sensed some great danger and in a moment she had vanished without further explanation. Now he couldn¡¯t contact any of Mu, Tavian, or Harry. If there was one thing he hated it was being blind in the midst of battle. Especially if he was away from the actual fighting. It brought back too many memories.

    Memories of that day.

    He didn¡¯t have long to dwell though. His tablet vibrated and he saw it was Nova.

    ¡°What is it?¡± he asked.

    ¡°We may have a little problem up here,¡± said Nova.

    ¡°I don¡¯t need anymore fucking problems,¡± growled Kal. ¡°What is it?¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s your thing?¡± asked Nova.

    ¡°You first.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ve just received a message from Imperial Customs. They are demanding we admit their agents for boarding.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s the Resonance Bureau,¡± said Kal.

    ¡°Huh?¡± said Nova. ¡°No, Customs. This line faulty?¡±

    ¡°No. Seraphina just entered the Yamen to help the others. It must be the Resonance Bureau agents Mu was scared of. They must have pinned us a while ago and were just waiting for us to make a move. They think we¡¯re associates of Mu, helping her evade them,¡± said Kal.

    ¡°In fairness, we are helping her evade them,¡± said Nova.

    ¡°How long have they been watching us?¡± wandered Kal.

    ¡°Probably since they flagged Mu¡¯s credentials at Customs,¡± said Nova. ¡°Which¡­ um¡­ that was kinda my fuck up. Have I¡­ did I¡­?¡±

    ¡°We don¡¯t know that,¡± said Kal, focusing his thoughts. Speculation was pointless. Action was needed. ¡°For now, you should have nothing to worry about. Mu and Tavian aren¡¯t on board, so there¡¯s nothing specifically incriminating to be found. Ostara and Apollo will know what to do. Just stay calm.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m calm. I¡¯m super calm.¡±

    ¡°Right. Well don¡¯t contact me or the others. If there¡¯s any chance of still shaking them, we don¡¯t want them connecting the Amrita to what¡¯s going on in the Yamen. I assume our exit strategy is still in play?¡±

    ¡°It should be fully automated, I¡¯ve set up everything to go already,¡± said Nova.

    ¡°Good. Now be calm, trust Apollo and Ostara and we¡¯ll get through this. I¡¯m going to get ready to intervene at the Yamen.¡±

    ¡°Please don¡¯t get hurt,¡± said Nova.

    Kal laughed. ¡°If I go in, it¡¯s not me that needs to worry about getting hurt.¡±

    ¡°Good luck, Big Guy,¡± said Nova.

    ¡°Same to you, Kid,¡± said Kal.

    The line went dead.

    Almost immediately his tablet started vibrating again.

    ¡°Harry?¡± said Kal, answering. ¡°Talk to me.¡±

    Harry sounded breathless on the other end. ¡°It¡¯s the Resonance Agents. They came for Mu. Seraphina¡¯s fighting them.¡±

    ¡°Seraphina¡¯s fighting them?¡± exclaimed Kal. ¡°She¡¯ll die.¡±

    ¡°She insisted,¡± said Harry.

    ¡°Fuck¡­ shit¡­.¡± muttered Kal. ¡°I¡¯m coming in.¡±

    ¡°Wasn¡¯t that what Apollo wanted to avoid? A big scene?¡±

    ¡°That horse has bolted. Where is Seraphina?¡±

    ¡°Just outside Mingxia¡¯s chambers when we left her.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m coming in. Don¡¯t stop ¨C keep heading for the exit,¡± said Kal.

    ¡°Don¡¯t need to tell me twice,¡± said Harry.

    Seraphina sent a bolt of purple light at the male agent. He simply raised his forearm and a flash of white light appeared in front of it, bouncing away Seraphina¡¯s attack harmlessly. She started gathering more Starflow to her and converting it into raw energy, but she didn¡¯t have much time. The agents moved with superhuman speed and agility.

    The female agent had drawn a sword and charged at Mu. She had little time to react. She sent a burst of energy, but the agent evaded with ease, launching herself off the wall to strike towards Seraphina. Seraphina barely dodged, but no sooner had she done so than the male agent charged her from the other direction.

    This time she was less successful and felt the stinging bight of his sword in her shoulder. She let out a small cry of pain, but she immediately sensed that the wound wasn¡¯t deep, despite the black blood leaking from it. There was no time to dwell, for she knew there would be no relenting in the attack. Channelling the Starflow she unleashed a burst of power, rocketing herself down the hallway to put distance between her and them. A lethal strike scythed through the air where she had been a fraction of a second earlier.

    The move would have thrown an ordinary human foe, but the agents reacted without surprise, barely even breaking the flow of their attacks. The two immediately pivoted to begin closing the distance with Seraphina once more at terrifying speed.

    She unleashed two more energy attacks, but the agents blocked them easily. As they were almost upon her, she launched herself once more, just barely making it through the gap between them, blades narrowly missing her once again.

    I need more space, she thought to herself, even as she let the Starflow into the wound on her shoulder, gradually closing it up. The next one that hits me will likely kill me.

    She stretched out one hand towards the lights lining the ceiling of the hallway. Whispering and clenching her fist, she snuffed them out, leaving the windowless corridor in shadow. Withdrawing once more to increase the gap between her and her foes, she sent twin energy bursts into the ceiling. There was a great cracking and then it fell in, piling in front of them.

    That will barely slow them.

    But any time was useful. She lowered herself, settling her feet once more on the ground and opened a nearby door, heading straight for the window. With a burst of energy, she sent the window exploding outwards. In that very moment the agents stepped into the room behind her. Conjuring the Starflow to her once more Seraphina flung off one more attack towards them, then leapt from the window into the gathering night beyond.

    ¡°Guards ahead!¡± yelled Mu.

    The group stopped.

    ¡°We¡¯re gonna have to fight our way through,¡± said Tavian. ¡°That¡¯s every direction we¡¯ve tried blocked.¡±

    Mu gave an exasperated huff. ¡°There¡¯s gotta be another way. How did you get out last time?¡±

    Tavian shook his head. ¡°Last time no one was actively looking for me. Plus, I had my mandolin.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s your mandolin have to do with it?¡± asked Mu.

    ¡°I¡¯ll explain some other time. We doing this, or do you have some other idea?¡±

    Mu knew she was running out of time to come up with an idea. Maybe Tavian was right. Maybe there was no other way.

    ¡°I¡¯ve got an idea,¡± said Mingxia.

    Mu spun her head around to look at the other woman. ¡°What is it?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll go talk to them. I can lead them into a room. We ambush them¡­ with any luck we can do it without anyone getting killed,¡± said Mingxia. ¡°Hide in that room. I¡¯ll lead them in. You guys work out the rest.¡±

    Mu began to protest. ¡°The whole reason we came here was to get you out¡­ what if¡ª¡±

    Tavian shook his head. ¡°It¡¯s the best we¡¯re going to do.¡±

    ¡°It is,¡± agreed Harry.

    The guards would be there in a moment. ¡°Okay, let¡¯s do it,¡± said Mu. The three of them ducked into the room while Mingxia walked ahead. Mu could hear her shout out to the guards.

    ¡°Lady Li, are you okay?¡± asked one.

    ¡°It¡¯s Lady Mei, she¡¯s injured!¡± said Mingxia, in a surprisingly good impression of distress.

    Huh, thought Mu, She really is an actress.

    Mu foresaw the guards entering the room shortly, and gave whispered instructions to Harry and Tavian. ¡°Either side of the door.¡±

    Then she lay down in the middle of the room, flaring out her hair to cover her face. It didn¡¯t have to be a good disguise ¨C it just needed to buy them an extra second. And she could see it would do just that.

    Mu couldn¡¯t see what happened next, but she already knew how it would go. Mingxia was leading the guards. She deliberately paused before entering.

    ¡°She¡¯s in here,¡± she said, pausing, the guards behind her. It gave Tavian and Harry all the time they needed.

    Smart, thought Mu.

    ¡°Lady Mei!¡± exclaimed one guard.

    A split second later, Tavian and Harry¡¯s pistols were at their heads. Mingxia turned around and levelled hers. Mu rose to her feet and used her hands to straighten her hair. She picked up her sword.

    ¡°Not Lady Mei,¡± Mu said, indicating herself.

    ¡°Sorry guys,¡± said Mingxia.

    ¡°Lady Li, I don¡¯t understand,¡± said one of the guards.

    Mu saw Mingxia¡¯s eyes twinkled with delight in that moment. ¡°It¡¯s simple really. Your boss is a piece of shit, and I¡¯m leaving.¡±

    ¡°But Lady Li¡ª¡± exclaimed the guard.

    ¡°Shhh!¡± said Mingxia, holding up a finger to her lips. ¡°See this?¡± she said, indicating her black eye. ¡°It¡¯s not my first. It¡¯s not my worst. And you know what? Every time that arsehole gave me one, one of you bastards was standing just outside, pretending not to hear. Actually, sometimes one of you was in the room.¡±

    Mu felt a great bubble of righteous anger upon hearing Mingxia¡¯s words. But she also felt something else ¨C some sort of perverse satisfaction. Listening to Mingxia as she turned the tables on her erstwhile jailors, Mu felt vindication of her own actions that had brought her here. In that moment at least, all the confusion, fear, and doubt she¡¯d felt ever since she left Aixingo seemed to melt away. She had done the right thing. She had freed herself. And now she was here to free Mingxia as well.

    ¡°Now, gentlemen,¡± said Harry, ¡°If you¡¯d be so kind as to drop your weapons.¡±

    The guards knew there was nothing for it and complied. They both had assault rifles, and Harry stooped to pick them up, as Mingxia and Tavian kept their pistols levelled.

    ¡°Want an upgrade?¡± asked Harry to Tavian.

    ¡°Sure,¡± said Tavian.

    ¡°Enjoy,¡± said Harry. He walked over and handed Tavian one of the weapons. He kept the other for himself.

    ¡°Anyone know how to tie a good knot that will keep these two in place?¡± asked Harry.

    Tavian shook his head. Harry looked over at Mu and Mingxia and both shrugged.

    ¡°Okay,¡± said Harry, ¡°You two just stay here. Don¡¯t let us catch you coming out behind us until we are long gone. Mu here is a Resonant and she will know if you try anything. Understand?¡±

    The guards nodded.

    ¡°We clear to go?¡± Harry asked Mu.

    She nodded.

    ¡°Bye guys,¡± said Tavian as the group left.

    Mingxia was last out. ¡°Send my worst regards to the boss.¡±

    With that, they again proceeded along the corridor, Harry and Mu leading the way, Tavian and Mingxia behind them.

    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t know if they left the room,¡± said Mu to Harry, ¡°My foresight only extends to things I myself experience. I¡¯m not omniscient.¡±

    ¡°See, the thing about that is, I didn¡¯t know that,¡± said Harry. ¡°And I¡¯m willing to bet that they sure as shit don¡¯t know that either. To us normal folk, you Resonants may as well be witches. Well¡­ I guess some¡­¡±

    He trailed off. Mu could tell he was suddenly thinking what she was thinking. What was happening to Seraphina? The thought of the young witch battling desperately on their behalf gave Mu a sinking feeling. The clarity of a few moments earlier vanished in an instant.

    She¡¯ll be okay, thought Mu.

    I hope she will.

    Focus.

    ¡°Straight ahead,¡± she said to the others. ¡°We should be clear till we get to the entrance.¡±

    It was only a short distance. Mu halted and held out her hand. ¡°More just outside.¡±

    The others stopped behind her.

    ¡°Did we have a plan for this part?¡± asked Harry.

    The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

    ¡°We weren¡¯t supposed to be at this entrance,¡± said Tavian.

    It was true. The original plan was for them to exit through a less scrutinised rear door. In the flight from the agents, though, they had ended up in an entirely different wing of the Yamen, facing the main courtyard.

    Mu¡¯s thinking, however, was interrupted when the sound of a loud explosion came from outside.

    ¡°What was that?¡± asked Mingxia.

    They heard the slightly muffled sound of shouts from outside. Mu thought about leaving now and saw that the guards were no longer at their post.

    ¡°I think it¡¯s Seraphina,¡± said Mu. ¡°She¡¯s fighting the agents in the courtyard.¡±

    ¡°Then let¡¯s move,¡± said Harry. ¡°The sooner we¡¯re out of the whole complex, the sooner she can break off her fight.¡±

    Mu nodded. He was right. ¡°I think the guards are gone outside. We should make a break for it.¡±

    ¡°Any ideas how we¡¯re getting past the agents?¡± asked Tavian. ¡°If they get the slightest clue that you¡¯re nearby, they¡¯ll go for you.¡±

    ¡°If I¡¯m remembering correctly,¡± said Harry, ¡°There should be a gateway into the gardens almost immediately at the bottom of the stairs, off to the left.¡±

    ¡°There is,¡± Mingxia chimed in.

    ¡°Okay,¡± said Mu, ¡°Let¡¯s head for that. We might be able to remain undetected just long enough.¡±

    ¡°Any idea how we let Seraphina know we¡¯re out safely?¡± asked Tavian.

    ¡°I think Nova has a drone swarm. I don¡¯t know how Nova got a drone swarm, but she seems to have one. If any of the drones remain undetonated, perhaps we can use one to contact Seraphina,¡± said Harry.

    ¡°Do we like the chances of Nova not having blown them all up by now?¡± asked Tavian.

    ¡°Let¡¯s just get out first,¡± said Mu. ¡°That¡¯s our first step. We can work out the rest afterwards. Seraphina is doing all this to ensure we get away. If we get caught, it¡¯s all a waste.¡±

    Harry nodded. ¡°Alright, let¡¯s get going. Coast still clear?¡±

    Mu nodded. ¡°I think so.¡±

    With that she and Harry nudged open the door and emerged onto the steps, Tavian and Mingxia coming out behind them. There was no sign of the guards in the immediate vicinity.

    ¡°Run,¡± said Mu and the others needed no more urging.

    The group sprinted down the stairs.

    The courtyard beyond had more of the character of a town square, stretching perhaps a hundred metres across and wide open, with nothing but exposed stone, giving it a stark appearance. Opposite the stairs was a large gate which opened onto a tree lined avenue running to the complex¡¯s front entrance. Elsewhere circular moon gates opened onto the labyrinth of smaller courtyards and gardens that spread through the remainder of the complex, divided from the main courtyard by walls perhaps twice a person¡¯s height. Part of the courtyard was out of sight, stretching along either side of the Yamen, presumably joining the rear courtyard through which they had entered.

    Giant flood lights had been turned on, illuminating the whole scene almost like day. The acrid smell of smoke filled the air, presumably the remnants of Nova¡¯s distraction, the cool night wind blowing it across the complex towards them.

    The small moon gate that led off to one side of the courtyard was only a short dash from the base of the stairs. The gardens beyond would be a more circuitous route to the exit, but they would offer far more cover from household security and the agents alike. After that there was just the minor challenge of reaching the street beyond the walls and its comparative safety.

    But first they had to get there.

    And that wasn¡¯t going to be easy.

    ¡°They¡¯re coming,¡± said Mu the moment she felt it.

    The next moment an explosion of purple light erupted from one side of the Yamen. A dark figure rocketed through the air and came to a stop, hanging in the air a few metres from the ground in the centre of the courtyard. Her hat was missing, but it was unmistakably Seraphina, her long white hair rippling in the wind. Mu could see her exhaustion in the rise and fall of her chest and shoulders, in the look in her crimson eyes. She could see the black blood drizzling down one side of her face.

    The agents appeared next. They appeared no different to the first moment Mu had seen them, calm and composed. Their long coats fluttered in the breeze. Each held a sword. Each strode with steady purpose, rounding the corner of the Yamen and coming to a halt facing Seraphina.

    It was obvious in that moment what would happen ¨C Mu didn¡¯t need foresight to know. If the fight continued, Seraphina would die.

    ¡°We have to help her,¡± announced Mu.

    ¡°Didn¡¯t you say¡ª¡± began Tavian.

    ¡°They¡¯re going to wear her down. She¡¯ll be killed if we don¡¯t intervene.¡±

    ¡°I suspect we¡¯ll all be killed if we do intervene,¡± said Tavian, matter-of-factly.

    ¡°I¡¯m with Mu,¡± said Mingxia. ¡°Let¡¯s help the witch. She is a witch, right? That¡¯s not, like, derogatory or anything?¡±

    Mu glanced over at her and shook her head.

    Tavian threw up his hands. ¡°Fine. I swear your sense of justice is going to get me killed.¡±

    ¡°Well, your own certainly won¡¯t,¡± snarled Mu. ¡°But if you really don¡¯t want to do this, why don¡¯t you escort Mingxia out? This isn¡¯t her fight and I don¡¯t want our rescue mission to get her killed.¡±

    ¡°I want to help,¡± said Mingxia.

    ¡°You¡¯re not a fighter,¡± said Mu.

    ¡°Well, if I¡¯m gonna stop having people take advantage of me, I think it¡¯s about time I learned to be,¡± replied Mingxia.

    ¡°Whatever we¡¯re doing¡­ they¡¯ve seen us,¡± said Harry.

    Mu looked up and even from across the courtyard she locked eyes with the female agent. A chill went through her; just the knowledge that those unnatural eyes were on her was enough.

    What beasts do you command, Father?

    The agents moved with assurance, with the certainty of their own success. Mu felt despair well up inside her. What could she or any of them do against such foes. Bright Eyes, Apollo, the rest of the crew ¨C for all their help, here she was. The long reach of the Imperial Court was inescapable.

    She didn¡¯t have long to dwell. The agents may have moved steadily up until that moment, but when they wished it, they moved with an unsettling speed; inhuman.

    Everything happened fast. The future and the present became a blur and Mu¡¯s sword was in her hands, someone was shouting, ¡°Scatter! Scatter!¡± and the agent was closer ¨C closer with every minute sliver of a second, brandished steel gleaming in the unnatural light. The Starflow was a raging and turbulent current descending on the agents from the cloud-shrouded heavens; myriad possible futures teetered on the brink of becoming the actual present. Instinct drove Mu, and though she staggered back, her sword met that first blow. She did not think she could stop the next.

    Violet light flared bright around the agent and the next blow, which Mu was sure would fell her, never came. This time her eyes met with Seraphina¡¯s. She had long enough to mouth her thanks before a bright streak of light lanced up from the other agent and struck Seraphina, sending her tumbling from the air to the hard stone of the courtyard.

    ¡°No!¡± screamed Mu as gunfire erupted about her. Black blood splattered out around where the witch had struck the ground and now lay unmoving.

    The downed agent rose, dispelling the purple light around herself, and pointed her sword at Mu. Mu darted towards Seraphina¡¯s prone form, dodging the lunging blade, but was caught by the hand that followed it, the hand which grabbed her and, with the strength of ten men, cast her aside like a ragdoll. Sharp pain went through her as her shoulder struck the stone, but she gritted her teeth and immediately rolled aside, feeling a sharp lance of searing agony as she did, but avoiding the blow that she knew was coming. She lashed out with her feet, but it was no use ¨C only the well-timed burst of rifle fire gave her the window she needed to once more reach her feet.

    But that was all the time she had.

    Mingxia was her saviour this time. She was just behind Mu when she fired. One. Two. Three. Six shots in all, at point blank, straight into the agent¡¯s chest.

    The agent was still a moment. But she did not fall.

    Her unfeeling eyes looked past Mu.

    ¡°Li Mingxia. You have been noted as hostile and necessary actions shall be taken.¡±

    ¡°Fuck you!¡± snarled Mingxia, squeezing the trigger. No more shots were fired.

    ¡°Get back,¡± said Mu, pushing down her panic, despair, fear: whatever it was. ¡°Find Harry or Tavian. Get to safety.¡±

    She lifted her blade. She remembered her lessons, planting her feet. She steadied her breathing.

    ¡°It¡¯s me you want.¡±

    ¡°Please stand down, Princess,¡± said the agent. ¡°We will not kill you, but, if necessary, we may be required to cause you a great deal of pain. It would be preferable to avoid this.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not coming back,¡± said Mu.

    She knew with certainty this was not a fight she could win. But her mind was made and it was fight she needed to fight, regardless.

    And that meant there was nothing else for it.

    No point waiting.

    She swung her blade, with all the speed and power she could muster.

    Everything after that was a blur. Mu braced for the moment she¡¯d feel steel rending flesh. But until that moment she would fight. And fight she did. Blade met blade, time and again, Mu meeting each strike and counterstrike even as she felt herself being pushed backwards. She had no sense now where anyone else was, even Mingxia. Every ounce of her being was focused on that relentless blade, all futures bound to the outcome of each strike, to the success or failure of her every thrust and parry.

    Tavian had witnessed the sickening moment Seraphina¡¯s small, frail form had struck the ground, and he had to watch as the male agent advanced slowly and steadily towards that spot, where she lay broken and bleeding.

    Was she alive?

    He didn¡¯t know.

    The weapon in his hands seemed wholly insufficient to stop that inhuman juggernaut that advanced toward the fallen witch.

    And then there was Mu and Mingxia. The other agent was headed straight for them. Seraphina, in her final moments in the air, had managed to slow the agent, but even now Tavian could see her rising to her feet.

    Uncharacteristically, he didn¡¯t know what to do.

    He felt paralysed, a sense of powerlessness flooding over him, overwhelming him.

    How had it come to this?

    Without Seraphina there was surely no way out, no way to cover their retreat. She was the only one who had some power to actually face these monsters, and even her strange powers had not been enough.

    Not nearly enough.

    Run.

    Just run. You can¡¯t help the others now.

    Dying helps no one.

    Then he heard it. It was a burst of fire from the across the courtyard. He looked up and saw Harry, crouched and firing in alternating bursts aimed at each of the agents, doing what he could to slow them down.

    Tavian shook his head.

    No more running.

    This is of your making.

    This time you fight for something. For someone.

    He raised the rifle and fired.

    Stars guide me. Lady Anu guide me.

    He fired again and again. It barely seemed to faze the agents. But he didn¡¯t relent. He strafed the agents as he manoeuvred further back along the front of the stairs leading up to the Yamen, putting more space between himself and the others. If nothing else spreading out allowed them to better use their numerical superiority.

    But though he and Harry had only delayed the agent for a moment, it may have been just enough. Even as Tavian was feeling the despair creep back, Seraphina began to stir. It was a slight movement at first, then her whole body rose back up into the air. A spiral of blood rose from the stones and swirled back into her. She moved as if in great pain.

    But she moved.

    Across the courtyard, Tavian heard the shout of victory from Harry.

    But it was only a temporary victory. The agent had been advancing slowly under Tavian and Harry¡¯s sustained fire but now lifted up his blade as brilliant light swirled about it. With a thrust he sent a bright streak of light towards Seraphina. She barely avoided it, becoming unsteady in the air, and looking like she might go crashing down towards the ground once more.

    It was at this moment that two bright objects appeared, racing through the air overhead. They spread out and then rapidly converged once more, flying quickly towards the agent. Another burst of light shot out from his sword and struck one of the objects, but the second collected with him and erupted in a ball of flames.

    Tavian glanced away from the bright flash instinctively, but when he looked back once more, he could see the agent was still standing amongst shards of smoking and twisted metal.

    ¡°Thanks, Nova,¡± murmured Tavian.

    But he didn¡¯t have long to wait for the next wave of reinforcements.

    There was a roar that Tavian remembered hearing once before. Immediately he knew what came next. This flash of light was much bigger, much brighter, the superheated air erupting outwards in a shockwave, sending with it splinters of rock, glowing with the heat of the impact.

    Kal rose up into the air from the crater he¡¯d created where moments before the agent had stood. Rocket launchers extended from his back and moments later came the impacts, one after another, pummelling the incandescent ruin of the courtyard with unceasing fury. It was a constant roar of noise, a cacophony of destruction.

    Even as it happened, Seraphina was holding her hands above her head and gathering a luminescent sphere. With a great effort she thrust her arms forward and sent the ball of energy smashing into the crater, even as Kal¡¯s rain of rocketry continued.

    Neither of them were content. From Kal¡¯s outstretched hands came brilliant beams that turned the very rock to pools of crimson liquid. Everything around the crater danced in the shimmering haze as smoke and flame rose.

    Kal¡¯s voice boomed out across the courtyard, ¡°Take that you bastard.¡±

    Even as he did so Seraphina shot across the courtyard to the spot where Mu was locked in combat with the other agent, once again gathering her power to her.

    Tavian advanced towards Kal, his rifle still levelled in the direction of the agent. As he advanced his eyes caught movement off to one side. Several household guards were entering into the courtyard.

    ¡°Behind you, Big Guy!¡± he shouted, and Kal spun around in the air, raising an armoured hand once again. The blast didn¡¯t hit the guards, but it left the rock pooling not far in front of them. The next blast achieved much the same.

    That did the trick. No sooner had they arrived than they were retreating once more.

    As this scene played out, Tavian caught sight of movement once more and turned back to the crater.

    Rising from the infernal ruin was the agent. His clothing had been burnt away, revealing the blackened metal of an almost entirely machine body. His sword was now nowhere to be seen, but he was now surrounded by a golden aura.

    Starflow energy lanced out and caught Kal¡¯s armoured form square in the chest. He was launched backwards by the power of the attack.

    But Kal wasn¡¯t one to be thrown off his game so easily. His recovery was quick, as was his counter-attack. The agent dodged and launched further attacks.

    The battle was on, and it was fierce. But it wasn¡¯t one that Tavian was going to have much impact on. Not without his most valuable possession, anyway.

    But it did present an opportunity to escape.

    In fact, it made escape essential ¨C soon enough the whole courtyard would be a wasteland of fire and ruin.

    He raced towards the other battle taking place.

    Exhausted though they both were, Mu and Seraphina were facing off against the female agent in a desperate struggle. Tavian caught sight of Mingxia running fast to meet up with Harry near one of the far exits from the courtyard.

    There had to be some way to disengage from the agents. Sooner or later the agent they were fighting was going to overpower Mu and Seraphina if the fight didn¡¯t end soon. But the agent was also much too fast. She would easily catch any of them, even if they had a big head start. And there was little prospect of that.

    The courtyard shook with the heavy impacts of Kal¡¯s battle as Tavian ran.

    We¡¯re all going to be dead if we stay here much longer.

    No plan was coming to him, but doing something seemed better than doing nothing, so he ran towards Mu and Seraphina and raised his weapon, firing at the agent. There might have been the briefest of pauses from the agent when she registered Tavian¡¯s attack, but the flow of her movements was barely interrupted and the rounds from his weapon appeared to be no more threat to her than would be a mosquito.

    What had been despair turned to frustration and anger. Why can¡¯t these bastards just go down like normal?

    At that moment there was an immense crash, and Tavian looked up to see Kal go flying through one of the courtyard¡¯s walls, falling into a pile of rubble. The agent was advancing towards the place he¡¯d fallen.

    But he couldn¡¯t be distracted. That was Kal¡¯s battle.

    He turned back to Mu. She parried an attack from the agent, then another and another. It was a furious dance, the agent simultaneously maintaining a constant flurry of strikes against Mu even as she let loose bursts of concentrated Starflow energy at Seraphina, whose own responses were growing slower and weaker.

    ¡°Don¡¯t get any closer!¡± yelled Mu, even as her eyes stayed locked on the enemy in front of her.

    Tavian knew she was right. There was little he could do.

    Or was there?

    Closing his eyes he tried to feel the Starflow, like he did when he was playing. He had no instrument, but the music was still there, the silent melodies of the Cosmos, unheard but in the hearts of the few. Lacking an instrument he began to hum, surely inaudible to all others over the din of battle. It was a little piece he knew well, taught to him long ago in a distant home.

    If it had ever had a name, he¡¯d never learnt it. But his mind wandered through the strata of life and experience, peeling back each till he was back in a darkened basement. He remembered being huddled and afraid. As the intruders moved about above. Then she had started humming. He was terrified the men above would hear, but she just smiled at him and kept humming.

    So, the music came to him now, and he hummed it as he remembered it being hummed all those years ago. The Starflow gathered and he let his desperate wish travel upstream, out into the Cosmos.

    He opened his eyes.

    The battle continued.

    Then it happened. A new roar joined the cacophony.

    The craft came to a halt above the courtyard, hanging in the air.

    A door opened and a single figure dropped to the shattered courtyard below, landing softly and gracefully, even as the craft darted away into the night.

    A solitary man slowly rose from his landing. The fabric of his dark clothes fluttered about him in the wind, the light of myriad fires illuminating him and the dragon mask that covered his face. As Tavian watched he unsheathed an ornate sword. His other hand, clad in a black glove rose to the blade, grabbing it just above the hilt, then running along it to the tip, leaving the sword wreathed in green flames in its wake.

    Even the agents had stopped in this moment, observing this newcomer.

    Then, the dragon-masked warrior made one swift stroke of his sword. There was a split-second pause, then the wall separating the courtyard from the central avenue crumbled away, despite being the best part of fifty metres from where the warrior stood. Nonchalantly, the warrior turned to face Mu. From where Tavian was standing, he could hear the words that followed clearly.

    ¡°Your battle is over. Make for the front gate. I will handle these two. Bright Eyes sends his regards.¡±

    Tavian could have laughed.

    The answers the Cosmos gave were so bizarre sometimes.

    Mu heard those words and her heart leapt. Surely not.

    Surely even he couldn¡¯t help her all the way out here on Shangxia. But the words of the Dragon Warrior were unmistakable. And they had an instant effect on the agent. She disengaged from Mu and Seraphina almost immediately, moving swiftly to put space between herself, them, and the newcomer. She was joined by her companion, who had ceased with his advance on Kal¡¯s position, the glow of the Starflow gradually fading around him.

    The Dragon Warrior strolled, slowly twirling his flaming blade, eyes gazing out at the agents from behind his draconic visage.

    ¡°Go now, Princess,¡± he called out, never taking his concentration off the two agents, who were likewise now utterly fixated on him.

    Even they have registered him as a threat, though Mu in awe. They wouldn¡¯t give up on seizing me for anything but the most dangerous foe.

    But she wasn¡¯t going to squander this opportunity by standing there wandering what this all meant. She looked at Seraphina, who had descended to the ground once more, and who was now bent in pain, breathing heavily.

    ¡°Can you keep going? We have to get out of here,¡± said Mu.

    Seraphina just nodded.

    Mu turned to Tavian. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±

    He nodded and she noticed he had a smile on his face. Does he know something I don¡¯t? she wondered.

    They ran across the pocked courtyard, weaving among the craters and rubble towards the great gap left by the Dragon Warrior¡¯s strike. As they reached it, Mu saw Kal rising from the rubble. From the other direction Harry and Mingxia came running. Seeing them all alive, Mu felt an incredible flood of relief.

    They didn¡¯t need to exchange any words. As one, everyone made for the gate. Mu stopped briefly and turned back, just as Tavian, who was bringing up the rear, was passing her. He stopped too.

    ¡°What is it?¡± he asked.

    ¡°Look,¡± she said.

    He turned. Together they watched as two torrents of green flame spiralled around the Dragon Warrior, and began rising into the air. As they did so, they began to take unmistakable shape: that of two dragons.

    Mu could have stayed there, continuing to watch, but Tavian tugged on her sleeve. ¡°Come on,¡± he said. With that she turned and joined him, running after the others toward the front gate of the complex.

    As they were sprinting down the avenue there was a rumbling overhead, and Mu saw that the craft that had delivered the Dragon Warrior had returned. It came to a halt in front of the main gate and slowing descended until it was hovering just above the ground. The side door opened.

    It revealed a face Mu knew as well as any in the Cosmos.

    ¡°Ruyin!¡± she exclaimed, hardly believing it, even as she spoke.

    It had been a while since she had heard that name out loud, even spoken by her own voice.

    But she¡¯d heard the woman¡¯s code name recently.

    Tender Hand.

    Ruyin smiled. ¡°Hello, Princess,¡± she said, reaching out to take Mu¡¯s hand and help her up onto the craft. ¡°Let¡¯s get you out of here.¡±

 Chapter XIII - Starbound Voyager

    Chapter XIII ¨C Starbound Voyager

    No sooner was Mu aboard than Ruyin wrapped her in a tight hug. Mu returned the gesture fervently. In that moment all the tension melted away. She didn¡¯t even notice the others coming aboard, nor the closing of the craft¡¯s door. She simply melted into that hug. And she felt a wave of overwhelming emotion, all the pent-up fear, and stress, and anxiety, all bubbling up and spilling over. The tears came liberally and she didn¡¯t try to hold them back.

    ¡°My lady¡­¡± sniffled Ruyin, ¡°You must stop. You¡¯re making me cry too.¡±

    Mu pulled back, still holding Ruyin in her arms, but looking the other woman in the face. ¡°I¡¯ve missed you so much,¡± she said. ¡°I¡­ I¡¯ve been so alone¡­ I¡­¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s alright, my lady,¡± said Ruyin.

    ¡°How¡­ how are you even here?¡± asked Mu, finally withdrawing her arms from around Ruyin.

    ¡°Bright Eyes thought it would be safest,¡± said Ruyin. ¡°After¡­ after you left, I was questioned so many times. They never hurt me, but the atmosphere at Court¡­¡±

    Mu felt the guilt return. ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­¡±

    ¡°No, my lady, you deserve your freedom. And now I¡¯m free too,¡± said Ruyin, smiling.

    Mu only now took a moment to take in her surroundings. They were on a middle-sized STOC with a stylishly-appointed interior. Tavian, Harry, Kal, Seraphina, and Mingxia were seated around the main cabin, all silent, all seemingly listening to her conversation with Ruyin, though when she herself glanced around the others all made an attempt to look elsewhere. All except Seraphina who continued to stare her way.

    ¡°How did this happen¡­ who was that back there?¡± said Mu.

    ¡°Black Dragon,¡± said Ruyin, then, seemingly sensing Mu¡¯s next question, added, ¡°I don¡¯t know his real name or anything else. I¡¯ve never even seen his face. But he works for Bright Eyes and he is incredible¡­ he was not at all bothered by the idea of going up against those Resonance Bureau agents.¡±

    ¡°Will he be okay?¡± asked Mu.

    ¡°This was Bright Eyes¡¯ plan. He was confident Black Dragon would be okay,¡± said Ruyin.

    How anyone could singlehandedly go up against those monsters, Mu did not know. All she knew is that she was grateful and relieved.

    ¡°Did¡­ did you follow the agents here?¡± asked Mu. ¡°I mean¡­ Bright Eyes knew they were coming¡­¡±

    ¡°More or less,¡± said Ruyin.

    ¡°How did you know where to find us tonight?¡± asked Mu.

    ¡°Bright Eyes told us you would be at the Yamen.¡±

    Was there anything he didn¡¯t know?

    ¡°He knows a friend of yours,¡± said Ruyin.

    ¡°A friend?¡±

    ¡°Um, Apollo?¡±

    Mu remembered Apollo had mentioned Bright Eyes when they¡¯d first met. She¡¯d been meaning to ask the Captain about that, but in the brief time she¡¯d been on board the Amrita, the opportunity had never arisen. Now she was determined to find out more.

    Kal apparently could no longer keep up the fa?ade of not listening in. He was still wearing his armour, but the helmet was lowered to show his face. ¡°Have you spoken to the Captain?¡± he asked.

    Ruyin turned his way. ¡°We met with him and Madame Ostara before coming to the surface.¡±

    ¡°Customs agents were going to board them...¡±

    Ruyin smiled. ¡°Oh, that¡¯s all sorted.¡±

    Nova shrugged. ¡°Yeah, I don¡¯t know what to say, they just backed off¡­ maybe the Captain or Ostara knows more.¡±

    Kal looked over at Ostara. They were all gathered once again in the common room aboard the Amrita ¨C this time joined by Mingxia and Ruyin.

    Ostara smiled, ¡°Orders from up high.¡±

    ¡°From where?¡± asked Mu.

    ¡°From what I overheard ¨C the Bureau of Celestial Foresight,¡± said Ostara.

    Tavian had heard of the Bureau of Celestial Foresight, but as far as he knew it mainly existed to advise the Emperor and the Grand Council.

    ¡°What¡¯ve they got to do with anything?¡± asked Tavian. ¡°The Princess might be able to correct me here, but they don¡¯t usually do¡­ law and order type stuff, right?¡±

    ¡°Not usually,¡± said Mu. As Tavian watched her, she looked over at Apollo, seemingly trying to make eye contact. Instead, Apollo just raised a paw and licked it, avoiding her gaze.

    The Captain had something to do with it for sure, thought Tavian. She knows it.

    ¡°Well,¡± said Ostara with a shrug and a smile, ¡°It worked out for us. The why of it all is immaterial, really.¡±

    ¡°So, what now?¡± asked Tavian. ¡°Customs have backed off, but do we know that those agents aren¡¯t going to keep pursuing us?¡±

    ¡°Black Dragon was handling them,¡± said Mu.

    ¡°Black Dragon? I mean, don¡¯t get me wrong, he looked tough¡­ but we saw what they could do, and there was two of them,¡± said Tavian.

    ¡°I doubt even Black Dragon will manage to kill them,¡± said Ruyin, ¡°But they won¡¯t be able to kill him either. And their encounter with him will give them pause to consider their next moves.¡±

    ¡°Besides, the Bureau of Celestial Foresight works closely with the Grand Council. If they were pulling back Customs, then there¡¯s every chance the agents will be withdrawn too,¡± said Ostara.

    ¡°I hope you¡¯re right,¡± said Mu, and Tavian could tell other thoughts were playing on her mind.

    ¡°Well,¡± said Harry, ¡°We may not know what this Bureau or that Ministry or whatever is doing, but I wouldn¡¯t mind an explanation about this whole situation,¡± he said, indicating Mu and Ruyin with two fingers.

    ¡°I am Princess Mukushen¡¯s lady-in-waiting,¡± said Ruyin.

    ¡°You were,¡± Mu corrected. ¡°You can be whoever you want to be now.¡±

    ¡°M¡¯lady is very kind,¡± said Ruyin.

    ¡°You¡¯ve helped me more than enough,¡± said Mu. ¡°I never would have escaped without your help. Both back on Aixingo and here. I am forever in your debt.¡±

    Ruyin shook her head. ¡°I was only doing my duty. And¡­ Mr Bright Eyes did all the important things. I just followed his instructions.¡±

    ¡°So, I¡¯ve heard that name a few times,¡± said Tavian. ¡°Who is this Bright Eyes?¡±

    Mu went to speak, but Ruyin spoke first. ¡°He is a friend of the Princess. It is best that as few people as possible know any more than that.¡±

    Mu nodded in agreement. ¡°Exactly.¡±

    ¡°Alright, keep your secrets,¡± said Tavian. ¡°He gonna send a rescue squad every time we¡¯re in a pickle?¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s this ¡®we¡¯ you¡¯re talking about?¡± asked Mu.

    ¡°Honestly, I don¡¯t know. It just slipped out,¡± said Tavian. ¡°What now then?¡±

    ¡°With some good fortune, we will depart shortly,¡± said Ostara.

    ¡°The sooner the better,¡± murmured Kal. ¡°We were just about done for down there.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t sell yourself short,¡± said Nova. ¡°You held your own against a Resonance Bureau Enforcement Agent. I think that pretty much proves that the armour¡¯s even better than we could have hoped.¡±

    ¡°He would have killed me eventually if that other guy hadn¡¯t turned up,¡± said Kal.

    ¡°Maybe, maybe not,¡± said Nova, brightly. ¡°I have faith in you, Big Guy.¡±

    ¡°Whatever may have happened, what did happen is that everyone got out safely,¡± said Ostara.

    ¡°Barely,¡± said Mu, ¡°Are you alright, Seraphina? You fought harder than any of us.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll live,¡± said Seraphina. Although he couldn¡¯t be sure ¨C  because she seemed to permanently wear the same expression ¨C  something gave Tavian the impression she was downcast.

    ¡°Something wrong?¡± he asked.

    She looked at him with her eerie red eyes. ¡°We all got out. Everything is fine.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s your hat, isn¡¯t it?¡± said Harry. ¡°You lost your hat?¡±

    Seraphina looked slowly at him, pausing before speaking. ¡°I¡¯ve always had that hat¡­¡±

    ¡°Never fear,¡± said Harry. ¡°I¡¯ll make you a new one!¡±

    He could have been imagining it, but for the briefest of moments Tavian could have sworn he saw a smile flicker across the witch¡¯s pale visage.

    Suddenly Nova made a loud exclamation. Tavian ¨C along with everyone else ¨C looked her way. She was holding her tablet aloft.

    ¡°Yes?¡± said Ostara.

    ¡°The good news just keeps coming,¡± said Nova. ¡°We¡¯re cleared to depart.¡±

    ¡°Ahhh!¡± exclaimed Tavian. ¡°I thought we¡¯d never get away from this place.¡±

    He could see Mu just holding a hand to her mouth and gazing at the ceiling, though Tavian could see the relief in her expression. It had been an intense, rough few days.

    ¡°This calls for bubbles!¡± announced Harry.

    ¡°Perhaps, Mr Zhang, we can wait until we¡¯ve safely engaged the Jump Drive,¡± said Apollo.

    ¡°I think that would be best,¡± agreed Ostara.

    ¡°Okay, okay,¡± said Harry, ¡°But once we¡¯re underway you¡¯re all coming to my bar. No excuses.¡±

    Something occurred to Tavian in that instant that he hadn¡¯t thought about, amongst all the chaos. ¡°Out of curiosity, Captain, did you have a destination in mind after Shangxia?¡±

    ¡°Yarkan,¡± replied Apollo.

    ¡°Never heard of it,¡± said Tavian. ¡°But that¡¯s fine. I¡¯m all for discovering new places.¡±

    ¡°Then you¡¯re going to like it here,¡± said Nova.

    ¡°Maybe,¡± said Tavian quietly.

    Ruyin cleared her throat. ¡°Then I best be leaving.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re leaving?¡± asked Mu, in a shocked tone.

    ¡°I need to meet back up with Black Dragon. Bright Eyes has further plans,¡± said Ruyin.

    Mu looked deflated. ¡°I¡­ I understand,¡± she said.

    ¡°But don¡¯t fear, m¡¯lady, we¡¯ll meet again. Now that I¡¯m away from the Court, it will be much easier to stay in contact.¡±

    ¡°I guess,¡± said Mu.

    ¡°And Bright Eyes also told me to deliver a message,¡± said Ruyin.

    ¡°Oh?¡± said Mu.

    ¡°He said to come to Lan He for the Heart Orchid Festival in six months-time,¡± said Ruyin.

    ¡°Lan He¡­ okay¡­¡± said Mu, she looked around at the others.

    Ostara beamed. ¡°Oh, I would love to attend the Festival,¡± she said. ¡°It so happens I know the Director. If the Captain doesn¡¯t see any issues, I think we can provisionally commit to going.¡±

    ¡°We can be on Lan He for the Festival,¡± said Apollo.

    ¡°Wonderful, I¡¯m so glad. I hear there are so many beautiful and exotic flowers on Lan He,¡± said Ruyin. She looked down, and spoke more softly, ¡°Well, I better be going then, and leave you to get everything ready for your departure.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t want you to go,¡± said Mu.

    ¡°I know, m¡¯lady. I don¡¯t wish to go either. But I must.¡±

    Mu nodded and hugged Ruyin for a long time. Tavian looked away, toward the others.

    ¡°Alright, Nova, Kal, can you please start performing all the pre-departure checks?¡± said Ostara.

    ¡°You got it, boss,¡± said Nova, flinging off a rough approximation of a salute.

    Mu was sprawled out on her bed, gazing out the window at Shangxia below. Her mind was strangely blank, her eyes tracing the swirls of white cloud and the great sweeps of coastline below. Her head lay on a towel she¡¯d placed to stop the pillow getting wet from her hair after she¡¯d showered.

    Next to her bed a stick of incense burned. Seraphina had given it to her, saying it smelled of happy memories. If nothing else its scent gave Mu a sense of calm, the kind of calm that a child might describe as being bored, but which was a rare treasure in adult life. Somewhere down below a flash of light caught her eyes, and she saw a patch of dark clouds above the equator lit up by lightning. Soft music played over the speakers above, a guqin track she remembered from her childhood, Of What the Butterfly Dreams.

    Her reverie was disturbed a moment later when a voice came over the sound system, interrupting the music. ¡°Hello everyone¡­ this is Apollo. We will be departing Shangxia momentarily and engaging the jump drive. Our next stop is Yarkan. Journey time is approximately eighty hours, the distance is three hundred and forty light-years.¡±

    There was a moment of silence.

    ¡°Oh, and Mr Zhang has requested that I inform you all that he expects your attendance in the bar shortly. He¡­ has requested I tell you all that he will accept no excuses and¡­ ¡®that includes you, Seraphina.¡¯¡±

    Another pause.

    ¡°That is all. As you were.¡±

    Mu breathed in and sat up straight on the bed, crossing her legs, her gazed remaining on the window. She picked up the towel and gave her hair another once over, then cast it aside. She¡¯d have to get ready to go and meet the others shortly, but for now she remained where she was.

    If she hadn¡¯t been looking out the window at that moment, she wouldn¡¯t have even known they were moving, but the view of the planet and the stars began to change. A moment later they had risen above the plane of the Orbital Ring, and she could see the light from its many windows dwindling away below. Once the planet and the Ring were out of sight, however, it once again became less clear that they were actually moving, the background stars gleaming across the lightyears, seemingly fixed in place.

    The music was interrupted once again, and this time it was Nova¡¯s voice. ¡°Captain, we are clear to proceed to jump.¡±

    In the next moment the universe outside became very strange. Looking back everything took on a crimson hue, then faded to black, while the stars became brighter and denser when she looked forward, radiating brilliant azure light. The windows themselves responded, by increasingly polarising in the direction of travel. Mu felt a momentary lurch of acceleration, then once again everything felt still.

    This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it.

    The jump had begun. Shangxia and everything it contained was now receding at a rate of more than eleven billion kilometres a second. The Governor¡¯s Yamen. The Silver Moon Lounge. International Road. Onyx Tortoise Avenue. The Resonance Bureau agents. Ruyin¡­

    ¡°Nope! Nope! Nope!¡± shouted Harry, grabbing the can out of Nova¡¯s hands.

    ¡°Hey!¡± protested Nova, making an effort to snatch it back, but failing.

    ¡°You¡¯re gonna drink properly tonight,¡± said Harry, as he passed the can to Mu.

    ¡°What am I supposed to do with this?¡± she asked.

    ¡°Get rid of it,¡± he said, picking up one of many bottles he had lined up and grabbing it by the base. Elegantly he poured it into a flute and passed it to Nova.

    Nova sniffed at it and wrinkled her nose. ¡°Do I really have to?¡±

    ¡°One glass. Then you can go back to that crap if you really must,¡± said Harry. ¡°You wanna be treated like a grown up? You¡¯re going to drink like one.¡±

    ¡°Fine. One glass,¡± grumbled Nova.

    Harry had taken up a spot behind the bar while Mu, Tavian, Mingxia and Nova sat on bar stools opposite. Ostara, Kal, and Seraphina sat in the lounge chairs nearby. Apollo was perched on the arm of Ostara¡¯s chair.

    ¡°I picked this up on New Elysia and have been saving it up for a special occasion. I feel welcoming Mu, Tavian and Mingxia aboard qualifies,¡± said Harry as he filled more flutes. ¡°It¡¯s made by the monks of the Order of Astraios in the Grand Abbey of Coeur-Lumineux. It is the very finest vintage¡­ that I could afford.¡±

    Tavian took it upon himself to pass glasses to the others. Finally, Harry filled a tiny dish and when Tavian gave him a strange look he nodded in Apollo¡¯s direction. ¡°Can¡¯t leave the Captain out.¡±

    Ostara took the dish and placed it on the small side table between her chair and Kal¡¯s.

    Harry finally put down the second bottle, having poured everyone including himself a glass. He lifted up his flute. ¡°A toast to new friends and new horizons.¡±

    ¡°Here, here!¡± shouted Tavian. He clinked his glass with Mu. ¡°Cheers!¡±

    She flashed him a genuine smile, which he¡¯d seen so rarely that it caught him off guard. ¡°Cheers!¡± she said.

    Leaning past Mu, he clinked his glass with Nova. Rising from his stool he went to Mingxia. ¡°I¡¯m sorry I left you,¡± he said, as Nova, Mu and Harry tapped their glasses together behind him.

    Mingxia¡¯s face had the hint of a smile. ¡°You came back. And you got me out of there¡­ well, mainly Seraphina did¡­ and Kal¡­ and Mu¡­ but you were there too, and I think you might have even tried.¡±

    Tavian laughed. ¡°I¡¯m not a greedy man, I¡¯ll take that.¡±

    They clinked their glasses together and each took a sip of champagne. Mingxia lowered her glass and narrowed her eyes. ¡°Don¡¯t think that because I¡¯ve kind of forgiven you that this will end like last time we drunk together.¡±

    ¡°Wouldn¡¯t dream of it, m¡¯lady,¡± said Tavian with a grin. ¡°I consider myself lucky that it happened once.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t,¡± said Mingxia, with an approximation of a scowl.

    Tavian simply laughed. ¡°I better go share a toast with the others.¡±

    He walked over to Ostara. ¡°Thank you for everything,¡± he said. ¡°Both of you.¡± Apollo was standing on the side table, lapping up the contents of the small dish. Both he and Ostara looked up at Tavian.

    ¡°Don¡¯t trouble yourself over it, Mr Locke,¡± said Ostara, her violet eyes filled with mirth and warmth.

    Apollo looked up at Tavian, slowly closing and opening his eyes. ¡°Do you plan to leave us, Mr Locke?¡±

    Tavian was surprised by the question. ¡°Well¡­ I mean¡­ I¡¯m not sure what I have to offer the crew. Of course, like I said¡­ I¡¯m grateful and all, but¡­¡±

    ¡°I think you should stay,¡± said Apollo. ¡°Everyone needs somewhere to come back to, but you¡¯ve always thought that meant being trapped, haven¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°Well, the home I left wasn¡¯t so¡­ homey,¡± said Tavian.

    ¡°If the Amrita was that home, I assure you, you never need to feel trapped,¡± said Apollo.

    ¡°I¡­¡± said Tavian. ¡°I guess I don¡¯t know what I have to offer you¡­ and I don¡¯t really understand what the Amrita¡­ does¡­ exactly¡­¡±

    Ostara laughed at this. ¡°We do whatever comes next. We follow the path the Captain lays out.¡±

    ¡°I think you will find like-minded people here,¡± said Apollo. ¡°And I¡¯ll warrant if you¡¯re free and you can be confident that tomorrow will be a little better than today¡­ that you can be happy here. Afterall, that¡¯s what you¡¯ve always sought, is it not?¡±

    Tavian sighed. He took a sip from his glass. ¡°Alright. I¡¯ll hang around for a while.¡±

    ¡°We could ask no more,¡± said Ostara and she raised her glass. ¡°Lovely to have you aboard.¡±

    ¡°Thanks for having me.¡±

    Tavian clinked glasses and drank once more, draining his glass. Walking back to the bar he waved the empty glass toward Harry. ¡°Bartender?¡±

    Harry grinned. ¡°Good man,¡± he said, pouring out another glass.

    Tavian turned around and spoke up. ¡°We need music!¡± he declared.

    Harry, Nova, and Ostara gave a cheer at this, raising their glasses. Tavian strode over to his case and withdrew his mandolin. ¡°This is a song I learnt when I first left home. It¡¯s called Cold Road to a Warm Hearth.¡±

    With that he began playing. The others who had been sitting at the bar came over to the lounge. Mu took a chair and Mingxia sat on the armrest. Nova took up a spot on the floor, sitting cross-legged. Tavian launched into song and soon Nova led the others in clapping along (even managing to coax Kal and Seraphina into joining in).

    Harry emerged from behind the bar and walked to Ostara¡¯s chair, extending his hand. ¡°Would you do me the honour?¡± he asked. Ostara took the offered hand and soon enough the two were dancing with surprising skill as Tavian played. Ostara moved with the grace she always exhibited, but Harry was leading and had more than a touch of flare to his moves.

    Inspired, Nova leapt to her feet and extended a hand to Kal. ¡°Care for a dance, Big Guy?¡± she said, grinning widely.

    ¡°I don¡¯t dance,¡± responded Kal.

    ¡°You do tonight,¡± said Nova.

    ¡°Come on, Kal,¡± said Ostara without breaking from her own dance with Harry.

    Nova put her hand to her chest. ¡°Don¡¯t worry if you¡¯re no good, I¡¯m not either. But what I lack in skill I make up for in enthusiasm,¡± she said this last part while giving an appropriately enthusiastic thumbs up.

    With Ostara joining in the pressure, Kal caved and soon enough he and Nova were on the dancefloor. Nova was as good as her word, and even as he played and sung, Tavian had to contain his laughter, watching her stumble awkwardly about with Kal. If Kal was any good it was hard to tell, given what he had to work with in a dance partner.

    Soon enough Mingxia had dragged Mu out as well. The two made for quite a contrast ¨C Mingxia having borrowed an ill-fitting tracksuit from Nova, while Mu was wearing her customarily elegant court attire. Tavian noticed that even Seraphina and Apollo bobbed their heads to the music as they watched.

    Thank you, Lady Anu, said Tavian silently even as he played and sung. He was a long way from C¨¢erthand now, from that sad and dark home, and for all the trials and tribulations of the past days he suddenly felt as content as he could remember feeling in a long time.

    He finished up his song and sat back in his chair, smiling broadly. ¡°Another?¡±

    ¡°Another!¡± yelled Nova, pumping the air with a fist.

    ¡°Well, then,¡± said Ostara, ¡°If this party is to continue, perhaps we need further libations. Mr Zhang? How about fetching the bottle.¡±

    Harry¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡°Oh yes,¡± he said with glee. He headed back behind the bar and returned with a bottle of whiskey and some tumblers on a tray.

    ¡°Who¡¯s up for a drink?¡± he asked.

    ¡°Finally, the real stuff comes out,¡± said Kal.

    ¡°One for the Big Guy,¡± said Harry, ¡°One for Madame Ostara. Tavian, I take it you¡¯re in? Nova?¡±

    ¡°Ew, gross!¡± proclaimed Nova, and with that, headed behind the bar herself to fetch one of her cans of energy drink. ¡°You¡¯re not pouring this one out,¡± she said, glaring suspiciously at Harry as she cracked the can.

    ¡°You¡¯re a lost cause,¡± muttered Harry. ¡°Seraphina?¡±

    ¡°No, thank you,¡± said the witch, ¡°Alcohol makes me feel¡­ strange.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, it¡¯ll do that,¡± said Harry. ¡°Mingxia? Mu?¡±

    ¡°Count us in,¡± said Mingxia, before Mu could respond.

    Tavian took a glass once Harry had poured and lifted it up. ¡°Sl¨¢inte!¡± she yelled. Harry joined him.

    ¡°Slaaa¡­¡± Mu stumbled over the word, then just offered a regular ¡®cheers¡¯.

    With that Tavian returned to his seat, lifted up the mandolin and launched into another song.

    At some point Tavian finished up his playing and joined in the conversation as the others gathered around once more in the lounge. Nova asked if she could put on some music, and Harry agreed on the condition she not attempt to sing along. This did not preclude her returning to the dance floor solo, as Tavian and Harry watched on.

    ¡°I¡¯ve always wondered what a pigeon having a seizure would look like,¡± muttered Harry, his eyes fixed on Nova.

    ¡°And now you know,¡± said Tavian, his gaze also fixed.

    ¡°And now I know.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s mesmerising.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve never seen such a complete lack of shame or embarrassment.¡±

    ¡°¡¯Tis a thing of awe,¡± said Tavian, sipping his whiskey.

    Thus the night continued. The whiskey flowed, the music played, and the Amrita carried on across the starry sea.

    Ostara raised the pruners and made a careful cut, before taking a moment to take in her progress at opening up the centre of the bush. The new buds were coming along nicely.

    ¡°Ostara,¡± came a voice behind her, and she turned to see Apollo padding along the path to where she knelt.

    ¡°Captain,¡± she said, putting down the pruners and rising to her feet, removing her gloves one after the other. ¡°Our new crewmembers seem to be fitting in nicely.¡±

    ¡°Indeed,¡± said Apollo, coming to a stop and sitting down. ¡°It¡¯s gone as well as I hoped.¡±

    ¡°All according to plan?¡± asked Ostara.

    Bright yellow eyes gazed at her out of the dark feline visage. ¡°As best I recall.¡±

    ¡°Has it diminished that much?¡± asked Ostara, concern creeping into her voice. She lowered herself to the ground once more, arranging her dress as she sat, her legs out to one side.

    ¡°The deterioration is accelerating.¡±

    ¡°Then¡­?¡±

    ¡°I believe all is still on course. Princess Mukushen is critical to that and she is with us now.¡±

    ¡°Then will you tell her everything?¡±

    Apollo shook his small head. ¡°Not yet. I can¡¯t be certain, but I don¡¯t think the time has come. She must know the right things at the right time, or everything could collapse.¡±

    ¡°But that time is coming, yes?¡±

    ¡°It is, but she needs to be prepared, beforehand. And I need to make sure that I get the timing right. That¡¯s the part I can¡¯t be certain of,¡± said Apollo.

    ¡°How long do you think we have?¡±

    ¡°A year maybe,¡± said Apollo, his tone uncertain. ¡°Perhaps a year and a half. I only had the briefest of windows when I could truly see them. And that was so very long ago. From the moment Lotan devoured Pythia, their forms have been decaying in prophecy. Now even Lotan itself is just an odious cloud of dread lurking somewhere out there among the stars. Xerxes is a little clearer, but I still couldn¡¯t say how long the Eleftherian League can hold out against him.¡±

    ¡°And the others?¡±

    Ostara knew Apollo well enough that she could read the emotion even in his impassive face. He was worried. ¡°Seraphel is near. She has crossed into the civilised parts of the Galaxy, perhaps into the Empire or the League¡­ I don¡¯t know. The others¡­ I can¡¯t even recall now how many others there were. Memory¡­ prophecy¡­ it¡¯s all fading away. There was a moment when I perceived the entire history of the Cosmos¡­ but now¡­ now I feel blind.¡±

    Ostara reached forward and gently stroked Apollo¡¯s head, feeling his soft fur and velvety ears. ¡°Now we have Mu.¡±

    ¡°Now we have Mu,¡± agreed Apollo. ¡°But it is a great burden to put on one who came seeking freedom.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s the way it has to be,¡± said Ostara.

    ¡°Yes, my friend, I fear you are right. As always,¡± said Apollo.

    Ostara did her best to smile reassuringly at the Captain, her hand lingering. ¡°What about this Bright Eyes¡­ you¡¯ve never mentioned him before. Is he¡­ preparing for them as well?¡±

    ¡°He will be an ally for a time. He does not want what we want, but we share some overlapping interests. He, like myself, recognises what Princess Mukushen is capable of. But there will come a time when she will have to choose ¨C between her loyalty to him, and to us.¡±

    Ostara smiled again. ¡°Then we¡¯ll do everything to make sure she makes the right choice when the time comes.¡±

    ¡°Thank you, Ostara, you always make me feel calmer in these moments of doubt.¡±

    ¡°Knowing what I know, it is only with your guidance that I can feel any calm myself,¡± replied Ostara. ¡°Oh, I forgot to ask: what¡¯s on Yarkan?¡±

    ¡°Knowledge,¡± said Apollo. ¡°More literally, someone there will ask us for help. I believe that will lead us to an important discovery.¡±

    ¡°About the Praetors?¡±

    ¡°I believe so,¡± said Apollo. ¡°And if prophecy is shrouded, all that is left is to go out and collect intelligence the classic way. I¡¯m not content to sit idly by while the Oblivion Star and its Theophant make their moves. If the Praetors are already here ¨C more than just Xerxes ¨C we need to know.¡±

    ¡°Knowledge, as they say, is power,¡± agreed Ostara. She paused a moment, her eyes dwelling momentarily on the flowers blooming behind where Apollo sat. ¡°There was one other thing I was wondering. About Tavian¡ª¡±

    ¡°Mr Locke? He is something of a wildcard, but I believe he has an important role to play as well,¡± said Apollo.

    ¡°A wildcard?¡±

    ¡°Like I said, my memory of that moment of revelation, before the Heliophage came is dim now¡­ but even then Mr Locke stood out, near the end of the long road¡­ and even then, his precise role was unclear, but its significance was not. I have theories, though.¡±

    ¡°Oh?¡± said Ostara, raising an eyebrow.

    ¡°Tell me, have you ever heard of a planet called C¨¢erthand?¡± asked Apollo.

    Ostara searched her memory. She shook her head. ¡°I can¡¯t say that I have.¡±

    ¡°They worship a deity there, but not one associated with any Awakened Star,¡± said Apollo.

    ¡°Plenty of ancient civilisations with no knowledge of the Starflow worshipped all sorts of things,¡± said Ostara.

    Apollo shook his head. ¡°No,¡± he said. ¡°This isn¡¯t like that. This deity ¨C they call her Lady Anu¡­ like I said, she is not the personification of any Awakened Star¡­ but she still has Resonants.¡±

    Ostara¡¯s mind spun, trying to make sense of this. ¡°How is that possible?¡±

    ¡°As I said, I have some theories, but fundamentally, I believe Mr Locke to be a Resonant of this Lady Anu. You¡¯ve heard his music, haven¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°I have¡­¡± said Ostara, remembering Tavian¡¯s playing at last night¡¯s gathering.

    ¡°The Resonants of Lady Anu channel the Starflow through music and poetry,¡± said Apollo.

    Ostara had felt it. When Tavian was playing. He was a Resonant, sure enough. But what were his powers?

    She looked again at Apollo. ¡°What does all this mean for the plan? What¡¯s your theory?¡±

    Apollo twitched his whiskers before replying.

    Liu Jing glanced around furtively as she slid into the leather booth. The sole other occupant of the corner booth let out a long stream of smoke. With one hand he nonchalantly slid a glass across the table, placing it before Liu.

    ¡°Were you followed?¡± asked the man.

    ¡°No,¡± she said.

    Her interlocutor sighed deeply. ¡°You best be right. I can help you ¨C for the right price, of course ¨C but I don¡¯t want your problems becoming my own.¡±

    ¡°I swear, I wasn¡¯t followed,¡± said Liu.

    ¡°Not thirsty?¡± asked the man, pointing at the drink in front of her. ¡°Better for any watchful eyes if we¡¯re just two friends meeting for a drink.¡±

    Liu distractedly picked up the drink and took a sip.

    Stars! It¡¯s awful. What even is it?

    The man leant forward, his elbows on the table. ¡°You¡¯re lucky you contacted me when you did. Big Bai has already found some of your associates.¡±

    ¡°Who?¡±

    ¡°Word on the street is you¡¯re the last one still at large,¡± said the man, letting out another thick cloud of smoke. ¡°But then, you are the smartest of them, aren¡¯t you? You had the good sense to seek me out.¡±

    ¡°They got the others so quickly?¡± asked Liu, an involuntary shudder running through her.

    ¡°Big Bai don¡¯t mess around,¡± said the man, grinning. ¡°But you should feel honoured.¡±

    ¡°Why¡¯s that?¡± asked Liu, growing frustrated with a conversation that had yet to deal with how exactly she was going to get off Shangxia.

    ¡°Word is, the big man hired the best in the business to track you lot down,¡± said the man. ¡°You ever hear of Zhen Yan?¡±

    ¡°No,¡± said Liu, distractedly. On an instinct she looked over her shoulder. Just the usual assortment of denizens of the night.

    ¡°Well, that¡¯s who they say is after you,¡± said the man, ¡°And they say she¡¯s the best in the business.¡±

    ¡°If that¡¯s the case, maybe we should hurry this along,¡± said Liu. ¡°I think you can appreciate my sense of urgency here.¡±

    The man laughed and leant back again in the booth. ¡°I just wanted to outline the situation, so you can fully appreciate what I¡¯m going to do for you.¡±

    ¡°Believe me, I appreciate it. I never wanted this though. I don¡¯t know why I let them talk me into it. And why is Boss Bai himself going to such effort to get me? I was just the accountant.¡±

    The man grinned. ¡°You stole from him ¨C it doesn¡¯t matter if it¡¯s a single tael or a billion, there can¡¯t be a precedent for anyone getting away with it. When it comes to the White Gang¡­ well, you wrong them¡­ it doesn¡¯t much matter how. It¡¯s all the same. You have to die.¡±

    ¡°Why haven¡¯t they taken you out, then?¡± asked Liu.

    ¡°What I do is just business. Sometimes the White Gang are my customers, sometimes the Governor is, sometimes it¡¯s you. There¡¯s nothing personal, no animosity,¡± said the man.

    ¡°Whatever. Name your price,¡± said Liu, ¡°On the off chance you can actually get me off-world alive it¡¯ll be worth it.¡±

    ¡°Not even going to try to haggle?¡± said the man. ¡°Frankly, I¡¯m a little disappointed.¡±

    ¡°Can we dispense with the theatre?¡± asked Liu, waving away the thick cloud of smoke that had wafted toward her face.

    ¡°Four hundred thousand tael and I get you far away from here, where not even Zhen Yan will find you,¡± said the man.

    ¡°Only four hundred?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m a fair man.¡±

    ¡°Fine, done. Now can we get on with it; I want to be off-world tonight,¡± said Liu.

    ¡°So impatient¡­ but it¡¯s fine, I can make it happen. Interstellar travel has restarted, after all,¡± said the man.

    ¡°Great, so what now?¡±

    The man suddenly straightened up and peered forward, through the thick cloud of his own smoke and the shadows of the club. ¡°Don¡¯t turn around, but perhaps we should relocate.¡±

    Liu felt a sudden stab of panic enter her, but fought it down. The man indicated for her to follow and wordlessly she did, resisting the powerful urge to turn around. He led her to a door, and they stepped through into a corridor, Liu blinking in the suddenly bright light.

    ¡°No one¡¯s going to stop us coming back here?¡± she asked.

    ¡°I¡¯m known to management,¡± said the man, ¡°I come and go as I please. Follow me, I don¡¯t think they saw us, but we¡¯d best be moving.¡±

    He moved at quite a pace and Liu¡¯s short legs struggled to keep up with his long strides. Eventually he showed her into a small office.

    ¡°Shut the door,¡± he said. She turned around to do just that. There was no button, just an old-fashioned manual handle. She closed it and then turned back to face him.

    Only he was gone. In his place stood a tall woman dressed in a hooded and sleeveless black tunic, belted at the waist, and long pants, tucked into high boots. But the strange clothes were not nearly the strangest thing about this woman, for behind her fanned out nine fox-like tails. Liu stared at her, her mind frozen as it repeatedly failed to process what she was seeing.

    Slowly, and with a sinister smile, the woman lowered her hood, revealing two vulpine ears. ¡°You¡¯re the last one,¡± she said. ¡°Take a seat.¡±

    As she meekly obeyed, Liu finally managed to get a sound out. ¡°Y-you¡­ who¡­?¡±

    ¡°Not who you expected?¡± said the woman with a laugh, advancing closer to Liu. She reached out with one hand to touch the side of Liu¡¯s face, stroking it slowly. ¡°You poor fool. You really had no idea what you got yourself into, did you?¡±

    ¡°I-I don¡¯t understand,¡± said Liu, her heart pounding like crazy, feeling as if it were readying to burst from her chest. ¡°Who are you?¡±

    ¡°Aww, sweetie, you should¡¯ve worked that out by now.¡±

    The fox-woman¡¯s eyes were bright, but there was a malevolence to her smile.

    ¡°Zhe-zhen Yan,¡± murmured Liu.

    ¡°Ding! Ding! Ding! You got it. Well-done you,¡± said the fox-woman.

    ¡°What h-happened t-to Mr¡­ P-p-pan?¡± asked Liu.

    ¡°You weren¡¯t the only one to reach out to Mr Pan. I lied,¡± said Zhen Yan. ¡°The others did too. Once I¡¯d taken him out it was a simple matter really. One by one you came to me like lambs to the slaughter. You were all so scared and so self-interested that once you realised your little scheme had come to Big Bai¡¯s attention, you stopped talking to one another. Not the slightest attempt at coordinating an escape. Not that you ever had a chance of getting away, but you could have made it a little more fun for me.¡±

    Liu was shaking, even as Zhen Yan leant in closer, putting her mouth to Liu¡¯s ear. She spoke in a silken whisper, even as her fingers continued to gently stroke the side of Liu¡¯s face. ¡°But maybe I can still have a little fun?¡±

    ¡°P-please,¡± stuttered Liu, staring straight ahead, even as she felt the fox-woman¡¯s warm breath against the side of her face. Her eyes began to water with tears. ¡°I¡¯ll give all the money back. More! I¡¯ll tell you whatever y-you want to kn-know.¡±

    With a swish of her tails, Zhen Yan rose to her feet and walked around behind Liu, one hand resting on the other woman¡¯s shoulder the whole time. Liu felt a second hand on her other shoulder and a moment later Zhen Yan¡¯s face was almost brushing up against hers, cheek-to-cheek. ¡°It is much too late for that.¡±

    Liu whimpered, even as she felt Zhen Yan¡¯s strong fingers digging into her shoulders, almost massaging them. ¡°Please¡­¡±

    Zhen Yan pulled away again and walked back in front of Liu, her tails brushing against Liu¡¯s face as she went. She pulled up a chair and sat, crossing one leg over the other. The smile never left her face. ¡°I should feel sorry for you, I guess,¡± she said. ¡°But really¡­ it gets old. I suppose I¡¯ve desensitised myself. Become a cold person. It¡¯s unfortunate really. But as I look at you there, whimpering and trembling, just about ready to wet yourself¡­ all I feel is contempt. I¡­ I don¡¯t think I can have any fun with you after all. I need to see some fire, some anger¡­ but you¡­ you¡¯re just pathetic.¡±

    Zhen Yan laughed bitterly, drawing a long knife from a sheath on her belt and holding it up to her face to inspect it. Liu let out a sob. She tried to hold it in, but it escaped nonetheless. She could feel her teeth chattering. ¡°Please¡­¡±

    ¡°I hope my next job¡¯s more interesting,¡± said Zhen Yan. ¡°I think it should be. Did you hear about all that ruckus at the West Gate Yamen? Apparently, the same people responsible also killed some of Big Bai¡¯s men. He is not happy. And like I explained before, once you cross Big Bai, that¡¯s it. There¡¯s no coming back.¡±

    Zhen Yan laughed. ¡°These ones though, they¡¯re cleverer than you. They got off world.¡±

    Liu gave out a shuddering breath, not daring to speak, simply staring as Zhen Yan absent-mindedly twirled the knife, seemingly oblivious as she continued her monologue. ¡°Which is exciting really. Means I have an interstellar chase on my hands. It¡¯ll really put my detective skills to the test, won¡¯t it?¡±

    Liu said nothing. Zhen Yan rose to her feet again, once more coming closer. She leant forward until it felt like she was about to kiss Liu. ¡°But I¡¯m rambling. I shouldn¡¯t keep you any longer.¡±

    Liu¡¯s whole vision was filled with Zhen Yan¡¯s cruel smile when she felt the blade slide between her ribs. It was a strange, detached sensation, like she was simply an observer in her own body ¨C aware of the pain, but not really experiencing it firsthand. Zhen Yan lifted up the knife so that it was in the narrow space between their faces. It shone with blood that Liu only slowly realised was her own. So much of it. Zhen Yan¡¯s tongue darted out and licked along the blade.

    Then she withdrew, spluttering. ¡°Yick!¡± she said, shaking her head. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I thought that would look cool, but I feel like it was just disgusting. Oh well, I¡¯ll take that one out of the repertoire. You don¡¯t have any diseases, do you? Can¡¯t talk? Guess I¡¯ll get myself checked out. Anyway, better get this over with.¡±

    Liu felt the knife again. This time, it was lower, sliding into her abdomen. Her vision went dark. The last thing she saw was Zhen Yan¡¯s face.

    ¡°Goodbye, Liu Jing,¡± said Zhen Yan.

    Then Liu died.

 Glossary & Dramatis Personae

    <u>GLOSSARY</u>

    Aixin ¨C The ruling people of the *Aixingo Empire, they are divided into *Eight Banners. They are a small ethnic minority in the Empire.

    Aixingo Empire ¨C The largest empire in the Known *Cosmos encompassing more than forty million worlds.

    Aixingo (world) ¨C The capital world of the *Aixingo Empire, it houses the *Imperial Court

    Amrita ¨C A mysterious vessel of ancient design and unknown origin.

    Angrahar ¨C One part of the binary *Awakened Stars worshipped by the *Gathasian Empire.

    Anu ¨C See *Lady Anu.

    Awakened Stars ¨C Conscious stars that exude godlike power through the *Starflow.

    Banners ¨C One of the eight fundamental divisions of the *Aixingo Empire.

    Banner Lord ¨C The leader of one of the *Eight Banners.

    Bards of C¨¢erthand ¨C Travelling musicians, poets, and story-tellers from the planet *C¨¢erthand who worship *Lady Anu.

    Bureau of Celestial Foresight ¨C An independent organ of the government of the *Aixingo Empire, directly advising the *Grand Council, it is led by the *Grand Astronomer and made up of *Starseers. It plays a key role in coordinating Imperial policy in line with prophecy.

    Bureau of Customs ¨C An organ of the *Ministry of Civil Administration of the *Aixingo Empire, it is tasked with monitoring and controlling all movements between worlds within the Empire.

    Bureau of Resonance ¨C An organ of the *Ministry of Civil Administration of the *Aixingo Empire, it is tasked with regulating *Resonants within the Empire, including hunting down those who are unregistered.

    C¨¢erthand ¨C A minor, independent planet.

    Celestial Pagoda ¨C The building which houses the Great Totem of *Nara Enduri on *Aixingo, it is the most sacred site of the *Aixin.

    Cosmos ¨C All that is.

    Covens ¨C The tight-knit and clandestine groups formed by the *witches of *Hecate, most specialise in particular forms of *Starflow magic.

    Divine Lantern ¨C The lantern carried by Princess Chang Xi which preserved the ancient flame used to kindle the *Nine Suns, according to *Shang mythology.

    Eight Banners ¨C The fundamental divisions of the *Aixin people, they also now serve as the highest administrative divisions of the *Aixingo Empire. There are Three Upper, and Five Lower Banners.

    Eleftherian League ¨C A powerful confederation of millions of worlds ruled by the *Heptarchy.

    Emperor ¨C A ruler of either the *Aixingo Empire or the *Gathasian Empire.

    Empire of the Nine Suns ¨C An ancient *Shang empire, it worshipped a group of *Awakened Stars, the *Nine Suns.

    Far-Scrying ¨C A unique form of *Starflow magic practiced by certain *witches of *Hecate that allows seeing forward and backward in time and observing occulted events.

    Filaments ¨C Strands of the *Starflow that connect *Awakened Stars.

    First Emperor ¨C In modern times usually refers to the First Emperor of *Aixingo, once known as Yurhudan Khan.

    Gathasian Empire ¨C A vast interstellar empire, worshipping the binary *Awakened Stars *Shahrivar and *Angrahar.

    Gong Sheng Xing ¨C One of the *Nine Suns.

    Grand Astronomer ¨C The head of the *Bureau of Celestial Foresight and a extremely powerful *Starseer.

    Grand Council ¨C The body comprised of Imperial Ministers and some other high officials ¨C military and civilian ¨C that advises the Emperor of *Aixingo.

    Heart Orchids ¨C Flowering plants found only on the planet *Lan He, they bloom irregularly, sometimes decades apart.

    Heart Orchid Festival ¨C A festival held on the planet *Lan He to celebrate the blooming of the Heart Orchids.

    Hecate ¨C The planet inhabited by the *Witches, orbiting the *Witching Star.

    Heptarchy ¨C The group of seven heads of state of the *Eleftherian League.

    Host, the ¨C The army of Xerxes.

    Hymns of Pythia ¨C Holy songs of prophecy sung by the people of *Ouranos, passed down by the *Orcalord from *Pythia.

    Imperial Capital ¨C See *Aixingo (world)

    Imperial Court ¨C The political apparatus surrounding the *Emperor of *Aixingo.

    Imperial Common Tongue ¨C A standardised version of the *Shang language, used throughout the *Aixingo Empire, and as a lingua franca beyond.

    Iron-Capped Prince/Princess ¨C A Prince/Princess of the First/Second Degree of the *Aixingo Empire, whose title can be passed down undiminished through successive generations. It is exceedingly rare for new Iron Caps to be bestowed; the vast majority are descendants of the companions of the *First Emperor.

    Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

    Iron Praetors ¨C ?????

    Lady Anu ¨C A little-known deity worshipped by the *Bards of *C¨¢erthand. Unusually, she is not an *Awakened Star.

    Lan He ¨C A world under direct administration of the *Aixingo Empire¡¯s central government, renowned for its gardens and beauty, it orbits the *Awakened Star *Gong Sheng Xing. It is the only place in the *Cosmos that *Heart Orchids grow.

    Living Stars ¨C See *Awakened Stars.

    Lower Five ¨C The Five *Banners of the *Aixingo Empire that have more autonomy and less connection to the *Emperor.

    Manda ¨C Profound, indescribable understanding of the *Starflow ¨C its cultivation enhances *Resonance. Some believe that Manda is knowledge of the minds of the *Awakened Stars and that its cultivation is the path to *Theophany.

    Melusine Coven ¨C A largely extinct *Coven of the *witches of *Hecate.

    Ministry of Civil Administration ¨C One of the most powerful branches of the government of the *Aixingo Empire, it overseas a huge variety of functions, including the *Resonance Bureau.

    Nara Enduri ¨C The *Awakened Star worshipped by the *Aixin. *Aixingo orbits it.

    New Elysia ¨C A planet ruled by the *Order of Astraios.

    Nine Suns ¨C The group of *Awakened Stars worshipped by the *Shang.

    Oblivion Star ¨C ?????

    Oblivion¡¯s Shadow ¨C See *Oblivion Star.

    Oculus Coven ¨C A *Coven of the *witches of *Hecate that specialises in *Far-Scrying magic.

    Old Stars ¨C See *Nine Suns.

    Onyx Tortoise Banner ¨C One of the *Lower Five of the *Eight Banners of the *Aixingo Empire.

    Orbital Ring ¨C A common structure built around civilised planets, it allows starships to avoid atmospheric flight capabilities, relying on *STOCs to ferry passengers from the surface.

    Order of Astraios ¨C A chivalric order that worships the *Starflow collectively. It has both warrior and civilian members.

    Ouranos ¨C An archipelagic world of shallow seas, orbiting the *Awakened Star *Pythia, destroyed by the Cosmic leviathan *Lotan.

    Planetary Governor ¨C An official of the *Aixingo Empire charged with governance of a specific planet, usually an *Aixin.

    Pythia ¨C An *Awakened Star devoured by the *Cosmic leviathan, *Lotan.

    Resonance ¨C The power to harness the *Starflow.

    Resonance Bureau ¨C See *Bureau of Resonance.

    Resonant ¨C A person with *Resonance.

    Shang ¨C The major ethnic group of the *Aixingo Empire. Before the *Aixin conquest, they ruled the *Empire of the Nine Suns. Today, 80% of the Aixingo Empire¡¯s population is Shang.

    Shangxia ¨C A world of the *Onyx Tortoise Banner, it is heavily urbanised.

    Shangxia Jazz ¨C A music genre popular on *Shangxia, it is popular in the planet¡¯s many nightclubs.

    Shahrivar ¨C One part of the binary *Awakened Stars worshipped by the *Gathasian Empire.

    Starflow ¨C A power that suffuses the *Cosmos. Some conscious beings can *Resonate with it and draw special powers from it, typically tied to a particular *Awakened Star.

    Starlift Elevator ¨C A structure that allows rapid transit from a planet¡¯s surface to its *Orbital Ring, avoiding the use of *STOCs.

    Starseer ¨C A *Resonant of *Nara Enduri with the power of foresight.

    Starship Amrita ¨C See *Amrita.

    STOC ¨C A surface-to-orbit craft. Most starships are not designed for atmospheric entry, so these crafts ferry people from planetary surfaces to orbit.

    Theophant ¨C One who has received *Theophany, Theophants have immense, god-like power over the *Starflow, far exceeding that of ordinary *Resonants.

    Theophany ¨C A vision granted to a *Resonant by an *Awakened Star.

    Twin Star Empire ¨C See *Gathasian Empire.

    West Gate Yamen ¨C The Planetary Governor¡¯s residence on *Shangxia.

    Witches ¨C The arcane race that inhabits the planet *Hecate, they are all female and all *Resonants, specifically of the *Witching Star, the *Awakened brown dwarf around which Hecate orbits. They have no nations, but form tight knit, clandestine groups known as *Covens.

    Witching Star ¨C The *Awakened Star around which the planet *Hecate orbits, it is a brown dwarf.

    White Gang ¨C A secret society and crime syndicate on *Shangxia.

    Yamen ¨C The residence of a *Planetary Govenor of the *Aixingo Empire.

    Yarkan ¨C A world of the *Onyx Tortoise Banner.

    <u>DRAMATIS PERSONAE</u>

    Notes: (1) While most characters are alphabetised by surname, Aixin characters are listed by first name, as they do not traditionally use surnames (all nominally adopt ¡®Aixin¡¯ as their surname). (2) Shang names are written with the surname first.

    Apollo ¨C A talking black cat and the captain of the Amrita.

    Bai Qiang ¨C The boss of the White Gang, known as Big Bai.

    Black Dragon ¨C A mysterious masked swordsman and Resonant, working as an agent of Bright Eyes.

    Bright Eyes ¨C Mu¡¯s mysterious benefactor.

    Chang Xi ¨C A princess in Shang mythology whose Divine Lantern provided the flame that kindled the Nine Suns.

    Chen, Madam ¨C A patron of the Silver Moon lounge and a gambler.

    Chu, Ms ¨C A Resonance Bureau enforcement agent pursuing Mu.

    Fang ¨C The lead singer of the house band at Mr Wu¡¯s Jazz Lounge and Cocktails, a nightclub on Shangxia.

    Hua, Mrs ¨C The general manager of Mr Wu¡¯s Jazz Lounge and Cocktails, a nightclub on Shangxia.

    Li Mingxia ¨C A concubine of the Planetary Governor of Shangxia, Aixin Yucheng, and an aspiring actress.

    Li, Mr ¨C A staff-member at Mr Wu¡¯s Jazz Lounge and Cocktails, a nightclub on Shangxia.

    Li, Sergeant ¨C A Customs Bureau agent on Shangxia¡¯s Orbital Ring.

    Lin, Mr ¨C A dealer at the Silver Moon Lounge¡¯s gambling tables.

    Liu Jing ¨C An accountant working with the White Gang.

    Locke, Tavian ¨C A travelling Bard and Resonant of a mysterious entity known as Lady Anu.

    Lotan ¨C A Cosmic leviathan that devours stars, also known as the Heliophage.

    Matthias ¨C The six-winged raven familiar of Seraphina.

    Milos ¨C A superintelligent dolphin of the world Ouranos, that Mu encoutners in a dream

    Mu (Aixin Mukushen) ¨C A fugitive princess running from the Imperial authorities.

    Nyx, Kallistos ¨C The security chief aboard the Amrita, a former hoplite of the Eleftherian League.

    Orcalord ¨C The leader of Ouranos, a Resonant of Pythia.

    Ostara ¨C The first mate of the Amrita and its gardener, she also acts as a counsellor for the crew.

    Pan, Mr ¨C A people-smuggler on Shangxia.

    Reilly, Nova ¨C The Amrita¡¯s engineer (no formal qualifications), she is also a hacker and stowaway.

    Ruyin ¨C Mu¡¯s former lady-in-waiting, she is now an agent of Bright Eyes

    Seraphel ¨C A wraith-like entity that delights in the corruption and abasement of the noble and powerful.

    Seraphina ¨C The Amrita¡¯s resident expert in the arcane, she is an exiled witch of Hecate.

    Shu, Lieutenant ¨C A Customs Bureau agent on Shangxia¡¯s Orbital Ring.

    Tender Hand ¨C See Ruyin.

    Aixin Ulu?un ¨C Minister for Civil Administration and Prince of the First Degree of the Aixingo Empire, he is an Iron-Capped Prince and the Banner Lord of the White Horse Banner. He is Mu''s father.

    Wang, Mr ¨C A Resonance Bureau enforcement agent pursuing Mu.

    Xerxes ¨C A powerful interstellar warlord.

    Wei Jiang ¨C A gangster and underboss of the White Gang.

    Wu, Mr ¨C The owner of Mr Wu¡¯s Jazz Lounge and Cocktails, a nightclub on Shangxia on Shangxia.

    Yao Zhi ¨C A landlady in Shangxia City, owner of an apartment on Onyx Tortoise Boulevard.

    Aixin Yucheng ¨C Planetary Governor of Shangxia.

    Zhang, Harry ¨C The bartender and chef aboard the Amrita.

    Zhen Yan ¨C A shapeshifting bounty hunter and favourite of Big Bai.

 Chapter XIV â€“ Love Champions of a Princess Anachronism

    Chapter XIV ¨C Love Champions of a Princess Anachronism

    ¡°I noticed last time I was here¡­ but Seraphina doesn¡¯t have any chairs¡­ or like a bed, that I could see,¡± said Mu, shifting her grip on the giant beanbag chair Nova had bid her to carry.

    Nova, who was significantly smaller than Mu, was also carrying one, and also struggling. ¡°She just sits on the floor. Or one time I found her sleeping ¨C I think she was sleeping ¨C while hovering in the air. That was kinda weird¡­¡±

    As she spoke, Nova was attempting to free up one hand to hit the button for the doorbell while not dropping the chair.

    Mu shook her head. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Seraphina will open the door in a moment.¡±

    Nova glanced over at her from behind the beanbag. ¡°Is that foresight?¡±

    Mu just gave a little smile and nodded towards the door with her head. ¡°And¡­ now.¡±

    The door slid open and Seraphina was standing there. Her ruby eyes blinked slowly at them. Mu saw she was dressed as usual, which once again included an oversized, pointy hat. The moment the door opened an intense fragrance of incense washed out into the corridor.

    ¡°Hi, Seraphina,¡± she Mu.

    ¡°¡¯Hey, girl,¡± said Nova and without further ado shoved roughly past Mu and Seraphina, manoeuvring the beanbag chair into the space beyond.

    Seraphina watched her for a few moments then turned back to Mu. ¡°Please come in.¡±

    Mu smiled and made her way inside, managing the beanbag with a little more grace than Nova. Seraphina followed her after closing the door. Mu dropped the beanbag in approximately the centre of the room, next to the one Nova had brought.

    ¡°Shoes off, please,¡± said Seraphina.

    ¡°Oh, sorry,¡± said Mu and she and Nova returned to the door and removed their shoes.

    Mu had opted for her default casual outfit since she¡¯d been on the Amrita ¨C the cropped top and baggy sweatpants Kal and Nova had got for her when she first reached the Orbital Ring of Shangxia. Since she had become aware that Seraphina¡¯s room was perpetually kept uncomfortably warm and humid, she¡¯d opted to forego the hoodie she often wore with the outfit.

    By contrast, Nova appeared to be dressed almost entirely in an enormous hoodie that just about completely concealed whatever she was wearing underneath, a glimpse of some blue shorts only occasionally visible. Most of her usual accoutrements were missing: she had no gloves and she¡¯d opted for flip-flops instead of her usual heavy work boots on their way to Seraphina¡¯s room, probably cognizant of Seraphina¡¯s no shoes policy. The only thing that seemed to never leave her person was the goggles, which were pushed up to the top of her head. Mu vaguely wondered whether she slept and showered with the goggles on.

    ¡°I see Harry already got that new hat sorted,¡± said Nova, pointing to Seraphina.

    ¡°He is very quick,¡± said Seraphina, reaching up and touching the brim of her hat. ¡°It still isn¡¯t as soft as I¡¯m used to, but Harry said it would get there.¡±

    ¡°Naw, he can be a sweetie at times,¡± said Nova, then she pointed at the beanbags. ¡°Sorry, we don¡¯t have one for you.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s okay,¡± said Seraphina. ¡°Would you like any snacks? I have fermented red algae, some black rye, and some Hecatean fen frog spawn, if that would suit you.¡±

    Nova¡¯s face contorted into an expression of disgust. ¡°Eeww, rye! Not keen, sorry. But hey, knock yourself out, go wild, I¡¯m not gonna stop you. I brought some supplies of my own for Mu and I because ¨C and I don¡¯t mean to be rude here ¨C but your food is gross.¡±

    Seraphina shrugged and headed to a cupboard to begin arranging her snacks. Meanwhile, Nova opened up the backpack she¡¯d been wearing and took out several large bags of corn chips, a variety of things to dip them in, and a surprising number of cans of energy drink. She offered one of these to Mu.

    ¡°Would you like one?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve never tried one,¡± said Mu, ¡°What¡¯s it like?¡±

    ¡°It is pure life-giving essence, the ichor that flows in the veins of the incarnate stars. It is¡­¡± Nova seemed lost for more words to convey her enthusiasm.

    On such high recommendation, Mu figured she could hardly refuse. She took the offered can. She examined it dubiously, trying to get some sense of what to expect from its contents. Some writing on it proclaimed that it provided one-hundred- and sixty-eight-hour energy. Did anyone need that much energy?

    ¡°I have some soured mountain goat milk here, if you¡¯d prefer,¡± offered Seraphina. ¡°It¡¯s nice warmed up just a little.¡±

    Mu felt her stomach lurch slightly and figured that whatever was in the can it had to be better than that nightmare. ¡°N-no thank you,¡± she managed and began attempting to get the can open.

    ¡°Pass it over here,¡± said Nova, holding out a hand. ¡°You¡¯ll break a nail.¡±

    Nova popped open the can with ease and passed it back. Tentatively, Mu sampled it.

    ¡°It¡¯s very sweet,¡± she said.

    ¡°I know! Great, isn¡¯t it?¡± said Nova beaming.

    Mu nodded with a somewhat forced smile. She glanced around the room. There were many different mysterious bottles on shelves, but amongst it all Mu was somewhat doubtful about her chances of getting what she really wanted here: a coffee.

    This concoction of Nova¡¯s will have to do.

    Seraphina had returned and sat cross-legged on the floor next to Nova¡¯s beanbag. She was carrying a plate of various unappetising items, and some slices of black bread. Having sat, she muttered some words in a language Mu didn¡¯t understand, then placed the plate in the air next to her, where it hung, magically suspended.

    Nova¡¯s eyes lit up when she witnessed this. ¡°Can you make my chips and dip do that?¡±

    Seraphina reached out and touched the bag of corn chips Nova had just opened and spoke once more. She followed up with the dip. Seemingly not quite trusting that they would stay put Nova slowly released them. They did not move, hovering in place.

    Nova nodded slowly and grinned. ¡°Awesome,¡± she said as she crammed a chip loaded with some sort of cheesy dip into her mouth. ¡°You want one?¡± she asked Mu, pushing the bag through the air to hang between their respective beanbags.

    ¡°Thank you,¡± said Mu, trying one. It was quite unlike any food she¡¯d had before, but it wasn¡¯t unpleasant.

    ¡°Alright,¡± said Nova, sitting forward in her beanbag, ¡°Ready to find true love, ladies?¡±

    On the way over, Nova had explained some elements of the game she had picked out for the night¡¯s entertainment, but the concept was still somewhat mystifying to Mu. From her admittedly brief experience of videogames, she had come to understand that they were about testing your skills, and the cathartic release of low-stakes violence. Love? How did that work?

    ¡°Now, I chose one I know Seraphina hasn¡¯t played either, so it¡¯s new to all of us. Apologies in advance if it sucks, but that¡¯s the risk we gotta take to keep it fresh for everyone. Plus, the other games in the series were pretty good,¡± said Nova.

    Mu hadn¡¯t seen when Nova had picked up a controller, but she had one in her hands now. The screen on the wall sprang to life, and soon a virtual world had sprung into being between them and the screen, three-dimensional animated figures materialising in Seraphina¡¯s room. Mu noticed they all appeared to be very handsome men dressed in old-fashioned style.

    ¡°So, before we go on, here¡¯s the run down. The game is Love Champions of a Princess Anachronism 3. Basically, a modern girl finds herself swapping places with a princess of some ancient dynasty¡ª¡±

    ¡°The Sheng Hua Dynasty of the Empire of the Nine Suns,¡± Seraphina said, her tone serious.

    ¡°¡ªright, yeah, that one. Anyway, so we basically help her solve some mysteries with the help of various hot guys. And our decisions determine which of the those guys she gets with.¡±

    Mu looked from the handsome holographic men to Nova. ¡°If this is the third game, does that mean this same scenario has happened twice before?¡±

    ¡°Oh no, you see this is technically the first time. Because in the canonical ending of the original game¡­¡±

    Mu did her best to listen to the torrent of lore explanations that followed, but she found her attention fading in and out.

    ¡°¡­was the reincarnation of the Prince from¡­¡±

    Mu drunk some more of the drink. It still wasn¡¯t great, but she was getting more used to it and it was good to have something to wash down the saltiness of the chips.

    ¡°¡­which created a separate timeline in which her cousin, who is actually¡­¡±

    Mu wondered what Mingxia was up to. She¡¯d turned down Nova¡¯s offer to join them tonight, saying she had other things on. Mu wasn¡¯t sure that was true, but she figured Mingxia wasn¡¯t really the videogames type. Maybe she¡¯d just gone to the bar¡­

    ¡°¡­and so the villainess courtesan was in league with¡­¡±

    Mu looked over at Seraphina, who was staring directly at Nova with rapt attention, despite presumably already being familiar with this lore.

    ¡°¡­.so, basically, in the timeline in which this game takes place, this is technically the first time it¡¯s happened, although I think there¡¯s some kinda mechanic in this game where this version of Zhao Lianyi can speak with the version from the first game and get advice, but I dunno, I guess we¡¯ll find out,¡± Nova concluded.

    ¡°I guess we will,¡± said Mu, half-trusting that things would become clearer once they actually started playing. She made a mental note to avoid asking Nova anymore questions about the game.

    Soon enough Mu found she was far more engrossed in the story than she¡¯d ever expected to be. After a while Nova even offered her the controller and she accepted. Unlike the fighting game she¡¯d played with Seraphina last time she was here, this game required little skill or dexterity, and the learning curve wasn¡¯t very steep. Mostly it was picking between dialogue options, many of the choices inspiring passionate discussions ¨C discussions which, surprisingly enough, even Seraphina joined, in her own quiet way.

    After about an hour, Nova announced that they¡¯d now met all of Zhao Linyi¡¯s potential suitors.

    ¡°Alright, who are we thinking? Which route are we going for?¡± asked Nova.

    ¡°I like the general¡¯s son, Xu Jianyu,¡± said Seraphina. ¡°He is brave and honourable and as a skilled martial artist can vanquish Zhao Linyi¡¯s enemies.¡±

    ¡°I mean, sure,¡± said Nova, ¡°And he is cute.¡±

    ¡°He is physically attractive, this is true,¡± said Seraphina, as monotone as ever.

    ¡°But, Mu, imagine if Seraphina and Xu Jianyu dated in real life,¡± said Nova. ¡°It¡¯d just be dead silence most of the time.¡±

    Mu laughed, imagining it. Xu Jianyu was a man of few words, though she could see why he might have his charms. The combination of a frankly incredible physique and great strength, with a reserved, quiet demeanour was definitely interesting. The scene where he¡¯d been injured defending Zhao Linyi from an assassin and then she¡¯d tended to his wounds, taking off his shirt¡­ Mu had been intrigued by it, for sure.

    ¡°I¡¯m still a little confused about how Lin Anshun is a childhood friend¡­ did he swap with someone too? Otherwise, isn¡¯t he just a childhood friend of the princess with no connection to Zhao Linyi?¡± said Mu, then instantly realised her mistake of asking Nova a lore question.

    This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.

    ¡°Well, remember how I said in the second game¡ª¡±

    ¡°Oh yes, yes!¡± said Mu quickly, ¡°I remember now.¡±

    ¡°So, you wanna go with his route?¡± asked Nova.

    Mu shook her head. ¡°No, I was just confused for a moment and wondering how that worked. I think I like Yu Zhenfeng the best.¡±

    Nova gave a mischievous grin. ¡°The travelling musician¡­ interesting.¡±

    Mu narrowed her eyes, but opted not to probe what she meant. ¡°How about you?¡±

    ¡°Hrm,¡± said Nova. ¡°I think I wanna see Yu Zhenfeng¡¯s route as well.¡±

    Mu¡¯s eyes stayed narrowed. ¡°Interesting¡­¡±

    Nova paid her no heed. ¡°You alright with that?¡± she asked Seraphina.

    ¡°That¡¯s alright. I will play through the other endings later anyway,¡± said Seraphina.

    With that decided they embarked on a quest to foil some sort of palace conspiracy ¨C the details of which Mu was unclear on ¨C and, more importantly, to date the handsome and roguish Yu Zhengfeng, taking turns with the controller as they went.

    ¡°By the way,¡± said Nova, ¡°If you want any more food at any point, we can order a pizza.¡±

    ¡°How do we do that?¡± asked Mu, with a puzzled expression. She¡¯d heard of pizza, but she wasn¡¯t sure if she¡¯d ever tasted it. However, she was aware enough to know that it was often ordered remotely and then delivered to one¡¯s location. Seeing as they were in the middle of deep space, this seemed unlikely to be feasible.

    ¡°Simple! We message Harry and ask him to make a pizza,¡± said Nova. ¡°He grumbles sometimes, but he¡¯ll still do it. He¡¯s a great big softy.¡±

    ¡°It was nice of him to make Seraphina a new hat,¡± said Mu.

    ¡°Harry is a nice man,¡± agreed Seraphina.

    ¡°Anyway,¡± said Nova, ¡°Lemme know and I¡¯ll get it sorted if you want something. Or like, if you¡¯d prefer, I guess something all¡­ healthy¡­¡± She said this last with a look of distaste. ¡°I guess that¡¯s how you keep that figure.¡±

    She poked Mu¡¯s midsection with one finger. ¡°Oh, wow,¡± she said, now laying her hand palm down on Mu. ¡°How do you keep abs like that? I thought I was going alright, but now I feel like I¡¯m all squishy.¡±

    Mu blushed and brushed away Nova¡¯s hand. She suddenly regretted not covering up more. ¡°Food, exercise,¡± she said, hoping the conversation would move on soon.

    ¡°Your diet is probably not helpful,¡± said Seraphina.

    ¡°Shhh!¡± said Nova to Seraphina.

    ¡°Your diet is probably not helpful,¡± said Seraphina, in a quieter voice.

    ¡°That¡¯s not¡­ nevermind,¡± said Nova. She jabbed herself a couple of times in the tummy with her index finger. ¡°Maybe we should meet up in the gym next time,¡± she said.

    ¡°There¡¯s a gym on board? I¡¯d totally forgotten,¡± said Mu.

    ¡°Yeah¡­ I go there with Kal sometimes. He¡¯s like my coach,¡± said Nova.

    ¡°I can imagine he would be pretty intense to train with,¡± said Mu.

    ¡°Oh, no, well, no more than needed,¡± said Nova. ¡°He¡¯s really a big teddy bear.¡±

    ¡°I think Mr Nyx sees Nova like a daughter,¡± said Seraphina.

    ¡°That¡¯s cute,¡± said Mu. ¡°I haven¡¯t really gotten to know him well yet, outside all the¡­ craziness.¡±

    Nova laughed. ¡°It can take a while to crack open his tough exterior, but he¡¯ll let you in eventually.¡±

    ¡°Everyone¡¯s been so nice to me since I came on board,¡± said Mu. She gestured around her, ¡°Like, this¡­ I haven¡¯t just been able to relax with friends like this in so long. I¡¯ve just been running, hiding, always alert. It gets so exhausting.¡±

    ¡°Are we friends?¡± asked Seraphina.

    Mu looked her way. ¡°Of course we are. This is what friends do, right?¡± She said it confidently, but doubt crept in. ¡°I mean, right? It was different at the Imperial Court, but¡­¡±

    Seraphina shrugged.

    ¡°As the representative of normal people here,¡± said Nova, ¡°Yes, this is what friends do. Just bonding over handsome animated men and¡­ by the way, maybe don¡¯t mention to Harry or Tavian or whatever about this game? Just, if it comes up, y¡¯know?¡±

    ¡°Sure¡­¡± said Mu, eyeing Nova with a grin. Moments of insecurity were rare, coming from her.

    ¡°Well, anyway,¡± said Nova, ¡°Enjoy these quiet times, because I hope you realise what you¡¯ve signed up for, coming aboard.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean?¡± asked Mu.

    ¡°It¡¯s never quiet for long around here,¡± said Nova. ¡°I don¡¯t know what Apollo¡¯s planning for Yarkan, but it¡¯ll probably lead us somewhere crazy. It usually does. You know why we came to Shangxia?¡±

    Mu shook her head. She hadn¡¯t even really thought about that.

    ¡°Well, do you know why we¡¯re going to Yarkan?¡±

    ¡°No more than you do.¡±

    ¡°Yep, it was like that when we went to Shangxia too,¡± said Nova. ¡°Apollo just announces a destination. We go there¡­ then either things just happen, or at that point Apollo lets us in on a little more info. On Shangxia he just told Kal and I that we needed to help you and Tavian get off-world and that was that. So we did. And here you are.¡±

    ¡°Here I am,¡± mused Mu. ¡°Thank you again.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ve said that enough already,¡± said Nova. ¡°But my point is, I hope you¡¯re ready for the chaos. I dunno, maybe with your whole foresight thing you might be able to work out what Apollo¡¯s vision is, but for the rest of us, it¡¯s usually a surprise. But that¡¯s fine. I didn¡¯t ditch home to come aboard to have a chill time. I came for excitement, and helping Apollo with whatever he¡¯s plotting is always exciting, if nothing else.¡±

    Mu thought about the discussion she, Apollo, and Seraphina had. She remembered what he had said about the fragile future and the need for trust. It was clear the rest of the crew trusted him enough to leave their fates entirely in his hands¡­ or paws. She remembered that moment of clarity she herself had felt when she¡¯d seen Nara Enduri before her. It was strange, but she felt reassured in the decision she¡¯d made then, while hearing Nova speak now.

    ¡°I¡¯ve told him I trust him,¡± said Mu, ¡°I guess that means I¡¯m all in for whatever happens next.¡±

    ¡°Oh, though, sometimes we have Ostara missions,¡± said Nova. ¡°They¡¯re usually more normal. Collecting supplies, doing a job for someone, picking up parts for the Amrita, you get the idea.¡±

    ¡°I did wonder where the Amrita¡¯s money comes from,¡± said Mu.

    ¡°Well, sometimes its from doing jobs for people, but a lot of the time Ostara just pays for things¡­. She has a lot of money, but no one really knows where it comes from,¡± said Nova.

    ¡°The crew doesn¡¯t know much about Ostara¡¯s past,¡± agreed Seraphina.

    ¡°She seems really nice, though,¡± said Mu.

    ¡°Oh, totally, Ostara can make everything right with the world,¡± said Nova. ¡°Anyway, you¡¯ll like it here. I like it here. Do you like it here, Sera?¡±

    The witch nodded. ¡°I do. Since I left Hecate, this is the only place that people aren¡¯t scared of me. Outsiders mostly don¡¯t like witches.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry to hear you had to go through that,¡± said Mu.

    ¡°It¡¯s alright. I¡¯m here now,¡± said Seraphina, her eyes betraying no sign of emotion.

    Mu looked at Nova. ¡°How exactly did you come to be here?¡±

    ¡°I just left home one day when I was a teenager. I stowed away on a ship. It was the Amrita. Apollo and Ostara let me stay and I¡¯ve been helping with technical stuff ever since,¡± said Nova.

    ¡°You are still a teenager,¡± said Seraphina.

    ¡°Only just!¡± protested Nova, ¡°I¡¯m nineteen now.¡±

    Mu looked Seraphina¡¯s way. If anything, she¡¯d assumed the witch was even younger than Nova, though there was something about her mannerisms that did give her a vibe of being older than that.

    ¡°If you don¡¯t mind me asking¡­ how old are you, Seraphina?¡± said Mu. Just in case the question was rude, she offered, ¡°I¡¯m twenty-three years old.¡±

    Seraphina seemed to be thinking for a moment. ¡°I am three hundred and six years old by the standard reckoning.¡±

    ¡°Three¡ª¡±

    Nova laughed. ¡°How old did you think she was?¡±

    Mu looked down. ¡°Um, like seventeen?¡±

    ¡°Witches don¡¯t age like humans,¡± said Seraphina.

    ¡°Like¡­ humans¡­¡± murmured Mu.

    ¡°Everyone thinks she¡¯s the baby of the crew,¡± said Nova. ¡°But Sera¡¯s actually the second-oldest of us.¡±

    Mu could have sworn she heard Seraphina say something like ¡°probably third¡±, but Nova kept talking and she didn¡¯t get a chance to ask.

    ¡°Anyway,¡± said Nova. ¡°I think we¡¯ve left the delightful Yu Zhengfeng hanging on our response.¡±

    With that attention was returned to the gentleman who had been standing patiently in the middle of the room awaiting their response. The night carried on and the Amrita drew ever closer to Yarkan.

    ¡°You¡¯re back!¡± shouted Tavian, noticing the doors to the bar opening and Harry walking in.

    ¡°Pizza delivered,¡± said Harry. ¡°Did you save me any here?¡±

    Mingxia laughed. ¡°I had to fight off these guys, but I managed to save you a couple of slices.¡±

    ¡°Thank you, Ms Li,¡± said Harry. ¡°And perhaps next time if I¡¯m the one doing the cooking, one of you two can deliver the pizza.¡±

    Tavian gave him no response. Kal said, ¡°While you¡¯re up¡­¡± He didn¡¯t need to complete the sentence. Harry walked behind the bar and fetched him another beer as well as pouring himself a glass of wine. He emerged and sat down in his former spot around the table, sliding the beer across to Kal.

    ¡°Ostara gone?¡± he asked.

    ¡°The Captain wanted to see her,¡± said Tavian.

    ¡°I guess we¡¯ll be at Yarkan by tomorrow morning,¡± said Harry. ¡°Have we just given up on the game now, or were you waiting for me?¡±

    ¡°I think the game¡¯s over. I feel like if Tavian takes any more of Kal¡¯s money, the result could be violence,¡± said Mingxia, pausing to hiccough. ¡°And frankly, I don¡¯t like Tavian¡¯s odds of survival in that fight.¡±

    ¡°Thank you for your faith in me,¡± said Tavian. ¡°I happen to be excellent in a fight. Y¡¯know, provided it isn¡¯t against freaks like those Resonance Bureau agents.¡±

    Mingxia gave him a glare.

    Harry leant toward Tavian and placed a hand on his forearm. ¡°I¡¯m gonna be real with you, my guy, but I don¡¯t like your chances against Kal here.¡±

    Tavian shook off Harry¡¯s hand. ¡°I¡¯m gonna prove it then,¡± he said, feeling a sudden moment of inspiration. ¡°Let¡¯s go a few rounds.¡±

    Kal took a big swig of the beer Harry had given him, and locked Tavian with a piercing gaze. ¡°Alright, little man, I¡¯m game.¡±

    Mingxia laughed again, ¡°You know, I¡¯m actually interested to see this.¡±

    ¡°Wanna place bets?¡± asked Harry.

    ¡°I think we¡¯re both betting the same way,¡± said Mingxia.

    By now Tavian was on his feet and facing Kal across the table. He swayed slightly, then steadied himself.

    ¡°Right now, let¡¯s go to the gym. The others can be witnesses. Let¡¯s see how you go without that special suit of armour, old man,¡± said Tavian.

    ¡°Let¡¯s do it,¡± said Kal, tugging his singlet over his head, revealing an immense mass of toned muscle, that had only barely been concealed previously.

    Tavian began unbuttoning his own shirt.

    ¡°That escalated quickly,¡± said Harry, sipping his wine.

    ¡°The shirts certainly came off quickly,¡± said Mingxia.

    At that moment the doors opened again and Ostara entered. ¡°The Captain suggested I come back and avert something stupid from happening,¡± she said as she stepped in.

    Tavian and Kal looked away from each other towards her, both blinking uncomprehendingly. Tavian blinked as his brain raced to deal with the sudden interruption.

    ¡°Are we sure we wanna stop them, Ostara?¡± asked Harry. ¡°It could be entertaining.¡±

    ¡°Perhaps they get in the ring when they¡¯ve had a few less drinks,¡± said Ostara, with a warm smile. She strode over to the table and looked from one man to the other. ¡°Take a seat, gentlemen.¡±

    Wordlessly, both Tavian and Kal complied, Kal pulling his singlet back on. Tavian hastily rebuttoned his shirt and sank back into his chair. He noticed Mingxia was once again looking his way, her expression difficult to read. She''d been laughing not long before, but he was still getting an unusual vibe from her.

    ¡°You know, it does strike me that we as a group¡­ collectively¡­ may have a drinking problem,¡± said Harry, sipping from his wine glass again.

    ¡°You¡¯re the one encouraging it,¡± said Tavian, glaring his way.

    Harry shrugged.

    Ostara had taken a seat and now spoke up, ¡°Now, given everyone has calmed down, perhaps we might want to wrap things up here shortly. We will be arriving at Yarkan in the morning and the Captain has said he wants everyone down on the surface right away. He has big plans.¡±

    ¡°Back in the day,¡± said Kal, interrupting himself with a belch, ¡°The men and I would drink all night and thrash the enemy in battle the next morning. Just gotta have the right constitution.¡±

    ¡°Sure, grandpa,¡± said Tavian.

    Kal glared at him.

    ¡°Boys¡­.¡± warned Ostara.

    Mingxia finished her drink and rose to her feet unsteadily. ¡°Well, I guess if the cards are done, and there¡¯s not going to be any sport for the evening, I might retire.¡±

    ¡°Sounds wise,¡± said Ostara.

    Tavian gave a shrug. ¡°Guess I¡¯m done too,¡± he said.

    With that he got up and followed Mingxia out of the room.

    The door closed behind him. ¡°Mingxia¡ª¡± he began.

    She spun around to face him. ¡°I think you¡¯re not understanding something,¡± she said, raising her index finger, and stepping close to him. He was startled by the change in her tone from just a few moments earlier. ¡°I¡¯ve been nice to you since I came on board because these seem like nice people and everyone¡¯s been happy to get away from that situation on Shangxia. I didn¡¯t want to bring down the mood¡­ and you know what? I was giving you credit for coming along on that caper, even though I know it was Mu¡¯s idea and you didn¡¯t want to come along.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s¡ª¡± began Tavian, but once again he didn¡¯t get far.

    ¡°Don¡¯t go blaming Mu for badmouthing you, by the way. That¡¯s me reading between the lines, but I know I¡¯m right. And that in there, just now? Yeah, I joked with Harry and all that, but that was genuinely uncomfortable to witness. I couldn¡¯t even tell how serious you two were being. I don¡¯t even think you knew. It¡¯s the same drunken bullshit that got us into that whole situation to begin with. I was na?ve once, I let myself get led along by your¡­ fuck, I guess it¡¯s charm ¨C but I see through that now. So, when everyone else is around, I¡¯m gonna keep on being polite, but that is all it is. Do not mistake it for me forgiving you¡ª¡±

    This time Tavian interrupted. ¡°Forgiving me!?¡± he exclaimed. ¡°It takes two to tango, sweetheart. And I didn¡¯t know who you were when we met. You knew. You knew what the consequences were.¡±

    Mingxia shook her head and Tavian saw a hint of tears there. ¡°I was desperate. Desperate for a way out. I¡­ I take my portion of the blame. I accept it wholeheartedly, but you don¡¯t know what it was like with that monster. And I¡¯m just¡­ I¡¯m just over it. Too many times I¡¯ve let myself be led astray by¡­ by men who just¡­ just want to take advantage¡­ who don¡¯t care.¡±

    Tavian held his hand to his chest. ¡°I am not like that bastard of a Governor. I came back didn¡¯t I? You can¡¯t deny that.¡±

    ¡°No, you¡¯re not like the Governor. But do you know how fucking low of a bar that is to clear?¡± demanded Mingxia. ¡°And this¡­ this isn¡¯t about you. It¡¯s not about your honour. I was a prisoner. And I just wanted to feel free again. Just for one night. It was stupid, I get that. But¡­¡±

    A great sob interrupted her. Tavian clenched his fists and breathed in deeply. He felt the anger leaving him, but he was suddenly unsure of what to do. It wasn¡¯t a feeling he was used to.

    Mingxia wiped away the tears pooling in her reddened eyes. ¡°I¡¯ve had too much to drink. I don¡¯t even know what I¡¯m trying to say¡­ Just¡­ leave me alone. Mu¡¯s the only one who has any idea what it¡¯s like.¡±

    With that she stormed off, leaving Tavian in her wake. He watched her go and was so lost in his thoughts he didn¡¯t even hear Ostara coming up behind him, only noticing her when the hand landed on his shoulder.

    ¡°Give her some space,¡± said Ostara. ¡°She¡¯s been through a lot.¡±

    Tavian was momentarily startled before he turned to face her. ¡°She talks like we didn¡¯t both make a decision that night of our own free will.¡±

    ¡°In such an emotionally charged situation, sometimes it can be helpful to put questions of blame aside for a moment and simply focus on what lessons can be learned,¡± said Ostara. ¡°She may forgive you, she may not. Understand that she has her reasons for that, and accept that you don¡¯t know what she¡¯s been through, what¡¯s truly behind those reasons. You don¡¯t have any control over what she thinks, and you don¡¯t have any control over the past now. But you do have control over your little slice of the future, and you can think about how, next time, you can facilitate a better outcome. But you can only get there if you learn from happened here.¡±

    Tavian sighed deeply. ¡°Thanks,¡± he said. He was about to speak more, but Ostara cut him off.

    ¡°Go to bed,¡± she said. ¡°Everyone¡¯s had a bit of a big night. But reflect on it all tomorrow. Everything that happens is an opportunity to learn. Be it ¡®good¡¯ or ¡®bad¡¯, by the simple act of living through it, we have the chance to become a little wiser.¡±

    Tavian nodded slowly.

    ¡°We¡¯ll be on Yarkan tomorrow. A new world. With the right mindset it is within your power to ensure that the Tavian who sets foot there tomorrow is just that little bit wiser, that little bit better, than the Tavian who first set foot on Shangxia.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll think about all that,¡± he said.

    He turned to walk away, then looked back over his shoulder. ¡°Thank you, Ostara,¡± he said.

    ¡°Goodnight, Tavian,¡± she said.

 Chapter XV - The Wolf and the Falcon

    Chapter XV ¨C The Wolf and the Falcon

    The moment Mu stepped off the Amrita¡¯s lander a perfectly timed wind blasted across the exposed landing pad with an icy ferocity. She hugged herself as she walked, wrapping the long, Aixin-style winter cloak around her. Apollo had warned them it would be cold, but hearing about it and experiencing it were very different things.

    The landing pad at the private spaceport was largely deserted, a flat expanse stretching away in every direction with little sign of infrastructure. Several hundred metres away stood a small terminal. From here the natural setting loomed large ¨C snow-capped mountains lined two sides of a broad, flat river valley, fed by an enormous glacier that gleamed in the sunlight. Nowhere could she see any sign of a tree. The sky above was devoid of a single cloud.

    Blinking in the bright glare, Mu rummaged around for her sunglasses, her fingers not nimble in the thick gloves she wore. Eventually she managed to find them and put them on. Behind her Ostara and Nova were supervising the unloading of their luggage onto a robotic cart that had met them upon landing. Nova was wearing a puffer jacket, scarf, thick pants and boots with a beanie. Ostara wore an elegant winter coat. For once she had foregone her usual dresses and wore long pants, a pear of knee-high, wedge-heeled boots replacing her customary sandals. Kal, wearing a heavy trench coat, soon joined them and hauled the heavier items onto the cart.

    ¡°Why is it so cold!?¡± complained Mingxia, as she emerged behind Mu, similarly hugging herself. Like Mingxia she had opted for a more traditional Imperial-style outfit, a cloak over thick, fur-lined robes.

    ¡°It¡¯s far too cold,¡± agreed Mu. ¡°Are we ready to get going yet?¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re ready said,¡± called back Kal.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± said Mu, her hand ushering Mingxia forward from the small of her back.

    They made their way to the terminal. Mu felt the warm air flow over her the moment they stepped inside and let out an audible sigh of relief, though she could feel her teeth still chattering. They presented their documentation to Customs. Mu had flashbacks to the last time this happened and felt her heart quicken as she approached the Customs Bureau agent. She had a vision of them flagging her passport and those two Resonance Bureau agents emerging.

    Instead, everything proceeded normally, and she was ushered through with a cheerful greeting in what Mu presumed was the Jaril language of Yarkan.

    ¡°Here we are¡­¡± said Tavian, as he stepped out into the main terminal concourse behind Mu and Mingxia. ¡°Yet another new world.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s certainly not Shangxia,¡± murmured Mu, glancing around. The terminal had many ordinary modern features, but there had also been a concerted effort to incorporate what she took to be traditional touches, such as the intricate patterns in the carpets and the decorative lanterns that hung from the ceiling, or the brightly coloured tiles on the walls.

    ¡°It sure isn¡¯t,¡± said Mingxia. ¡°It never got that cold on Shangxia.¡±

    ¡°So, what¡¯s the plan now?¡± asked Harry, as he also emerged. As ever he was dressed with a refined elegance only rivalled by Ostara, his dandy-aesthetic on full display with the slender cut of his long coat and the carefully draped scarf with a muted colour scheme.

    ¡°I have arranged for a guide to meet us and take us to our accommodation,¡± said Ostara. ¡°Apollo thought it would be a good opportunity for everyone to familiarise themselves with Yarkan.¡±

    Tavian cleared his throat. ¡°Just to be clear¡­ we are just waiting for something to happen¡­ that Apollo has predicted. There¡¯s no¡­ mission¡­ or¡­?¡±

    Nova gave him a playful punch in the shoulder. ¡°Welcome to the Amrita way.¡±

    Tavian shrugged. ¡°I¡¯m not saying I have a problem with it¡­ just wanted to be sure I wasn¡¯t missing part of this whole puzzle.¡±

    Mu¡¯s mind went back to the ¡°sign¡± that Bright Eyes had told her to wait for back on Shangxia. In that case the sign had turned out to be Apollo himself.

    Last night as she lay in bed after leaving Seraphina¡¯s room, it had occurred to her to look forward to their landing on Yarkan. In the depths of space, foresight was difficult ¨C even more so than on a low resonance world like Shangxia (unless they happened to be travelling along a Starflow filament), but she could get a vague sense of the outline of what was to happen. Most of this came to her in the form of concepts ¨C slowing, arrival, cold (even foresight could not prepare her!), foreign¡­ but the more she attempted to penetrate the details of events on Yarkan itself, the stranger things got. It wasn¡¯t simply a case of foresight being weak, but more a case of it being broken, like the very medium through which the Starflow moved was scrambled in time and space. There was something very odd happening on Yarkan.

    Mu vaguely remembered Yarkan from her studies. She knew it was a world where the last (one of the last, at least) battles of the Second Banner War was fought. It was one of the key victories that secured the formation of the Aixingo Empire. Other than that, she didn¡¯t recall much of the detail. Still, it was more than she could say she knew about most worlds. It was an inevitable fact of the sheer size of the Empire, that even someone once fated to be Empress could only ever hope to know a minute fraction of even the names of the worlds she might preside over.

    Mu was distracted from her thoughts a moment later by the appearance of Seraphina. The witch was wearing some sort of bulky, hooded parka that extended down to below her knees and featured a fur-lined hood that had been pulled tight around her face. Underneath the hood her eyes were covered by dark sunglasses. On her feet she wore the same seemingly oversized boots she¡¯d worn down to the surface on Shangxia. Almost every centimetre of her was hidden and the whole rather comical ensemble was finished off by the fact that she had still donned her hat on top of the parka. Mu noticed a few other people in the terminal were casting glances Seraphina¡¯s way. Hopefully, Seraphina wasn¡¯t too sensitive about such things, although in all honesty Mu had no idea what the witch felt about it. In truth, Mu thought she looked kind of adorable, in a decidedly odd way.

    The crew gathered together facing Ostara who clapped her hands together. ¡°Alright, everybody, our guide should be¡ªactually, I believe this is him now.¡±

    A tall, thin man had approached her as they spoke. He had dark hair, streaked with greys and a bushy moustache. He wore a padded robe over loose-fitting woollen trousers and boots. On his head was a square skull-cap. Every aspect was his clothing was elaborately embroidered.

    ¡°Madame Ostara!¡± he said in a deep voice, full of mirth.

    ¡°Mr Elyaroghul, I presume?¡± said Ostara. ¡°A pleasure to meet you.¡±

    ¡°The pleasure is all mine,¡± said Mr Elyaroghul. ¡°And these are your crew?¡±

    Everyone introduced themselves, except for Seraphina, who Nova took it upon herself to introduce.

    ¡°Ah, you are from all over the galaxy, it appears! Please excuse me if I don¡¯t remember everyone¡¯s names immediately,¡± he laughed, ¡°I was raised out in the desert where my father spoke our tribal language, so the normal language of Yarkan is my second language, and the Common Tongue my third. It gets very confusing,¡± he said, shaking his head.

    ¡°The language of Yarkan, that¡¯s Jaril, yes?¡± asked Mu.

    ¡°Yes, yes, young lady!¡± he said, smiling even more broadly. ¡°Ah, you have done your research on our little planet. But then, you are Aixin, are you not?¡±

    Mu nodded.

    He waved his hand between himself and her, ¡°Ah, but of course! We are distantly related, us Jaril people and you Aixin, are we not?¡±

    Mu nodded. ¡°We are all Yultengri,¡± she said.

    ¡°Yultengri¡­ ah yes¡­ that¡¯s the word you Aixin use for it isn¡¯t it?¡± he nodded, seeming to mull the word over in his mouth. ¡°Yultengri¡­¡±

    Mu had thought that all the peoples descended from the ancient Clanships thought of themselves as Yultengri ¨C certainly she had been taught as much at the Imperial Court. Yet here this man ¨C a man she thought of as Yultengri ¨C treated it like a strange, foreign word. The reality of the Empire¡¯s peoples was much more complicated than the perspective of the Imperial Court might suggest.

    ¡°But please, please, follow me, friends,¡± he said, fervently gesturing, ¡°I will tell you about this world of ours on the way.¡±

    They followed him out of the terminal to a large, ageing bus. He gestured for everyone to board, then together, he and Kal loaded their baggage into a storage compartment. Once they were on board Mr Elyaroghul busied himself briefly with some controls then took a seat facing the rest of them. Mu felt the bus jerkily rise from the ground and then begin moving slowly away from the terminal, wobbling slightly on its repulsion cushion as it moved.

    Their guide smiled broadly. ¡°Welcome to Yarkan, honoured guests,¡± he said. ¡°We are always happy to see people from across the Empire ¨C and perhaps beyond, I think, yes? ¨C show an interest in our humble world. Now, as I¡¯m sure you know, we are heading into Yengishahr, the capital of Yarkan. Most people on Yarkan live here these days, as it is safer and easier. Perhaps you have heard why?¡±

    Mu raised her hand.

    ¡°Ah, the lovely Aixin lady¡­ I¡¯m sorry, your name¡­ it is like I warned,¡± said Mr Elyaroghul.

    ¡°Mukushen,¡± said Mu, feeling somehow that the full name was more appropriate here.

    ¡°Mukushen, Mukushen. A lovely name for a lovely lady. But yes, you know why most people live in the city?¡±

    ¡°There is very little water on the rest of the planet, but the glaciers provide a source of water here,¡± said Mu.

    ¡°Ah yes, it can be difficult elsewhere, but the steppe you see around Yengishahr is vast and there are many thousands of glaciers and rivers and lakes¡­ Yarkan is not all desert. No, the biggest reason is that Yengishahr is protected by the shields,¡± said Mr Elyaroghul.

    ¡°Shields?¡± Mu heard Harry ask.

    ¡°Do you know the history of Yarkan? Anyone? Well, it is alright if you do not, you are new here. But, you see, back in the First Banner War, Yurhadan Khan came here with his White Horse Alabey and was defeated by the Jaril Confederacy and the army of the Shah of Susania. After that, the Jaril swore loyalty to the Shah, but of course Yurhadan came back, and when he came back, he was known by another name.¡±

    ¡°The Tianyan Emperor,¡± said Mu.

    ¡°She is clever, not just beautiful, this one,¡± said Mr Elyaroghul. ¡°Yes, he had declared the Aixingo Empire and the Alabey became the Aixin. His White Horse nation became one of the Eight Banners. And as everyone knows, he gained the Theophany of Nara Enduri. When he came back, the fleets of the Shah and the Jaril were no match for the Aixin. With a wave of his hand, the Emperor wiped them out. No soldiers or guns are any match for a Theophant.¡±

    The White Horse, thought Mu. My ancestors. But this version of the Battle of Yarkan was wholly different to anything she remembered learning. In this version there was no battle at all. The First Emperor simply swept aside his enemies with the power of his Theophany.

    ¡°They say the Emperor¡¯s power engulfed all Yarkan, and the Black City of Karbaliq, the capital of the Khagan of the Jaril, crumbled, burying the rulers of the Jaril beneath its stones.¡±

    Mu saw that Mr Elyaroghul¡¯s smile had faded as he recounted this part of the story. She felt the compulsion to look away from him.

    ¡°And that¡¯s why most people today live behind the shields of Yengishahr,¡± said Mr Elyaroghul. ¡°Because even today, many centuries later, the power of the Emperor¡¯s Theophany lingers and makes things beyond the shields very strange. In the city, they say a man who steps out there is very brave or very foolish.¡±

    He paused a moment.

    Then his smile returned. ¡°Ah, but this is all history. We are all subjects of Great Aixingo now, yes? We must live together. And you, young lady, you are not to be blamed for a long dead Emperor¡¯s actions. You Aixin peoples and we Jaril peoples: we are all the sons and daughters of the Clanships, the Star Nomads¡­ the, ah, as you say, the Yultengri, yes?¡±

    Mu looked down. ¡°Yes,¡± she murmured.

    That long dead Emperor¡¯s blood flows in my veins.

    Regardless of what Mu had been taught back on Aixingo, she knew, listening to this man out here, that his version was correct. The chaos she saw when she attempted to gaze into the future on Yarkan must be the leftover power of the First Emperor¡¯s Theophany. She shuddered at the thought. She had heard stories, but somehow hearing this man speak on this barren, windswept world, far from the Court¡­ it brought it home.

    Just a wave of his hand¡­ and centuries later, time and space themselves are twisted¡­

    The power of Theophany was frightening to even think about.

    The rest of the trip to the city centre was far less confronting. Mr Elyaroghul talked about the various sights and experiences around the city. He explained to them how more tourists seemed to be coming these days, and a lot of new places were being built for them. Finally, they pulled up outside the hotel Ostara had booked, and he wished they all enjoy their stay.

    ¡°Please let me know if you would like me to show you around any of the special sights!¡±

    He was about to board the bus once more when he stopped and turned. ¡°Miss Mukushen¡­ I think you are interested in history, yes? They are talking about building a resort near the ruins of Karbaliq¡­ perhaps you can visit one day and see history for yourself.¡±

    Mu nodded slowly, fixing a polite smile on her face. ¡°Perhaps I can. Thank you, Mr Elyaroghul.¡±

    After they¡¯d checked in and Tavian had thrown down his bags in his room, he decided to head out. He was still feeling out of sorts after the events of last night, so he figured a walk would do him good. Besides, he always liked to head out exploring and get a sense of a place as soon as he arrived.

    By the time he set foot outside the sun was still shining in the clear blue sky, but the shadows were getting longer and the temperature had dropped even further. He had multiple layers, but the cold was still biting, despite his best efforts to rug up. He¡¯d checked the weather up in the hotel room and seen that even the high today in Yengishahr was not expected to get over zero.

    What a bleak place, he thought, glancing up and down the street he now found himself in.

    Still, regardless of the weather, the city did seem to have its certain charms. Apart from the scattering of more modern buildings like the hotel they were staying in, most of the buildings appeared to be built of mudbrick and adobe with elaborate woodwork around doors and windows. Some larger buildings featured domes, with many being covered in colourful tile mosaics. The streets were mostly narrow, and despite the cold weather, there still appeared to be plenty of people around. It certainly wasn¡¯t anything like Shangxia, but there was more life than the long journey from the spaceport, over bleak and wind-blasted steppe, had led him to suspect would be the case.

    This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

    He figured he might investigate a nearby bazaar that Mr Elyaroghul had mentioned, depending on how he went for time. He didn¡¯t really mind if he made it in time or not, but having a general destination in mind gave some purpose to his wandering.

    Just as he was about to step out, he heard a voice behind him.

    ¡°Tavian,¡± said the voice softly.

    He spun around.

    Swaddled in thick Shang-style robes, Mingxia was standing there.

    ¡°Oh¡­¡± he said. ¡°Hello.¡±

    ¡°Did you want to walk alone?¡± she asked, her eyes only briefly meeting his gaze before dropping to the ground.

    ¡°I was just going to¡­ explore, I guess,¡± said Tavian. ¡°You can come¡­ if you like.¡±

    She nodded.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go then,¡± he said and they started walking.

    ¡°Going anywhere in particular?¡± she asked.

    He shrugged. ¡°Not really. I just thought I would make my way to the bazaar that Mr Elyaroghul mentioned on the way here. Or maybe not¡­¡±

    ¡°Shopping for tourist trinkets? You don¡¯t seem like the type,¡± said Mingxia.

    ¡°Not exactly. Just a direction to head.¡±

    She nodded again. They walked on in silence for a time.

    The street became narrower up ahead, the buildings crowding overhead, casting it in shadow. The air was thick with unfamiliar scents here. There was cooking meats and hot oil, but other things too ¨C spices perhaps. At any rate, it was an entirely different melange to that which filled the streets of Shangxia.

    A couple of children ran past them, dressed in brightly coloured winter clothing. Tavian and Mingxia stepped aside to let them pass and watched them go. One of the children stopped after he got passed them and turned to point at Tavian, tugging on the other child¡¯s arm. He turned around and they both stared at Tavian. They said something to each other in a language Tavian didn¡¯t understand, then resumed running down the street.

    ¡°I think they said you¡¯re funny looking,¡± said Mingxia.

    ¡°Probably¡­ don¡¯t imagine they see many people that look like me around here,¡± said Tavian.

    ¡°What a place to grow up¡­¡± said Mingxia quietly, as the two boys vanished around a corner. ¡°I¡ªI¡¯ve never left Shangxia before. I kinda knew there was a whole Cosmos out ¡®there¡¯¡­ but I¡­ it¡¯s something else seeing it here; seeing how different lives can be.¡±

    Tavian smiled. ¡°I think I¡¯ve topped a hundred worlds now¡­ but it doesn¡¯t get old, that feeling. The brain¡¯s not real good at taking in the scale of the Cosmos, so when it gets forced to confront that reality¡­ it sends it spinning.¡±

    Mu nodded. She turned to look his way, her mouth opening, then closing again. She looked down at her feet once more.

    Tavian looked at her, trying to work out what to say.

    A gust of wind flowed down the narrow street, a great and frigid torrent. Mingxia¡¯s long cloak flapped around her.

    She lowered her head to face away from the wind.

    The gust passed.

    Mingxia looked up at him. ¡°I was looking at it as we were coming in to land,¡± she said.

    ¡°The city?¡±

    She nodded. ¡°It looked so small. Even in this one valley. But before we even got close enough to see the city, I saw the plains. The steppes¡ªthe desert¡ªwhatever¡­ just great flat expanses. No trees, no buildings¡­ nothing¡­ even from that high up they just stretched from horizon to horizon.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s an amazing sight,¡± offered Tavian.

    ¡°It¡¯s¡­ this city it¡¯s so small. And the planet is so big ¨C there¡¯s so much planet beyond it ¨C and yet that¡¯s just one of so many. I dunno. Mu probably knows how many¡­¡±

    ¡°Like I said¡­ the brain¡¯s not well equipped to deal with these sorts of scales,¡± said Tavian, not knowing quite what she was leading up to.

    ¡°It made me feel small,¡± said Mingxia. She paused a moment, thinking. ¡°Then that guide, Mr¡­ Mr Elyaroghul talked about how the First Emperor of the Aixingo just waved his hand and wiped out a whole civilisation¡­ what even are we? Like, individual people¡­ in just a Cosmos. When there¡¯s powers out there that can just wipe out a whole world with the wave of a hand. And even that¡­ even that is tiny in the whole scheme of things.¡±

    Tavian wasn¡¯t quite sure how to respond, his mind considering and rejecting responses.

    ¡°So, um, I guess I¡¯m sorry,¡± she said.

    ¡°Sorry?¡±

    ¡°For how I talked to you,¡± she said.

    He shook his head. ¡°You¡­ you really don¡¯t need to be,¡± he said, still somewhat confused.

    ¡°No¡­ I mean¡­ all of this has got me thinking. You¡¯ve got your life, I¡¯ve got mine. Briefly, somehow, in amongst all this, our lives crossed over, intersected¡­ you¡­¡±

    What would Ostara say?

    ¡°I was wrong to put you in that situation and then abandon you,¡± said Tavian. ¡°All the planets and Theophanies and stars and Emperors and whatever else in all the Cosmos don¡¯t change it. They don¡¯t mean we don¡¯t have to do right by each other.¡±

    Mingxia¡¯s eyes again looked thoughtful. ¡°But you did do right. Eventually. You risked your life to come back for me. I can¡¯t say with certainty if our roles were reversed¡­ if¡­ if I¡¯d have done the same.¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t try to understand,¡± said Tavian. ¡°I still don¡¯t understand, but I guess at least I¡¯ve realised that. I don¡¯t know what it was like for you before¡­¡±

    She shook her head. ¡°It wasn¡¯t good. It¡¯s¡ªmy life keeps following a cycle. I get hopeful, I meet a man who promises me everything, then it all goes to shit. Time and time again. I don¡¯t know what¡¯s wrong with me.¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s nothing wrong with having hope for the future or being open to others,¡± said Tavian. He grinned, ¡°I guess the whole cycle happened quicker with me though¡­¡±

    Her head snapped around to look right at him.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, that was insensi¡ª¡± he began saying, but she interrupted him by cracking up laughing.

    ¡°Oh yes, we really raced through that one,¡± said Mingxia. ¡°I don¡¯t know what I was doing that night. I just had to escape. I needed that moment of freedom. So, I snuck out. I went to that club. I saw you and¡­ I should have warned you. I should have told you who I was.¡±

    Tavian shrugged. ¡°I get it. It¡¯s not right for a human to be caged. I get why you wanted out. I get why Mu wanted out. I¡­ guess I¡¯m not that different in some ways¡­ I left home when I was just a kid, been running ever since, I guess.¡±

    Mingxia looked at him. ¡°What did you run from?¡±

    ¡°Boredom¡­ but mainly my dad.¡±

    ¡°You mentioned him the night we met¡­ I thought then that there was more you weren¡¯t saying¡­ did he hit you?¡±

    Tavian¡¯s eyes widened for a moment and he looked at her.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± she said. ¡°I don¡¯t mean to pry.¡±

    Tavian nodded. ¡°He did. I think I thought it was normal for a long time. He did it more and more. At least when he wasn¡¯t too pissed to stand.¡±

    ¡°I wonder if you understand more than I gave you credit for¡­ more than you give yourself credit for,¡± said Mingxia. ¡°Why¡­ why do men do such things?¡±

    ¡°Well I was about ready to give Kal a few taps last night,¡± said Tavian, with a laugh. ¡°But I¡¯m pretty sure he could take it.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not sure you could¡¯ve taken what came back your way,¡± said Mingxia.

    Tavian was about to protest, but then stopped himself. ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­ I shouldn¡¯t make light of it. Defence mechanism, I guess.¡±

    ¡°We do what we must,¡± said Mingxia.

    Tavian gave a little smile that faded quickly. ¡°I guess, in answer to your question¡­ some men have too little power, and some have too much.¡±

    ¡°Very deep. Very profound,¡± said Mingxia. ¡°Poetic, even.¡±

    Tavian grinned more fully this time. ¡°Poetry is really a big part of my whole deal.¡±

    He looked down at her again. Her skin was pale apart from her nose which was tinged pink. ¡°Should we maybe get back inside? We can go and see the bazaar another day.¡±

    Mingxia nodded. ¡°I was going to say, it¡¯s probably getting too late anyway. Plus¡­ it¡¯s fucking freezing out here.¡±

    ¡°Alright,¡± said Mingxia. ¡°I¡¯m glad we talked.¡±

    ¡°We can talk some more if you want,¡± said Tavian.

    ¡°Alright, but about happier things this time. Want to grab a drink¡­ there¡¯s gotta be a bar at the hotel.¡±

    Tavian laughed. ¡°You know, I thought we almost learned some sort of lesson from all this¡­¡±

    ¡°Do you want a drink or not?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, I do¡­¡±

    ¡°I figured.¡±

    Mu yawned as the lift reached the lobby. She already knew where Ostara would be before the doors had even slid open.

    ¡°What¡¯s the story?¡± she asked, coming to a stop in front of Ostara. Harry, Kal, and Nova were already standing around behind her.

    ¡°Apparently these four were out getting dinner last night,¡± began Ostara.

    ¡°Where was my invite?¡± asked Mu.

    ¡°We tried to invite you,¡± said Nova.

    ¡°I think you were fast asleep,¡± said Harry.

    The excuse tracked ¨C Mu had crashed not long after arriving yesterday.

    ¡°At any rate, these three were out at dinner and I guess tales of past adventures were being discussed ¨C as often occurs ¨C and someone overheard them. Now she wants to discuss something with us,¡± said Ostara.

    ¡°This sounds like the moment Apollo¡¯s plan comes together,¡± said Mu.

    Ostara grinned. ¡°It does, doesn¡¯t it?¡±

    ¡°Who is she, this person that wants to meet?¡± asked Mu.

    ¡°Ulduz Yarghunqizi,¡± said Ostara. ¡°She¡¯s a local businesswoman, I believe.¡±

    ¡°Man, I am gonna struggle with these names,¡± murmured Nova.

    ¡°Any idea what she wants to talk about?¡± asked Mu.

    ¡°I spoke to her briefly this morning,¡± said Ostara, ¡°She said she has a job that needs doing that we might be interested in. I said we could come to her office and discuss it.¡±

    ¡°What did she overhear you guys talking about?¡± asked Mu.

    Nova shrugged. ¡°I dunno. Kal was telling war stories at some point, so maybe she wants some violence done. Or maybe some heisting. I think Harry talked about cooking, so maybe she¡¯s just hungry. Or maybe she needs some of my tech genius.¡±

    ¡°That doesn¡¯t narrow it down,¡± said Mu. She sighed. ¡°I guess we go hear her out. Are we going now?¡± She yawned.

    ¡°That was the plan,¡± said Ostara.

    ¡°If you¡¯re not too sleepy, Princess,¡± said Harry.

    ¡°I¡¯m good¡­ although if we could track down some coffee¡­¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know if coffee is much of a thing here,¡± said Harry. ¡°Tea we could probably arrange.¡±

    ¡°I guess that¡¯ll do,¡± said Mu.

    ¡°Speaking of sleepy¡­ anyone know where Tavian and Mingxia are?¡± asked Nova.

    ¡°They were in the hotel bar last night,¡± said Harry. ¡°After that¡­ I think Mingxia might have had a sleep over in Tavian¡¯s room.¡±

    ¡°What!?¡± said Nova and Mu in unison.

    Harry shrugged.

    Ostara gave a knowing smile. ¡°I guess they talked.¡±

    Mu shot a questioning look at Nova, who shot a questioning look right back.

    Mu cleared her throat and reassembled her composure. ¡°And, um, Seraphina?¡±

    ¡°Sera¡¯s just being Sera,¡± said Nova. ¡°We got her down to the planet, but she¡¯s still happiest being cooped up in her room.¡±

    ¡°I see,¡± said Mu.

    ¡°Shall we depart?¡± said Ostara. ¡°I¡¯ve ordered our transport.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, totally, of course,¡± said Mu.

    As they headed out into the street Mu¡¯s mind was spinning.

    A sleepover?

    There weren¡¯t many modern office buildings in Yengishahr, but their ride took them to one such building. Inside they were greeted by a receptionist who put in a call. Shortly after they were being ushered into a spacious office on the top floor ¨C floor fourteen or so. From here they had a good view across the rooftops and winding alleys of the city, and to the distant mountains beyond.

    A solitary woman sat behind a desk as they entered. Seeing them she rose to her feet and walked over.

    ¡°Welcome,¡± she said. ¡°I am Ulduz Yarghunqizi.¡±

    She was dressed in a Shang-style dress, but her appearance suggested she was from Yarkan. Certainly, Mu had never seen any Shang or Aixin people with this woman¡¯s piercing blue eyes. Mu estimated she was perhaps in her mid-forties. She was about the same height as Mu herself.

    ¡°Hello, Mrs Yarghunqizi,¡± said Ostara. ¡°I am Ostara, the First Mate of the Starship Amrita. I believe you have a job the crew and I may be able to help you with.¡±

    ¡°Please, call me Ulduz,¡± said the woman, placing a hand to her chest.

    Ostara nodded obligingly.

    ¡°Take a seat. Would anyone like some tea?¡± said Ulduz, indicating a small seating area.

    Mu immediately shot up her hand, then realised she was perhaps being too keen. ¡°Um, yes please,¡± she said.

    ¡°Ah, a young lady who knows what she wants,¡± said Ulduz with a smile. She walked over to her desk and pressed a button. She spoke some words over an intercom in Jaril, then came over and took a seat herself.

    Introductions were carried out and the tea brought in. After pouring two cups and passing one to Mu, Ulduz asked if anyone else would like some. Ostara and Harry said they¡¯d like some.

    ¡°No thanks,¡± said Nova, shaking her head, then seemed to notice a glare from Ostara, ¡°Er, no thank you.¡±

    Kal also declined.

    ¡°Now, thank you for coming. What I¡¯m going to say may be utterly absurd,¡± said Ulduz. ¡°And you¡¯ll have to forgive me for eavesdropping. It was not my intention, but having overheard some of your conversation last night, it occurred to me that you may have just the skillset I need for a rather delicate task. Of course, if I am completely off the mark here, you should feel free to decline and walk right out.¡±

    Ostara nodded.

    ¡°I am the eldest of three siblings, see,¡± began Ulduz. ¡°The older of my two brothers, Taghay, leads our family business. We have a varied range of business interests, but primarily we invest in the tourism sector, particularly high-end assets such as major hotels and the like. I believe you may be staying in one of ours presently.¡±

    ¡°The Yarghun Grand?¡± asked Ostara.

    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s one of ours,¡± said Ulduz. ¡°Where it all began, actually ¨C my father founded it. I trust you¡¯re enjoying your stay?¡±

    ¡°Very much so,¡± said Ostara.

    ¡°At any rate, the tourism market on Yarkan is not¡­ enormous. On the other hand, my brother is an ambitious man and is keen to grow the company. But only so many interstellar visitors come to Yengishahr and because of the complicated situation on Yarkan, there isn¡¯t much for any but the most adventurous visitors outside the city¡­ beyond the shields.¡±

    ¡°I can imagine,¡± said Ostara, ¡°Though let me say, I do find Yarkan has a very particular beauty.¡±

    ¡°Very kind of you to say so,¡± said Ulduz. ¡°Now, I don¡¯t want to bore you with details, but how familiar are you with history and situation here on Yarkan?¡±

    ¡°We know the broad strokes,¡± said Ostara.

    ¡°You¡¯re aware, then, that this was once the capital of an interstellar civilisation before the Banner Wars, but that the old Jaril Confederacy was destroyed by the first Aixingo Emperor. The planet has not nearly recovered in the centuries since. In Yengishahr we use Artificial Resonance Cores ¨C ARCs for short ¨C to create a bubble of stability amid the highly unstable Starflow across the rest of the planet. It is the only way to maintain any large-scale settlement on the planet. The power of the Emperor¡¯s Theophany causes strange phenomena beyond the shields that can drive people to madness. People tell all sorts of stories ¨C many featuring the spirits of the dead who died in the Emperor¡¯s attack. Who truly knows what is true and what is the product of overactive and troubled imaginations, but suffice to say: it is not an easy place to spend time, out there.¡±

    ¡°I can imagine,¡± said Ostara.

    Mu looked out the window towards the mountains. How far did the shields extend? Somewhere out there was the hellish encroaching power of her ancestor.

    ¡°But I¡¯ll cut to the chase. People say that the strangest and most intense phenomena occur around the ruins of Karbaliq ¨C the city that once served as the Jaril capital,¡± said Ulduz. ¡°However, let¡¯s pretend for a moment that Yarkan didn¡¯t have to contend with any of these¡­ extra complications¡­ well, it has occurred to my dear brother that those very ruins could be a truly mighty tourist attraction.¡±

    ¡°Our guide when we arrived mentioned something about a development there¡­¡± said Mu, ¡°But how is that possible?¡±

    Ulduz smiled. ¡°The exact same way this city is possible ¨C ARCs.¡±

    Ostara leant forward in her chair. ¡°Your brother proposes to create a bubble of stability around Karbaliq and build a resort there? That¡¯s certainly an ambitious plan. The only use of ARCs I was aware of his by capital ships of the Imperial fleet to power their Starflow-based weaponry¡­ but is it even possible to secure them for such a project as this?¡±

    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s possible,¡± said Ulduz, ¡°Or at least my brother is certainly confident that it is. So confident that he has already begun construction on the outskirts of Karbaliq.¡±

    ¡°How is the construction proceeding without the ARCs already in place?¡± asked Kal.

    ¡°The nomadic tribes of the desert have Resonants among them known as Qamlar. It is the role of a tribe¡¯s Qam to keep the power of the Theophany at bay wherever they camp. My brother is paying some of these tribes to assist in shielding the project site until a more permanent solution ¨C the ARCs ¨C can be secured.

    ¡°This is all complicated, but not beyond my brother¡¯s rather impressive abilities. He¡¯s put this plan together and even sold it to the Imperial authorities. The planetary governor has given full support for the project to go ahead. The complication that I am hoping you can help me resolve, though, comes in the form of my younger brother, Toghrul.¡±

    Ulduz breathed in deeply and looked out the window, before turning back their way and continuing. ¡°Toghrul, you see, is an archaeologist. He also considers himself something of an activist for the traditional ways of life of Yarkan. Despite some tribes actively assisting the project, others have opposed it. Many view the ruins sacred and fear that any attempt to push the Theophany away from the city will disturb the spirits of the dead that reside there. Toghrul is one of those who is convinced by this.¡±

    ¡°Your brothers don¡¯t see eye to eye?¡± said Harry. ¡°Family dinners must be awkward.¡±

    ¡°Family dinners no longer happen,¡± said Ulduz. ¡°You see a week ago one of the site overseers at Karbaliq was killed. All the evidence suggests it was a murder.¡±

    Mu noticed the tension in the room rise instantly.

    ¡°And Taghay believes Toghrul was the one responsible.¡±

    No one spoke for a moment.

    ¡°You say Taghay believes¡­¡± said Ostara, clearly picking her words carefully.

    Ulduz nodded. ¡°Taghay believes Toghrul was responsible. The Planetary Government also believes this. I, however, do not.¡±

    She paused again, gathering her thoughts, rubbing her hands together as if washing them while she thought. ¡°If I am being completely honest with you, I cannot fathom how it is Taghay can think such a thing of his own brother. They may have their differences, but to think Toghrul is capable of murder is¡­ it¡¯s madness¡­ nonetheless, Toghrul has been arrested and will be placed on trial. And Taghay didn¡¯t just believe it¡­ I never saw any doubt from him. Not for a moment,¡± she said, shaking her head at the thought, pausing to collect her thoughts before continuing.

    ¡°I¡¯m not sure how things work elsewhere in the Empire, but here on Yarkan justice is a swift thing and the Governor can sway any trial¡¯s outcome. Taghay has the Governor¡¯s ear and if he says Toghrul is guilty there is not much hope of his acquittal.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s terrible,¡± murmured Mu.

    ¡°That¡¯s where I believe your crew¡¯s varied expertise may come in,¡± said Ulduz. ¡°I want to find evidence that exonerates my brother, but anyone I turn to in Yengishahr is as likely as not to already be on Taghay¡¯s payroll. For this reason, outsiders like yourselves would be the optimal choice for the job.¡±

    ¡°I see,¡± said Ostara, leaning back in her chair and casting her eyes around to the rest of the crew. Mu met her gaze and gave a slight nod. Ostara smiled.

    ¡°I think we could handle that job,¡± she said.

    ¡°I was dearly hoping you would say that,¡± said Ulduz. ¡°Now, I can arrange passage for you all to Karbaliq. I can also provide you with a more detailed written briefing on the situation to assist you with your investigations, as well as ensuring my brother doesn¡¯t interfere with you. The key challenge for you will be finding the necessary evidence quickly. As I said, the trial will not last long. Once a verdict is issued my little brother will face exile or death.¡±

    ¡°We won¡¯t let you down,¡± said Mu.

    ¡°Thank you,¡± said Ulduz, ¡°Thank you so much. I cannot express how thankful I truly am. I want my brothers back. Both of them. I want our family back. If you can do that for me, I will be eternally grateful.¡±

    Mu was about to say more, when Ulduz spoke again.

    ¡°Of course, I¡¯m sure your curious about the issue of payment. I would like to offer ten million taels. Five million now and five million on successful completion of the job. Would that be appropriate? Of course, all expenses required to complete the job will be fully paid for on top of that figure.¡±

    Ostara nodded, ¡°That will be quite ample remuneration, thank you. When would you like for us to set out?¡±

    ¡°Is tomorrow suitable?¡±

    ¡°It is.¡±

    Ulduz appeared overjoyed. She rose to her feet and the rest of them followed suit. ¡°It¡¯s agreed then. I will get all the information you need to you and arrange your travel to Karbaliq. Do be careful though¡­ once you cross the shields of Yengishahr¡­ safety cannot be guaranteed.¡±

    And so it was decided.

    The Black City of Karbaliq lay ahead.

 Chapter XVI - Elegy for a Lost World

    Chapter XVI ¨C Elegy for a Lost World

    Tavian opened his eyes and gazed at the ceiling.

    That¡¯s pleasant, he thought, musing on the fact that for the first time in a few mornings he wasn¡¯t at all hungover. Really should cut down on those mornings.

    He continued gazing at the ceiling a little longer, blinking the sleep from his eyes and taking long slow breaths. It was still mostly dark outside and the windows had fogged up, but he had some sense that the dawn couldn¡¯t be too far away.

    There was something so satisfying, he reflected, about being in a warm bed when just outside were freezing temperatures. Just that knowledge brought with it a sense of security and comfort that was quite unmatched. Even better if one could see snow falling from bed, but he figured Yengishahr was too dry for much snow to fall. He¡¯d make do.

    He rolled over onto his side. Mingxia¡¯s hair was spread out on the pillow. She was lying on her back, the blankets rising and falling slowly and steadily with her breathing. She looked serene in a way Tavian didn¡¯t remember seeing before in their admittedly brief acquaintance.

    I guess it¡¯s the serenity of freedom.

    She stirred.

    Upon opening her eyes, she immediately saw Tavian staring at her.

    ¡°Hi,¡± she said, with a smile. ¡°You know, this is the second morning in a row I¡¯ve woken to find you staring at me. Keep doing that and I might start to think you like me or something.¡±

    Tavian gave a little laugh. ¡°Keep sleeping in my bed and I might get my suspicions about you.¡±

    She leant forward and gave him a peck on the lips.

    ¡°Well that definitely raised my suspicions,¡± said Tavian.

    She wiggled over to him and threw an arm around him, placing her face just a few centimetres from his, one of her legs finding its way between his, her foot brushing his. He felt her naked skin against his own, her breasts pressing into his chest.

    She kissed him again and he felt her tongue gently push its way into his own mouth. He responded in kind.

    After a few moments she pulled back.

    ¡°Oh, did I feel something move?¡± she said, pointing down beneath the covers with one hand.

    ¡°Maybe¡­¡± said Tavian.

    Discussion on this matter was cut short a moment later when Tavian¡¯s tablet buzzed loudly on the bedside table. Groaning he rolled over to grab it.

    Nova.

    ¡°Yes?¡± he said, allowing more than a little frustration to creep into his voice.

    ¡°Hope I¡¯m not interrupting anything,¡± said Nova.

    ¡°Course not¡­ what¡¯s up?¡±

    ¡°You, ah¡­ you seen the time there, my guy?¡±

    Tavian held the tablet out at arm¡¯s length and looked at its screen. He groaned. They were a long way north here. The sun rose very late. Later than Tavian was used to. ¡°Oh¡­¡± he managed.

    Behind him Mingxia had pushed herself up against him, her head peeping over his shoulder so that she was close to the tablet.

    ¡°Oh¡¯s right,¡± said Nova. ¡°We¡¯ve gotta be moving in forty minutes.¡±

    ¡°Fine, fine,¡± said Tavian.

    ¡°And if you, ah, happen to see Mingxia, can you get her moving too. I haven¡¯t been able to get hold of her,¡± said Nova.

    ¡°Hi, Nova!¡± Mingxia called out.

    ¡°Oh¡­¡± said Nova, in an unexpectedly quiet voice. ¡°Hello¡­ Mingxia. Hope that, um, you, ah, and Tavian have had a good morning¡­ okay, bye.¡±

    She hung up.

    ¡°I think you scared her,¡± said Tavian, rolling over to face Mingxia again.

    ¡°Sorry,¡± said Mingxia, her facial expression suggesting she may not actually be very sorry.

    ¡°We do need to get ready though,¡± said Tavian.

    ¡°Yeah, I guess we do,¡± said Mingxia.

    She pushed away the covers and stood, stretching and yawning as she did so. Tavian enjoyed the sight from where he lay. She walked to the bathroom door and paused a moment.

    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s fine,¡± said Tavian, ¡°You have first shower.¡±

    Mingxia half-turned. ¡°First? Didn¡¯t you hear her? We¡¯re in a hurry. Only time for one shower.¡±

    Tavian didn¡¯t need to be asked twice. ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am,¡± he said, and leapt from the bed, following her into the bathroom.

    It was a grey dawn, but there was still no sign of snow.

    Mu once again found herself walking across a flat tarmac, this time headed towards a waiting airship. Today the wind that blew across the dry steppe had a ferocity that far exceeded what they¡¯d experienced yesterday. She came to a stop beside Ostara, just in front of the airship. Their pilot was waiting.

    ¡°Can we even fly in this wind?¡± she asked, yelling over the roaring gale.

    The pilot, a young man with a thick moustache nodded. ¡°They build them tough on Yarkan,¡± he said, patting the sides of the airship, and then, with a dangerous grin, added, ¡°Wait, madam, until we reach the deep desert. The Starflow itself drives the air around the Black City. Then you will truly respect the winds of Yarkan.¡±

    Great, thought Mu. Something to look forward to.

    At least, though, she figured Karbaliq was likely to be warmer than Yengishahr, sitting far to the south in Yarkan¡¯s subtropics, and at much lower elevation.

    ¡°We are all here, yes?¡± yelled the pilot.

    ¡°Everyone is accounted for,¡± Ostara yelled back.

    ¡°Then we shall embark!¡± declared the pilot, who Mu had decided had a keen sense of drama, judging by the extravagant gesture that accompanied this declaration.

    They clambered on board and took seats.

    ¡°Everybody ready?¡±

    ¡°Ready,¡± replied Ostara.

    ¡°We go!¡± declared the pilot. The door sealed and the ship shuddered for a moment then lifted away from the tarmac. Mu felt the lurch of acceleration, and then they shot up into the grey skies of Yarkan.

    She was sitting opposite the last arrivals at the airport ¨C Tavian and Mingxia ¨C who had delayed their departure. Observing them, Mu noticed there was definitely something different about their body language around each other. The thought made her vaguely uncomfortable. She happened to catch Tavian¡¯s eyes and looked away, finding herself instead looking at Nova, who was sitting on the other side of Tavian. She had her arms crossed and a decidedly grumpy expression on her face. Nova also caught Mu¡¯s gaze.

    ¡°You okay?¡± mouthed Mu.

    Nova gave a slight sideways gesture of her head in the direction of Tavian and Mingxia. Her arms remained crossed, her grumpy expression fixed. She mouthed something back to Mu, but what exactly wasn¡¯t clear. Mu attempted to convey that they¡¯d talk later, although she wasn¡¯t sure if Nova followed. After that Nova looked away. Mu found herself drumming her hand on her lap as she glanced around the interior of the ship, attempting not to make eye contact with anyone else.

    Up ahead the pilot was speaking again. Now that they were inside it was much easier to hear, without the wind to talk over. The only other sound was a low whir of the engines.

    ¡°We will cross through the shields shortly,¡± he said. ¡°Be aware: once we are outside, you may experience some strange things. It can be different for everyone, but you can be sure: we are safe on the ship.¡±

    Safe on the ship.

    She didn¡¯t have to be told when they¡¯d left the shield. She felt it almost immediately. In Yengishahr there had been a certain sense of stability. The Starflow was weak, but it felt normal enough, provided she didn¡¯t attempt to peer into the future beyond the shields. But the moment they crossed out of the bubble generated by the ARCs, the turbulence and chaos were almost overwhelming. It reminded her in some ways of how she¡¯d felt in the battle with the agents back on Shangxia, but this was far¡­ larger¡­ and it was heavy ¨C oppressive even ¨C like her skull was being squeezed in by the sheer roiling power of the Starflow around her.

    She tried to calm herself. Only belatedly did she realise that she had been almost violently squeezing her own thighs, her skin only saved from her nails by the thick layers of her winter robes. Her breathing was fast and shallow, but she tried to slow it and take deeper breaths, closing her eyes.

    Slowly some sense of normality returned. She opened her eyes. She saw troubled expressions on many of the others as well. Even Seraphina¡¯s usually impassive face had the look of someone waging an internal battle.

    Mu twisted in her seat, resting the side of her head against the window behind her. She gazed down at the surface, trying to focus on the few details that occasionally dotted the otherwise monotonous landscape of the high steppes ¨C the occasional small lake, a furrow or rise, sometimes ¨C though rarely ¨C a building, or the ruins thereof.

    ¡°Are you alright?¡± asked Harry, who was sitting next to her.

    ¡°Fine,¡± said Mu, straightening up. ¡°It¡¯s just¡­ when we crossed the shields¡­ it was¡­ did you feel it?¡±

    ¡°Maybe a little,¡± said Harry, his face giving just a hint of concern.

    He¡¯s not a Resonant. That¡¯s why it hit me harder.

    ¡°I think I¡¯ve just got to distract myself for a bit,¡± said Mu. ¡°It¡¯ll be alright once we get to Karbaliq.¡±

    ¡°Sure,¡± said Harry. ¡°Do you want to talk?¡±

    Mu considered a moment. ¡°I think I might just try and read.¡±

    ¡°Whatever works for you,¡± said Harry.

    As she pulled out her tablet, Mu noticed Tavian staring her way with an inscrutable expression.

    She pulled up the book she had been reading last night: Religious and Spiritual Practices and Beliefs of Yarkan. She must have fallen asleep on the last page of a chapter. She backed up a little to refresh her memory, before finishing that chapter (¡°The Role of the Qamlar¡±). She tapped the screen to turn to the first page of the next: ¡°Beliefs about Death¡±.

    The pilot spoke from up front. ¡°We will be flying over the Tengrita? Mountains shortly, if you are wanting to look out. After these mountains the steppe is no more. Then we are flying over the desert.¡±

    Mu looked up from her book, glancing over her shoulder. The terrain had become far more undulating than the flat expanse of the steppe, and as she watched, it rose to towering and jagged peaks, covered in white, reaching toward them like great talons, trying to snatch them from the sky. And then, almost as soon as the mountains had appeared, they were gone. Instead of the dull brown-green of the steppe, the open rocky desert spread out below.

    Mu looked back at her book.

    The word for death among the people of Yarkan comes from the proto-Jarilic root meaning ¡°to take flight¡±. This conveys much about the beliefs of the planet¡¯s people, for it has long been said that ancestors leave the world of the living to once more be among the stars, where the great Clanships of old voyaged. This root can also be observed in the name given to the spirits who are thought to haunt the deep desert, particularly around major historical sites from the pre-Imperial age. In Modern Jaril these spirits are referred to as U?armaz, which has a meaning akin to ¡°those for whom flight is impossible¡±.

    Mu glanced up again, not looking anywhere in particular.

    Those for whom flight is impossible.

    We are safe on the ship.

    Even as she thought this, she felt the pressure return, the maelstrom gathering about her. And this time she heard the whispers, barely audible and unintelligible to her, but unmistakable. She closed her eyes once more, attempting deep breathing, but now the whir of the engines took on the character of some horn playing a funerary dirge. Despite her best efforts she felt her breath shuddering. The whispers grew louder, transforming into wailing that blended with the plaintive horns.

    Crushing pain ¨C like her skull was about to cave in.

    A baby cried, unanswered.

    She jerked forward in her seat, her eyes springing open, tears welling there.

    ¡°Mu! Mu!¡± said Harry.

    She turned to look his way.

    The pressure, the dirge, the voices subsided.

    ¡°I¡¯m alright,¡± she said, raising a trembling hand to brush away the tears.

    Harry¡¯s expression was unconvinced.

    She noticed everyone was now looking at her with similar expressions of concern.

    ¡°I¡¯m alright,¡± she repeated, hearing how her own voice sounded so small and weak.

    On the other side of the ship Seraphina raised two fingers to her lips, murmuring something Mu could not catch. She pointed them towards Mu, who immediately felt like a warm, comforting blanket had descended upon her. Her heartbeat slowly returned to normal. She did her best to flash a reassuring smile to everyone, but didn¡¯t quite trust herself to speak. Shakily she lifted up her book again, returning her eyes to it.

    I¡¯m alright.

    At some point she must have dozed off, because the next thing she knew there was a heavy jerk and she heard her tablet rattling on the floor. She looked around, trying to get a sense of what was happening.

    This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

    ¡°My friends, the desert is welcoming us!¡± announced the pilot. Outside the window everything had grown dark.

    Is it night already?

    The ship shook violently, just as Mu was bending down to grab her tablet. She almost fell out of her seat.

    ¡°Or maybe not so welcome, eh?¡± said the pilot. ¡°I am afraid we will not be able to reach Karbaliq until this storm subsides. I will find a caravanserai as near as possible and land us there. We will stay tonight. Tomorrow, we go to the Black City.¡±

    Sand. It¡¯s sand out there.

    The ship was shaking even more violently, though the pilot¡¯s voice remained steady the whole time. Looking around at the others Mu saw various degrees of concern on their faces.

    ¡°This could get a little rough,¡± announced the pilot, as if it had been smooth sailing up until that point.

    Mu felt the moment the descent began, clutching her tablet tightly now.

    ¡°Hold on. Not long.¡±

    ¡°Well, this is exciting!¡± announced Tavian, his bright expression seeming quite at odds with the situation.

    ¡°I am not into this!¡± said Nova, who had grabbed Seraphina¡¯s upper arm with white knuckles.

    ¡°Ouch,¡± said Seraphina quietly, her monotone intact.

    Nova didn¡¯t seem to hear her.

    Ostara and Kal were the picture of calm. Harry only slightly less so.

    Mingxia, Mu noticed, was clinging tightly onto Tavian.

    ¡°Nope, nope, nope,¡± Nova was repeating, her eyes now closed.

    There was a sound like creaking metal, bending metal.

    Mu noticed her own hands were shaking. But this was preferable to whispers, to the pain, to the wailing. She looked from Tavian and Mingxia to Harry.

    What would happen if I grabbed onto Harry?

    What a strange thought.

    Then there was a heavy thud and everything became much more still. Nova braved opening her eyes, releasing her grip on Seraphina.

    ¡°Ow,¡± said Seraphina again, giving her arm a slight shake.

    Mingxia straightened up.

    ¡°Are we¡­ landed?¡± Nova managed.

    ¡°Yes, yes, we have made it,¡± said the pilot. He got up from his seat and walked to where they all sat. ¡°We have suits ¨C for the sand,¡± he declared. He pressed some buttons on his tablet. At the back of the ship a door Mu had not previously noticed slid open, revealing what looked like space suits. ¡°Everybody, put these on. I will lead you to the caravanserai. No worries about size, the suit will match you.¡±

    They all set about suiting up. The pilot did a brief check on everyone. Satisfied, he opened the door. A wave of sand swept in and they hurriedly disembarked, the doors shutting behind them.

    Outside was nothing but swirling sand.

    Daughter of Ruin!

    Mu¡¯s eyes shot open. Ostara was looking at her with a concerned expression.

    ¡°Yarkan is not being kind to you,¡± she said.

    Mu shook her head, taking a moment to get her bearings. She was lying in a bunk bed. Opposite her she could see Nova dressed in pyjamas, sitting on the top bunk, her legs hanging down, a look of concern on her face. Her hair was a wild and untamed mess. Ostara was as composed as ever in an elegant nightdress.

    ¡°Just dreams,¡± said Mu.

    ¡°You kept saying, ¡®I am not him¡¯,¡± said Nova.

    Sitting up Mu insisted she was fine.

    How many times have I insisted that?

    It was one of those things that became less believable with each utterance.

    ¡°Just remember, if you need help ¨C for anything ¨C you need only ask,¡± said Ostara.

    ¡°Thank you.¡±

    Ostara leant forward and wrapped her in a hug. As she withdrew again, she said, ¡°I mean it. I want you to speak up.¡±

    Mu nodded.

    ¡°How ¡®bout breakfast to make you feel better?¡± asked Nova, sliding from the top bunk, landing clumsily before righting herself as if nothing had happened. She proceeded to rummage around in a bag, finding a pair of slippers.

    ¡°Yeah,¡± said Mu, ¡°Breakfast would be good.¡±

    ¡°I think Sera and Mingxia must have already gone,¡± said Nova, sitting on the bottom bunk and sliding her feet into the slippers. Even as she spoke Mu heard her stomach rumble loudly.

    Mu rose from her bed and ran her fingers through her hair, catching a few knots on the way. Finding her bag, she pulled a robe on over her pyjamas. She found some slippers of her own.

    ¡°Has the storm died down?¡± she asked Ostara.

    ¡°Still a little blowy, by the looks of it,¡± replied the other woman, ¡°But based on what Mr Sutayoghul was saying last night, I think we should be able to make our way to Karbaliq today.¡±

    ¡°Great,¡± said Mu, feeling guilty as she tried to remember if Mr Sutayoghul was their pilot¡¯s name.

    ¡°You ready?¡± asked Nova. ¡°I¡¯m hungry!¡±

    ¡°No one¡¯s stopping you,¡± said Mu. ¡°Go on ahead. I need to tidy myself up a bit.¡±

    ¡°I was being polite,¡± said Nova. ¡°Besides, you look fine.¡±

    Since getting out of bed Nova had made no effort to tame her own hair, not even bothering with the messy pony tail she usually tied it into. For a moment it looked as if she wasn¡¯t wearing her goggles ¨C the first time Mu had seen her without them ¨C but it soon became apparent that they were merely concealed beneath the mess of hair.

    So she does sleep with them, thought Mu.

    ¡°I can wait with Mu,¡± said Ostara. ¡°You go on ahead, Nova.¡±

    Nova shrugged. ¡°I tried.¡±

    She headed out.

    Mu pointed to the bathroom. ¡°I¡¯m just going to brush my hair,¡± she said.

    Ostara nodded. ¡°Take your time.¡±

    Mu walked into the bathroom that opened off the dormitory. She contemplated the shower, but decided against it for now. She was hungry herself, but on top of that she didn¡¯t want to be by herself. The details of her dream had evaporated almost instantaneously, but it had left a profound feeling of unease that she couldn¡¯t shake.

    After battling with her hair and the brush for a little longer, she was satisfied and headed back out to where Ostara was waiting, gazing down at her tablet.

    ¡°Ready?¡±

    Mu nodded.

    Breakfast, it turned out was simple, but excellent: flaky flatbreads, apricots, pomegranates, boiled eggs, and some sort of dried yoghurt balls. The owner of the caravanserai was a cheerful person who seemed to enjoy fussing over her guests, ensuring they had plentiful tea as they ate. Mu noticed that cheerfulness seemed to be a widespread trait of the people of Yarkan.

    They mustn¡¯t hear what I hear¡­

    By the time Mu and Ostara got there, their pilot (who was indeed Mr Sutayoghul) and Kal had already headed outside. Tavian and Mingxia had left the table to sit on some cushions arranged near the fire and drink their tea. Though suspicious of the fruits, Nova appeared to have become quite taken with the yoghurt balls.

    ¡°These are pretty good,¡± she said through a full mouth.

    Mu took an apricot. It was delicious.

    She hadn¡¯t been there long when the door opened, Kal and Mr Sutayoghul entering. ¡°Weather looks good. We should get moving. We¡¯ve already lost a day,¡± Kal announced.

    ¡°Okay,¡± said Nova, grabbing a handful of yoghurt balls. ¡°I guess we can go. I¡¯m going to go get dressed.¡±

    Mu finished her apricot, discarding the stone in the ceramic bowl provided for that purpose. She followed Nova back to the dorm to get dressed for the day ahead, Ostara coming with her.

    After that, things went much more smoothly than the previous day. The sandstorm completely died down, revealing a hazy expanse of blue desert sky, intense sun gleaming out of it. The temperature still felt cool when the wind blew, but the sun did much more to take the bite out than it had back in Yengishahr. It was still early too; Mu got the sense it would warm up rapidly as the day wore on.

    They departed and their pilot informed them that the flight time to Karbaliq would only be about an hour. Mu started reading, but soon found herself content instead to sit and gaze out the window at the passing desert. The rocky desert they had initially passed over yesterday was now replaced with an ocean of sand. From her reading Mu figured this was the Kavuktan Desert, or the ¡°deep desert¡± in the common parlance of Yarkan. It was a huge depression in the landscape which may have once been home to a primordial sea, in a wetter era of Yarkan¡¯s prehistory. Now it was uniquely arid. Yet it was on the far edge of the Kavuktan that they would find Karbaliq, the Black City, on an immense oasis.

    Though she could still sense the profound strangeness of the Starflow out here, she did not feel the same pressure as she had on yesterday¡¯s flight. Indeed, she had almost managed to relax into the journey when the pilot announced they were about to make their descent into Karbaliq.

    ¡°To the right is the Great Oasis. On its shores, the Black City!¡± announced Mr Sutayoghul.

    Mu craned her head. At first all she could see was the rolling dunes, but then it swam into view. It took her a moment to adjust to what she was seeing, then it became clearer: trees. Yellow-leaved poplars were scattered in great abundance; beyond these she saw a large expanse of water. Beyond that, the landscape rose up precipitously, sand giving way to rock. And there stood immense buildings of black stone, all in varied stages of decay. These monoliths were of a scale quite unlike anything she¡¯d seen since leaving Aixingo; though here the impression of their immensity was greatly bolstered by the uniformity of the black stone.

    The pilot passed over the city before circling around to begin their descent. As they flew over the city, Mu could see the early signs of construction, as well as small clusters of tents, tiny motes of modernity, dwarfed by the ancient city.

    As they turned, the descent began, and Mu¡¯s mind suddenly flooded with thousands of whispering voices. The voices rose to a frenzied crescendo, then, as one, fell silent.

    She knew immediately that they had entered the bubble of stability provided by the Qamlar.

    Their landing today was far softer than yesterday amidst the tempest of sand.

    ¡°Welcome to the Black City,¡± announced Mr Sutayoghul.

    After disembarking, they gave Mr Sutayoghul their thanks. A company representative met them, escorting them to their quarters. As they had been in the dormitories of the caravanserai, they were divided, the women sharing one large tent, the men another. The interiors of the tents were surprisingly luxurious, and the amenities were plentiful, with a separate tent also housing showers, shared among the company workers.

    If the ruins had appeared large from the air, they gave a far greater impression still from the ground. The tent settlements sat in vast canyons, yet the walls of those canyons were chiselled and built up by humanity, not carved by the water and the wind. To walk among those ruins was to feel small.

    Once they had left their luggage in their respective tents, they were summoned by Ostara to meet with the Senior Site Manager, a Yang Yuanyun. Mr Yang explained to them that he had already received orders from Director Yarghunqizi to ensure they were free to come and go as they pleased.

    ¡°Whatever you need, speak with myself or Miss Khasarqizi here, and we will ensure you have whatever it is you require,¡± said Mr Yang, indicating the quiet young woman standing at his side.

    ¡°That is very kind of you and Director Yarghunqizi,¡± said Ostara.

    ¡°If it would be useful to you, I could have Miss Khasarqizi give you a sight tour?¡±

    ¡°That would be most appreciated,¡± said Ostara.

    Miss Khasarqizi was, as it turned out, not the finest tour guide they could have hoped for, acting like someone who had a strict budget for her use of words. The tour thus proved perfunctory at best, though it did give Mu a better sense of orientation with the maps she¡¯d looked over earlier.

    The footprint of the Black City was immense ¨C the development site only being a very small part of it. On their tour, Miss Khasarqizi did point out the signs that showed the edges of the area under the protection of the Qamlar. Beyond these points, Karbaliq still loomed, its ancient abandoned streets, houses, temples, and palaces standing imposing and lifeless, even as the desert continued to dump ever greater volumes of sand on them.

    ¡°If you must enter such places,¡± said Miss Khasarqizi, ¡°We can arrange a Qam to escort you.¡±

    Gazing at those sand blasted places, even from within the protected area, Mu felt like she could hear the innumerable whispers of the dead. A shadow of her dream passed over her.

    Daughter of Ruin.

    I am not him.

    Once this place was full of life.

    Then one day he came.

    Then it was not.

    ¡°Quite a place for a resort,¡± said Tavian, stopping at the entrance to the tent to remove his boots, pouring out the sandpit which had accumulated inside over the course of the day. They¡¯d walked the length and breadth of the protected zone since they arrived, talking to workers, asking questions.

    ¡°There¡¯s no place so bleak that no one wants to visit,¡± said Harry, following Tavian¡¯s lead before they both entered the tent. ¡°Some like the beach, some like the haunted ruins of extinct civilisations.¡±

    ¡°This Taghay guy is clearly banking on that,¡± said Tavian. ¡°Seems like he¡¯s confident.¡±

    ¡°It does seem that way,¡± said Harry.

    Kal had reached the tent ahead of them, and had taken up a seat by the heater. There he sat, reading off the screen of his tablet.

    ¡°Wotcha readin¡¯ there, Big Guy?¡± asked Harry.

    ¡°A history of the First Battle of Yarkan,¡± said Kal. ¡°The Susanian and Jaril forces inflicted one of the very few defeats experienced by the White Horse Alabey during the First Banner War. It was probably the last time Aixingo was ever militarily defeated¡­ on that scale at least¡­¡±

    Kal paused, not looking at either of them.

    ¡°Back in the day, the boys and I fought Xerxes on planet after planet, always losing¡­ always hopeful that next time was going to be the one ¨C the one where we turned the tide.¡±

    Neither Tavian nor Harry spoke.

    ¡°Of course, we never did. These days a new crop of hopeful young men is still fighting Xerxes on a new crop of worlds, still losing. It¡¯ll end one day ¨C when there are no more worlds for Xerxes to conquer¡­ no more League. But imagine instead: those Jaril and Susanian soldiers, losing world after world, then right here, that day finally came. The day they turned ¨C stemmed at least ¨C the tide. How happy they must have been.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sure it must have been a great moment for them,¡± said Harry.

    Kal finally turned their way. ¡°I like that for them, those poor bastards. They must have had that moment¡­ when the broken remnants of the Alabey fleet withdrew. The rush of victory ¨C I¡¯ve always wondered what that felt like. In that moment they would have had no idea what was coming.¡±

    ¡°Hey,¡± said Tavian. ¡°At least they had their moment.¡±

    ¡°We never got ours,¡± said Kal. ¡°But maybe that¡¯s all it would have been, anyway: a moment. Maybe we were just toy soldiers, playing out a game, and if we¡¯d ever defeated the Host, then the boss would have come. Because that¡¯s the one thing we never faced: Xerxes himself. I think maybe if it ever did come to that, it might have gone down a lot like it did here. Yarhudan¡¯s army was defeated and then he just came back, Theophany in hand, and swept it all aside. That first victory meant nothing in the end for the Jaril. Now all that¡¯s left are these lifeless ruins.¡±

    Harry dropped into a seat next to Kal. ¡°You been drinking without us there, buddy? You¡¯re sounding a bit morbid.¡±

    Kal shook his head. ¡°Just been remembering some things.¡±

    ¡°Yeah,¡± said Tavian, nodding slowly. ¡°This place does have that effect.¡±

    Harry clapped his hands together. ¡°Well, uplifting as this is. How¡¯d we all feel about today? Anything that looks like a lead?¡±

    ¡°Not a thing,¡± said Tavian, sitting in the chair on the other side of Kal.

    ¡°They¡¯re lying to us,¡± said Kal.

    ¡°Huh?¡± said Harry.

    ¡°That Manager fellow, that little mousey woman. Just about everyone else we spoke to. And if they¡¯re not lying, they¡¯re certainly not being up front with the facts,¡± said Kal.

    ¡°Aren¡¯t they under Ulduz¡¯s orders to cooperate?¡± asked Harry.

    ¡°Ulduz isn¡¯t the big boss,¡± said Kal. ¡°I guarantee the moment she told them we were coming; they were talking to this Taghay. He runs the company.¡±

    ¡°What are you suggesting? Are you saying he¡¯s actually trying to cover up who the real murderer was?¡± said Harry.

    ¡°No, Kal¡¯s right,¡± said Tavian. ¡°Think about it. Ulduz said she couldn¡¯t believe how quick Taghay was to accept that Toghrul was guilty. If it came as a big shock to him, that his brother was suspected of murder, he¡¯d be asking questions¡­ no one¡¯s just gonna accept that at face value. But that¡¯s what Ulduz says he did. The simplest explanation as I see it is that he knew something in advance. Most likely: Toghrul is being framed.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s a pretty big accusation,¡± said Harry.

    ¡°Got a better explanation?¡± said Kal.

    ¡°No. But regardless, all this is a hunch. Might be a good one. Might explain what we know so far¡­ but it¡¯s still just a hunch. That means we¡¯ve gotta work out what would prove it, and then find that evidence,¡± said Harry.

    ¡°Of course, we¡¯re assuming here that this Ulduz lady is still gonna pay up,¡± said Tavian. ¡°She might not be too happy if the evidence that gets one of her brothers off the murder charges implicates the other ¨C at bare minimum ¨C of a cover-up.¡±

    ¡°True,¡± Harry conceded. ¡°But I¡¯m pretty sure Ostara¡¯s already got the first five mil in hand. If it¡¯s looking like Ulduz ain¡¯t gonna pay up, well then: we just fuck off outta here. Five mil¡¯s just fine for a week¡¯s work. Ten mil would be better, but five mil will do just fine.¡±

    Tavian gave a slightly bitter laugh. ¡°Just to be clear: if it goes down like that, then we¡¯re reneging on a deal with Ulduz and taking her money, having just accused the Planetary Governor¡¯s mate ¨C her brother ¨C of covering up a murder. Some people might try and stop us from flying the coop.¡±

    ¡°Well, if it does play out that way ¨C and I¡¯m not actually predicting it will ¨C but if it does ¨C then we¡¯ve pissed off a few locals. Maybe Taghay and Ulduz¡¯s corporate security comes after us, maybe the Governor does¡­ but hey, nothing new there.¡±

    ¡°And it went seamlessly last time,¡± said Tavian.

    ¡°It would have if we hadn¡¯t gone back to get Mingxia,¡± said Harry, ¡°And even then, that would have gone alright if those Resonance Bureau agents hadn¡¯t come for Mu. But there aren¡¯t going to be any Resonance Bureau agents this time round, and we¡¯re not relying on anyone else ¨C we¡¯ve got the Amrita¡¯s lander right here. No Orbital Ring between us. Just straight back to Apollo, and off we go.¡±

    Tavian conceded that the absence of a threat like the Resonance Bureau agents would make things a lot easier if they had to get out fast.

    ¡°You got the armour here, Kal?¡± he asked, looking Kal¡¯s way.

    ¡°Always ready to suit up,¡± said Kal in a voice that made Tavian think it might just be Kal¡¯s preferred outcome. It almost seemed as if the thought of donning the power armour alone made some of his earlier melancholy fade.

    ¡°There we have it,¡± said Harry. ¡°We are ready for whatever happens.¡±

    ¡°Then we push ahead with finding evidence of a cover up,¡± said Tavian.

    ¡°We¡¯ll let the girls know what¡¯s up tomorrow,¡± said Harry, yawning. ¡°I¡¯m for bed.¡±

    ¡°Sounds like a plan,¡± said Tavian.

    ¡°I¡¯m gonna keep reading a little longer,¡± said Kal.

    Harry looked like he was about to say something, judging by the grin on his face, but Tavian watched as it faded and he held back. ¡°Good night, Big Guy,¡± he said instead.

    Tavian awoke to the sound of distant music. At first, he thought he¡¯d dreamt it, but when he listened in, he heard it distinctly.

    It was dark now ¨C even Kal had gone to bed. There was little noise, but for the unrelenting wind. But over the wind came that sound: soft music, mournful. Something about it compelled Tavian. He kicked back the covers on his bed. He rose to his feet, finding some long pants and a coat to throw on. Careful not to make a sound, he headed for the entrance, where he pulled on his boots.

    Stepping out into the night, he felt the chill carried on the desert wind. But it was not like in Yengishahr. It was bearable. The stars above gleamed with an intensity usually reserved for deep space. The behemoths of the Black City loomed, silhouetted against that glittering firmament; more an absence of stars, rather than the presence of anything of this world.

    The music was clear.

    He walked toward it.

    The poplars were sparse and there was little undergrowth. There was little to obstruct his path as he walked directly towards the sound¡¯s source, his way lit only by the stars above. Still, he proceeded cautiously, wary of plunging into the waters of the oasis lake in the dark. His footfalls fell quietly, disturbing only the coarse sand.

    He reached the shore. The water lapped upon it, rippling beneath the wind. He saw the band playing upon a rocky outcrop.

    They didn¡¯t react to his presence as he came closer, each man playing his instrument with a love and devotion Tavian knew well; each man immersed deep in that sorrowful melody. Tavian didn¡¯t disturb them.

    Instead, he simply stood there; listening, feeling.

    It was only right that he did so.

    After all, they were playing for him from so far away. From across the many centuries.

    Tavian now noticed that he wasn¡¯t the only one in the audience ¨C many, many figures now stood, silent as he was, along the lake shore, among the poplars ¨C standing on feet that left no footprints, disturbing not even the coarse sand. Yet he knew the musicians appreciated him especially. Perhaps they were never able to take flight because they had so long yearned that someone would come with the right sort of ears ¨C ears that could hear their elegy for a lost world.

    Perhaps if someone remembered some small thing about you ¨C just one person in this vast Cosmos ¨C then you were not truly dead. Your world was not truly dead.

    So Tavian stood in the cold desert night, and listened to their music, an anguished echo of ancient grief.

    They spoke no words, but he heard them.

    Remember us.

    So he did.

 Chapter XVII - The Bright Lights Will Swallow You Whole

    Chapter XVII ¨C The Bright Lights Will Swallow You Whole

    Assistant Professor Liang Zheng sighed as she watched the students gather their things and file out of the lecture hall. She had insisted on in-person classes this semester, instead of the remote lecturers that were more common across the university, but it was only week three of the semester and she was already feeling worn down by the bored faces, the distracted activity, and the judgemental gazes that she saw when she looked out into the rows of seats. She sighed.

    You only need to get through to one student and your time has been worthwhile.

    She checked inside her bag to ensure everything she needed was there. All seemed to be in place.

    The lecture hall was almost empty now, though she noticed in passing that one student hadn¡¯t moved and was continuing to sit and stare toward the front. Toward Liang herself. They were not someone Liang recognised.

    The student appeared a little older than most ¨C it was a first-year course, so most students were still teenagers, barely out of high school. This student was different ¨C she looked to be in her late twenties, tall and pretty, with an athletic build and wry, knowing smile. She had an unnervingly intense gaze; eyes that sparkled with a mischievous light.

    Liang looked away, checking the contents of her bag once more, even though she knew everything was accounted for. She felt her pulse quicken slightly. Taking a deep breath, she left the lecture podium, stumbling slightly as she stepped down off the raised dais, making for the door to the lecture hall. She cast a fleeting glance back. The student ¨C alone now, in the vast hall ¨C was still sitting there, still gazing towards Liang, her chin resting on the back of one hand, that grin still fixed on her face.

    Liang left the hall.

    Something about that one student unsettled her, but she told herself that she was just feeling sensitive after the lecture, projecting her insecurities. Just another student. If anything, it was good that she was interested, engaged. That was rare enough.

    You only need to reach one of them. Maybe she¡¯s that one.

    Liang didn¡¯t have far to go: the university itself provided accommodation for the teaching and research staff adjacent to the campus. As such, she walked to and from work.

    The sun was setting as she set out, the lights of the city beyond were already coming on. Students wandered around, basking in the warm and clear night. She noticed a few couples, walking hand in hand or with their arms around each other.

    Oh, to be young, she thought to herself, watching those kids ¨C in love and with their whole futures ahead of them.

    She reminded herself that at thirty-nine she still had the bulk of her own life ahead of her, but somehow it felt as if all the key inflection points were behind her. Maybe she¡¯d get tenure one day. Maybe not. But there had once been a time when she¡¯d dreamt of that great moment that she¡¯d make a breakthrough in the configurations of spatial geometry, or energy-efficient negative mass conversion. She¡¯d be famous throughout the Empire. Now tenure was her loftiest dream. Pretty soon she wondered whether she might just be satisfied if her staff accommodation was renewed.

    One couple passed her by and her eyes lingered on them, until it would have been too obvious if she¡¯d turned her head to keep watching. One of them said something and they both laughed, strolling through the mild evening, hand-in-hand.

    It¡¯s not like I ever had that when I was a student, she thought.

    Still, at least back then it felt like it could happen one day. And she didn¡¯t feel lonely back then ¨C back then she could focus on her dreams. When she was famous and respected and wealthy: then she¡¯d have no trouble finding a girlfriend.

    But now she had no dreams, no girlfriend, no fame, no riches.

    It could be worse.

    It could be better.

    She reached her building and rode the lift up. Her neighbour, a researcher in the artificial resonance studies department, got in after her. She gave him a smile of greeting.

    ¡°Liang Zheng,¡± he said, ¡°How are you?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± she said. ¡°Um, how are you?¡±

    ¡°Good, good!¡± he said cheerfully. ¡°Had an inquiry from a private sector manufacturer. With some luck our team might land a research partnership contract.¡±

    ¡°Oh?¡± said Liang. ¡°What, ah, what sort of contract?¡±

    ¡°Developing special ARCs ¨C oh, that¡¯s artificial resonance cores ¨C for a planet with a lot of serious Starflow anomalies. Never heard of the planet myself ¨C somewhere called¡­ Yarkan, I think it was.¡±

    Liang shrugged and shook her head. ¡°Never heard of it¡­¡± she went silent, then added, ¡°Um, good about the contract though.¡±

    ¡°Well, we haven¡¯t got it in the bag yet, and even if we get that in place, we¡¯d still need Resonance Bureau approval to proceed¡­ if we¡¯d actually get that is anyone¡¯s guess,¡± said the other academic.

    ¡°Bureaucracy, huh?¡± said Liang. The doors of the elevator opened. ¡°Um, this is my floor.¡±

    He gave a little laugh. ¡°It¡¯s mine too. We¡¯re neighbours, remember?¡±

    ¡°Oh, haha, yes of course,¡± she said, laughing awkwardly.

    She couldn¡¯t think of anything else to say as they walked the rest of the way along the dimly lit hallway. She got to her door and opened it. She gave him a little wave.

    ¡°Have a nice night,¡± he said, waving back. She smiled and nodded and he entered his own front door.

    ¡°You too!¡± she called out, but it was probably too late. She heard his door close as she said it.

    Once she got inside, she took her bag through to her room. She took out her lunchbox, taking it to the kitchen, placing it in the dishwasher. Returning to her bedroom she changed into her exercise clothes and set to running on the treadmill. Once she¡¯d done her standard session, she showered and changed into her pyjamas then fixed herself some instant noodles.

    Sitting herself on the couch she called her mother, placing the tablet on speaker as she tackled the noodles. It was the same conversation they had every night.

    ¡°Bye, mum,¡± said Liang eventually.

    ¡°Bye, dear,¡± said her mother.

    Liang finished her noodles and placed the cup and the chopsticks on the table then pulled up the novel she was presently reading, putting on some music. She had just settled in when her doorbell rang.

    Strange.

    It didn¡¯t normally ring.

    Ever.

    She looked in the direction of the door a moment, blinking. Then the bell rang again. Putting her tablet aside, she slid her feet into her slippers and headed to the bedroom to find a robe to throw over her pyjamas. The bell rang again.

    ¡°I¡¯m coming, I¡¯m coming,¡± she said.

    She caught a glimpse of herself in the mirror as she headed towards the door. Her hair was still slightly damp from her shower and was lank and messy. She tried to straighten it a little with her fingers. Tired eyes gazed back at her from behind glasses that even she had to admit were probably too large.

    She headed to the door.

    She opened it.

    ¡°Hello,¡± said the strange student from earlier.

    ¡°Oh¡­ um¡­ I have office hours at¡ª¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry to disturb your evening, Professor,¡± the student interrupted her.

    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s just Assistant Professor,¡± said Liang. ¡°Um¡­¡±

    ¡°I know this is a little inappropriate, but please, I¡¯d only need a little of your time,¡± said the student. ¡°I¡¯d be so grateful if you could help me.¡±

    Liang didn¡¯t know what to do. The student¡¯s words sounded humble, but her expression had a confidence to it ¨C confidence bordering on arrogance.

    The student peered behind Liang. ¡°I¡¯m not interrupting anything, am I? There¡¯s no one else here?¡±

    Liang shook her head.

    ¡°It¡¯ll be quick,¡± said the student. ¡°I promise. Then I¡¯ll be out of your hair.¡±

    Before Liang could reply the student entered, walking past her.

    ¡°Oh¡­ okay¡­.¡± said Liang, quietly. She closed the door behind the student and turned to follow her inside.

    The student paused a moment, looking at the picture of Liang¡¯s mother on the wall before proceeding to seat herself on the lounge, crossing one leg over the other.

    ¡°Can I, um, get you anything? Tea or¡­?¡±

    ¡°Do you have whiskey?¡±

    Liang shook her head. ¡°Just tea. And water.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll be okay,¡± said the student.

    Liang nodded.

    ¡°Please, take a seat,¡± said the student, patting the couch next to her. Liang took a seat, but at the far end of the couch. She rubbed her hands together in a handwashing motion after straightening up her glasses.

    ¡°Warm tonight, isn¡¯t it?¡± said the student. She removed her leather jacket and hung it over the back of the couch. Underneath she was had an off-shoulder black dress. Liang glanced at her legs. She was wearing knee high, high-heeled boots. The dress was short and an expanse of thigh showed between the boots and its hem.

    Liang gulped.

    ¡°Sorry, but I¡¯m not sure I know your name,¡± said Liang. ¡°You¡¯re in my Introduction to Spatial Geometries class, yes?¡±

    The student smiled. ¡°Truth be told, I only sat in on it this afternoon.¡±

    ¡°Oh,¡± said Liang, ¡°I guess that¡¯s why I didn¡¯t recognise you.¡±

    The student¡¯s smile grew wider. ¡°I hope you don¡¯t mind,¡± she said.

    ¡°Oh no¡­ that¡¯s okay. Were you thinking about taking the course next semester?¡±

    The student took her head. ¡°No. Truth be told, it¡¯s all a bit beyond me. Never had much of a brain for science, I¡¯m afraid.¡±

    ¡°Oh.¡±

    The student unfolded her legs and moved a little closer, shuffling along the couch. ¡°But you asked my name. I¡¯m Zhen Yan,¡± she said, putting a hand to her chest. Liang¡¯s eyes followed the hand, noting the low cut of the dress. She averted her gaze quickly, gulping again.

    ¡°I¡­ I see,¡± said Liang. ¡°Pleased to meet you. How can I help?¡±

    She gazed out the window, where the lights of Shangxia City twinkled.

    Don¡¯t be inappropriate, she told herself.

    ¡°I was hoping you could tell me if something was possible,¡± said Zhen Yan.

    ¡°Maybe¡­ what¡­ what is it?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll preface this by pointing out that I don¡¯t have the first clue about this sort of thing,¡± said Zhen Yan, ¡°But in theory, is it possible to tell where a vessel has jumped to by looking at some sort of¡­ signature or something, left behind at the time of the jump?¡±

    Liang looked back at the younger woman. It was possible, and something about Zhen Yan¡¯s tone and facial expression suggested she already knew this.

    What was this all about?

    ¡°It¡¯s possible,¡± said Liang. ¡°As long as good data was recorded at the moment of jump and we know things like the mass of the ship, its orientation at the moment of the jump¡­ a few other pieces of information¡­¡± she trailed off, not sure what exactly Zhen Yan was wanting to know.

    Zhen Yan half-turned to her jacket and pulled a tablet out of one of its pockets. ¡°If I had some data¡­ could you maybe look over it and tell me if it was sufficient to make the necessary calculations or whatever?¡±

    ¡°Um,¡± said Liang, but she took the tablet that was handed to her nonetheless.

    She tapped through the file that was open on the screen. It was data collected by the Bureau of Astrogation. A second file, from the Bureau of Customs, included the docking location and specs of a ship called the Amrita that had departed from Shangxia¡¯s Orbital Ring about a week ago.

    How does she have these files? wondered Liang. She looked up at Zhen Yan, who was leaning in to look at the tablet¡¯s screen. Was she with the government? Surely not. This would be a highly unorthodox way to seek out Liang¡¯s expertise. That dress certainly didn¡¯t look official.

    ¡°Will this be enough?¡± asked Zhen Yan.

    ¡°It¡­¡± Liang looked more closely at the flight data recorded before the Amrita¡¯s jump. She flipped back to the ship¡¯s specs in the Customs doc. She nodded slowly. ¡°Everything needed is here.¡±

    ¡°Then could you¡­ do the calculations for me?¡± asked Zhen Yan.

    Liang looked the other woman in the eyes. ¡°I¡ªI¡¯d need approval¡­ I can¡¯t just¡­¡±

    Zhen Yan gave a shuddering sigh and clenched her fists together in her lap. Her expression changed completely, to one of concern. ¡°It¡¯s just¡­¡± she began. She now looked towards Liang and only now did it become apparent that her eyes were watering. ¡°Well, I¡¯m worried about my mother. You see she¡¯s met this man. He¡¯s much younger than she is, but I¡¯m concerned that he is trying to scam her¡­ and now they¡¯ve gone on a holiday, but I¡¯m not sure where they¡¯ve gone and¡­ and¡­ it¡¯s¡­ I¡¯m just so worried, you know?¡±

    Liang took to wringing her hands as she contemplated what Zhen Yan was saying. She glanced at the picture of her own mother. ¡°It¡¯s just¡­ well, there are ethical¡­ and privacy concerns about giving out this kind of information¡­¡±

    Zhen Yan nodded sadly. ¡°I understand,¡± she said, dejectedly. ¡°Look, I really am sorry for disturbing you with this. I shouldn¡¯t have done that. It¡¯s just I¡¯m so worried, and I guess I¡¯m pretty much willing to do¡­ anything,¡± she said, placing one hand on Liang¡¯s shoulder and looking into her eyes.

    Liang flinched at the other woman¡¯s touch.

    She looked away once more, unable to hold Zhen Yan¡¯s intense gaze, especially with the glistening unshed tears sitting there, gleaming in the apartment¡¯s soft light.

    Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.

    Zhen Yan¡¯s fingers softly squeezed her shoulder then relaxed again.

    Liang felt a frisson run through her. She looked back again, not quite meeting Zhen Yan¡¯s gaze. ¡°I could do it¡­ but please, no one can know I¡¯m the one who gave you the information. I think that this data¡­ it¡¯s confidential government information and I could¡­ I¡¯m hoping for tenure and, if I¡ª¡±

    ¡°Shhh,¡± said Zhen Yan. ¡°I know. I¡¯ll make sure nobody knows you help me. I¡¯m not about to betray your act of kindness.¡±

    Liang nodded quickly and nervously. ¡°It could take a little while. It¡¯s not hard with all this data and the right programs, but it does involve a huge amount of computation, so¡­¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s okay,¡± said Zhen Yan. ¡°I¡¯ll give you my details so you can send me what you find out.¡±

    With that Zhen Yan rose from the couch. She stepped in front of Liang and placed two fingers under Liang¡¯s chin, slowly lifting her head. The tears were gone and the bright, gleaming eyes from earlier were back, gazing intensely into Liang¡¯s own eyes.

    ¡°Truly,¡± said Zhen Yan. ¡°Thank you.¡±

    She bent and gave Liang a kiss on the forehead then grabbed her jacket, heading for the door. She stopped by a small shelving unit, picking up a figure off it and inspecting it. Turning back towards Liang she held up the figure. ¡°You like foxes?¡±

    ¡°I think they¡¯re cute,¡± said Liang, still unable to come to terms with what had happened a moment earlier.

    Zhen Yan replaced the fox figure on the shelf. ¡°Cute, huh?¡± said Zhen Yan. ¡°You have good taste.¡±

    For just a split-second Liang thought she saw a pair of fox ears sprout from Zhen Yan¡¯s head, but she blinked and they were gone again.

    You¡¯re imagining things, she thought to herself.

    Zhen Yan opened the door, gave a little wave, then was gone.

    The next day Tavian, Harry and Kal found the spot to which Ostara had directed them. It was a shady patch among the poplars, close to the shores of the lake. The trees¡¯ leaves were an autumnal gold, but were yet to fall. Tavian had assumed, judging by the weather in Yengishahr that it was the current northern winter on Yarkan, but now they were somewhere with trees he realised it was in fact only autumn. That being the case, the thought of actual winter in Yengishahr was genuinely frightening.

    Here though, the days were warm (if not the nights) and this spot among the poplars was as pleasant a site as any for a meeting. It certainly had a distinctly different vibe than last night when he¡¯d wandered among these very same trees.

    The ¡°girls¡± ¨C as Harry referred to them ¨C were already seated on an array of rugs spread out on the ground.

    ¡°Where did these come from?¡± asked Tavian, pointing at the rugs as he approached.

    ¡°One of the company workers I spoke with yesterday had a brother who was a carpet merchant, so I purchased some,¡± said Ostara.

    ¡°How much did all these cost?¡± asked Tavian, looking at the extensive array of rugs.

    ¡°About sixty thousand taels,¡± said Ostara, as if that was a perfectly normal amount to spend on a whim on carpets.

    ¡°Not worried about them getting ruined out here?¡± asked Tavian.

    Ostara shrugged. ¡°A little sand won¡¯t hurt them, that¡¯s easy to get out. As long as no one spills any food or drinks on them.¡±

    Tavian noticed as she said this, that Mu had several bowls of fruits and nuts in front of her, as well as a steaming pot and some cups on a tray. Nova meanwhile was drinking a can of something and scoffing yoghurt balls.

    Tavian and Harry found spots and sat down, so that the group was in an approximate circle. Kal took up a position just outside the circle, continuing to stand and leaning against the trunk of a tree.

    ¡°Well,¡± said Ostara. ¡°Now we¡¯re all here. Let¡¯s go over everything we know after day one at Karbaliq.¡±

    ¡°Roughly the same amount that we knew before day one,¡± remarked Nova.

    ¡°Perhaps, but now we¡¯re here and we know what to expect,¡± said Ostara. ¡°At any rate, the facts we know are: someone was murdered and the suspect is Toghrul Yarghunoghul. Toghrul¡¯s brother is Taghay Yarghonoghul, the president of the company developing this site for tourists. Toghrul headed up an informal group of activists ¨C mostly from local tribes ¨C opposing the development, on a variety of grounds ¨C not least that it is a sacred site.¡±

    ¡°We also know no one wants to talk about what happened,¡± said Harry.

    ¡°Yes, we do. And even knowing that is potentially useful,¡± said Ostara.

    ¡°Yeah, we had some thoughts about that last night,¡± said Tavian.

    ¡°We¡¯ll hear them in a moment,¡± said Ostara. ¡°I think it¡¯s also important we keep in mind the key facts of the murder itself. The victim was an overseer working on the development for the Yarghun Company. We don¡¯t know of any witnesses to the murder, but according to the documents Ulduz gave us, company security responded to gunshots and found Toghrul near to the scene. The authorities subsequently took him into custody and now he¡¯s been formally charged.¡±

    ¡°The evidence doesn¡¯t seem very extensive, though,¡± said Mu.

    ¡°No,¡± agreed Ostara.

    ¡°No footage, no witnesses, no murder weapon,¡± said Kal. ¡°Sounds like a stitch up to me.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t understand why they¡¯d even charge him with so little evidence,¡± said Mu.

    ¡°I don¡¯t mean to be rude, Mu,¡± said Mingxia, ¡°But I don¡¯t think you understand how justice is done out here, beyond the Upper Banner Worlds. If this Taghay guy wants Toghrul to be guilty and he¡¯s rich and he¡¯s friends with the Governor, then Toghrul will be guilty. It was the same on Shangxia ¨C whoever my dear master wanted to be guilty, the courts found them guilty.¡±

    Mu looked like she wanted to protest the accusation of na?vet¨¦, but after opening her mouth and saying nothing, she fell silent again.

    ¡°At any rate,¡± said Ostara, ¡°I think we should be careful about jumping to conclusions. Especially since we don¡¯t know much about Taghay himself, apart from a little publicly available information and what Ulduz has told us.¡±

    ¡°We probably know even less than that about Toghrul,¡± said Tavian.

    ¡°That¡¯s true, though we¡¯re unlikely to be able to speak to him anytime soon,¡± said Ostara. ¡°Taghay on the other hand, we can probably get in touch with. We were having a discussion in the tent last night, and we are thinking that myself, Mingxia, Seraphina, and Nova will return to Yengishahr. I will speak to Taghay, and perhaps have further discussions with Ulduz,¡± said Ostara.

    ¡°And I will go back to the Amrita,¡± declared Nova, ¡°I¡¯m gonna see if I can¡¯t have a poke around in the company files.¡±

    ¡°Provided you don¡¯t get caught ¨C remember our employer is also a director of the company,¡± said Ostara.

    ¡°I never get caught,¡± said Nova.

    ¡°What about the time you got my credentials flagged by Customs,¡± said Mu.

    Nova narrowed her eyes in Mu¡¯s direction. ¡°That was¡­ different.¡± She continued glaring as she shovelled more yoghurt balls into her mouth.

    ¡°I¡¯m going back to Amrita too,¡± said Seraphina, then added, with a contemptuous look on her usually impassive face, ¡°I don¡¯t like sand. It¡¯s coarse and rough and irritating and it gets everywhere.¡±

    Tavian only now noticed that Seraphina was not ¨C as had at first appeared to be the case ¨C sitting on the rug, but was rather hovering just above it.

    It took another moment for what Ostara had said before to properly sink in. He looked Mingxia¡¯s way. ¡°You¡¯re going back?¡±

    She looked conflicted a moment, then just gave a curt nod by way of response.

    ¡°If some of you are going back to the Amrita, can you maybe ask the Captain if he maybe just knows the answer to this whole mystery?¡± said Harry. ¡°Actually, Mu, what about your foresight? Can¡¯t you just save us some time?¡±

    Mu shook her head. ¡°The First Emperor¡¯s Theophany is still disrupting the Starflow around this whole planet. Anytime I attempt to look forward, there¡¯s no telling what I¡¯ll see, but it¡¯s never what I¡¯m looking for.¡±

    ¡°Handy,¡± muttered Harry, then he added, ¡°But don¡¯t feel bad about it. I can¡¯t see the future either.¡±

    ¡°Useless bastard,¡± said Nova with a laugh.

    Ostara quietly cleared her throat, and everyone looked back her way. ¡°I believe we¡¯re going to need to get creative in order to find the answers we¡¯re looking for. Provided she isn¡¯t going to get caught, Nova can look for evidence in the company files. I¡¯ll hear Taghay¡¯s side of things. And those of you staying here can think about who we might not yet have spoken to.¡±

    ¡°The company workers, sure aren¡¯t going to tell us anything,¡± said Harry.

    ¡°Tavian, you said you three were talking last night?¡± asked Ostara.

    ¡°Well, Kal pointed out that based on what Ulduz said, it sounds like Taghay was way too quick to accept that Toghrul was guilty. Maybe we¡¯re underestimating how much bad blood there is between the brothers, but Ulduz at least seems to think there¡¯s some hope for reconciliation. It certainly seems possible that Taghay knows more than he¡¯s letting on,¡± said Tavian.

    ¡°That¡¯s highly speculative, but it could be something to investigate further. I will be able to get a better sense of Taghay¡¯s mindset if I can speak with him in person,¡± said Ostara, diplomatically.

    ¡°You mentioned that we¡¯re unlikely to ever get any opportunity to speak to Toghrul himself,¡± said Tavian.

    Before he could go on, Mu seemed to pick up on his line of thinking. ¡°Toghrul¡¯s supporters. They¡¯re not likely to be unbiased, but at least they¡¯ll probably be more willing to talk than the company workers.¡±

    ¡°Aren¡¯t they mainly, like, desert nomads?¡± asked Harry. ¡°They¡¯ll be beyond the protected zone.¡±

    Mu was unperturbed. ¡°Then that¡¯s where we¡¯ll have to go.¡±

    ¡°That sounds¡­ unsafe,¡± said Harry.

    ¡°Yeah, I don¡¯t think I¡¯d be super-keen to go out there,¡± said Nova.

    ¡°People live out there,¡± pointed out Mu, ¡°If they can live their whole lives out there, then we can manage a day or so.¡± Her words were confident, but Tavian could hear the uncertainty in her voice. He had seen how she¡¯d been on the flight here and suspected she was going through more than she was letting on.

    ¡°Mu¡¯s right,¡± he said. ¡°If that¡¯s where we need to go, that¡¯s where we¡¯ll go.¡±

    She gave him a look that seemed almost surprised. Her expression became more neutral a moment later. ¡°Though I¡¯m not sure how many of the tribespeople will want to speak to me. I don¡¯t think the Aixin are popular here¡­ for obvious reasons.¡±

    ¡°Have you considered a change of outfit?¡± asked Harry. ¡°I know that¡ª¡± here he indicated what Mu was wearing, ¡°¡ªis probably what you¡¯re most comfortable in, but if we got you in some local clothes, or something with a bit more of a generic Shang look, no one would know you¡¯re Aixin. I¡¯m willing to bet desert nomads aren¡¯t going to recognise an Aixin accent, and appearance-wise you could pass as Shang. We could even give you a Shang name ¨C you could be a Zhang if you like. I¡¯d say you¡¯re just about pretty enough to pass as my sister.¡±

    ¡°Thanks,¡± said Mu, her tone sarcastic. She then adopted a more sombre tone, ¡°But I kinda feel like maybe I shouldn¡¯t hide from it. My ancestors did that,¡± she said, here pointing towards the looming ruins.

    ¡°You didn¡¯t though,¡± said Ostara. Mu gave her a weak smile.

    ¡°Just a suggestion,¡± said Harry with a shrug.

    ¡°Anyway,¡± said Tavian. ¡°We¡¯ll find a way to talk to the nomads and then we¡¯ll take it from there, depending on what we find out.¡±

    ¡°Well,¡± said Harry, ¡°I wouldn¡¯t say it¡¯s a plan, but it¡¯s definitely a plan for a plan.¡±

    ¡°My favourite,¡± said Tavian.

    ¡°Well, that¡¯s kinda settled, right?¡± said Nova. ¡°Anyone want a yoghurt ball?¡±

    ¡°Sure,¡± said Tavian, reaching out to grab one from her.

    He glanced Mingxia¡¯s way again, but she looked away.

    This is getting complicated.

    As everyone was dispersing, Tavian waited around. He caught Mingxia¡¯s attention.

    ¡°Care for a walk?¡± he said, nodding in the direction of the lake.

    She looked at him for a moment, her mind seemingly far away, then the focus returned. ¡°Sure.¡±

    As the rest of the group headed back towards the tents, they made their way to the lake. The sun was quite high in the sky now and the day was getting appreciably warmer. There was little breeze. Looking away from the lake, the ruins of Karbaliq appeared especially stark, pure black stone against pure blue sky. It was a colour palette with an almost uncanny lack of differentiation.

    ¡°You sure you want to head back to Yengishahr?¡± said Tavian, breaking the silence that had formed between them as they walked.

    Mingxia looked out across the lake. She fiddled with her cloak. ¡°Yes,¡¯ she said at length.

    Tavian gave her a moment to elaborate, but nothing came. ¡°Okay,¡± he said.

    She turned to face him now. ¡°I¡¯ve just been doing some thinking since we left Yengishahr.¡±

    ¡°Okay.¡±

    ¡°I, um¡­¡± she sighed. ¡°Just over a week ago, I was in the West Gate Yamen. It hasn¡¯t even been two weeks since we met. A lot has happened in that time. And before all that, I¡¯ve basically lived my life as a prisoner¡­.¡±

    Tavian didn¡¯t say anything, giving her time to collect her thoughts.

    ¡°Do you know how I found my way to the Governor?¡±

    Tavian shook his head. In the time they¡¯d spent together it was a story she¡¯d never opted to tell him, and one he hadn¡¯t asked about.

    ¡°I grew up in a small village a long way from anywhere, but my Dad used to show me holodramas and I looked at the glamorous people in them, living the high life and, well, I looked around me¡­ everything was so slow, so boring. I wanted that life. I dunno¡­ maybe that was stupid of me, maybe it was shallow. But it¡¯s what I wanted and so I borrowed money from my parents and when I was just seventeen, I set out for the city. Mum didn¡¯t want me to go. I remember she said, ¡°The bright lights will swallow you whole.¡± It was such and odd way of putting it, that it¡¯s always stuck with me. I just thought she was being a country bumpkin, I guess, nervous about what she didn¡¯t understand. I was gonna make it big. And stars bless her, she let me go¡­ I guess as scared as she was, she believed in my dreams too,¡± said Mingxia.

    Tavian still maintained his silence, but was listening attentively.

    ¡°I should have listened to her. But I didn¡¯t. I stayed with some distant relatives I¡¯d never met before at first. I auditioned for roles, I managed to pay for acting classes, but pretty soon I found I was spending so much time working other jobs that I had no time to work on my acting, no time to chase roles¡­ I was starting to get disillusioned.

    ¡°Then I met a guy. He said he was a writer and when he talked about writing his eyes just shone. It was passion like I¡¯d never seen before and it¡­ I felt the passion again, just seeing it. We ended up moving in together, in a dingy rented flat above a dumpling place. It wasn¡¯t luxurious, but it was ours and it was only temporary anyway ¨C we were gonna make it big. He was gonna get his big debut holodrama made, and I was gonna be the leading lady.¡±

    She gave a small, slightly bitter laugh.

    ¡°But of course it didn¡¯t turn out that way. He got turned down time and time again, and he would obsessively rewrite his script again and again and again. And no matter what he did, he still got rejected. I had to work two jobs, because he said he had to quit his restaurant gig so he could finetune his script. Stupid me, I believed him.

    ¡°We¡¯d always had a pretty good group of friends and we went to parties, but after a while the parties stopped. What didn¡¯t stop was the drinking and the drugs. I wasn¡¯t pure, but I saw what it did to him as he became more and more despondent and in the end¡­ I wanted to no part of it anymore.

    ¡°Once he realised that I wanted out, he got a lot worse. He was possessive and he couldn¡¯t bear the thought of me leaving him. He¡¯d scream about how I didn¡¯t believe in him, even though he was the only one that believed in me. He told me I was nothing without him. He didn¡¯t ever hit me¡­ at least not that I recall, though to be honest there were times I drunk myself into oblivion just to numb myself to everything; I couldn¡¯t honestly say what happened on those occasions. But it was shit. It was all shit. More than anything it was just sad, just that sense of lost hope and bitterness at the Cosmos that haunted that little apartment above the dumpling shop.

    ¡°That¡¯s when the big party happened. I don¡¯t even remember how exactly I got there, but it was like a friend of a friend of a friend knew someone¡­ I dunno, but anyway, I got an invite to this fancy party. I think someone was just feeling sorry for me, ¡®cause they could see what was happening ¨C at least that¡¯s what I thought at the time, trying to rationalise why little old me would get an invite to a party like that.

    ¡°Anyway, it sure was fancy. Not just producers and directors and stuff, but none other than the Governor himself. Well, my confidence wasn¡¯t what it used to be, but I still figured I could turn on the charm when I needed to and I thought here is my ticket out of this bullshit life. I managed to kick up a conversation and to my surprise he responded and one thing led to another¡­

    ¡°I didn¡¯t realise it at first, but it didn¡¯t take long for that bastard to show his true colours. Once he had me in his grasp, that was it. He didn¡¯t even really bother with the pretence of pretending to support my acting career. He was a possessive, jealous man and¡­ I was just another trophy in his cabinet to do with as he wished.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry you had to go through that,¡± said Tavian, feeing that the words were inadequate even as he said them.

    ¡°I¡­ I won¡¯t go into all the details of what happened. You don¡¯t want to hear them; I don¡¯t want to talk about them. I think you¡¯ve probably got a decent idea, anyway.¡±

    Tavian gave a grim smile. ¡°I can hazard a guess.¡±

    ¡°Reason I¡¯m telling you all this is¡­ I want you to understand this isn¡¯t really anything to do with us. I know I was a bit of a bitch to you at first. I think you get that I was hurting. I was fragile. I hope you do¡­ because I am being completely truthful when I say I really enjoyed everything that happened in Yengishahr. I¡­ I regret none of it. I¡¯m glad¡­¡±

    ¡°But¡­¡± said Tavian.

    ¡°But I can¡¯t keep doing this. I was basically a child when I left home. Then I was just the property of one jealous man after another. I know you¡¯re not like that. Sure¡ª¡± and here she flashed a genuine, amused smile, ¡°¡ªyou probably drink too much, but you¡¯re not like the writer. Stars, you¡¯ve got this infectious optimism about you. I think it¡¯s what drew me to you. You¡¯re definitely not like that fucking monster in the Yamen¡­ but I think¡­ I need some space. Space to be me. I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve ever had that before.¡±

    Tavian smiled and nodded. ¡°That¡¯s it then?¡± he asked.

    She shrugged. ¡°I don¡¯t know. I have to work things out. Maybe¡­ maybe in the future. But I just don¡¯t know. I gotta try and rediscover my dreams¡­ experience hope again.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, I can get behind that,¡± he said.

    ¡°You¡¯re taking this well,¡± she said. ¡°The writer¡­ he did not. And the next guy, well, you¡¯ve probably got some idea about how he dealt with my rejection.¡±

    Tavian laughed.

    ¡°Besides,¡± said Mingxia, ¡°I get the feeling the next girl¡¯s never too far away for Tavian Locke.¡±

    Tavian was about to throw up an expression of mock outrage, but at the last moment, opted for sincerity instead. ¡°It may have only been a few days, but I did feel something special when we were together in that hotel room.¡±

    ¡°Horny. It¡¯s called horny,¡± said Mingxia, with a laugh. ¡°But you don¡¯t need to make it into more than it was. I won¡¯t be offended. I do genuinely like you. You can be a selfish arsehole at times, but it¡¯s not the core of who you are. If anything, it¡¯s a disguise you put up, lest people think you¡¯re a good guy.¡±

    ¡°Okay,¡± said Tavian. ¡°Let¡¯s not get too crazy with this good guy talk. And by the way ¨C everything that went down back at the Yamen? Yeah, I don¡¯t do that for all the girls.¡±

    Mingxia laughed. ¡°Pretty sure you¡¯d be dead by now if you did.¡±

    ¡°Ah¡­ you¡¯re probably not wrong,¡± said Tavian. They had reached the rocky outcropping on which he saw the band playing last night. What a different situation¡­ what different feelings. ¡°So, what now then?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll stick around with the Amrita crew till this whole situation gets sorted¡­ I¡¯ll help out however I can. But long-term? There¡¯s no real point in me staying. Everyone else is so amazing. I¡¯m just a failed actress¡­ an idiot who keeps getting herself trapped in stupid situations. I¡¯m not a Resonant or a super soldier or a tech genius or anything. I guess I¡¯ll talk to Ostara and Apollo ¨C I¡¯m still not used to a talking cat being the captain, by the way¡ª¡±

    ¡°It does take some getting used to,¡± said Tavian.

    ¡°Anyway, once the Amrita stops off at a suitable world I¡¯ll get off and try and find my feet.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re not a burden¡­ and you¡¯re not an idiot,¡± said Tavian. ¡°Please don¡¯t think either of those things.¡±

    ¡°Thanks,¡± said Mingxia, ¡°But it¡¯s okay. You don¡¯t need to try and protect my feelings. If nothing else everything that¡¯s happened until now has made me pretty resilient. I¡¯m one tough bitch.¡±

    ¡°That you are,¡± said Tavian with a laugh. ¡°I think a lotta other people would have broken down and given up, having gone through what you have.¡±

    ¡°Silver linings.¡±

    Tavian leant down and picked up a pebble from the shore. He got down low and swung his arm through a wide horizontal arc, releasing the pebble. It skipped six times then vanished below the lake¡¯s glassy surface.

    ¡°Y¡¯know,¡± he said, as he looked around for another suitable stone, ¡°If I¡¯d known the other morning was going to be the last time, I might have kept Ostara and everyone else waiting a bit longer.¡±

    ¡°Tell you what,¡± said Mingxia, a mischievous smile on her face, ¡°Look me up when you get back to Yengishahr. The nights are cold.¡±

    ¡°That they are.¡±

    Tavian found another suitable rock and launched it. Seven skips.

    ¡°When does Ostara want to head back?¡± he asked.

    ¡°I think she said we¡¯d be leaving this afternoon¡­ probably pretty soon,¡± said Mingxia. ¡°I should probably get going actually. Not that I need to do much packing¡­¡±

    ¡°Yeah,¡± said Tavian, a note of melancholy creeping into his voice, ¡°Okay.¡±

    ¡°By the way, when we¡¯re gone and it¡¯s just you boys and Mu¡­ look after her, alright?¡±

    ¡°Hrm?¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s having a rough time,¡± said Mingxia. ¡°This planet is affecting her more than anyone else. But she won¡¯t say anything, she won¡¯t ask for help. Just¡­ keep an eye out. Ask her how she¡¯s doing¡­ I know you wanna keep this good guy thing under wraps¡­ but just do it for me, okay?¡±

    ¡°Sure, I¡¯ll make sure she¡¯s alright,¡± said Tavian.

    ¡°She¡¯s a good girl. A little bit cool and aloof at times, but she has the weight of the Cosmos on her shoulders. And I¡­ I owe her everything. She wasn¡¯t just content to grab her own freedom, she fought for mine too.¡±

    ¡°You should tell her that sometime¡­ if you haven¡¯t,¡± said Tavian.

    ¡°Yeah,¡± said Mingxia, ¡°Yeah, you¡¯re right.¡±

    A pause.

    ¡°I¡¯m gonna go now.¡±

    Tavian watched her walk away, strange emotions that he could put no label on playing about in his mind.

    He decided there was nothing for it but to fetch his mandolin. He knew the perfect rocky outcrop to play it on.

 Chapter XVIII - The Garden of Forking Paths

    Chapter XVIII ¨C The Garden of Forking Paths

    The Qamlar must sleep, thought Mu, as she gazed across the dunes, rolling away from the oasis. Nearer where she sat amongst the soft pre-dawn light, the breeze caused the branches of the poplars to sway and the lake surface to ripple gently. It was a serene scene.

    This quiet of the earlier hours was something she had only recently discovered. At the Imperial Court there was always activity; moments of quiet were found in the hidden places, they were small things. This, this was big ¨C vast even ¨C just the endless desert, the fading the stars, the sinking moon and the gentle breeze, all of it as if just for her.

    But the Qamlar must sleep too.

    Because, though it was far gentler than she had experienced on the flight to Karbaliq, she could hear the whispering of the voices on that breeze. During the day, under the blazing sun, they were quiet. But in this cool and quiet hour, they were unmistakable.

    She had woken to that accusation again.

    Daughter of ruin.

    The tent was empty but for her now. Ostara, Mingxia, Nova and Seraphina had left the previous afternoon. She had considered just going and joining the men in their tent, but a moment more thought was sufficient to dismiss that idea. Maybe she¡¯d speak to Miss Khasarqizi today and offer to share a tent with company workers.

    Mu liked being alone. Out here at least. She would have relished it back on Aixingo. But in that tent, those voices acquired a far more menacing tone. Maybe for some the walls (cloth, though they may be) and the warm blankets might offer some feeling of comfort, but in the restless dark they seemed to Mu confining.

    To Mu, in these hours when the world slumbered, she often felt as if she had two lives. The one she lived among other people, the one the world saw. And this other life, lived alone in the dark. It had been so many years now since she¡¯d regularly enjoyed a good night¡¯s sleep. Now ¨C as it had been for over a decade ¨C each night was a battle, a fraught road as if across a wild desert, in search of the oasis of sleep. But the desert was vast, the oases few, and so she lived this second life in the dark, between sleep.

    And yet this failed to truly capture it. Memories of the future, Bright Eyes had once called them and they crowded the oases of sleep. At first, they had been innocuous. She had been so young then, but in many ways that was the end of her childhood, early though it may have been.

    For in time, she began remembering far darker futures.

    Mu looked up at the tree and considered a moment. The branches were probably too narrow.

    ¡°No one¡¯s got the highest plum,¡± she pointed out.

    Gorjin and Ruyin looked at her, saw her finger, and followed it. There, on the highest branch, was a singular fruit, the last on the whole tree. Gorjin was busily devouring the second-to-last.

    ¡°I¡¯ll get it!¡± he declared; his face smeared in plum juice.

    ¡°You can¡¯t reach it,¡± declared Mu, confidently, crossing her arms across her chest.

    ¡°Can so!¡± insisted Gorjin.

    ¡°No chance,¡± said Mu, ¡°You¡¯ll fall. Fall and die.¡±

    ¡°I will not!¡± replied Gorjin, outraged at the suggestion.

    ¡°He will, won¡¯t he Ruru?¡± said Mu.

    ¡°Ah¡­¡± said Ruyin, looking from one of them to the other.

    ¡°I¡¯ll prove it,¡± said Gorjin. ¡°I¡¯m the best climber in the whole palace.¡±

    ¡°No way!¡±

    ¡°Yes way. I am. And I¡¯ll give you the plum. Then one day¡­ you have to marry me!¡±

    ¡°Ew!¡± said Mu, shaking her head. ¡°I don¡¯t want to marry you.¡±

    ¡°Who else are you gonna marry?¡± asked Gorjin.

    Mu thought for a moment. ¡°Maybe I¡¯ll marry Ruru?¡±

    Ruyin blushed.

    ¡°You can¡¯t marry her,¡± said Gorjin. He looked like he was trying to think of an argument to back up his point. ¡°She¡¯s not even in a Banner. She¡¯s Shang.¡±

    ¡°So what?¡± said Mu. ¡°I¡¯ll marry whoever I want.¡±

    Gorjin shook his head. ¡°Princesses can¡¯t marry just whoever.¡±

    ¡°I will,¡± said Mu. ¡°I¡¯m going to be different.¡±

    Gorjin suddenly remembered the plum. ¡°Well, I¡¯m going to get the plum. Your Dad will let you marry me, so you may as well agree.¡±

    ¡°Fine,¡± said Mu, ¡°But you won¡¯t get the plum anyway, so it doesn¡¯t matter.¡±

    Gorjin gave his boldest grin before sitting down and removing his shoes. Then he proceeded to leap into the tree. He struggled for a moment, then made it to the first major branching.

    ¡°My Dad will be angry if I watch you kill yourself,¡± said Mu. ¡°Ruru, get ready to run and fetch a healer.¡±

    ¡°Um¡­¡± said Ruyin.

    To Mu¡¯s surprise ¨C and slight consternation ¨C Gorjin was making progress along the branch leading to the plum.

    ¡°I think he¡¯s going to make it,¡± said Ruyin.

    Mu shook her head, her two pigtails shaking about. ¡°No way. He¡¯ll fall.¡±

    A thought occurred to Ruyin. ¡°Maybe we should stand underneath him, so we can catch him?¡±

    Mu rolled her eyes. ¡°I guess¡­¡±

    They moved to stand under Gorjin.

    ¡°No need. I won¡¯t fall,¡± he said, confidently, making his way farther along the branch. He reached out to try and grab the plum, but it was still just out of reach. His legs were wrapped around the branch, one hand clutching it. He wriggled a little closer to the end.

    With a pang of concern, Mu noticed the branch was starting to bend down under his weight.

    ¡°Gorjin!¡± she shouted.

    ¡°It¡¯s fine!¡± he said, though his tone blended a hint of worry in with the frustration as he strained to reach the plum.

    ¡°It¡¯s going to break,¡± said Ruyin.

    In the next moment Gorjin grabbed the plum. With a tug he pulled it from the branch and held it aloft in a show of triumph.

    ¡°Got it!¡± he shouted, victoriously.

    In the next moment after that, the branch snapped, and down it came, along with Gorjin and the plum. Mu tried to catch him, but Ruyin couldn¡¯t help as she ducked out of the way of the branch. Gorjin was too heavy for Mu alone. She didn¡¯t even follow what happened next, but after that she and Gorjin were lying in a heap, the branch with them.

    Gorjin groaned.

    ¡°I told you,¡± said Mu, holding back the tears as the pain dawned on her.

    ¡°I still got the plum,¡± said Gorjin and groaned some more as he turned so he could hand it to her.

    Without even thinking, she took it from him.

    Ruyin stood over them, her eyes wide. ¡°I¡ªI¡¯ll get help,¡± she said and sprinted away.

    ¡°Ouch,¡± said Gorjin, then began to laugh.

    ¡°What¡¯s funny!?¡± snapped Mu, angrily.

    ¡°You have to marry me now.¡±

    ¡°Mukushen!¡± exclaimed her mother, rushing to her bedside.

    ¡°Hello, mother,¡± she said.

    ¡°You have to be more careful,¡± insisted Ilha. ¡°Ruyin, you must stop her getting caught up in Gorjin¡¯s nonsense.¡±

    ¡°Sorry, my lady,¡± said Ruyin, trying to shrink into the background.

    ¡°Don¡¯t blame Ruru,¡± said Mu. ¡°It was all Gorjin¡¯s fault.¡±

    Her mother looked from one of the girls to the other. ¡°Well,¡± she said, ¡°I¡¯m just glad everyone¡¯s alright.¡±

    ¡°I was never in danger,¡± insisted Mu. ¡°I just saved Gorjin.¡±

    She paused.

    ¡°Is he okay?¡± she said, suddenly worried.

    For the first time Ilha smiled. ¡°Yes, he¡¯s fine.¡±

    Mu felt the relief flood into her.

    ¡°He¡¯s an idiot,¡± she said.

    ¡°That¡¯s not a very nice thing to say.¡±

    ¡°He is though. Ruru agrees, right?¡±

    Ruyin looked like she was trying to shrink even more. ¡°Well, sometimes Master Gorjin is a little¡­¡±

    ¡°¡­bit of an idiot,¡± Mu finished for her. ¡°Now, can I get out of this bed? I told the healers I¡¯m fine. You can see, right? I¡¯m fine. Totally fine.¡±

    Ilha smiled. ¡°You do look alright. I¡¯ve been told you should be able to go¡­ besides, your father has big news for you, and wanted me to bring you to him.¡±

    Mu¡¯s curiosity was piqued. ¡°What is it?¡± she asked.

    ¡°I¡¯ll let your father tell you,¡± said Ilha. ¡°He¡¯s very excited.¡±

    Mu tried, in her mind¡¯s eye, to construct an image of her father being ¡®excited¡¯ and failed. He really only ever wore the one grim expression.

    ¡°Come, come,¡± said her mother, impatience replacing the maternal concern of earlier. ¡°Get your shoes on and we¡¯ll go.¡±

    Mu shot an enquiring look Ruyin¡¯s way, wondering if she¡¯d heard anything. Somehow, Ruyin always knew what Mu was thinking. Now she just shrugged.

    ¡°You can go, Ruyin,¡± said Ilha.

    ¡°Yes, my lady,¡± said Ruyin, bowing dutifully. A moment later she was gone.

    Prince Aixin Ulu?un sat behind an immense, ornate desk in his immense, ornate office. Mu seldom entered her father¡¯s office, or indeed entered the administrative wing of the Inner Palace. She found it a deeply intimidating place, devoid of warmth. When she saw her father here, it felt like he did not belong to her, almost like she was na?ve to think she might have any special bond with such a man. He was clearly much too important. Here was an Iron Capped Prince of the First Degree, a Banner Lord of the Empire, a Minister of the Grand Council.

    Not her father.

    And yet today, as her mother led her into that office, something felt different. She couldn¡¯t quite understand it, but, somehow, she knew that the reason for her summons today was a blending of Ulu?un¡¯s official and fatherly duties.

    In addition to various secretaries and officers, she noticed Prince Mangg¨±ltai standing to one side of her father. He was her father¡¯s chief retainer, but he was also Gorjin¡¯s father.

    Oh no! Is Father going to tell me I¡¯m marrying Gorjin, after all!?

    Ilha and Mu bowed as they came to a stop before Ulu?un¡¯s desk.

    ¡°Mukushen,¡± said her father, looking up from his desk. His expression was as stern as ever. ¡°Are you well? Your mother said you had an accident.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m fine, Father,¡± said Mu.

    Ulu?un looked to his side, to where Mangg¨±ltai stood. ¡°Fortunate for you and your son.¡±

    ¡°I certainly feel fortunate, Your Excellency,¡± said Mangg¨±ltai. ¡°I shall discipline Gorjin for his foolishness later.¡±

    ¡°I should think so,¡± said Ulu?un. He looked back to his wife and daughter. ¡°I have great news for our Clan and Banner.¡±

    ¡°I am glad to hear it, Father,¡± said Mu.

    Ulu?un placed his elbows on his desk, interweaving his fingers in front of his chin, leaning forward. ¡°I have just returned from the Grand Council. The Emperor himself was in attendance.¡±

    Neither Ilha nor Mu said anything, waiting for Ulu?un¡¯s next words.

    ¡°His Imperial Majesty has made an announcement to the Grand Council, and a public announcement will be made in the coming days, once arrangements can be made for celebrations. I thought it is appropriate that you hear the news from me before that public announcement,¡± said Ulu?un.

    Ulu?un paused.

    Mu gasped. Before her father spoke again, she already knew what he was about to say.

    ¡°It has been agreed that you, Mukushen, will marry the Prince Imperial.¡±

    Mu barely heard her father speak the actual words. Her mind was already reeling. The Prince-Imperial. She would one day be Empress. Empress Mukushen of Aixingo.

    What an odd day this was shaping up to be. Of all the ways it could have gone, this was not the one she was expecting.

    She vaguely wondered what had become of the plum Gorjin had given her.

    That night she dreamt of a lonely, lifeless world orbiting a black hole. Its surface was covered in crumbling factories and ruined machines. That gave way to a dream of a flower growing in a pool of blood. It was only after witnessing a plum orchard on fire that she finally awoke.

    She called out for Ruyin and her friend came, looking tired and concerned.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Ruru¡­¡± said Mu. ¡°I had a nightmare¡­¡±

    Ruyin knelt by her bed and grabbed her hand. ¡°Are you okay, my lady?¡±

    ¡°Can you sleep with me tonight?¡± asked Mu.

    Ruyin smiled. ¡°If that¡¯s what you want.¡±

    Mu wiggled over and Ruyin climbed into the bed. Mu put her arms around the other girl.

    ¡°I don¡¯t want to be Empress.¡±

    ¡°I know, my lady.¡±

    But the Grand Astronomer gave her little hope.

    ¡°There are many forking paths in life¡¯s garden, in the great story of our lives, but the stars have ordained that all your paths lead you there,¡± he had declared, when Mu and Ruyin had intruded into his office, unannounced as oft they did.

    He smiled at Mu, his eyes twinkling, with mirth and kindness.

    ¡°But remember, dear girl, even when the destination is clear, the path may not be.¡±

    Mu didn¡¯t understand.

    ¡°I don¡¯t even care!¡± declared Gorjin, grumpily.

    Mu didn¡¯t let on, but even if she didn¡¯t believe him, she still liked that he said it. She wished less people cared.

    Yet across the Empire celebrations were being held for the betrothal of the Prince-Imperial to a Princess of the White Horse Banner. Celebrations for the betrothal of an infant to a teenager; for a wedding that was still a decade away. It was as if tens of millions of worlds were declaring all at once, and with great pomp and ceremony, that they did not care at all for what she wanted.

    Maybe marrying Gorjin would not have been so bad.

    ¡°I guess you wasted that plum,¡± said Mu.

    From the garden pavilion, Mu gazed out at the ducks paddling on the lotus pond. Gorjin stood with his back to her, twirling a piece of bamboo like it was a sword.

    ¡°Whatever, I just wanted to show you I could get it,¡± he said, then sensing her retort as she opened her mouth, added, ¡°And I did get it.¡±

    Mu didn¡¯t even feel like teasing him. ¡°Yeah,¡± she said. ¡°You did.¡±

    Silence descended. A butterfly flitted about. Gorjin continued to twirl his ¡®sword¡¯.

    ¡°What are you going to do, now?¡± asked Mu. ¡°You have to change your plans.¡±

    Gorjin now faced her. ¡°I never wanted to stay here. I¡¯m going to be a great warrior.¡±

    ¡°Who are you going to fight?¡±

    ¡°Whoever needs fighting,¡± said Gorjin. He thrust his bamboo stick violently into thin air, skewering an imagined opponent. ¡°They¡¯ll call me the Dragon of Aixingo! I¡¯ll conquer new worlds. I¡¯ll be a legend, like the First Emperor.¡±

    Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

    The urge not to tease him subsided with this grandiloquent pronouncement. ¡°Doesn¡¯t sound as impressive as marrying me.¡±

    He frowned at her, sword arm still outstretched. ¡°Don¡¯t think you¡¯re so great. Anyone can get married.¡±

    She looked away from him. ¡°Yeah,¡± she said quietly. ¡°Yeah,¡± she repeated, quieter still.

    The sun was rising over the oasis when Mu was disturbed from her reverie.

    ¡°Morning, Princess.¡±

    She saw Tavian walking up behind her.

    ¡°Morning,¡± she said, glumly, turning back to the lake.

    He sat down beside her.

    ¡°You¡¯re up earlier than usual,¡± he said.

    ¡°Couldn¡¯t sleep,¡± she said.

    ¡°Having bad dreams?¡± he said.

    She shook her head. ¡°Been a while since I¡¯ve had good ones.¡±

    She sensed he was trying to think of something to say.

    ¡°You don¡¯t need to tell me it¡¯ll be okay or anything like that,¡± said Mu. ¡°The dreams might be more intense here on Yarkan, but I¡¯ve had ten years of dealing with this. I don¡¯t need help or pity.¡±

    To her surprise, Tavian laughed. He rose to his feet, slapping her on the back as he did so. ¡°In that case, Princess, no time for moping. We¡¯ve got a murder to solve.¡±

    Without another word, he started walking back the way he came.

    ¡°Hold up!¡± she said, dusting the sand of her backside, ¡°I¡¯m coming.¡±

    The doors of the lift slid open and Ostara stepped out into the hall beyond. A smiling man greeted her.

    ¡°Madame Ostara?¡± he asked.

    ¡°Mr Yarghunoghul?¡±

    He nodded.

    He was a man of roughly the same age as Ostara herself; somewhere around forty, at any rate, though he had a face that appeared almost boyish. Boyish apart from the thick and carefully tended moustache he sported. His dark hair was kept short and neatly combed.

    Ostara mused that if she had not known this was Ulduz¡¯s brother, the brilliant blue eyes would have been a giveaway.

    He smiles a lot more than his big sister, she mused.

    He also dressed differently. While Ulduz had adopted a Shang dress over the traditional attire of Yarkan, this man had gone further, wearing a black business suit and tie. It was quite in keeping with the decidedly non-traditional d¨¦cor of the building.

    The foyer that Ostara had stepped into was well lit, spanning the entire width of the building, windows admitting sunlight from either side. Like Ulduz¡¯s office, this was on the top storey of its respective building ¨C perhaps the only building anywhere in the city taller than the one in which the crew had met Ulduz.

    Beyond the dense sprawl of Yengishahr, mountain glaciers gleamed brightly.

    At the centre of the foyer was a pedestal, a holographic projection of a building above it. It was a sleek creation, appearing to jut out over water. This part of the projected building appeared to be lined with glass windows on all sides.

    Taghay saw Ostara looking at the projection.

    ¡°My pride and joy,¡± said Taghay. ¡°Or at least it will be.¡±

    ¡°The Karbaliq Resort?¡± asked Ostara.

    He nodded. ¡°Ulduz tells me you¡¯re staying at father¡¯s hotel. That was his legacy to this world. Before that, we were so isolated here. There were a few small inns around the city, but nothing that catered to interstellar travellers. Our father was the one who really began tourism here on Yarkan. In a way he opened our world to the Cosmos.¡±

    Ostara smiled. ¡°It¡¯s quite the legacy.¡±

    Taghay nodded, his eyes fixed on the projection. When he spoke, his voice was wistful, his mind far away. ¡°This is the next step.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a beautiful design,¡± said Ostara.

    ¡°It is,¡± said Taghay. His attention snapped back to the present. ¡°But please, come into my office. We¡¯ll have some tea and we can talk more.¡±

    He gestured towards two large doors on the far side of the foyer, then led the way. Ostara followed.

    Beyond was a lavishly appointed office, as sleek and minimalist in its design as everything else Ostara had witnessed since she¡¯d entered the main lobby downstairs. Its walls were all glass, offering an even more expansive view of the city, mountains, and glaciers than had the foyer.

    ¡°Thank you,¡± said Ostara, taking a seat in the chair Taghay gestured toward.

    Her host sat opposite her.

    ¡°Some tea should be in shortly,¡± he said.

    ¡°That sounds lovely,¡± said Ostara.

    There was a moment of silence. Ostara smiled warmly, and waited.

    Sure enough, Taghay spoke. ¡°That design,¡± he said, ¡°Of the resort. My original plan was to get it done by a Yarkanese architect. But do you know what? There was not one suitable candidate on this entire planet. Can you believe that? Almost forty million people, but I couldn¡¯t find the right candidate. In the end it went to an Eladian firm. I love the end-product, of course, but I still do wish that we could have found a local to do it.¡±

    ¡°Well, it is certainly a delightful design, nonetheless,¡± said Ostara.

    ¡°It is, it is. But next time ¨C next time I want to have the option of using a local firm,¡± said Taghay. ¡°But so much needs to change before that happens. This world is trapped in the past. Longing for the past. A past that will never return. But I want to see Yarkan step forward into a bright future. I want it to be a jewel of the Empire.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a bold vision.¡±

    Taghay gave a small laugh. ¡°It¡¯s not a vision I¡¯ve managed to convince everyone of.¡±

    ¡°But still many people, from what I hear.¡±

    ¡°Sure, absolutely. But I guess you¡¯re here to talk to me about one of the people I haven¡¯t managed to convince.¡±

    Ostara said nothing.

    ¡°Ulduz filled me in. Toghrul¡¯s case is troubling. I¡­ it was always my wish that he could have been at my side. When we were young, we would talk about a brighter future for this world of ours¡­ but somewhere along the way¡­ well, he was seduced by the lure of the past. He became fixated on it. It¡¯s never coming back... I just wish I could have convinced him of that. Before this. Before this tragedy.¡±

    ¡°You are convinced Toghrul is the one responsible, then?¡± asked Ostara.

    A sad expression spread across Taghay¡¯s face. One that Ostara was not wholly convinced by. ¡°I am. That¡¯s where the evidence points. I didn¡¯t want to believe it¡­ but, well, I guess he got carried away. He¡¯s always been passionate, and I think that passion has just been channelled to a very toxic place.¡±

    He paused as if to allow for Ostara to speak, but again she waited. He resumed speaking.

    ¡°Look, I know Ulduz doesn¡¯t believe it¡­ or at least, she doesn¡¯t want to believe it. I can get why. It¡¯s not a nice thing to believe about your own family,¡± he said. He glanced out the window, lingering a moment, then back to Ostara. ¡°And I think she needs to do this. Get someone to investigate it all so that she can satisfy herself. That¡¯s fine. I don¡¯t want a sentence to be passed on Toghrul if Ulduz still has her doubts. So, I won¡¯t get in the way of your investigation, Madame Ostara.¡±

    ¡°Everyone at Karbaliq has been most helpful so far,¡± lied Ostara. ¡°Thank you for ensuring such cooperation. It makes our job easier.¡±

    ¡°Of course,¡± said Taghay, spreading his hands. ¡°Like I said. I¡¯m willing to let Ulduz do as she needs to do, so as to come to terms with the truth.¡±

    ¡°You became convinced more quickly,¡± said Ostara, letting the statement linger without elaboration.

    Taghay nodded slowly. ¡°I like to think of myself as a rational man. Even if the truth is unpleasant, I believe in the conclusion supported by the facts.¡±

    ¡°There are some gaps in the evidence, though,¡± said Ostara. ¡°No footage of the actual crime¡­ it happened in the protected zone, didn¡¯t it?¡±

    Taghay¡¯s smile flickered for a moment. ¡°It¡¯s simply not possible to have the entirety of the protected zone covered by security cameras.¡±

    ¡°Of course,¡± said Ostara. ¡°I¡¯ve been there¡­ even if it¡¯s only a small part of Karbaliq, it¡¯s still quite expansive.¡±

    ¡°It is a very large site and very remote. Having been there and back in recent days, I¡¯m sure you can appreciate that ¨C at least with Yarkan in its current state of development ¨C this project we are attempting is no small thing. Our resources are certainly not infinite. Very far from it. Even with the Planetary Government¡¯s assistance.¡±

    ¡°I can appreciate the logistical complications you must be facing,¡± said Ostara. ¡°I imagine the cooperation of the local tribes must be crucial.¡±

    ¡°Oh, indeed,¡± said Taghay. ¡°Without the Qamlar, we would have no way of achieving this project. Or at least not until we can source and set up more ARCs.¡±

    At that point the door opened and a young man entered carrying a tray. He set down a tea set from the tray, bowed, then left the room. Taghay watched him wordlessly the whole time. Ostara thanked him as he left.

    Taghay poured her a cup of tea and passed it across to her. ¡°Where was I? Oh yes, the ARCs. Actually, Ulduz tells me you came here from Shangxia? Coincidentally, our company is cooperating with a research team based at Shangxia Planetary Technical University to develop smaller scale ARCs for the project.¡±

    ¡°Yes, we came from Shangxia.¡±

    ¡°There support has been essential to getting the project off the ground. We¡¯ve also been fortunate in securing the support of another research organisation, the TRS ¨C ah, that¡¯s Theophany Research Society ¨C and they have very deep pockets.¡±

    ¡°Human ingenuity is incredible,¡± said Ostara. ¡°To harness the Starflow with technology¡­ ah, but if you¡¯ll humour me, could we return to the project at hand. I¡¯m interested to know how you secured the support of the local tribes?¡±

    ¡°Oh, well, it required plentiful negotiations, let me tell you,¡± said Taghay. ¡°But we got there in the end.¡±

    ¡°But not with all of them?¡±

    Taghay sighed. ¡°No, regrettably Toghrul turned a few ¨C only a few, mind ¨C against us. But the vast majority have cooperated, and are excited as I am for the opportunity this represents. The development will be a major economic boon for the desert communities. Truly ¨C nothing in living memory compares. And we have a company plan to invest in skills and training for the local people, so that people from the tribes can work at the resort.¡±

    He clasped his hands together. ¡°This is what Toghrul didn¡¯t understand. The way to preserve history isn¡¯t to lock it away, freeze it in stasis. It needs to be brought to new generations, in new ways. That¡¯s what we¡¯ll achieve with this project. The people of Karbaliq and the wider Kavuktan region will be the ones bringing their history ¨C our history, as a planet ¨C to tourists.¡±

    ¡°Why do you think that is?¡± asked Ostara. ¡°Why do you think Toghrul was so very opposed?¡±

    Taghay shook his head, giving another sigh. ¡°I wish I knew. Maybe if I¡¯d seen the signs of him going down this path of radicalisation¡­ I don¡¯t know. Maybe myself¡­ or Ulduz¡­ could have diverted him.¡±

    Ostara raised her cup of tea to her mouth. It had a floral fragrance she didn¡¯t recognise. Unusual. She sipped it. It was a strange flavour, but quite pleasurable. ¡°You don¡¯t have any doubts that he is the one who did it? Even if you don¡¯t really know why?¡±

    Taghay spread his hands. ¡°The authorities have investigated. It isn¡¯t really just about what I think anymore.¡±

    ¡°That doesn¡¯t seem to have convinced your sister,¡± said Ostara.

    ¡°No,¡± Taghay conceded, ¡°But what big sister would wish to believe it? Of her little brother?¡±

    ¡°But a big brother would? A big brother would believe it?¡±

    ¡°You probably think me so cold, don¡¯t you, Madame Ostara?¡±

    Ostara deflected with a smile. ¡°Of course not. I¡¯m just seeking to understand. If I understand, well, then I can help your sister understand.¡±

    Taghay nodded. ¡°It¡¯s as I said. I¡¯m just following the evidence. And I have done my bit for Toghrul. I have made personal representations on his behalf to ensure he is spared the death penalty. I¡¯ve leveraged my business and personal relationships on his behalf.¡±

    ¡°The evidence,¡± mused Ostara, ¡°Is somewhat¡­ limited. Aside from the lack of footage, there¡¯s no murder weapon¡­¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s no alibi,¡± interrupted Taghay, a note of frustration entering into his voice, ¡°No other suspects.¡±

    ¡°You pointed out that not all the desert tribes have come on board¡­ could someone from one of the tribes have committed the murder?¡±

    ¡°Our security patrols the perimeter very regularly,¡± said Taghay.

    ¡°But you did say the site was large and difficult to keep under surveillance, didn¡¯t you? Surely, someone ¨C particularly a local with good knowledge of the site ¨C could have slipped in without being detected¡ª¡±

    ¡°The authorities have ruled it out. There is no evidence of any intruders at the time in question,¡± snapped Taghay.

    Ostara gazed at him calmly as she took another sip of her tea. ¡°I see,¡± she said, softly.

    Taghay fidgeted with the hem of his jacket. He looked outside. Then he rose to his feet. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Madame Ostara, but I have some other business to attend to, if you¡¯ll please excuse me. Would you like me to show you the way out?¡±

    ¡°I should be able to find my way,¡± said Ostara.

    Ostara was sitting in her room at the Yarghun Grand Hotel, next to a great pile of rugs.

    ¡°Out of curiosity, was the room bugged?¡± she asked.

    ¡°As you predicted, it was. But they won¡¯t be hearing anything now,¡± came Nova¡¯s voice. ¡°Although¡­ they¡¯ll know we know.¡±

    Ostara laughed. ¡°But they can hardly complain about us neutralising the bugs without admitting to the bugs being here in the first place. We know they¡¯re monitoring us; they know we know that. Everyone knows.¡±

    ¡°Guess so,¡± said Nova.

    ¡°Did Taghay have anything to say?¡± came Kal¡¯s voice.

    ¡°Nothing particularly interesting. But then, I¡¯m more interested in what he didn¡¯t say. Which was a lot.¡±

    ¡°Figured,¡± said Kal.

    ¡°He¡¯s got all his key lines and themes worked out, but he doesn¡¯t hold up long to questioning,¡± said Ostara. ¡°He shut things down pretty quickly once I finally started pressing him.¡±

    ¡°The cover up theory is gaining ground,¡± said Kal.

    ¡°I¡¯m certainly coming around to the idea,¡± said Ostara. ¡°Found anything out yet, Nova?¡±

    ¡°Nothing yet. I¡¯m still finding my way in. But sooner or later some lonely and horny company worker is going to open one of my messages. I guarantee it.¡±

    Ostara chuckled. ¡°No doubt.¡±

    ¡°Nothing yet here,¡± said Kal. ¡°Mu and Tavian are still trying to find an in with the tribes.¡±

    ¡°How¡¯s that going?¡± asked Ostara.

    ¡°Not well, so far. Mu¡¯s getting frustrated.¡±

    ¡°Hrm¡­ Taghay was certainly very hostile to the idea that someone from one of the tribes could have snuck in and committed the murder,¡± said Ostara. ¡°But they¡¯re also highly unlikely to talk if one of their own is guilty.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s exactly what we¡¯ve been finding so far,¡± said Kal. ¡°They all know the company is watching them, so they just regurgitate the company line, or plead ignorance. We can¡¯t talk to anyone off site, because we¡¯d need to get a company-sanctioned shaman, or whatever they¡¯re called, to come with us if we leave the protected zone.¡±

    Ostara considered a moment. ¡°Taghay did say he was willing to be cooperative with the investigation ¨C to ensure his sister was on board with what he called the ¡®facts¡¯.¡±

    ¡°Sure, he said that¡­¡± said Kal.

    ¡°No harm in trying. If we get his permission for you to go offsite with a Qam, you¡¯ll have no problems.¡±

    ¡°Except whoever it is, it¡¯ll be someone with ties to the company. If the tribes are divided, those on Toghrul¡¯s side won¡¯t cooperate,¡± said Kal.

    ¡°I¡¯m willing to bet the lines aren¡¯t as clear as being on one side or another of this dispute,¡± said Ostara. ¡°I¡¯ll put in a query with Taghay¡¯s office and at very least, he¡¯ll have to come up with a good reason to deny us.¡±

    ¡°Worth a shot, I guess,¡± said Kal.

    ¡°And you and the others there at Karbaliq can keep working on things on the ground,¡± said Ostara.

    ¡°We¡¯re all over it,¡± said Kal, gruffly.

    ¡°Wonderful,¡± said Ostara.

    ¡°That music,¡± said a voice from behind Tavian. He turned and saw a young Yarkanese worker standing a short distance from where he had been sitting and playing.

    ¡°Feel free to sit and listen,¡± said Tavian.

    ¡°Where did you learn that song¡­ you¡¯re not from Yarkan,¡± said the man.

    ¡°I heard it around here,¡± said Tavian.

    ¡°That¡¯s a very old song,¡± said the man, ¡°I¡¯ve only ever heard a few of the local Qamlar play it. Who¡ª¡±

    Before he could finish his question, Tavian interrupted him. ¡°We¡¯ve spoken before, haven¡¯t we?¡±

    Somewhat reluctantly the man nodded.

    ¡°You asked about Mr Su¡¯s murder.¡±

    Tavian nodded. ¡°Just after we first arrived.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ve only been here a few days¡­ no one in Yengishahr knows that song¡­¡± the man mused.

    A thought occurred to Tavian.

    Should I? Not like anything else has worked.

    ¡°You asked who taught me this song,¡± he said.

    The man nodded.

    ¡°What if I told you¡­ it was someone¡­ dead,¡± said Tavian.

    The man¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°The U?armaz taught you?¡±

    ¡°Sure,¡± said Tavian, ¡°If that¡¯s what you call ghosts.¡±

    Without another word, the man sat down next to Tavian, crossing his legs. Tavian could see from his expression that gears were turning in his head.

    ¡°It is a song written after the Fall of Karbaliq,¡± said the man. ¡°A funeral song, for all the dead.¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t realise,¡± said Tavian.

    ¡°But no outsider is ever taught that song¡­¡±

    Tavian decided to let him reason this out. It didn¡¯t sound like he¡¯d committed any grave cultural offense, judging by the man¡¯s tone.

    ¡°If the U?armaz taught you this song¡­ it must mean something,¡± said the man.

    This sounds promising.

    ¡°Perhaps Atilay Qam will know.¡±

    Tavian grinned. ¡°Perhaps I should meet him?¡±

    The young man nodded, ¡°It must mean something. Will you come with me to meet him?¡±

    ¡°Of course,¡± said Tavian. ¡°¡¯Twould be my pleasure. Would¡­ could my friend come with us?¡±

    The man looked uncertain, but nodded.

    ¡°Great,¡± said Tavian. He reached out his hand. The young man looked at it. ¡°I¡¯m Tavian.¡±

    Tentatively the man reached out and took Tavian¡¯s offered hand. ¡°My name is Chinor.¡±

    ¡°Pleasure to meet you, Chinor,¡± said Tavian.

    Nova was just about ready to collapse by the time she stepped off the treadmill. Her legs felt distinctly like jelly.

    Panting, she walked over and grabbed her towel, wiping away some of the sweat before throwing it over her shoulder. Pausing a moment and swaying on unsteady legs, she then set off back towards her room, the lights of the gym shutting off behind her.

    That felt like a good session, she mused to herself. Although maybe I should get Mu to show me her routine when she gets back to the ship.

    The corridors of the Amrita had been particularly quiet. Apart from when she¡¯d first got back to the ship, she hadn¡¯t seen any sign of the Captain. Meanwhile Seraphina had retreated to her room as usual. Mingxia had opted to stay on the surface with Ostara. For the most part, the voyage to Yarkan from Shangxia had felt almost festive, so the quiet now had a borderline eerie feel, giving the familiar corridors an almost liminal vibe.

    Not that it was quiet right now for Nova. She tapped her headphones to turn up the volume further, as she headed to her room. At least no one around meant no one to complain about her singing out loud.

    Not that such complaints ever stopped her usually.

    As she rounded a corner to the corridor off which her room opened, the lights flickered. She paused and looked around. The lights shouldn¡¯t flicker. The lights didn¡¯t normally flicker. In fact, the lights flickering was a direct insult to Nova, who worked very hard to ensure that everything on the Amrita functioned perfectly. This was no small feat, given so much about the ship was frankly both alien and ancient, but she had taught herself its ways, its moods, its every idiosyncrasy. And she prided herself on one thing in particular.

    Nothing. Ever. Went. Wrong.

    But something just did.

    She looked around, frowning as she took in the scene. Everything looked normal. She paused the song she was listening to, lowering the headphones. Nothing to hear. It was quiet, too¡­ no, actually, probably just about the appropriate amount of quiet.

    ¡°Hrm.¡±

    She pulled her goggles down over her eyes, and surveyed her surroundings once more. Even now, everything looked normal. No massive spikes in radiation, or anything of that nature that might cause the sort of fluctuation that would trigger the lights to flicker.

    Maybe I imagined it.

    Maybe I¡¯m on the verge of blacking out after all that exercise!

    She walked the rest of the way to her room with the goggles on, checking out everything along the way and still noticing nothing. The lights did not flicker again. As she walked though, she felt a momentary chill, like the temperature instantly dropped fifteen degrees or so. Then it passed.

    Were the climate systems playing up now?

    Maybe it¡¯s nothing.

    She dismissed that thought.

    No! I must know. There can be no secrets between Amrita and I. If there¡¯s the slightest chance she is sick, I must heal her.

    Everything also looked normal in her room as she entered.

    She slid the goggles back up as the lights came on. Charlie leapt from his charging pad and trotted over to greet her.

    Woof! he declared.

    ¡°Yeah, boy, I¡¯m home,¡± she said and he danced happily around her feet. ¡°You see anything weird? Your power do anything odd?¡±

    Woof! declared Charlie.

    ¡°Fair enough,¡± said Nova, taking off her shoes, then peeling off her socks. She headed to the bathroom where she cast the socks into the laundry chute.

    In the kitchenette she poured herself a glass of water. She wasn¡¯t so sure about this, but both Mu and Harry had insisted that water would work better than energy drinks after a workout, so she figured she¡¯d give them the benefit of the doubt.

    It¡¯s so¡­ non-sugary. What even is this flavour?

    Given the lights hadn¡¯t flickered again in a little while, she figured the situation was unlikely to be catastrophic. The temp also seemed stable. A shower and some food were probably in order first, then she¡¯d work out what was troubling her poor girl Amrita.

    Water successfully downed, she headed for the bathroom once more, hurling her gym clothes down the laundry chute. She hit the button in the shower for her preset temperature and pressure preferences and put her headphones back on, cranking the volume.

    ¡°Never gonna give you up!¡± she bellowed out as the water poured over her, the steam rising.

    At some point, the combination of singing and flowing water disastrously combined, and she found herself coughing and spluttering.

    Knew this water stuff was no good, she mused.

    Her eyes open now, she found herself gazing out the window. Yarkan loomed large below, its drab colour-palette only broken up by the gleaming polar icecaps. She wondered how everyone else was going down there. She figured she¡¯d check in with everyone tomorrow. Hopefully by then her own efforts would have borne fruit.

    If nothing else she had big ideas for Ulduz¡¯s ten million taels. She was already mentally preparing the case she¡¯d put to the Captain and Ostara. The Amrita would be so happy with some new parts. Perhaps if that included an upgraded weapons fit-out she could bring Kal in as an ally.

    Eh, he¡¯ll back me up anyway. Good ol¡¯ Kal.

    Oooh! Maybe if there is a fault with the Amrita that will bolster my case for upgrades.

    No! Don¡¯t think that way. She might be hurting. Bad thoughts! Get out!

    Nova continued staring out the window. She remembered when Mu had first come on board, she¡¯d asked Nova about the presence of these windows directly adjacent the showers.

    ¡°What, you worried about space pervs? There¡¯s no one looking, Mu,¡± Nova had reassured her.

    ¡°But ships passing by¡­¡±

    ¡°Do you know how big space is? It¡¯s like, really big. No one¡¯s passing by that close.¡±

    As she was remembering this, the music playing out of her headphones changed. Now it was playing some sort of mournful song on an old-fashioned string instrument of some kind. Nova didn¡¯t really know instruments. Or music in general, beyond whether or not she liked it. This, however, was definitely not her thing.

    And I definitely didn¡¯t put this in my playlist.

    Her eyes scanned the bathroom suspiciously, but the glass had now mostly fogged up and there was nothing to see. There was singing now, but the voices sounded sad.

    Am I picking up a broadcast from the surface? It does sound kinda like something Yarkan people would listen to.

    No. It¡¯s not possible.

    But it¡¯s happening¡­

    She turned off the water and stepped out of the shower. Everything outside still looked normal. But something was definitely up.

    She quickly dried herself off, then wrapped the towel around her and headed out. Her bedroom also looked normal. Charlie happily trotted over to her, carrying one of his toys.

    ¡°Not now, boy,¡± said Nova, distractedly.

    She turned off the music.

    She put in a call to Apollo. He answered promptly.

    ¡°Hi, Cap,¡± she said, pulling her goggles down again and suspiciously scanning her surrounds for any sign of something suspicious. ¡°I, um¡­ you noticed anything odd?¡±

    ¡°Odd?¡± asked Apollo.

    ¡°Yeah. Anything really. Just stuff that doesn¡¯t normally happen¡­ devices not behaving, that sorta thing.¡±

    ¡°Now you mention it, the can-opener you made for me did jam earlier. I had to use the other robot you made to get my sprats open,¡± said Apollo.

    ¡°Oh, that¡¯s no good. Honestly, I dunno how you do it, Cap,¡± said Nova.

    ¡°What¡¯s that?¡±

    ¡°Not having thumbs. Must be such a pain.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m rather used to it. But back to your question, I haven¡¯t noticed anything else. Has something of concern occurred?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s probably nothing,¡± murmured Nova. ¡°Just some devices behaving strangely,¡± though even as she said it, she had the sense of something moving just outside her vision. She whirled around, but saw nothing. ¡°Um, Cap, I¡¯ll go. I¡¯ll come over a bit later and check on the can opener. Can¡¯t have you locked out of your sprats.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯d appreciate that, Nova,¡± said Apollo. ¡°Could it be a Starflow anomaly affecting onboard systems? Perhaps Seraphina could assist you with detection?¡±

    ¡°Hrm, maybe. Alright, bye Cap.¡±

    ¡°Goodbye, Nova.¡±

    She hung up the call. Starflow¡­ maybe that was it. It was the one thing she still struggled to factor in. Some of the Amrita¡¯s more arcane systems definitely interacted with the Starflow, but these were the few aspects of her operations that Nova still didn¡¯t properly understand. Maybe she should return to the surface and speak to someone about the ARCs in Yengishahr. Might provide some insight into Starflow-based tech.

    In the meantime, the Captain was right. She should speak to Seraphina. Whatever bugbear had gotten into the system, she ¨C Nova Reilly, tech genius ¨C was not going to let it defeat her. Software, hardware, gamma ray burst, or Starflow anomaly: she¡¯d find that damned bugbear.

    But first: to put on some clothes and eat some dinner.

    Then it happened.

    The lights didn¡¯t just flicker. They flashed rapidly on and off, then everything went dark. Charlie whimpered.

    For a moment the only light in her room came from the stars outside and that reflected off the surface of Yarkan. A flickering light came on behind her. It looked like the light of a fire on the walls of a cave, casting dancing shadows.

    Slowly, and with a sense of unease, Nova turned.

    There, standing in her room was a silk-shrouded figure holding a single candle in front of it with both hands, perfectly still.

    Nova screamed.

 Item 44

    Item 44 ¨C Special Observation Reports, Compilation of Selected Excerpts

    Jirgalang of Hala Borjigit

    Chief Liaison to the First Group of Fleets of the White Horse Banner

    Bureau of Resonance

    SOD 8714

    Our forces have faced stiff opposition from both Jaril and Susanian fleets, though the Supreme Admiral now reports that the path to Yarkan is open. Losses have been significant, however His Imperial Majesty insists on delaying employment of the Theophany until we reach Yarkan.

    SOD 8718

    Technical delays and a renewed attack by 691<sup>st</sup> and 883<sup>rd</sup> Fleets of the Susanian Empire has resulted in us only now proceeding with the jump into the Yarkan system. The Supreme Admiral believes the 691<sup>st</sup> enemy fleet to be effectively destroyed, while he believes the 883<sup>rd</sup> will no longer pose any substantial threat. His Imperial Majesty has requested the presence of the Susanian Ambassador and the Khagan of the Jaril aboard the Singgeri Arkan. We await their response.

    SOD 8719

    We have received contradictory responses from the enemy. The Susanian Ambassador, Artabanus, has taken up His Imperial Majesty¡¯s invitation. The Khagan of the Jaril, however, has refused any talks. I understand it is now His Majesty¡¯s intention to demonstrate the power of His Theophany.

    SOD 8720

    His Excellency, Artabanus of Susania, has joined us. Minor operations have been conducted today to repel Jaril attacks. The Susanians have withdrawn the bulk of remaining naval assets ¨C the remnants of a variety of fleets ¨C from the Yarkan system. Jaril forces remain substantial, but the bulk appear to have been withdrawn to a defensive posture to prevent orbital bombardment or ground assault on the planet itself. I spoke with Vice-Admiral Alin of the Hala Ertu, Chief of Staff to the Supreme Admiral, and it is believed that occupation of Yarkan would no longer pose any significant operational challenge, however His Imperial Majesty has ordered the Supreme Admiral to hold our forces.

    SOD 8721

    His Imperial Majesty broadcast the following message across the Jaril Confederacy:

    ¡°I am the Tianyan Emperor of Great Aixingo, Favoured Son of Nara Enduri, Master of the Eight Banners, Khan of Khans and King of Kings, Flame of the Unborn Emperor. My light shines throughout the Cosmos like Changxi¡¯s Divine Lantern. In the past I have offered to you, fellow Yultengri, an exalted place among the peoples of my Empire, yet you replied with obstinate defiance, fire, and blood. Now I come to you as the agent of the divine retribution you have called upon yourselves. For the Shepherd of Destiny has spoken with me and bestowed upon me Its Theophany and this shall be the instrument of your demise. Khagan! You have brought this ruin upon your people. The name of the Jaril will be forgotten. No feat of arms can resist this power. Let it be shown, with His Excellency Artabanus of Susania as witness, what fate befalls the enemies of the Great Aixingo.¡±

    Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site.

    His Imperial Majesty thence unleashed his Theophany. I have heard reports of other witnesses describing this moment as a waving of his hand, but to my eyes there was no ostensible movement on His Majesty¡¯s part whatsoever.

    SOD 8721(b)

    Provisional instrumental evidence suggests that the region of immediate impact extends approximately 2.2 lightyears from the point of origin. There is some evidence ¨C which we are still collating from a wide variety of observation points ¨C that the signature of the Theophany has been detected at all points in the Cosmos simultaneously.

    Within the immediate sphere of impact there appear to be significant temporal-spatial and Starflow anomalies. The Supreme Admiral has ordered the Fleet Group to evacuate the system, and we continue to conduct observations from a distance.

    SOD 8722(c)

    Probes sent into the Sphere of Impact have been heavily disrupted. We are analysing their data, but at present can make no sense of it. I shall provide the raw data with this report for further analysis.

    All communications by the enemy appear to have ceased. There appear to be limited signs of life on Yarkan, though this relies on heavily disrupted instrumental data.

    SOD 8723

    His Imperial Majesty has employed his Theophany to allow a Bureau team to travel to Yarkan¡¯s surface. He is holding the Starflow Tempest at bay, however the storm has expanded over several neighbouring star systems, causing extensive damage. The disruption appears to be expanding at a rate of approximately three and a half thousand times the speed of light. I have requested Bureau assets in those systems collect data on the effects of the Tempest.

    I have joined the Bureau team on the surface and will include our findings in subsequent reports.

    SOD 8723(b)

    Most of Yarkan¡¯s forests appear to have been destroyed. The weather has been extensively disrupted and atmospheric particulate contamination has resulted in extreme temperature drops across the surface. Most cities appear to have been destroyed. The Tempest is particularly intense around Karbaliq and we are awaiting further data before proceeding.

    SOD 8724(c)

    We will enter the Jaril capital of Karbaliq today. Outlying districts appear to be completely destroyed. Even with His Imperial Majesty restraining the Starflow Tempest, unusual subjective phenomena have been widely observed by the team. On a personal note, I have been intrigued to observe that while destruction is extensive and widespread, it has not taken on the character of that resulting from the use of artificial superweapons as employed by our fleets elsewhere. We have even encountered some living residents. A young girl approached our team and has been taken in for observation. She has told us that her parents have become ¡°strange¡±. We will hopefully gain a better understanding of what this means in practice through our observations, and I will include details in subsequent reports.

    SOD 8725

    We have entered Karbaliq. More survivors. Some have extremely extensive injuries that might typically be expected to be mortal in nature, but these individuals somehow appear to be still alive.

    SOD8725

    We have entered Karbaliq. The people are angry.

    SOd8725

    We have entered Karbaliq.

    SssOD825

    We have entered Karbaliq.

    sOOOOODDD872444u45552

    We hVea ef Karbaliq entered

    KARBALIQ.

    KARBALIQ.

    KARBALIQ.

    KARBALIQ.

    KARBALIQ.

    KARBALIQ.

    KARBALIQ.

    KARBALIQ.

    KARBALIQ.

    KARBALIQ.

    THE BLACK CITY IS ANGRY.

    KARABLIQ.

    KARBALIQ.

    KARBALIQ.

    KARBALIQ.

    Help.

 Chapter XIX - Barchins Lament

    Chapter XIX ¨C Barchin¡¯s Lament

    ¡°This way,¡± said Chinor.

    He led them between two crumbling edifices of the ancient city. They were not like the mountainesque monstrosities that were Karbaliq¡¯s most notable features, but smaller, on a more human scale. Behind them was a paved courtyard and arrayed around its edges a number of tents. At the centre of the courtyard a fire burned. Many people in traditional Yarkanese garb sat around the fire on rugs and cushions. Distinct among them was one man with a flowing white beard, sitting cross-legged, sipping tea.

    ¡°Greetings, Atilay Mallam,¡± said Chinor, bowing his head slightly as he approached the man.

    ¡°Cousin Chinor,¡± said the man, with a nod. ¡°Who are these people you bring?¡±

    ¡°This is Tavian and Mukushen, they are offworlders.¡±

    ¡°That I can see,¡± said the Qam, peering at them from beneath thick, bushy eyebrows.

    A powerful wind had picked up, howling down the dead streets of the city. Tavian and Mu both lowered their heads to prevent sand getting in their eyes. The Qam, however, remained staring directly at them, as if the sand was no match for his steely gaze.

    ¡°You, young lady ¨C you are Aixin?¡±

    Mu raised her eyes slowly, shielding them with her hand. The wind continued to whip at them, her robes fluttering about wildly. A few strands of hair escaped from under her hood, also dancing in the wind. She nodded.

    ¡°Come to witness what your ancestors wrought?¡± asked the Qam.

    ¡°I¡­¡± began Mu, ¡°I believe atonement for the past first requires understanding.¡±

    Atilay Qam laughed loudly, elbowing the man sitting to his side. ¡°You hear this? She seeks to atone!¡±

    Tavian observed Mu, seeing the discomfort as she watched this raucous display.

    ¡°Young lady, when you have this understanding, will your people relinquish your empire? Will the ruins of Karbaliq spring to life? Will the deserts bloom?¡±

    Mu shook her head.

    ¡°But maybe you will feel better, no? Enlightened?¡±

    Mu was silent.

    The Qam smiled. ¡°Ah, but that is what we are doing here. When this self-appointed Khagan of Yengishahr has built his New Karbaliq, you will just be the first of many. So many Aixin will come and understand. They will atone, hrm?¡±

    Chinor apparently saw things were not going to plan and decided to intervene. ¡°Tavian here¡­ I heard him play Barchin¡¯s Lament.¡±

    This seemed to surprise the Qam, his mocking levity fading. ¡°How do you know this music?¡±

    Tavian looked Chinor¡¯s way. Chinor nodded.

    ¡°The¡­¡± he paused to remember the term. Chinor had told him on the way there that it would be best if he used the right words, ¡°The U?armaz taught me.¡±

    Atilay ran his fingers through his moustache. The others present, fell silent.

    The Qam pointed at Tavian. ¡°This is an instrument you have here?¡±

    Tavian nodded.

    ¡°Play it. Play the Lament.¡±

    Tavian looked at Chinor who shrugged. He unslung his mandolin case and removed the instrument. There was a weight of expectation in the wind-blasted courtyard.

    He took a deep breath.

    He began to play.

    The audience fell silent, all eyes on him. He closed his own as he let the music flow over him, guide his fingers. He focused hard on recalling it exactly as he¡¯d heard it, carefully picking the strings, transporting himself back to that night on the lake shore, hearing the ancient melody. He strove to seize that liminal feeling he''d had, where present and past, life and death, became entangled.

    He opened his eyes.

    I¡¯m not reaching them.

    I¡¯m playing it as I heard it.

    But I¡¯m not reaching them.

    He dug deeper. The turbulent Starflow swirled around the edges of the protected zone. But there was something else. It was almost as if the Starflow was being pushed away. Pushed away by the Qam. Even as he sat comfortably, a casual demeanour about him, that knowing smile directed Tavian¡¯s way ¨C somehow, he was exuding immense pressure, driving back the turbulence of the Starflow.

    Tavian¡¯s eyes met with the Qam¡¯s and he saw light in the old man¡¯s eyes. There was recognition there. Recognition of what Tavian was attempting. There was also supreme assurance ¨C assurance that the strands of the Starflow that Tavian was reaching out for would not come to him, leaving him isolated from the Cosmos.

    Why?

    Tavian finished; meekly he felt. He returned the mandolin to its case and awaited the verdict.

    ¡°You should not know this song, as an outsider¡­ as an off-worlder,¡± said the Qam.

    ¡°But he does! And the U?armaz taught him. Surely that means something?¡± said Chinor.

    ¡°He is a Resonant, this one,¡± said Atilay. ¡°Even in the protected zone, the U?armaz will appear to Resonants for they are entities of the Starflow ¨C long shadows of the ancient dead, cast upon it, stretching out through the centuries. There is no greater meaning to his witnessing their song.¡±

    ¡°Other Resonants ¨C offworld Resonants ¨C have come here,¡± said Chinor.

    ¡°This one¡¯s a musician,¡± said the Qam. ¡°That is all. He remembered the song.¡±

    Chinor spoke more softly this time, almost as if to himself. ¡°It was different by the lake. It felt¡­ powerful.¡±

    Because the Qam wasn¡¯t pushing the Starflow away, thought Tavian. How is Lady Anu to hear me? How can I evoke Her power?

    Atilay Qam leant back, putting down his teacup and folding his arms.

    ¡°And did you come here just to play my own people¡¯s songs to me, and speak of your atonement, or is there another purpose to this visit?¡±

    Mu looked uncertain. She cast a glance Tavian¡¯s way.

    ¡°We are investigating the murder of Su Bolin,¡± said Tavian.

    ¡°I had heard someone was snooping around, asking questions,¡± said the Qam.

    ¡°Our employer believes that the man charged with the murder may be innocent,¡± said Tavian.

    ¡°We wouldn¡¯t know anything about it,¡± said the Qam.

    ¡°We¡¯re hearing that a lot,¡± said Tavian. ¡°But we thought maybe some of people from the tribes who worked with Toghrul Yarghunoghul might have some information for us.¡±

    ¡°They will not come here,¡± said Atilay. ¡°Not with the Yarghun Company here.¡±

    ¡°We figured as much,¡± said Tavian. ¡°We were hoping you might help us reach them.¡±

    Atilay laughed again. ¡°What makes you think they¡¯ll talk to me?¡± he asked. ¡°Here I am supporting the Company, supporting the development. They are bitterly opposed to it. I am a traitor in their eyes.¡±

    ¡°We don¡¯t need you to speak¡­ merely to get us there ¨C to guide us and hold back the Starflow,¡± said Tavian.

    ¡°We know it¡¯s a big ask ¨C we are happy to pay for your services,¡± added Mu.

    Atilay stroked his long beard. ¡°Let me explain something to you. I am not particularly fond of what is happening here. I am sympathetic with those who oppose it. Frankly, I would rather things stay as they are. But these very ruins are a testament to what can become of those who stand in the way of the Empire¡¯s ¡®progress¡¯. And that¡¯s why I agreed to help. I want to give my tribe, my children and grandchildren, some chance of a decent future. If this is the future that is coming, one way or another, then we are best to take what advantage we can from it while we can.¡±

    He paused to let his words sink in.

    ¡°And having made that decision, having sacrificed my honour to help Taghay Yarghunoghul with trampling our history, I have no intention of incurring his wrath and rendering it all for nought.¡±

    Tavian swallowed.

    Mu spoke up, ¡°Sir, we do not want to put you or your people in any sort of danger. Our own leader has spoken directly with Mr Yarghunoghul, and gained his blessing for our investigation. It is his sister who hired us.¡±

    Atilay Qam¡¯s eyes narrowed. ¡°Do you think me na?ve, or is it you yourselves who are?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m¡­ not sure I follow,¡± said Mu. ¡°We meant no offense.¡±

    ¡°A Company boss gets murdered, then outsiders turn up asking questions and wanting to know where to find Toghrul¡¯s supporters? I don¡¯t think you are being as subtle and secretive as you think.¡±

    Mu shook her head fervently. ¡°We are not spies for Taghay Yarghunoghul. It¡¯s like Tavian said: we are searching for evidence that Toghrul Yarghunoghul is innocent.¡±

    Chinor spoke up. ¡°I believe them, Atilay Mallam.¡±

    ¡°I do not,¡± said the Qam.

    Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website.

    Chinor took a deep breath. He clenched his fists, appearing to be psyching himself up for something. ¡°Respectfully, Mallam, the way I heard Tavian play the Lament¡­ it was different to when he played it here. I think the U?armaz have given a blessing.¡±

    ¡°What would Cousin Sayan say?¡± asked Atilay.

    ¡°I think she would trust me,¡± said Chinor.

    ¡°Then she too is more trusting than I,¡± said Atilay.

    ¡°Please, Mallam.¡±

    The Qam looked to the sky then down once more. ¡°There is still the matter of the Aixin girl. Even if this Tavian has been blessed, we still do not know what the ancients think of her and her motives.¡±

    Mu put her hand to her chest. ¡°Let me prove my good will. What would you have me do?¡±

    The Qam grinned maliciously. ¡°On the far side of the Black City and a little beyond, you will find the ruins of ?zg¨¹nyaylaq. It was a small outlying village at the time of the Great Ruin. There was a school there. The survivors of Karbaliq found the children and their teacher buried beneath the rubble of that school. Barchin was a survivor, a poet and musician. She wrote the Lament that Mr Tavian here played ¨C she wrote it about those children. If you go there, Aixin girl, there you will find your enlightenment and, maybe then, I will believe you speak truth.¡±

    Tavian saw the deep concern written on Chinor¡¯s face.

    ¡°Fine,¡± said Mu, determination in her eyes. ¡°I¡¯ll go.¡±

    The Qam¡¯s malicious smile became wider. ¡°Good. We will talk if you return.¡±

    ¡°How will you know that I have been?¡± asked Mu.

    ¡°I will know.¡±

    ¡°No!¡± snapped Chinor. ¡°You will send her to her death.¡±

    ¡°We will see,¡± said Atilay.

    Tavian could see the look on Mu¡¯s face. She would not waver.

    Well, this is a wonderful turn of events.

    The wind was intensifying as they left the courtyard. Mu had covered her mouth and nose with a silk scarf, as the dust clouds rose and swept across the Black City. The sun grew dim.

    Tavian waited until they were away from their erstwhile audience before speaking. ¡°I can see that you¡¯re determined about this¡­ but maybe reconsider just how much we want this money? Perhaps talk to Kal and Ostara? There¡¯s gotta be a better way.¡±

    Mu found herself hardly surprised that Tavian didn¡¯t get it. ¡°It¡¯s not about money. I have to do this.¡±

    ¡°Do you though?¡±

    Mu stopped walking, Tavian halting a moment later.

    ¡°You¡¯ve seen how people react to me on this planet?¡±

    ¡°You can¡¯t let it get to you,¡± said Tavian.

    ¡°Don¡¯t let it get to me? What sort of person would I be if I didn¡¯t let it get to me? My ancestors came to this planet. They wiped out a whole civilisation. And then they celebrated it. Built an empire on the ruins. An empire that has given me wealth and privilege all my life. So, tell me: if I ignored all that, if I ignored these people¡¯s grievances¡­ what would that make me?¡±

    Tavian turned his head to cough, then spoke, ¡°It¡¯s an empire that kept you a virtual prisoner. And do you remember what happened back on Shangxia? Do you remember what they sent to hunt you down? After all that, do you really still feel like a representative of the Empire?¡±

    Mu felt frustration bubbling up inside her. ¡°Anything I went through is nothing compared to what happened here.¡±

    Tavian laughed. ¡°That¡¯s it, isn¡¯t it? You don¡¯t feel like your own suffering was enough. So, you just need to keep on bringing down more upon yourself. That¡¯s why you had to go rescue Mingxia ¨C she had it so much worse than you. That¡¯s why you need to walk off into this desert and get yourself killed now.¡±

    Mu felt herself shaking and took a breath before replying. ¡°What? You think going back for Mingxia was the wrong thing? Even after you¡­ after you¡­ bedded her?¡±

    Tavian laughed again. ¡°Bedded her? Wow. Of course I¡¯m happy we got Mingxia out. But that doesn¡¯t change the present situation. There are other ways of getting what we need. Or maybe we don¡¯t get it. Maybe this all ends in failure. Oh well, we miss out on some money. Life goes on.¡±

    ¡°An innocent man gets punished,¡± said Mu.

    ¡°Maybe, maybe not. Look ¨C probably Toghrul¡¯s innocent, but the truth is we don¡¯t know. We¡¯re going off what his sister says. But it¡¯s not even about that guy, is it? It¡¯s about you feeling the need to atone for something that happened several centuries ago. It¡¯s about that old guy back there laughing at you.¡±

    ¡°It is not about that!¡± snapped Mu. She lowered her voice, kicking at the dusty and cracked stone at their feet. ¡°It¡¯s¡­ there¡¯s something else going on here. I don¡¯t know how to explain it¡­ but I think this whole conflict is about more than just some people supporting the development and some people opposing it¡­ it¡¯s¡­ look, I don¡¯t know what it is, but I think it¡¯s important and¡­¡±

    ¡°This a premonition-type thing?¡± asked Tavian, spluttering slightly as he spoke.

    ¡°Maybe¡­ I don¡¯t know¡­ I just¡­¡±

    Tavian broke out in a coughing fit. ¡°Can we perhaps continue this conversation out of this¡­ dust?¡±

    Mu nodded. ¡°Oh¡­ okay.¡±

    Mu sat on the edge of her bed; Tavian pulled up a chair.

    Outside the wind howled with unbridled fury.

    ¡°Look,¡± said Tavian, holding up both hands, ¡°I¡¯m not the boss of you. You do what you need to. I¡¯m just saying think it through. Remember when you were about to hand yourself into the Resonance Bureau? You ended up deciding against that and I think everyone¡¯s glad about that, you included.¡±

    Mu put her head in her hands. She couldn¡¯t escape this feeling. That there was some big part to the situation that they were missing.

    Is it prescience? Am I somehow penetrating all this Starflow turbulence?

    She couldn¡¯t tell. When her Starseer abilities had first begun manifesting, she¡¯d not even realised what was happening. It was only once she mentioned something to the Grand Astronomer that it became clear what she was experiencing. Only later had she learned to deliberately look into the future. Yet, still, at times, those premonitions came unbidden. Sometimes as a clear picture of what was to come, but other times, there had been feelings ¨C hunches almost, but far stronger. Was this one such time? It was difficult to tell. But regardless of what she was experiencing, she couldn¡¯t shake the notion. It possessed her with near certainty.

    And for whatever reason, that meant she had to take up the Qam¡¯s challenge, and walk into the desert.

    Her anger and frustration from before had abated, but her resolve had not. ¡°This isn¡¯t like that time,¡± she said.

    ¡°Okay,¡± said Tavian. ¡°But just¡­ please take some time to consider. Don¡¯t go charging into this. That Atilay guy was goading you. Don¡¯t let your pride or your guilt or¡­ some combo of them¡­ don¡¯t let it drive you to do something stupid.¡±

    There was a flash of anger, but she pushed it down. ¡°I will think overnight.¡±

    Tavian gave her two thumbs up. ¡°Best I could hope for.¡±

    A silence fell between them.

    There was a beep and Tavian took out his tablet.

    ¡°It¡¯s Chinor,¡± he said. ¡°He¡¯s asking where we are, he wants to talk to us.¡±

    ¡°Send him over, I guess,¡± said Mu. Tavian tapped the screen a few times and put the tablet away.

    It didn¡¯t take long for Chinor to reach them. He tentatively entered the tent. Looking around as if to convince himself that more women weren¡¯t present.

    ¡°It¡¯s fine,¡± said Mu, ¡°Come in.¡±

    Chinor nodded. He took off his shoes and came in, standing awkwardly.

    ¡°Take a seat,¡± said Tavian, standing up and dragging over another chair. Chinor sat. ¡°So,¡± said Tavian, ¡°What do you make of what happened back there?¡±

    ¡°Atilay Qam is not of my tribe, but I know him well. His trust does not come easily,¡± said Chinor.

    ¡°Yeah, I gathered that,¡± said Tavian.

    ¡°He is wise¡­ and he is not cruel¡­ but¡­ I do not agree with him on this,¡± said Chinor, giving the impression of considering each word he spoke with great care.

    ¡°What do you think I should do?¡± asked Mu.

    ¡°If you go to ?zg¨¹nyaylaq by yourself, without a Qam¡­ I do not think you will survive the journey,¡± said Chinor.

    Mu considered his words, but did not speak.

    ¡°The Qam¡­ he mentioned someone¡­ Sayan, was it? Who is she?¡± asked Tavian.

    ¡°She is my big sister,¡± said Chinor. ¡°She is Toghrul¡¯s closest comrade.¡±

    Tavian cast a look Mu¡¯s way.

    Mu spoke up, ¡°She is who we need to talk to, then.¡±

    Chinor nodded. ¡°I was hoping Atilay Qam would agree to take you to her.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m guessing she¡¯s not keen on coming here,¡± said Tavian.

    ¡°There¡¯s no telling what the company or government forces would do if she did,¡± said Chinor. ¡°She doesn¡¯t even like the fact that I work here.¡±

    ¡°Is there another Qam that could take us to her?¡± asked Mu. ¡°If not Atilay¡­¡±

    ¡°Maybe,¡± said Chinor, ¡°I couldn¡¯t say. Aside from my own tribe¡¯s Qam, Atilay is the only Qam I know well. And it is not¡­ customary for someone young like me to just go and talk to a Qam.¡±

    Mu looked at Chinor, whose hands were nervously rubbing his lap. ¡°Why are you helping us?¡±

    Chinor looked confused a moment. ¡°I think you can help Cousin Toghrul¡­ I think it means something that the U?armaz revealed the Lament to Mr Tavian.¡±

    ¡°You are working here¡­ but you support Toghrul?¡± asked Mu.

    ¡°It is hard. I¡­ I think a lot of young people out here¡­ tribespeople¡­ sometimes there are not so many opportunities for us. Even getting to Yengishahr is beyond most people¡¯s reach. I believe what the Qamlar say about the need to protect the traditional ways¡­ but¡­ I think working here, it is¡­ a chance¡­¡±

    Mu shook her head. ¡°It¡¯s okay¡­ you don¡¯t need to justify your choices. Certainly not to me. But you think Toghrul is innocent?¡±

    He nodded.

    ¡°If he succeeded¡­ the opportunities here¡­ they¡¯d go away, wouldn¡¯t they?¡±

    Chinor had the look of someone contemplating whether, or not to say something. ¡°He¡­ I think if Toghrul succeeded there would be¡­ other opportunities.¡±

    Mu tilted her head to one side, giving Chinor a questioning look.

    ¡°I think you should talk to Sayan¡­ she can explain better than I can,¡± said Chinor.

    Mu nodded. ¡°Then there¡¯s no other way. I have to go to these ruins this¡­¡±

    ¡°?zg¨¹nyaylaq,¡± said Chinor.

    ¡°Yes,¡± said Mu. ¡°If I do¡­ Atilay Qam¡­ he will honour his word?¡±

    Chinor¡¯s response was emphatic. ¡°Yes. He will.¡±

    ¡°Then it¡¯s decided,¡± said Mu.

    ¡°At least speak with the others first,¡± said Tavian. ¡°There may be another way that we are unaware of. Did you hear what Chinor said before? You won¡¯t survive.¡±

    Mu ran a hand through her hair. ¡°Fine. I will speak to Ostara and Kal. But if they haven¡¯t found out anything else, I¡¯m going.¡±

    ¡°We can always back out,¡± said Tavian.

    Mu looked Chinor¡¯s way again as she spoke, ¡°Toghrul¡­ he had a plan of some sort. More than just opposing this development. I think¡­ I think this is something I must do. I need to find out¡­ my ancestors did this. Now that the opportunity presents itself, I must do my part to at least save what is left.¡±

    Tavian was about to speak. Mu held up her hand. ¡°Don¡¯t. I know what you¡¯re going to say. I will speak to the others. There¡¯s no need to discuss it further.¡±

    Tavian sighed.

    ¡°Okay.¡±

    Nova darted through the door into the corridor beyond, frantically hitting the buttons to close it behind her. Nervously she scanned the corridor. Once again, it looked just as it always did.

    She backed away from the door slowly, biting her bottom lip. Her heart was racing. The lights flickered back on, then dimmed, then went out again.

    At least the door had worked.

    Her tablet was still in her hand, thankfully. With trembling fingers, she put in a call to Seraphina, and raised the device to her ear. The call picked up.

    On the other end she heard the mournful song from before.

    She dropped the tablet and dashed down the hallway.

    She reached a junction and looked one way or another. Apollo or Seraphina? Seraphina was closer.

    The air was unusually cold, much colder than it had been earlier. She felt her skin prickle with goosebumps. She hugged herself tightly, rubbing her shoulders with her hands, only the towel covering her. The lights continued to flicker.

    What the fuck is going on? she wondered.

    She looked back the way she¡¯d come. Nothing appeared to be following her. Looking ahead she could see the top of the spiral staircase that led to Seraphina¡¯s room. It was a familiar route, one she¡¯d travelled so many times, but somehow now it seemed longer than ever it had before.

    Above the stairs was a window. The stars twinkled, as bright as ever, indifferent. That was almost reassuring.

    Did I imagine it? Have the technical faults got me all rattled?

    She reached the stairs. Once more she looked behind her. Still nothing.

    She turned back. A shadowy figure gazed in through the window, its lone candle burning impossibly in the vacuum of space.

    Nova fell backwards to the floor. She attempted to propel herself away, but in the moment of her fall, the figure was gone.

    Shakily she rose to her feet.

    The lights flickered and went out. Darkness descended.

    Then, down the far end of the corridor a single candle flame sprung to life.

    The oasis of sleep proved a mirage that night.

    In the pre-dawn hour, as night¡¯s shroud still lay thick upon the Black City, Mu surrendered to her persistent wakefulness and rose from her bed. Her eyes scanned the tent.

    Alone once again.

    She dressed quickly and tied her hair into a bun, pulling up her hood over it all. She checked the bag she had prepared last night before embarking on her vain quest for sleep. Everything accounted for. Water. Provisions.

    On instinct she unsheathed her sword and inspected the blade, shining a light from her tablet down its length. It gleamed. Reassuring. Reliable. On some level she wondered what protection it truthfully offered for what was ahead of her. But it brought her comfort nonetheless.

    She returned it to its sheath at her waist.

    Everything appeared to be in order.

    Only one more thing to do. She typed out a quick message.

    I¡¯m sorry to deceive you, but I had no choice. If it is in my power and those left behind on Yarkan allow it, I will return. I don¡¯t yet know how, but I will do my part to undo this historic wrong.

    She set the message to send in three hours¡¯ time. Whatever obstacles lay ahead, the journey was not a long one, and that would give her enough of a head start to make it to her destination before any pursuit even began.

    She hastened from the tent.

    Yesterday¡¯s wind had not relented ¨C if anything, it had intensified.

    ¡°The Starflow itself drives the air around the Black City. Then you will truly respect the winds of Yarkan,¡± she recalled their pilot saying on the flight from Yengishahr. At first, she thought it mere dramatic flourish on his part. Now she understood otherwise.

    She pulled her scarf over her mouth and nose, shielding her airways from the furious sands. The sands, which blotted out the stars, and cast an impenetrable pall across the ruins.

    She examined the map one last time, hoping dearly that she had her bearings correct, then she headed on her way.

    Her companions were the howling wind, the driving sands, and the unceasing whispers of the innumerable dead.

 Chapter XX - Daughter of Ruin

    Chapter XX ¨C Daughter of Ruin

    The shadows grew thicker and Nova found herself frozen in place.

    The light of the stars was fading.

    Her whole world was narrowing down to that shadowy hallway and that dancing flame.

    She took a step back, transfixed.

    This was not what she dealt with.

    This didn¡¯t make sense.

    This didn¡¯t have a solution.

    A voice began quietly singing.

    A sad song of loss.

    Nova took another step back. She swayed slightly, teetering on the brink of the stairs, just steadying herself before she went tumbling down. She thought to call out to Seraphina ¨C she was so close! ¨C but her voice caught in her throat, her words failing her. Like a dream. Like a nightmare.

    The candle flame vanished.

    A moment passed.

    The flame flickered back to life.

    Closer now.

    Then there came the sound of a rushing of wings. Something dark streaked past Nova¡¯s head. A fraction of a second later there was a flash of purple light.

    The lights came back on and the candle-bearing figure was gone. Matthias, the six-winged raven fluttered back towards Nova. She saw it settle on Seraphina¡¯s shoulder, just as the witch emerged from the stairway behind Nova.

    Nova opened and closed her mouth a few times, but still no sound would come out.

    ¡°Would you like to come to my room?¡± asked Seraphina.

    Nova nodded slowly and meekly.

    ¡°Come then,¡± said Seraphina, and she headed back down the stairs.

    Nova put a hand to her chest, feeling her furiously beating heart. She tried to steady her breathing and clear her mind, but she still felt like she was on the brink of an outright panic attack. Shaking, she followed Seraphina.

    Entering Seraphina¡¯s room, Nova immediately collapsed to her knees on the floor.

    ¡°Tha¡ªthing¡ªfuck¡ª¡±

    Seraphina observed her with inscrutable crimson eyes then padded over to a draw to withdraw some sticks of incense. She lit these and placed them in a jar. Nova felt the calm returning to her with the scented smoke.

    ¡°There was a¡­ I dunno what,¡± said Nova.

    ¡°You¡¯re naked,¡± observed Seraphina.

    Nova glanced down at the towel she was wearing. ¡°It attacked me¡­ this¡­ ghost or whatever¡­ when I¡¯d just got out of the shower,¡± said Nova, her words still feeling like they were tumbling out rather than being the result of any conscious or ordered thought on her part.

    Seraphina went to a closet and retrieved a large dark cloak. She came over to Nova and draped it over her shoulders. Nova gratefully took it and pulled it around her.

    ¡°Did you see it?¡± she asked.

    Seraphina nodded. ¡°Matthias saw it. I noticed there was something extra on board when we returned from the surface.¡±

    ¡°You didn¡¯t think to tell me?¡± asked Nova.

    ¡°I wasn¡¯t sure what it was and couldn¡¯t locate it,¡± replied Seraphina.

    ¡°Sera, even if you¡¯re like¡­ 1%... thinking that there might be a ghost on board¡­ you gotta tell me that shit,¡± said Nova.

    ¡°Understood,¡± said Seraphina, ¡°I will inform you in the future anytime I suspect a ghost or other spirit has come on board.¡±

    Whatever the incense was that Seraphina was burning, it was definitely having the desired effect. Nova could feel her focus, the general cohesion of her thoughts, returning. She took in a deep breath.

    Then it struck her. ¡°Oh fuck! I left Charlie behind¡­ I just ran out of there,¡± said Nova.

    ¡°Spirits aren¡¯t usually interested in mechanical lifeforms,¡± said Seraphina. ¡°He will be fine.¡±

    ¡°I think I might have dropped my tablet too¡­¡± said Nova.

    ¡°If you like I can go retrieve them for you,¡± said Seraphina.

    Nova¡¯s eyes surveyed the room. There was nothing overtly suspicious ¨C no more than was usually the case in Seraphina¡¯s room, anyway ¨C but she still didn¡¯t like the idea of being alone.

    Seraphina seemed to glean what she was thinking. ¡°Matthias can stay with you. If anything happens, he will alert me, and I will be back immediately.¡±

    Nova swallowed then nodded.

    With that Seraphina headed out and Nova was once again alone. Fortunately, Seraphina¡¯s room was the only one on board without a window. She knew that if there was a window, she¡¯d not be able to help herself imagining that figure staring in at her again.

    Matthias sat on a perch and ruffled his feathers.

    ¡°Thanks for chasing away that ghost, bud,¡± said Nova.

    The bird cocked his head to one side and left out a soft ¡®caaawwr¡¯.

    For once, Nova found herself thankful for the unusual warmth of Seraphina¡¯s room. Whatever that thing was, it had somehow made the air far colder with each appearance. She pulled Seraphina¡¯s cloak close around her, shivering at the memory.

    It didn¡¯t take long for the witch to return. The door to the room slid open and she entered, Charlie trotting along behind her. She passed Nova¡¯s tablet and a bag to her. Nova set these aside and knelt, reaching out her arms.

    ¡°Hey, boy!¡± she said and Charlie came happily running over to her. She picked him up in her arms and rose to her feet. ¡°Sorry I left you behind.¡±

    Woof! said Charlie, seemingly accepting her apology.

    ¡°See anything weird?¡± Nova asked Seraphina, still cradling Charlie in her arms.

    ¡°Nothing,¡± said Seraphina, as Matthias fluttered over to land on her shoulder. ¡°Everything was as normal.¡±

    ¡°Before¡­ did you¡­ get rid of it? When Matthias flew into it?¡± asked Nova.

    ¡°No, I just drove it off for now, but I can still sense its presence around,¡± said Seraphina. ¡°It is close.¡±

    ¡°Close?¡± said Nova looking around.

    ¡°Yes,¡± said Seraphina. ¡°But I¡¯m not sure it is a dangerous spirit¡­ I do not think it is angry or malicious.¡±

    ¡°Seemed pretty fucking malicious when it was a pulling a haunting on me,¡± said Nova.

    ¡°Sometimes the dead simply seek to communicate some message,¡± said Seraphina. ¡°To those unfamiliar with spirits, I have heard this can be confronting.¡±

    ¡°Confronting is right,¡± said Nova. ¡°I am not a fan of all this mystical-magical shit. I like things to make sense. Machines. Computers. Not this.¡±

    ¡°It makes sense to me,¡± said Seraphina.

    ¡°Yeah¡­ well¡­¡± muttered Nova. ¡°Hey, um¡­ do you reckon I could stay here tonight?¡±

    ¡°I anticipated that you would want to,¡± said Seraphina. ¡°I packed some of your clothes for you in that bag, including some pyjamas.¡±

    Nova put Charlie down and wrapped Seraphina in a hug. ¡°Naw, Sera, you¡¯re the best!¡± she said. Sera didn¡¯t return the gesture, her arms dangling at her sides.

    ¡°Mmmph,¡± said Seraphina.

    Nova pulled away.

    ¡°I¡¯m gonna go get dressed, so I¡¯m not standing around all¡­ naked,¡± said Nova.

    ¡°It does not concern me,¡± said Seraphina. ¡°Many rituals are conducted skyclad on Hecate. Besides you have my cloak now.¡±

    ¡°Well, it bothers me,¡± said Nova, ¡°But when I get back, I wanna work out how we solve this whole haunting situation.¡±

    With that she headed into the bathroom and inspected the clothes Seraphina had brought. To her surprise, her choices were spot on.

    I underestimate her sometimes, she thought.

    She pulled out her favourite oversized t-shirt ¨C soft from many washes ¨C and a pair of shorts and pulled them on, then headed back out. Seraphina was sitting cross-legged on the floor. Matthias and Charlie were busily investigating each other, both seeming wary, but interested.

    ¡°Should have brought a bean bag,¡± said Nova, looking around. ¡°Didn¡¯t think of that when I was running from that ghost.¡±

    ¡°I could go get one,¡± said Seraphina.

    ¡°Oh no, you don¡¯t need to do that,¡± said Nova. She took a spot on the floor next to Seraphina, sitting with her legs out to one side.

    ¡°Soooo¡­ What can we do to get rid of the ghost?¡± said Nova once she was settled. ¡°I¡¯ll be real with you: if the ghost becomes a permanent fixture ¨C malevolent or not ¨C I am leaving the ship.¡±

    ¡°There are practices in goetia to dispel restless spirits,¡± said Seraphina, ¡°But if they just want to communicate something, it is¡­ nicer to try and understand them.¡±

    ¡°Oh,¡± said Nova, ¡°You¡¯re like one of those people who just want to relocate the spider. Well, I say dispel the spider, squash the ghost!¡±

    Seraphina directed an unreadable expression towards her for a moment

    ¡°I hate spiders too,¡± said Nova. ¡°Spiders and ghosts¡­ you haven¡¯t seen any spiders, have you?¡±

    ¡°Only that one,¡± said Seraphina, pointing towards an immense spider curled up and suspended in some sort of liquid in a jar on the shelf.

    ¡°Urgh,¡± said Nova, ¡°Well, as long as it doesn¡¯t become a spider ghost, I guess. Anyway, if you don¡¯t want to dispel the ghost, how do we ¡®communicate¡¯ with it?¡±

    ¡°That isn¡¯t always simple. I am not an expert medium,¡± said Seraphina, ¡°I may need to consult my grimoire.¡±

    ¡°Do you think we should tell the Captain?¡± asked Nova.

    ¡°I think that would be best,¡± agreed Seraphina.

    ¡°Okay. Um, d¡¯you mind handling that? Talking to Cap and working out what we do about this situation. I think I need to calm my nerves for a bit,¡± said Nova.

    ¡°That is fine.¡±

    ¡°I might play some Love Champions,¡± said Nova.

    ¡°Certainly,¡± said Seraphina. ¡°You should try Lin Anshun¡¯s route.¡±

    ¡°Sounds like a plan,¡± said Nova.

    Shortly after she had loaded up the game and begun chatting away to Zhao Linyi¡¯s childhood friend. The ghost began fading from her mind. Seraphina had conjured up a large tome (to Nova it looked about half her size) which floated in the air in front of her. As she read it, she would turn the pages with a wave of her hand, never actually touching the book. Occasionally she would look up at the screen and make a recommendation to Nova. Matthias and Charlie appeared to now be playing some sort of game, taking turns chasing each other around the room.

    ¡°I wish Harry was here,¡± said Nova.

    ¡°Do you require food?¡± asked Seraphina.

    ¡°I don¡¯t just talk about Harry when I want food. He¡¯s a mate,¡± said Nova.

    ¡°I have observed that most of your unprompted mentions of Harry relate to food.¡±

    ¡°Well, yes, I do want food, as it so happens,¡± said Nova, ¡°But¡­¡±

    ¡°I have¡ª¡±

    ¡°Weird food. We¡¯ve been over this. I¡¯m just not into it. And it¡¯s totally fine that you are, but it ain¡¯t for me,¡± said Nova.

    ¡°You could go to the mess and make something yourself,¡± said Seraphina.

    Nova looked dissatisfied with this notion. ¡°Harry said I was banned from cooking.¡±

    ¡°I could cook for you,¡± said Seraphina.

    ¡°Can you cook normal food? Or just witch food?¡± asked Nova. She noticed something on the screen and leant in closer to get a better look, ¡°This area looks different.¡±

    ¡°Perhaps you¡¯ve found a hidden route,¡± said Seraphina.

    ¡°No¡­¡± said Nova, squinting at the screen.

    Then she saw it, a cold chill running through her.

    Because there, barely noticeable among the detailed background, was a character that had never been in the game previously. A character with a very different design to the others.

    A shrouded woman holding a solitary candle.

    As Sutay ran through the handover checklist, he was somewhat distracted. Not that he needed to be the epitome of focus to finish the job ¨C it was always the same. Not much ever really happened at Yengishahr Spaceport. Today was no different.

    Or at least, today he didn¡¯t have anything out of the ordinary to include in his handover notes. However, as far as he was personally concerned, something very exciting had taken place. He rushed through the handover checklist, ticking off successive items without double-checking to ensure they had been done. His team knew what they were doing, so he was perfectly confident that everything would get done without his having to interfere. It was the one real perk of this management job ¨C it really didn¡¯t involve much work.

    He put his tablet down on his desk and glanced out the window. His office looked out on the bleak expanse of the spaceport¡¯s landing pad. As usual, the pad was scarcely used. The day¡¯s light was fading and the floodlights were coming on.

    Almost there, he thought. The pessimistic side of him worried that Yusminay, the night manager, would be late. She had never been late before, but it would be just his luck if today was to be the one time it happened.

    He pushed that thought from his mind and checked the time. Any moment now he¡¯d be done.

    He drummed his fingers impatiently on his desk.

    Any moment.

    If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

    He¡¯d already messaged his family to say he might be late. Tied up with work, he¡¯d said. He¡¯d told his wife not to bother with his dinner tonight. He¡¯d find something on his way home.

    After all, tonight was special. A very pretty offworlder had asked to meet with him after he finished. Normally, he¡¯d have been sceptical that any such request was something to get excited about, but everything about this woman made her intentions ¨C her desires ¨C clear. She¡¯d just finished a long journey from some planet he¡¯d never heard of. She had been coming for a possible job on Yarkan, but the job had fallen through and now she was all alone and sad on this wind-blasted and remote world.

    As it turned out, Sutay still had the charm. Not that he had much opportunity to use it anymore. His wife certainly showed no interest in him these days. Yet he had become newly confident that it was still there. It¡¯d just been dormant these recent years. He had enough, at least, that he could convince this lonely, disappointed offworlder that he could provide her with the comfort she was craving.

    Tonight, Sutay Buyaroghul was going to remind himself what it was to be a man. Husband to a disinterested wife. Father to bratty, ungrateful children. Duty manager of the security team at a sparsely trafficked spaceport. Not promoted in ten years. Life had done a lot to beat it out of him, but tonight was going to be different. He was a wolf of Yarkan!

    On queue the door opened. In walked Yusminay.

    ¡°Got the report?¡± she asked.

    Wordlessly he handed it to her. She did an impression of someone looking it over. ¡°Seems fine.¡±

    That¡¯s what she always said.

    ¡°I¡¯m going to go,¡± said Sutay.

    ¡°See you tomorrow,¡± said Yusminay. They passed each other as he left the desk and she walked around to take up her place behind it.

    Stepping out into the spaceport concourse, he had a nervous moment when he couldn¡¯t see the woman he was meeting. However, as he was looking around for her, an elderly man ¨C an offworlder by the looks of him ¨C walked up.

    ¡°Are you Sutay?¡± asked the man.

    Sutay nodded, trying to fathom what this could be about.

    ¡°A lady asked me to give you a message: she said to meet her in storage room 3A in five minutes.¡±

    ¡°What?¡± asked Sutay.

    Storage room 3A? Why would she be there? That¡¯s not open to the public¡­

    ¡°This woman, what did she look like?¡±

    The man shrugged. ¡°I don¡¯t know. Looked Shang probably. Fairly tall. Pretty.¡±

    That¡¯s her.

    Well, this was a mystery, but strange as it was, Sutay wasn¡¯t about to let it ruin his plans.

    ¡°Thank you for the message,¡± he said.

    The old man gave a curt nod and walked away, disappearing into the crowd. Sutay checked the time. He felt like he¡¯d already waited long enough, but he supposed he could endure another five minutes.

    Those five minutes dragged, but pass they did. He hurried to the storage room. He fumbled his keycard as he went to open the door, but eventually he succeeded. With an obliging beep it slid open.

    And there she was.

    ¡°Hello, Sutay,¡± she said, a wicked smile on her face.

    He was momentarily lost for words. Her demeanour had changed. It had been meek and desperate previously. But now she had assuredness about her. It was intimidating.

    But also appealing.

    ¡°Hello¡­ Miss¡­¡± he swallowed as her eyes bored into him, her smile suggestive and dangerous, ¡°Zhen Yan.¡±

    She walked over to him and stopped just in front of him.

    ¡°Tell me,¡± she said, ¡°Are there cameras in here?¡±

    He shook his head.

    ¡°Excellent.¡±

    ¡°How, um, did you get here? This is a restricted¡­¡± his voice trailed off as he withered beneath her stare.

    ¡°That doesn¡¯t matter. But you can tell me something. Do you keep records of which starships the STOCs that land here belong to?¡±

    What a strange question.

    ¡°We do¡­¡±

    ¡°And can you get me those records?¡± she asked.

    This was already going very differently to the version he had imagined. He glanced around the shadowy storage room, as if something there would give him a clue as to what was going on. He looked back her way.

    ¡°I can¡¯t give those out,¡± he said.

    She lifted a hand to stroke the side of his face. ¡°Not even for me?¡±

    ¡°What do you need that for?¡± he asked.

    ¡°No questions. Just answers,¡± she said, speaking softly.

    He shook his head, suddenly feeling very uncomfortable. ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­ I really can¡¯t give you that information.¡±

    Suddenly he felt a sharp pain and looked down to see she had stabbed him with a small knife. His eyes widened in shock.

    ¡°You¡ª¡±

    ¡°Oh, don¡¯t make a fuss. I gave you a little prick, that¡¯s all,¡± said Zhen Yan. She walked away from him and sat down on a box, crossing one leg over the other. As he watched her appearance shifted. Two fox-like ears sprung from the top of her head and nine bushy tails spread out like a fan behind her.

    ¡°Wha--?¡±

    She sighed; her smile gone. She twirled the knife about and he was horrified to see the blade glistening with his own blood.

    ¡°You know I actually licked one of these once?¡± said Zhen Yan, seeing him looking at the blade. ¡°I thought it would be a cool little intimidation technique, but of course I immediately realised that it was just super-gross. Do not recommend. Don¡¯t know what came over me, frankly. Anyway, to get to the point, I was going to draw this out and play with you and whatnot, but two things caused me to reconsider. Firstly, I feel like everything has already taken too long and I¡¯m running out of time with this job. By the time I travel here and back to Shangxia, that¡¯s already basically a week. I mean, Big Bai¡¯s paying well for this job, but still ¨C with each passing hour it¡¯s becoming less profitable for me. The other thing, though, is just that you are a really boring man. I just couldn¡¯t see this game being fun. Long story short, I put two things into your bloodstream with that knife. One was a teeny-tiny little tracker. The other was a poison. I won¡¯t tell you which one, but suffice it for you to know that you have about an hour or so to get me what I want. Do that and, well, I can stop the poison from killing you. Deal?¡±

    As she spoke, Sutay felt the fear grip him. How was this happening? How was this real?

    ¡°Please¡­¡±

    ¡°Oh, stars, not another fucking one. I¡¯m so sick of these pathetic grovelling animals. Don¡¯t beg me. Just get on with it. Get me a record of any starships from Shangxia in the past week. Then get me all the security footage of those ships¡¯ passengers when they arrived. Pretty simple. You understand?¡±

    Sutay nodded.

    ¡°Then go. Get me the records.¡±

    Sutay headed to the door. As he was just about to open it, she spoke again.

    ¡°Don¡¯t go getting anyone else involved.¡±

    He nodded and ran from the room. His brain desperately tried to think of any way out of this situation, but he drew a blank. With nothing for it he headed to the main security monitoring room, adjacent the office he¡¯d left not so long ago.

    How excited he¡¯d been then.

    The guard on duty saw him come in with a look of surprise. He immediately took his feet down off the desk he was sitting behind. ¡°Manager Buyaroghul¡­ I, um¡­ I didn¡¯t expect.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry,¡± said Sutay, attempting to sound normal. ¡°I just needed to check some records.¡±

    ¡°Oh, alright,¡± said the guard.

    Sutay sat down at another terminal and entered the search parameters. The search came back. Only one result.

    A starship called the Amrita.

    Why is she interested in this?

    Who is she?

    He transferred the file to his tablet, then, after double checking the arrival time, brought up the security footage. Transferring that too, he hurried back the way he¡¯d come, not even hearing the guard¡¯s confused goodbye as he left the monitoring room.

    Some part of him was hoping that somehow, he¡¯d enter the storage room and find Zhen Yan gone.

    But she was there.

    ¡°Hi,¡± she said, with a little wave and a smile as he entered.

    ¡°Only one ship,¡± he said.

    ¡°I don¡¯t ask much,¡± said Zhen Yan. ¡°Transfer me the files.¡±

    He tapped his tablet to her outstretched tablet and hit a few buttons on screen. Moments later she checked her device¡¯s screen.

    ¡°Amrita¡­¡± she mused. She swiped through the files, watching a few moments of each. ¡°This will work. Now. Off you go. And don¡¯t mention this little encounter to anyone.¡±

    ¡°What about the antidote?¡±

    She laughed. ¡°Did I tell you I poisoned you? Haha! No, you¡¯re fine. Carry on.¡±

    He felt confusion at first, but belatedly his brain made sense of her words, piecing together their meaning.

    He ran from the room.

    But he hadn¡¯t long departed when his confusion turned to anger. Was he not a man? Was he not a security manager at this very spaceport? Was this not a security breach?

    I¡¯m not letting that bitch take advantage of me. She tricked me. She¡­

    I¡¯m a wolf of Yarkan!

    He felt his anger peaking as he took out his tablet and put in a call to Yusminay. She answered immediately. ¡°This is Sutay. I¡¯m outside Storage Room 3A. We¡¯ve got a serious security issue here. Intruder is armed and dangerous.¡±

    Yusminay did not mess around. Three guards arrived just moments later, weapons at the ready. He led them back to the storage room.

    He stood to one side of the door. ¡°Zhen Yan, this is Sutay Buyaroghul. Please come out unarmed. You¡ª¡±

    He didn¡¯t get much further.

    The door to the storage room opened and a flood of thick smoke came rushing out.

    Coughing, he couldn¡¯t see what happened next. But he heard her voice.

    ¡°I let you go. You got lucky. Then you had to go do something stupid.¡±

    The smoke was getting thicker. Sutay couldn¡¯t even see the guards either side of him. A second later, though, he very clearly saw the eruption of blood that showered over him. He heard the thud of a body hitting the ground. Gunshots. A gurgled scream, cut short. A wet sound. Another thud. Then a stinging pain between his ribs.

    Sutay sunk to the ground.

    He felt his clothes growing damp from the liberally gushing blood.

    A face emerged from the smoke.

    It was his own.

    It peered down at him with a sneer of icy contempt.

    ¡°Idiot,¡± his own mouth said to him.

    Whether the smoke got thicker or his vision was fading, he didn¡¯t really know.

    But very soon it was all over.

    If the sun was rising, Mu saw little sign, its rays struggling to penetrate the thick clouds of dust that enveloped her. She could barely see where she was going. She picked her way through the crumbling streets of Karbaliq with only the occasional glance up ¨C attempts to get her bearings in the hell of sand.

    Though almost every centimetre of her was covered, the sand still got into her clothes, abrasive against her skin. So thick was it in the air that she imagined she would choke upon it, were she to remove the cloth that protected her airways. She found herself wondering if she shouldn¡¯t have attempted to acquire one of the sand storm suits their pilot had give them when they disembarked at the caravanserai en route to Karbaliq.

    It was not the sand alone that made the journey beyond difficult. For the sand was driven by the wind, and Mu found that her route took her directly into an almighty headwind ¨C one that seemed hellbent on driving her back. It was as if the Black City itself was bidding she return to safety.

    But she was not to be deterred.

    She would reach ?zg¨¹nyaylaq, or she would join the dead of Karbaliq.

    So, she resisted the sand and reason and journeyed on.

    At length she reached one of the signs that warned that she was about to leave the protected zone.

    This is it, she thought.

    She knew the moment she stepped across that threshold the voices would erupt as they had on the flight here. This time, however, there would be no airship safely ensconcing her, no companions to speak kind words to her. This time she was alone and exposed to will of the fallen.

    She steeled her nerves and stepped across the unseen limit of the protection of the Qamlar.

    Nothing changed immediately. Scanning her surrounds she continued along the cracking and ruinous canyon between two gargantuan fa?ades of ancient design. The immense walls extended away down both sides of the road, becoming obscured in the swirling sand, rising to unseen heights.

    Alright Karbaliq. I¡¯m yours.

    As if in answer she heard a sobbing sound on the wind. Small lights appeared up ahead, blinking into existence then fading away as she drew closer. There was an oppressive weight, part physical, part mental. The city seemed to have a mind of its own, and she felt its grim opprobrium upon her as she ventured forth.

    The farther she went beyond the barrier, the more she heard. The sobbing came and went. Sometimes it came from in front of her, other times from behind. There was also the moaning of the dying. At times a scream would echo out then be swallowed up by the maelstrom. And there were the whispers: mostly unintelligible, but unending, rising to crescendos, then dropping away again.

    The Qam¡¯s words echoed in her mind. ¡°Come to witness what your ancestors wrought?¡±

    It wasn¡¯t me, Mu reminded herself.

    A memory of her own words came to her.

    ¡°My name is Aixin Mukushen of the Mukta Clan, Princess of the White Horse Banner.¡±

    Daughter of Ruin!

    She pushed on, trying to quiet her mind, ignore the persistent voices; the memories that swirled about like the desert sands.

    You are alone.

    It¡¯s just a short walk.

    Just endure.

    Around her she saw faces appear in the clouds of sand, melting away each time she glanced their way. Lights danced in the tempest.

    She came to an open square. At its centre was a crumbling fountain. She approached the fountain. As she did so, the winds began to calm.  Spectral figures assembled at the edges of the plaza, faceless and silent. Dawn¡¯s early light washed over the scene.

    She came to the fountain and gazed into it. Sand piled high and no water flowed.

    Drip.

    Drip.

    Drip.

    The sand melted into water. The fragments of the ruined fountain reassembled and bright daylight shone down on the plaza. Children ran by, shouted at by their parents. Merchants¡¯ stalls were arrayed around the edges of the plaza. A band played a cheerful melody and a small group of onlookers had been drawn in, now dancing to the sound.

    Mu surveyed the scene of bustling life and activity and felt a chill, even as the warmth of the sun fell upon her.

    A woman approached her. Middle-aged with a kindly face, lined by a life in the harsh conditions of Yarkan.

    ¡°You look lost,¡± she said.

    Mu took a moment to find her voice. ¡°I¡­ I haven¡¯t been here before.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s alright, I can show you around,¡± said the woman.

    ¡°Oh, thank you.¡±

    ¡°What are you here for? Where are you from?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m from far away,¡± said Mu.

    ¡°Ah,¡± said the woman with a smile. ¡°I guess we all came here from far away once upon a time.¡±

    Mu nodded.

    ¡°You didn¡¯t answer my other question: what are you here for?¡±

    ¡°I guess I don¡¯t really know,¡± said Mu. ¡°I want to help. Somehow. In whatever way I can.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s very kind of you,¡± said the woman, her eyes kindly, but distant, ¡°But I wonder sometimes if we can truly be helped anymore.¡±

    Mu gave her a strange look, her mind repeating that odd line over and over.

    ¡°But that¡¯s alright. Why don¡¯t I show you around?¡±

    Mu followed the woman. She was an enthusiastic tour guide, keen to explain what each edifice around the square was, which stalls sold the best foods, the story behind the song the band was playing.

    ¡°It was played at the first great festival on Yarkan, when our ancestors first disembarked from the Clanship and began to settle this world. It is an expression of hope for a people long lost among the stars.¡±

    ¡°We Aixin have similar songs,¡± said Mu. ¡°They tell of how our people finally settled on new worlds.¡±

    The woman looked confused a moment. ¡°Aixin¡­ I do not know the Aixin. You are Star Nomads too?¡±

    Mu nodded. ¡°We are. I guess you will know us in time.¡±

    The woman smiled. ¡°I¡¯m sure. Even if we speak different languages and worship different stars, I think there is a great, unspoken unity among the people of the Clanships.¡±

    Mu smiled sadly. ¡°It would be nice if that were the case.¡±

    The woman gave Mu a piercing look, her demeanour suddenly changed. ¡°It could have been.¡±

    Mu was puzzled a moment.

    ¡°But I have another question for you,¡± said the woman.

    ¡°Yes?¡±

    The woman¡¯s smile completely vanished. ¡°Why did you kill us?¡±

    Mu recoiled in shock.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry?¡±

    ¡°I asked why you killed us, Daughter of Ruin.¡±

    Mu shook her head. ¡°I am not him. I left the Imperial Court behind. I do not want to be a part of that legacy.¡±

    ¡°Yet his blood still flows in your veins. And that destiny is still yours. You will be the Mother of Theophants. You and your children shall bring ruin to countless other worlds. The legacy is inescapably yours.¡±

    It was night now and fires burned around the courtyard. Soldiers were gathering.

    The woman Mu had been talking to called out: ¡°She is here.¡±

    Four soldiers advanced towards her. They were titans among men, dressed in wolfskin cloaks, their hardened visages gazing out of the wolves¡¯ jaws. The metal plates of their armour shone with the light of the flames, intricately patterned with the images of Jaril myth and the crests of their ancient Clanship. Each man carried a wickedly curved blade.

    B?rilar, Mu thought. The elite warriors of the Jaril Confederacy. She had read of them in the histories. Wolves of the Khagan.

    ¡°The enemy is here,¡± said the woman and the four mighty warriors advanced towards Mu.

    She froze a moment.

    But only a moment.

    She felt the adrenaline seize her. She withdrew her own sword. A moment ago, she had been shaking. No longer.

    For the first time her mind stilled and she felt the Starflow. These warriors were creations of the Starflow, the Tempest embodied. She knew their moves, felt their power.

    She steeled her resolve. The Black City would not take her like this.

    ¡°The Alabey shall not claim these lands,¡± announced one B?ri, larger even than his comrades.

    ¡°For the Khagan!¡± shouted the other three, pounding their chests with armoured fists.

    Mu slowed her breathing, closed her eyes, gathered the power of the Starflow to her, channelled it to her blade. A blade tempered by master smiths of Longque.

    Nara Enduri, give me strength.

    The B?rilar moved quickly for men so large and heavily armoured. But Mu was quicker. Trained by the swordmasters of the Imperial Court; a Resonant of Nara Enduri. She blocked the first strike, but nearly lost her footing as she braced against the sheer strength with which the blow was swung.

    The next was coming, but she foresaw it before it fell. The next came even quicker.

    I won¡¯t survive parrying these attacks. I¡¯m no match for their strength.

    I must be swifter still.

    She darted about, trying to stay out of reach of the storm of blades that had descended upon her. It was no easy feat: like their lupine totem, the B?rilar moved with ruthless coordination, positioning themselves to block her escapes, striving to anticipate her movements.

    Yet, though they were of the Starflow, they did not have Mu¡¯s foresight, and each time they blocked off one route of escape she had already located another.

    She felt a thrill. No more doubt. No more guilt. Just mortal battle. Simple.

    She saw an opening and lunged forward, but even anticipating the B?ri¡¯s movement, she could not find the gap in his armour, her blow glancing away. In that moment, after her failed attack, she had to twist away from another strike, one aimed at bisecting her through the waist.

    The attack had left her penned in. The Jaril pack nearly had her in their jaws.

    With a quick spin she avoided two more strikes, side stepped, and dove for the only remaining gap. A piece of her cloak was severed, fluttering in the night breeze, yet the blades of B?rilar did not find her unarmoured flesh. In a moment, she was free.

    The attacks did not relent.

    Neither did Mu.

    She saw the moment coming, the infinitesimal window, and she took it, thrusting that wicked and thirsty blade of Longque. This time her aim was true, and it slid betwixt one warrior¡¯s teeth, piercing the wolfskin that lay upon the back of his neck. With an almighty effort, she yanked the blade free and was rewarded for her efforts with a spray of gore. There was no time to pause. Their comrade¡¯s death did not give cause for the B?rilar to relent for even an instant and Mu had to once again free herself from the threat of being surrounded.

    But the odds had improved.

    And Mu had not done all she could just yet.

    The Tempest had been born of her ancestor¡¯s Theophany, and just as the accusatory dead did, it knew whose blood flowed in her veins. She called out silently to the Starflow; across the many lightyears Nara Enduri gave its answer, a flood of power finding her in that ruined city on that remote world.

    Her blade flared with the raw power of the Starflow, now moving with greater force and fury than any ordinary human could hope to muster.

    A second B?ri fell to her.

    An instant later, she felt the sting of a blade against her calf, but it was a glancing blow, a tiny miscalculation on her part, and adrenaline combined with the cosmic power coursing through her to keep her moving, forcing the pain from her mind.

    The Starflow kept pouring in and time was slowing for her. Now the outcome of this combat was a foregone conclusion.

    She made it swift.

    A third man went down.

    Only their captain, the giant among giants was left.

    But not for long.

    Her blade found him, and with strength no woman of her stature should ordinarily possess, she swept his head from his shoulders. The twitching and decapitated corpse sagged to the ground, the man¡¯s heart pumping its last, sending out a crimson mist.

    Time returned to normal.

    Drenched in blood and surrounded by her fallen foes, Mu stood victorious.

    She felt the adrenaline leaving her. The pain of her injuries, the fatigue of her muscles ¨C all came flooding back. The Starflow that had been so precisely channelled into her blade now ebbed away, the swirling chaos of the Tempest once more blinding her to the future.

    Only now did she look around her.

    The scene had changed.

    There were no fallen wolf warriors.

    But there was no shortage of fallen. Bodies lay strewn across the plaza ¨C men, women, and children. Fires burnt high, throwing little stars up into the bright desert sky. Flies buzzed about the many, many corpses. Black rubble of the great city was strewn liberally about.

    But there was still life.

    The woman from before approached. Now her clothes were ripped, soiled with blood and dirt. Her hair hung lank and filthy, her face covered in grime, streaked by tears.

    ¡°Just as then. Just as he did.¡±

    The realisation dawned with grim inevitability on Mu.

    She shook her head, willing it not be true.

    ¡°Your blood gives you the power of a cruel god, Daughter of Ruin. You brought that power here to Yarkan. And with it, you slaughtered us.¡±

    ¡°No,¡± Mu said, ¡°I fought. I defended myself. I was deceived.¡±

    The woman stared at her with sorrowful eyes. ¡°Perhaps, but only by your own hubris.¡±

    Her condemnation uttered, she collapsed to the blackened ground, joining the fallen of Karbaliq.

 Chapter XXI - Why?

    Chapter XXI ¨C Why?

    Mu fled the square.

    She no longer had a clear idea where she was going. She was unsure whether it was day or night. Time seemed to have become a mess. Space stretched and contracted. And the accusations plagued her continuously.

    She ran along dusty streets, at times ruined, at times intact. She felt the need to get away, to get somewhere other than here, but in truth she had no idea how to escape. All she could think to do was keep running.

    Yet her running brought her back to the same square.

    Once again, she was not alone. Because among the bodies and ruin stood a solitary figure. She recognised him instantly, having seen his ubiquitous depictions throughout the Imperial Palace.

    He was a tall and imposing man, a figure befitting his status. He had a thin moustache and short beard. His eyes were dark and there was an unnerving intensity to his gaze. He was dressed in dark blue Aixin robes with gold trimming, adorned with images of five-clawed dragons.

    The Tianyan Emperor. Founder of the Aixingo Empire.

    Mu came to a halt, panting.

    ¡°Mukushen,¡± he said. ¡°Why do you run from who you are?¡±

    She shook her head. ¡°It¡¯s not who I am. It¡¯s not who I want to be.¡±

    ¡°Yet my blood flows in your veins, does it not? And it is the power of Nara Enduri that allowed you to triumph in battle, is it not?¡±

    ¡°I left the Imperial Court,¡± she said. ¡°I do not want to be Empress.¡±

    ¡°What you want is immaterial,¡± said the Emperor, his expression stern and unmoving. ¡°You must carry out your assigned role, do your duty. This is what I did. They call me tyrant and warmonger, yet they are all gone and my Empire, my vision endures. I did what I had to do.¡±

    ¡°You delude yourself,¡± said Mu, defiance stirring. ¡°You did what you want, dressing it up as some noble cause.¡±

    ¡°Girl,¡± snarled the Emperor, ¡°You speak of things you do not understand. I was blessed by the Shepherd of Destiny. I saw what others could not. I did what others could not.¡±

    Mu was unmoved.

    ¡°What good did it do to slaughter all these people? How was the Cosmos made a better place by what happened here?¡±

    The Emperor walked closer to her. ¡°My girl, there are things far more terrible than this in the Cosmos. It is only by building unassailable strength that we can hope to resist when the inevitable day comes for the great tribulation.¡±

    ¡°What tribulation?¡±

    He came to a stop, looking down on her. ¡°Would you like to see? Perhaps then you will be ready to do your duty.¡±

    Mu had a feeling of deep unease, yet she meekly nodded.

    In the next moment, it was as if she was yanked out of her own body. She watched as Karbaliq, then the Kavuktan Desert, and finally all Yarkan receded away beneath her. She gathered speed, stars now flying past at impossible velocities. Soon she was looking down on the galaxy, from the outside. She could see the enormous gleaming spiral of unimaginably many stars. And she could see at one edge, where the shape of the galaxy was starting to warp, a trail of stars being dragged away from the great spiral arm by some unknown force.

    The next thing she knew, she was flying once more, this time towards that point where the galaxy¡¯s structure was warped. Finally, she slowed. Before her was an immense black hole, a bright accretion disk of blinding intensity surrounding it as it ravenously devoured stars. Far away from the cosmic monstrosity was a single lonely world ¨C so far from the black hole that even the light of the accretion disk did little to illuminate it. Yet it was still bound to the black hole¡¯s gravity, slowly proceeding through an immense orbit of millennia.

    Mu¡¯s unease turned to dread as she came closer to this lonely world. Soon she was plunging through noxious clouds of smog and then she was looking out on a word of decaying industrial ruin. Factories of fantastical size crumbled amidst the hazy gloaming that shrouded everything. Enormous construction machines lay in disintegrating piles. Metal piled atop metal; nowhere was there any sign of anything natural. It wasn¡¯t even clear where the ground was ¨C the factories seemed to be built atop factories, canyons between them disappeared into abyssal shadow, walkways crisscrossing them at many heights.

    Mu raced among this tangled labyrinth of manufacturing decay and collapse. Everything appeared lifeless, even as she plunged into one of those immense iron canyons, darting rapidly between the walkways and cables and girders, moving with dizzying speed. Then at last she emerged and an immense platform revealed itself. At its centre was what could only be described as a throne ¨C yet it was no ordinary throne. It was made of chains and gears and all manner of machinery. And it rose to the height of a mountain. Vast pointed metal beams radiated out from the top of the throne, like the rays of an iron sun.

    But more startling than the throne itself, was its occupant. A being large enough to warrant such a throne, an iron titan. It was covered in armour and Mu could see intricate conduits, gears, chains, pistons and the like across all of it, yet despite this robotic detail, the overall impression was of the archaic armour of an ancient warrior. The being wore an immense tattered cloak of red, that flowed down around the base of the throne. Out of its monstrous helmet its eyes shone as if they were gateways to a hellish furnace.

    Mu now realised she was standing on that derelict world and she felt small, very, very small. Out of the corner of her eye she saw movement and turned to see the Emperor was standing beside her.

    ¡°Where are we?¡± she asked.

    ¡°Whatever this world¡¯s true name, it is long forgotten by time, yet some refer to it as Nox Aeterna. What you saw was the Oblivion Star. It is unique, for while we know of many Awakened Stars, It is an Awakened Black Hole. And in Its infinite malice It is determined to devour everything.¡±

    Mu shuddered. She gazed up at the titan atop its mountainous throne. ¡°And that?¡±

    ¡°That is Its Theophant, the Cosmokrator. A war-machine built by a long dead civilisation to fight a long-forgotten war. Millennia after the war had ended and all that fought in it were dead and lost to memory, it woke once more and received the Oblivion Star¡¯s Theophany. Now it seeks to carry out the Oblivion Star¡¯s will and devastate the Cosmos.¡±

    ¡°It isn¡¯t moving,¡± said Mu.

    ¡°It has been dormant for countless ages, yet I have foreseen that the day of its assault upon the Cosmos will come. Its agents ¨C the Iron Praetors ¨C are already loose in the civilised portions of the Cosmos and preparing for that day. Everything I did was not for mere glory or out of pride, but rather to ready humanity for what I knew was coming.¡±

    Mu was silent. She took in a shuddering breath.

    ¡°Others have been strong, but even their strength proved insufficient against this evil. The Philosopher King, Lysander of Elysia was mightier than any man in history before him, but he was broken down by the Iron Praetor Seraphel the Corrupter and he made the Black Pilgrimage to Nox Aeterna to bow before the Cosmokrator. Now he too is an attendant of the Oblivion Court, the Iron Praetor, Lysander the Betrayer. When the Cosmokrator stirs and the eight Praetors gather at the Court, there must be a counterforce, mightier still. That is my empire. The Son of Nara Enduri will call the Eight Banners to war and the Cosmos will tremble before our might. We will cast down the Praetors one by one and obliterate Nox Aeterna and its iron lord.¡±

    Mu could see the fire in the Emperor¡¯s eyes. His presence was less that of a man, and more that of a God.

    ¡°I was strong. Stronger than any before me. But will my successors wield such strength? Or will they forsake their duty? Will you?

    ¡°You¡¯ve seen it, haven¡¯t you? Many times now: what happens if you cannot do what you must. Your dreams have long been filled with visions of the dark day when the Iron Praetors come. You¡¯ve seen many variants of it, many possible futures. You¡¯ve seen the Imperial Court devastated, you¡¯ve seen the beast that devours stars¡­ surely you must understand that these dreams are bidding you to do your duty.¡±

    ¡°What can I do against that!¡± yelled Mu, stretching her hand out to indicate the Cosmokrator upon its throne.

    ¡°Nothing if you flee from duty. Nothing if you reject your inheritance. Nothing if you are unwilling to do what must be done, as I did,¡± said the Emperor. ¡°Your pathetic quibbling over these ruins in the desert tells me you are far from ready, yet I know that one day you will no longer be able to turn your back on destiny.¡±

    Mu looked at him, feeling anger well up inside her. ¡°Quibble¡­? You slaughtered an entire civilisation. What did that have to do with this thing? You speak all high and mighty, you try to justify yourself by spinning this story of being the saviour of the Cosmos, but you slaughtered millions without a thought. Laid waste to a world that is still not recovered. There is no justification for what you did, and I will forever reject your legacy!¡±

    The Emperor looked at her with those arrogant eyes. ¡°Even having witnessed the Oblivion Star, you are not ready to renounce your foolish ways? Very well, die in this desert. There are others of the imperial blood who will take up the great cause.¡±

    Before Mu¡¯s eyes the vision of that far-off industrial hellscape dissolved into swirling sand and she stood once more in grim Karbaliq, alone.

    If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

    Tavian saw Kal and Harry and ran over to them.

    ¡°Any luck?¡± he asked, suspecting he knew the answer.

    ¡°Nothing,¡± said Kal.

    ¡°We asked around, but no one saw her leave,¡± said Harry.

    That idiot, thought Tavian. She was supposed to wait.

    ¡°She¡¯s left,¡± said Tavian, ¡°I¡¯m sure of it. You saw the message.¡±

    ¡°What do we do now?¡± asked Harry.

    ¡°Well, Chinor ¨C the Yarkanese guy that took us to that damned Qam ¨C seemed pretty sure that Mu was gonna get herself killed if she went out beyond the protected zone,¡± said Tavian.

    ¡°Well, we should probably try and prevent that,¡± said Harry.

    ¡°We won¡¯t be able to find her by air in these conditions,¡± said Kal, gesturing to the thick clouds of sand that were swirling around Karbaliq.

    ¡°I can probably find my way to this place she¡¯s going,¡± said Tavian. ¡°The spirits around here seem to like me more than her, so maybe I¡¯ll have an easier time of it.¡±

    ¡°So, we¡¯re just going to split up and head out there one by one to get lost in the sandstorm in the haunted ruins?¡± asked Harry. ¡°I must say, it sounds like a wonderful plan.¡±

    ¡°You got anything better?¡± asked Tavian.

    ¡°Well, we could all go?¡± said Harry. ¡°Strength in numbers, right?¡±

    ¡°I think that would be more advisable,¡± said Kal.

    ¡°Someone should wait here so that when the storm clears, we can do an aerial search, if necessary,¡± said Tavian.

    ¡°I still don¡¯t see why that means you need to go alone,¡± said Harry.

    ¡°I just think I have the best chance of making it out there,¡± said Tavian. ¡°It¡¯s difficult to explain, but it¡¯s just a vibe I get.¡±

    ¡°This a Starflow thing? Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re seeing the future too?¡± asked Harry.

    ¡°It¡¯s not like that, I¡¯ve got no idea how this will turn out, but I¡¯m confident the spirits will let me pass,¡± said Tavian.

    Harry looked sceptical. Tavian looked Kal¡¯s way.

    ¡°This isn¡¯t my area of expertise,¡± said Kal, ¡°If you think you can do it, I guess I¡¯ve got no choice but to believe you.¡±

    Tavian turned back to Harry.

    ¡°Eh, if the Big Guy¡¯s okay with it, I guess I am,¡± said Harry. ¡°Just remember, if everything goes terribly wrong, I did initially object.¡±

    ¡°If I¡¯m still alive under such circumstances, I¡¯ll be sure to give you credit,¡± said Tavian.

    ¡°All I ask,¡± said Harry.

    ¡°If you¡¯re heading out there, we¡¯ll need to get you a sand suit. You¡¯ll have a better time of it if you¡¯re wearing one,¡± said Kal.

    ¡°If you could sort that out for me, I¡¯ll get my supplies ready and familiarise myself with the route. I¡¯m guessing visibility isn¡¯t going to be great anytime soon.¡±

    ¡°Well, if you¡¯re doing this, I guess someone should let Ostara know what¡¯s happening,¡± said Harry. ¡°I can give her a live count of how many of us have gone missing in the ruins. I¡¯m sure she¡¯d appreciate that.¡±

    ¡°Alright, everyone knows what they¡¯re doing, let¡¯s get to it,¡± said Tavian. ¡°Mu¡¯s already had a big head start and plenty of time to get lost or attacked by evil spirits or whatever.¡±

    With that he made his way back towards the tent to get supplies.

    I really hope you haven¡¯t gotten yourself killed.

    Mu tried to refocus herself. It took all her concentration to bring herself back to the present.

    You are in Karbaliq. The First Emperor has been dead for centuries. The ruins are deserted. You are going to ?zg¨¹nyaylaq.

    The square was empty now. There were no fires, no bodies, no Emperor. Yet her mind was constantly straying, her sense of time and place utterly warped. The constant voices meant she did not feel totally alone. And in amongst the whispers, some voices were becoming louder and clearer now.

    ¡°You will perish here.¡±

    ¡°Your world will be destroyed as ours was.¡±

    ¡°Surrender to the sands.¡±

    It was tempting. She felt a great exhaustion, like she hadn¡¯t slept in days. Thirst too. She wasn¡¯t even truthfully sure how long she¡¯d now been among the ruins of Karbaliq. Try as she might, her mind struggled to order events.

    ¡°Just keep going,¡± she said, out loud.

    Which way was it again?

    Just pick a way.

    Any way.

    Just keep going.

    Squeezing her eyes shut, she tried to remember.

    Just a short journey.

    She began walking. She wasn¡¯t sure if it was the right way. But as long as she still had some of her mind and her will left, she wasn¡¯t going to give in to voices.

    She crossed the plaza, past the fountain and into one of the streets beyond. She could still see very little, the sand continued to cover everything. The little lights of the dead continued to dance about in the distance, never lingering long. And yet it was not long before she once again found herself back in the plaza, just as she had previously.

    The frustration erupted in her.

    ¡°Why are you doing this!? I am not him! I do not want to be like him! I want to help!¡±

    Daughter of ruin! Daughter of ruin!

    The voices chanted their accusatory refrain.

    She felt the uncertainty creep in again.

    Maybe the Emperor was right. After all, she had been experiencing the visions ¨C the memories of the future ¨C for a decade now. And had the Grand Astronomer not told her she would be Empress? Was there no escaping it? Did she not also draw from the well of Nara Enduri¡¯s power? If Nara Enduri had granted the Emperor Theophany, was the fall of Karbaliq not also Its will? If Nara Enduri willed her to be Empress, who was she to defy the will of a God?

    She shook her head.

    She still had the power to choose.

    And choose she would.

    ¡°Maybe I bear the guilt, maybe I don¡¯t!¡± she shouted. ¡°I can¡¯t change the past. But I can change the future! Give me a chance. Let me pass!¡± she shouted into the Tempest.

    For a moment she stood still, her breathing heavy.

    Then the voices seemed to die down.

    The wind seemed to die down.

    A small figure emerged on the far side of the plaza, coming towards her. A moment later and she could see it was a child.

    ¡°Hello?¡± she called out, her voice seeming much louder in the comparative quiet and calm.

    ¡°Hello, miss,¡± said the boy, coming closer.

    ¡°Hello,¡± she repeated, quieter this time. With the sand no longer billowing around, she lowered the silk scarf from her face.

    ¡°You¡¯re not from here, are you miss?¡± said the boy.

    She shook her head.

    ¡°Have you come here to hurt us?¡±

    ¡°No! No, absolutely not!¡± she said. She attempted a smile, ¡°I want to help.¡±

    The boy examined her, his eyes not suspicious, merely curious. Though there was something else there too. Fear. Not of her ¨C at least she didn¡¯t think so ¨C but fear nonetheless. ¡°I can¡¯t find anyone else,¡± said the boy. ¡°Not since everything became strange.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m here with you,¡± said Mu.

    The boy stared into her eyes with an intensity she¡¯d seldom seen in a child. ¡°Maybe you can come with me then?¡± said the boy. ¡°Mrs Bukaqizi and the others need help.¡±

    Mu nodded, though she was already developing a grim expectation about what she would find.

    She followed the young boy. The streets seemed less hostile now that the storm had died down.

    And the voices are no longer speaking their accusations.

    ¡°It isn¡¯t far, but we must hurry,¡± said the boy. ¡°They are hurt.¡±

    At length they reached the crumbling ruins of an old gate. The city walls were long gone, but parts of this gate still stood, looking out on the empty desert beyond. Though they could have crossed out of the city at any point, the boy still led her here.

    ¡°We¡¯re almost there,¡± he said.

    They crossed the threshold. The boy with his small limbs clambered over the rubble of the gate. Mu lifted her robes to prevent them snagging on the remains. For the first time she stepped out into the open desert, beyond the limits of the Black City.

    She surveyed the rolling sand dunes, looking for any sign of their destination, but saw nothing.

    ¡°Which way now?¡± she asked the boy.

    ¡°We just need to follow the road. It¡¯s always quicker to take the road,¡± he said.

    She saw no road, but perhaps the boy did. Presumably one had once led to that gate and so he set out.

    I guess even roads have ghosts.

    Perhaps the road would have been quicker, but Mu found herself struggling across the deep sand, especially when they hit even a slight incline and it would tumble away beneath her footfalls. The boy stopped frequently as he guided her and she did her best not to slow him down. He was keen to reach their destination.

    The dead road lead between two high dunes. The going was tough. The sun, no longer obscured by the thick plumes of sand, beat down with a ferocity Mu had not previously experienced. The steep course the road now took served to exacerbate the difficulties of crossing the deep drifts of sand. Yet she pressed on, for despite these difficulties, she felt in many ways lighter now. Exhausted, hot, thirsty ¨C but the weight of the whispers, the images of blood and flame, and the relentless Tempest had taken a great toll on her psyche. Even to no longer be hemmed in by the pitch-black stone of Karbaliq was a great relief. There was a freedom to the boundless expanse of the open desert.

    By the time she reached the saddle between the two great dunes, Mu was feeling acutely the strain her journey was putting on her. Running, fighting, now battling her way up the face of these dunes, all the while the sun beating down relentlessly. At the back of her mind, it also occurred to her that she was thirsty, but she was focused on the task at hand. She could drink later.

    ¡°There it is!¡± said the young boy excitedly.

    He pointed into the depression ahead of them. There Mu saw a small oasis ¨C far smaller than the great lake and poplar forests of Karbaliq. Around the edges of the water, amongst the trees, were scattered ruins. They were not much to speak off ¨C mostly just the odd pit of crumbling stone protruding through the drifts of sand. If anyone had ever lived here, it had been a very long time ago.

    ¡°I see,¡± Mu replied to the boy¡¯s enthusiasm, feeling a sense of deep sorrow.

    ¡°If we hurry, we might be able to help Mrs Bukaqizi and the others. And Barin! He¡¯s my best friend. He¡¯s very strong, so I¡¯m sure he¡¯s okay¡­ oh¡­ but he still might need some help. We need to find B?ri too!¡±

    That word stabbed through Mu¡¯s mind. ¡°B?ri?¡±

    The boy gave a little laugh, the first she¡¯d heard from him. ¡°Oh, not like a warrior. All the B?rilar are away fighting in the war. B?ri is the dog who lives near the school. He¡¯s not very brave, so we thought it would be funny to name him that. Haha, he¡¯s nice though and very cute! He likes scratches behind the ears.¡±

    Mu swallowed. The boy reached out his hand. Tentatively she took it. Feeling how small it was in hers.

    How cold.

    He led her down the hill and she struggled to keep up.

    Finally, they reached the oasis.

    Unlike earlier in the plaza in Karbaliq, there was no shift in time here. A slight breeze blew across the oasis, offering a modicum of relief from the sun¡¯s heat. The branches of the trees rustled. Some sand was displaced around the fragmentary remains of a long-gone settlement.

    The boy let go of Mu¡¯s hand and raised both of his to cup his mouth. He called out.

    ¡°Mrs Bukaqizi?¡±

    ¡°Barin?¡±

    ¡°B?ri?¡±

    There was no response, but the desert wind.

    His voice was softer ¨C more fragile ¨C when he called out again. ¡°I brought a nice lady to help.¡±

    But still there was no answer.

    The boy was confused. He looked around him. ¡°It¡¯s strange¡­ I don¡¯t remember everything being so covered with sand when I left.¡±

    Mu felt tears welling in her eyes. She tried to conjure up the right words. ¡°I guess¡­ I guess it doesn¡¯t take long for the sand to pile up out here in the desert.¡±

    The boy shook his head. ¡°No¡­ not this fast. It doesn¡¯t happen this fast. Something strange is happening. Let¡¯s keep looking. We¡¯ll find them.¡±

    He grabbed her hand again and pulled her along.

    There was a rustling behind them and he spun around. ¡°B?ri?¡±

    But it was only a fallen branch, bouncing along the ground.

    The breeze let up and the branch fell still. Neither Mu nor the boy spoke. There was a silence there. Apart from the wind it was a silence that spanned centuries.

    The boy looked up at Mu.

    His eyes were sorrowful, but there was newfound understanding there too.

    ¡°I know you can¡¯t really help us,¡± he said. ¡°You¡¯re not in the same time as us¡­ but it was still nice of you to come.¡±

    Mu¡¯s voice caught in her throat.

    ¡°We¡¯re dead, aren¡¯t we? Me? Mrs Bukaqizi? Barin? ¡­B?ri?¡±

    Swallowing, still unable to speak, Mu nodded.

    ¡°Why did we have to die?¡± he asked her, his cold, lifeless hand gripping hers tighter than ever, as if seeking to gain just a little of the warmth of the living.

    She thought of the histories she had read. Of the campaigns of the First Emperor. She thought of that far off world, orbiting its black sun, with its machine throne and its machine ruler. She thought of the splendour of the Imperial Court, of the plum orchards she had played in with Gorjin and Ruyin.

    She shook her head.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡±

    The boy¡¯s gaze held her own.

    ¡°That¡¯s alright.¡±

    The wind picked up again. In an instant its ferocity had returned. Before Mu¡¯s eyes the boy dissolved into sand and was gone, swept away to become one with the Tempest once more.

    She heard his voice a final time. ¡°You¡¯re a nice lady. Thank you for coming.¡±

    Reality came crashing back to Mu. Exhaustion and thirst came as one. Everything she¡¯d been ignoring became inescapable. She fell to her knees, then sagged to one side.

    Her eyes closed.

    She lay in the sand.

    The Tempest raged.

 Chapter XXII - Sayan

    Chapter XXII ¨C Sayan

    Chinor saw the dark shape lying among the rubble, already partially covered by sand. He hastened the camel down the dune and leapt to the ground.

    ¡°Is she alive?¡± came a voice behind him.

    Atilay Qam landed softly as he dismounted.

    Chinor crouched down, anxiety building. He pushed aside the thick folds of fabric to expose the woman¡¯s neck and lay two fingers against it.

    He breathed a sigh of relief.

    ¡°She¡¯s not well,¡± he said, rising once more. ¡°But she¡¯s alive.¡±

    The Qam nudged her with the toe of his boot. ¡°She wouldn¡¯t be for long, I¡¯ll warrant. She¡¯s fortunate she made it to ?zg¨¹nyaylaq. If we¡¯d had to search for her out in the desert, she¡¯d like as not be covered by sand before ever we happened upon her. Even with our eyes in the sky.¡±

    He raised his gauntleted arm and with a shrill cry, a falcon descended and landed. The Qam stroked the bird¡¯s head and it closed its eyes appreciatively.

    A lifetime of respectful etiquette was the only thing that maintained the calm in Chinor¡¯s voice, when he next spoke. ¡°Mallam,¡± he said, forcing out the honorific, ¡°Surely it would have been luckier not to have been sent out here in the first place?¡±

    Atilay looked away from the bird. ¡°You do not understand, do you, lad?¡±

    Chinor shook his head.

    ¡°Her journey here will have been hard on her, and yes, there was a risk that she would not survive, but she when she wakes, she will understand far more about herself and this Cosmos in which she lives.¡±

    Chinor did not understand very much more, but he resigned himself to trust the Qam, as ever he had.

    The Qam grinned. ¡°And how well do you think she would fare with Cousin Sayan if she arrived untested?¡±

    ¡°This is true,¡± conceded Chinor. ¡°What of the other one? He has surely set out after her.¡±

    The Qam laughed. ¡°Well, we will see if he truly has the approval of the U?armaz.¡±

    Chinor looked back over his shoulder, towards the dunes. Above them he could see the gargantuan buildings of Karbaliq rising.

    ¡°We did not see him on the way,¡± said Chinor. ¡°Perhaps he is lost.¡±

    Atilay nodded, untroubled. ¡°Perhaps he is.¡±

    ¡°You are not concerned by that possibility¡­ Mallam?¡±

    Atilay smiled. ¡°If we place a hand on the scale, we have not truly weighed anything.¡±

    Chinor sighed. He would never win any debate with the Qam. He looked back at Mu¡¯s prone figure. Even in unconsciousness he could see the hardship she had endured written upon her face.

    There was a shrill cry, a flapping of wings.

    Chinor felt a hand upon his shoulder. ¡°Come, lad, we will need to fasten her upon the beasts if she is to make it to Cousin Sayan.¡±

    Chinor nodded, and the two of them hastened to work.

    Nova scampered back from the projection.

    ¡°You¡¯re seeing this too, right?¡± she yelled to Seraphina.

    Seraphina clicked her fingers and her grimoire vanished in a flurry of amethyst sparkles. She calmly walked over and peered more closely at the projection.

    ¡°This does seem to be an unusual character,¡± she said. ¡°I have not encountered them before.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s ¡®cause it¡¯s the ghost,¡± said Nova.

    ¡°This is the spirit that you saw before?¡± asked Seraphina.

    Nova nodded frantically. ¡°Every device I use, it infests. How evil is this thing? Now it wishes to take my otome games? Will it give me no rest?¡±

    ¡°I will investigate and attempt to understand what the spirit wants,¡± said Seraphina. ¡°Please be calm. As I said previously, I do not believe the spirit to be malevolent.¡±

    Nova glared at the figure. ¡°Just know, Sera, you¡¯ve got a permanent roommate, until this thing is dealt with.¡±

    Nova felt a little like she was being melodramatic, but somehow it felt good, so she didn¡¯t much care. And despite all outward signs she felt much better in Seraphina¡¯s calm, knowledgeable presence. She still didn¡¯t want to look at the ghost though.

    Or did she?

    She snuck a glance.

    It was still there. In the background.

    Stupid ghost.

    Ruining my gaming.

    Can¡¯t a girl even romance fictional ikemen in peace?

    Seraphina had taken up the controller. She looked over her shoulder at Nova. ¡°Perhaps while I investigate, you might be best off busying yourself with some work. Take your mind of the ghost.¡±

    ¡°I bet if I do, I¡¯ll be happily cruising along, phishing some company employee for network access, then I¡¯ll suddenly have a ghost pop up,¡± said Nova.

    ¡°I¡¯ll be keeping the ghost busy in here,¡± said Seraphina, pointing at the game.

    ¡°Can it only be in one place at a time?¡± asked Nova.

    ¡°It¡¯s only one ghost,¡± said Seraphina, as if having to explain the blindingly obvious.

    ¡°Well, I don¡¯t know how ghosts work!¡± exclaimed Nova, throwing up her hands.

    ¡°You will be safe for now. If I lose track of it, I shall warn you,¡± said Seraphina.

    ¡°Hrm¡­¡± said Nova, squinting her eyes suspiciously. ¡°Okay¡­ but only because I love and trust you, Ser-bear. Don¡¯t let me down.¡±

    ¡°I shall endeavour not to betray your trust,¡± said Seraphina, as she began clicking through dialogue options.

    Nova grabbed her tablet. She¡¯d prefer to work with her main terminal in her room, but she had no intention of spending any time alone in there, so the tablet would have to do for now.

    Charlie walked up next to her and looked up. Others would say it was impossible for the lights that served as his eyes to show emotion, but Nova knew better. She knew he was worried.

    ¡°It¡¯s okay now, bud,¡± said Nova, placing a hand on him. ¡°Aunty Sera¡¯s looking after us.¡±

    Her efforts so far to penetrate the company¡¯s files had been unsuccessful, though she still had a few feelers out that would hopefully yield results soon. What she had been more successful in, was getting access to the Yarkan Planetary Government¡¯s internal network. It had been a happy moment, when after being frustrated by the Yarghun Company¡¯s security, she had discovered the Government was using an outdated version of the systems used by Shangxia¡¯s Government. Having already cracked the former, Yarkan was a piece of cake.

    Pushing the spectre from her mind, she scrolled through search results. There was an abundance of material on the development at Karbaliq, but nothing that seemed to be particularly relevant to the present mystery. She¡¯d hope the police might be a source of enlightenment, but irritatingly, they appeared to keep case files on a separate, isolated network. With any luck she¡¯d eventually find her way into that, but in the meantime, she figured she¡¯d dig around in the general network.

    Scrolling through random search results, the files all stripped of context, was not yielding anything particularly revealing, but she did notice most of them seemed to belong to a particular directory. Maybe checking them out in their natural habitat would be more telling.

    Department of Planetary Development and Planning. Click. Major Project Approval Submissions. Click. Tourism Development. Click. Integrated Resort Developments. Click. Historic Black City of Karbaliq ¨C Yarghun Company (Comprehensive IRD Submission). Click.

    She kept scrolling. Many of these were documents she¡¯d come across before. Some were not, but few looked interesting. She typed up a little piece of code to intelligently parse through the documentation. A fraction of a second later she was looking at something that just might be promising.

    Addendum 7.1 ¨C Site Security Policy Implementation Plan.

    Nova clicked it.

    Alright Taghay. Let¡¯s see whether or not you¡¯re bullshitting about there being no cameras.

    She scoured the table of contents.

    Site Monitoring.

    Perfect!

    She scrolled through the section until she found the site map, showing which areas were monitored, and the locations of cameras. She overlayed this map with the one she¡¯d previously developed.

    ¡°Aha!¡± she shouted. Charlie leapt up and began wagging his tail. Matthias looked about, ruffled his many wings, then once more buried his head in his feathers, going back to sleep on his perch.

    Seraphina looked away from the game. ¡°You have discovered something?¡±

    ¡°Sure have!¡± said Nova, holding out her tablet to show Seraphina.

    ¡°What am I looking at?¡± asked the witch.

    ¡°Camera coverage. And see here?¡± asked Nova, her finger pointing at the murder site.

    ¡°It¡¯s a not very good drawing of a face with cross eyes and a tongue sticking out,¡± said Seraphina.

    ¡°That¡¯s the murder site,¡± said Nova, somewhat indignantly. ¡°But look: two cameras covered it. Taghay wasn¡¯t lying that the whole protected zone wasn¡¯t covered by cameras, but he was lying that there was no coverage of the murder site itself.¡±

    ¡°So, it is like Mr Nyx and Mr Zhang thought?¡± said Seraphina. ¡°The company is covering up the truth about the murder?¡±

    ¡°Well, they sure ain¡¯t telling the truth,¡± said Nova.

    ¡°We should inform the others,¡± said Seraphina.

    ¡°We should indeed. I just wish I could get into the company¡¯s own network. Footage from these cameras must exist somewhere. And it would crack the whole thing wide open.¡±

    ¡°Hopefully, you will find a way in soon,¡± said Seraphina.

    ¡°Mmm,¡± said Nova, distractedly, once again staring at the screen of her tablet. ¡°How¡¯s the ghost going?¡±

    ¡°I am yet to establish contact,¡± said Seraphina, ¡°But I shall continue striving to do so.¡±

    Nova nodded, only half-listening. She began typing out a message to Kal and Ostara.

    Better to know you¡¯re being lied to than just suspect you are.

    Tavian¡¯s own breath seemed disconcertingly loud in the sand suit. The air, though filtered, was oddly stuffy. All in all, it was not an enjoyable experience. And with the sandstorm starting to die down, he was increasingly considering removing the helmet and taking his chances with the desert air.

    He couldn¡¯t say precisely what it was he was expecting when he left the protected zone, but so far, the experience had not been nearly as harrowing as he thought it might be. Chinor had made this out to be a deadly journey without the presence of a Qam; this had not been Tavian¡¯s experience thus far.

    Not that it was an everyday experience, by any stretch of the imagination. There were the eerie lights that danced in the distance. There were the occasional whispers on the wind. There were the moments when a side street would appear almost pristine, at stark odds with the rest of the ruins. And most of all there was the veiled woman who appeared at times in the distance, seeming to beckon Tavian to follow her, before vanishing once more.

    During all of this, however, Tavian had yet to feel threatened. Not that the Black City was a cheerful place, rather he did not feel malice from it. He felt sorrow. He felt loss. He felt a yearning to be remembered. But not hate. Not anger.

    It was as he reached a plaza with a crumbling fountain at its centre, that he decided to finally give up on the helmet and its breathing apparatus. Inexpertly, he removed it and took in a deep breath. It was not the freshest air he¡¯d ever experienced, but nor did it give him the experience of inhaling a sandpit.

    He looked around the square. It was not particularly remarkable. He struggled to remember the route he must take. Many streets led away from this place, and if he remembered rightly, only one took him in the direction of ?zg¨¹nyaylaq. Last time he¡¯d attempted to consult his tablet, he¡¯d discovered it only working intermittently ¨C to the point of being essentially useless. At least three streets led off in approximately the direction he needed to go.

    He wondered if Mu had encountered such navigational difficulties.

    In the end he settled on the most significant looking of the streets. He figured the road to the gates was likely to be a more important route. Time would tell.

    Decision made, he set out again. He had not travelled far when he saw her again ¨C the veiled lady. He wasn¡¯t sure if that was a good thing or a bad thing, but regardless, he would stick by his choice having made it.

    It proved the correct one.

    He reached the open desert after travelling not too much farther. Atop the distant dunes he could see her again.

    Is she leading me to ?zg¨¹nyaylaq?

    He struggled over the rise, and looked out upon the small oasis. Beyond, the expanse of the desert stretched out to the far horizon. There was little to see here. After the immensity of the Black City, the remains of this village were far from remarkable. Yet it was here Tavian headed.

    And sure enough, she stood there: at the edge of the water, the dark fabric of her robes fluttering in the gentle breeze that now flowed over the placated sands.

    As he approached the oasis, things were different. The veiled woman did not vanish this time. She stood still, awaiting his arrival. Though the sun was now shining down brightly upon him, he felt a chill as he came before her.

    ¡°You led me here,¡± he said.

    ¡°Because you can help us,¡± she said in a voice that immediately gave him a sense of calm. It reminded him of someone. Someone from long ago.

    He looked at her. There was little to see, but her dark eyes. Every other part of her was covered in cloth. Yet in those eyes there was deep wisdom ¨C deep wisdom, and deep sorrow.

    ¡°How can I help?¡± he asked.

    ¡°You come here from far C¨¢erthand,¡± she said.

    It felt strange to hear the name of his homeworld in such a remote and strange place, but he nodded.

    ¡°You have a task, do you not?¡± asked the veiled lady.

    Tavian felt a pang of guilt. ¡°I once did¡­ I don¡¯t know if I have been true to it for a long time.¡±

    ¡°But you learnt my lament,¡± said the lady.

    He attempted a smile. ¡°Always trying to grow the repertoire.¡±

    The lady came closer. ¡°But isn¡¯t that precisely the task you were given? You are a Bard of Anu, are you not?¡±

    He nodded.

    ¡°Then your task is simple. You are the Memory of Cosmos. You recall its stories and its songs. You preserve the ancient voices. So that¡ª¡±

    In that instant Tavian remembered the familiar voice speaking the words long ago. He intoned them as he remembered them: ¡°¡ªso that they can one day join Lady Anu¡¯s Chorus.¡±

    Tavian¡¯s whole world was swallowed up in the dark eyes of the veiled lady. ¡°You never forgot your mission, Tavian. But you lost faith in yourself. In your capacity to realise it.¡±

    He breathed in deeply.

    The veiled lady began to hum.

    But it was not the Lament.

    It was another song: one he remembered from a dark basement and a frightful moment. And it seemed, that though the two women were separated by centuries and lightyears their voices merged as one in Tavian¡¯s mind and he remembered being comforted in the dark in a moment of danger.

    ¡°How do you¡­?¡± he began.

    ¡°Your sister lives in you, Tavian. If you believe in her, believe in yourself. She gave you the seeds of the power you will need for what is to come.¡±

    Tavian stepped away from veiled lady and walked to one of the pieces of rubble that protruded through the sand. He sat upon it and took out his mandolin.

    ¡°Tell me their names,¡± he said. ¡°Tell me the names of those who died here.¡±

    And she did.

    And as she did, they gathered. A little boy came to watch him, then another, joined by their faithful hound. Their teacher stood by them. Others came.

    The veiled lady finished her recital of the names.

    Tavian began to play.

    This time he could feel the Starflow. This time he reached out to Lady Anu and felt her presence. He played a new song, one of his own making. A song, not of mourning, but of celebration.

    When he finished, the veiled lady spoke once more: ¡°The dead in time must make way for the living, but you can help them take flight, knowing their memory endures.¡±

    Zhen Yan sat propped up on plush pillows, comfortably clad in a luxurious bathrobe, courtesy of the Yarghun Grand. Her tails splayed out around her on the immense bed. In one hand she held a glass of red wine, in the other her tablet, surveying the map of Karbaliq it displayed. Who said the hunt could not be pleasurable?

    The targets appeared to have spread out. That raised key questions about the order of operations. One of the Amrita crew was right here at the Yarghun Grand, but the main targets appeared to have proceeded to Karbaliq.

    What could they possibly want out there?

    The town was abuzz with talk of the development there, and with various controversies and incidents at the site ¨C including a murder. No doubt the Amrita crew were tied up somehow. Guns for hire perhaps? Her background research on the vessel certainly suggested the incident on Shangxia was not the first time they¡¯d found themselves in the thick of the action. But the primary targets had only joined the Amrita belatedly.

    Ultimately it didn¡¯t much matter. Big Bai wanted them dead, and was paying to make that happen, so Zhen Yan would kill them. Nothing else mattered beyond any use it might have in locating them.

    The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

    She took a sip of wine. Her tablet vibrated. Her vulpine ears twitched.

    Speak of the devil.

    Bai Qiang.

    She tapped the screen and a moment later the White Gang leader¡¯s hologram materialised in the air over Zhen Yan¡¯s bed. But he wasn¡¯t alone. Beside him was a man Zhen Yan had never met before, but one she certainly recognised.

    ¡°Your Excellency, what a surprise,¡± she said.

    ¡°Miss Zhen, should we give you a moment to make yourself more decent?¡± asked Big Bai.

    ¡°Oh, but I heard His Excellency lost one of his women,¡± said Zhen Yan, with a smirk, ¡°I thought perhaps he¡¯d enjoy the view.¡±

    She loosened up the robe slightly to give an expanded glimpse of cleavage.

    ¡°My apologies, Your Excellency,¡± said Big Bai, ¡°I assure you, though, as uncouth as she is, she is certainly effective.¡±

    Governor Aixin Yucheng smiled. ¡°Oh, please Mr Bai, I¡¯m no prude. Frankly, if a pretty lady like Miss Zhen wished to be naked for this meeting, it would not perturb me in the slightest.¡±

    Zhen Yan smiled. ¡°Please, Your Excellency, don¡¯t tempt me. I do like to be comfortable. But, may I ask: to what do I owe this pleasure?¡±

    Bai spoke. ¡°His Excellency and I are good friends. We¡¯ve both been caused many problems by the fugitives you¡¯re pursuing. However, His Excellency hears things, even from the Imperial Court.¡±

    ¡°As to be expected of a man of your prestige,¡± said Zhen Yan.

    The Governor smiled smugly.

    ¡°You may be aware that the Resonance Bureau was pursuing one of your targets, but that they were called off,¡± said Bai.

    ¡°Yes, I do recall that.¡±

    ¡°Well, as it turns out certain very powerful individuals weren¡¯t all that happy about the agents being called off,¡± said Bai.

    ¡°But you know, Court politics. As a result, the Bureau can¡¯t directly hunt one of the fugitives ¨C Mukushen,¡± said the Governor.

    ¡°So, you want me to take care of it off the books, bring Mukushen to you, you present her to your friends at Court¡­ Am I heading in the right direction?¡±

    ¡°Precisely,¡± said the Governor, beaming. ¡°Mr Bai was right, you are good.¡±

    Bai interjected, ¡°I appreciate it will require a change to your methods, bringing back Mukushen alive. But don¡¯t fear, you can kill the others.¡±

    Zhen Yan shrugged, ¡°It shouldn¡¯t be a problem.¡±

    ¡°Mr Bai told me you¡¯d be able to do it, no trouble.¡±

    ¡°Of course,¡± said Zhen Yan, then added, ¡°Of course things become a tiny bit more complicated if I need to bring this Mukushen back alive. I might, for example, encounter additional costs¡­¡±

    ¡°Not a problem,¡± said the Governor. ¡°Just let us know what you require. Mr Bai will take care of the financial arrangements. Everything at my end must appear above board, as I¡¯m sure you can appreciate.¡±

    ¡°Of course. Well, in that case, I¡¯ll make the necessary adjustments,¡± said Zhen Yan. ¡°You¡¯ll be pleased to know I am on-world, and should have the job finalised shortly.¡±

    ¡°Ah, that is excellent,¡± said the Governor. ¡°Bring her back to Shangxia when you¡¯ve got her.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sure your friends at Court will be most impressed that you achieved what the Resonance Bureau could not,¡± said Bai.

    ¡°Can I ask¡­ who exactly is this Mukushen? There¡¯s very little information on her before she reached Shangxia.¡±

    The Governor looked over at Big Bai. Bai nodded. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t hire her if she wasn¡¯t discreet.¡±

    The Governor nodded. ¡°Mukushen is the next Empress of Aixingo.¡±

    ¡°Huh,¡± said Zhen Yan. It wasn¡¯t the answer she was expecting.

    A future Empress.

    Fascinating.

    ¡°Well, then, that sounds important,¡± she said. ¡°I best get back to work.¡±

    ¡°Of course,¡± said Bai, ¡°I trust you¡¯ll have good news for us soon.¡±

    ¡°Thank you very much, Miss Zhen,¡± said the Governor, ¡°And please: when you return to Shangxia, do drop by in person. It would be a true pleasure to meet you¡­ properly.¡±

    ¡°I look forward to it,¡± said Zhen Yan. She ended the call.

    What a disgusting man, she thought. The things I say and do to keep these bastards on the hook.

    She took a sip of wine.

    Well, nothing more for it.

    Time to go to Karbaliq.

    Mu awoke with a pounding headache. Groggily, she opened her eyes, gazing up into a cloth ceiling, through which light dimly filtered, given an orange hue by the fabric. She brought up both her hands to cup her face and groaned. Every part of her hurt. She tried to gather her thoughts, but her mind was a mess. She couldn¡¯t grasp where she was, nor what had happened to bring her here. She could feel her heart beating rapidly, even though she¡¯d just woken.

    She felt hot under the covers of the bed and kicked them away to see she was wearing a simple, loose brown dress.

    No sooner had she done this than she heard a noise. A young girl poked her head into the tent. Her eyes widened when she saw Mu awake. She darted back out. Mu heard voices outside, speaking in a language she didn¡¯t understand. Moments later, the girl returned, this time entering the tent.

    Mu saw she was even younger than she¡¯d first realised, maybe twelve or thirteen. She had dark hair and green eyes, and was dressed in an intricately-patterned dress. A silken scarf was wrapped around her neck.

    She spoke in a halting fashion, her use of the Imperial Common Tongue heavily accented. ¡°You are awake? Are you well?¡±

    Mu took a shuddering breath. ¡°I have a headache.¡±

    ¡°Headache, headache,¡± repeated the girl, nodding. ¡°I get someone to help.¡±

    With that she was gone again. Soon an older woman appeared, led by the girl. This woman appeared to speak even less of the Common Tongue, and the girl acted as a translator of sorts, though much of Mu¡¯s interaction with this woman consisted of being given things to drink, and doing so, though she was quite unsure what she was drinking.

    Her memories were gradually returning: memories of the harrowing journey across the Black City to ?zg¨¹nyaylaq. The memories were hazy, but their outline was with her now. Mu realised she must be in a camp of the desert tribes. Someone must have found her.

    The woman laid a damp cloth upon Mu¡¯s forehead and said something. The girl translated, ¡°She say you must stay cool. When you are better, ma--Sister Sayan see you.¡±

    Sayan¡­ Sayan¡­

    She knew that name.

    Then it came back to her. That was who she had to see. Chinor¡¯s sister. Had she somehow made it? Even without the assistance of the Qam? Despite her sorry state, she felt her mood lift a little. Perhaps now she could finally have some questions answered.

    She looked at the old woman. ¡°Is Chinor here?¡±

    She nodded and said something. Mu caught Chinor¡¯s name, and perhaps Sayan¡¯s too, but nothing else. The girl once again stepped in.

    ¡°She say Chinor brough you here with Atilay Mallam. She says you must rest first. Then you speak to others.¡±

    Atilay Mallam? Atilay Qam?

    She hadn¡¯t made it here without a Qam after all. And he was here ¨C the one who had sent her out to die in the first place.

    But she knew one thing: she did not want to rest. She wanted answers. She was finally so close, after all the dead ends in Karbaliq. She sat up.

    ¡°No,¡± said the old woman, the word clear. She pushed Mu gently but firmly back down. ¡°Rest.¡±

    She said something more expansive in what Mu assumed was Jaril. ¡°She say you too sick. You rest.¡±

    Mu saw that she was going to get nowhere. She settled back down on the bed. Every part of her was still burning hot. Even though the dress was a very light fabric, she could feel it sticking to her clammy skin. Nonetheless, the damp cloth upon her forehead and whatever the woman¡¯s ministrations had consisted of, did seem to be having some effect.

    She closed her eyes again. ¡°Alright,¡± she said. ¡°I¡¯ll rest a little while.¡±

    She remembered little after that.

    When she awoke, the young girl was back.

    ¡°Hello miss, you are well now?¡±

    Mu blinked a few times, staring up at the ceiling. She could tell it was night. A lantern sat on a table by her bed, illuminating the interior of the tent, though it had been turned down low, so the light was soft.

    She felt her head. The cloth must have fallen away some time in her sleep, for it was no longer there. She no longer felt so clammy either, and the profound headache she had been enduring earlier was also gone. With the blankets still off her, she almost felt cold in the thin dress, as the warmth of the day made way for the cool desert night.

    She sat up.

    ¡°I feel much better,¡± she said. ¡°Thank you.¡±

    The girl smiled. ¡°That is good. I will tell the others. Your clothes are there.¡± When saying this last part, the girl pointed at a chest at the foot of her bed. On it were some neatly folded clothes.

    ¡°Thank you,¡± she said again and the young girl left.

    Mu removed the dress, vaguely wishing she could have a shower. As one didn¡¯t seem to be forthcoming, she dressed hurriedly in the new clothes provided. These consisted of a long-sleeved and high-collared cotton dress that went down to her ankles, covered in many intricate and colourful patterns arranged in vertical bands, alternately floral or geometric designs. The exception to this was the sleeves, which were mostly a burgundy colour, apart from two horizontal patterned bands ¨C one around her upper arm and one on the cuffs. There was also a sleeveless tunic, similarly patterned and open at the front, the two sides tapering in a v to a point at her waist. The final components of the outfit were a wide satin belt that seemed to be clasped with a circular turquoise stone, and a silken headscarf, likewise intricately patterned. The dress and the tunic were simple enough to work out, but Mu found herself struggling to properly fasten the belt and arrange the headscarf. Her hosts ¨C whoever they may be ¨C had also provided her with long stockings and boots to complete the outfit.

    As she was dressing, she looked around the tent. Nowhere could she the clothes she¡¯d been wearing during her journey through Karbaliq. She wondered what had become of them.

    She had just finished an attempt at the headscarf when the young girl returned. She saw Mu struggling, and with barely a word came to assist her. The outfit complete, Mu slid her feet into the boots, which to her surprise fit perfectly. The girl beckoned for her to follow her from the tent.

    ¡°Come, Miss,¡± she said.

    ¡°Can I ask your name?¡±

    ¡°I am Erkegul,¡± said the girl.

    ¡°Thank you for helping me, Erkegul.¡±

    The girl beamed. ¡°I am happy to help!¡±

    There were many circular tents arrayed among the dunes ¨C yurts they were called, Mu had read. Various people were walking around among them, and they sometimes stopped to stare as Mu passed, but none spoke to her or Erkegul. As ever was the case when she was wearing anything aside from Aixin court dress, Mu felt vaguely self-conscious, almost as if she were wearing a costume. She had only recently gotten used to the modern casual styles, now common in many parts of the Empire. At least these Yarkanese clothes were more modest than some of those styles.

    At length they reached a wide-open area that was surrounded by the largest of the yurts. A huge fire was burning in the centre. At numerous spots around the edges of this central area were totems, most with falcon heads topping them. Apart from geometric patterns, she noticed the totems were frequently adorned with abstracted designs that she assumed were intended to depict the ancient Clanship that had brought the Jaril to Yarkan. The designs were distinct from the totems of the Aixin, but not so different that Mu could not recognise them. Absent from these, though, were the imperial dragon motifs, and the pervasive symbol of Nara Enduri ringed by the Nine Suns of the Shang.

    In a circle around the fire, many people sat upon rugs. Mu immediately recognised among their number Atilay Qam, who was deep in conversation with another man ¨C one who sported a similarly long beard, though one not quite as white as that of Atilay. She guessed this must be the Qam of this tribe. She also saw Chinor, seated a short distance away. And next to him was a woman who immediately stood out from the many others.

    The woman was maybe in her thirties. She had a powerful presence about her ¨C perhaps this was in part due to her fierce green eyes that sparkled in the dancing light of the flames. She had long brown hair, which mostly fell down her back, apart from two braids which hung at either side of her face, each tied with small ringlets of patterned cloth and adorned at their ends with falcon feathers. She likewise wore long, turquoise-bejewelled earrings, similarly featuring falcon feathers, and sported an intricately patterned hairband, its ends tucked behind each ear. Unlike the bright colours of the dresses of most of the women present, she seemed to wear a plain tan-coloured dress, the only adornments being the intricate patterns in orange and gold around the cuffs and hems. Over this she wore a tunic, typically patterned, but in various shades of browns, oranges, and verdant greens. A silken scarf bunched around her neck and a long, fur cloak was clasped at her shoulders. At the centre of her breast was a large turquoise, below it hung a golden tassel. At her side a spear was driven into the sand. Two falcons ¨C their fierce eyes seeming akin to her own ¨C were her companions.

    As Mu knew would happen, it was to this woman that Erkegul led her. The young girl seemed shy, unable to meet the burning emerald gaze of this other woman. Mu understood why, for even though she had stood face to face with Iron-Capped Princes and the Emperor of Aixingo, himself, seldom had she encountered anyone with a gaze quite like this woman.

    Erkegul skittered away.

    ¡°Mukushen, I take it?¡± said the woman. Her accent was strong, but her words were clear.

    Mu nodded.

    ¡°Atilay Mallam!¡± shouted the woman throwing up an arm, ¡°Your stray is awake.¡±

    Mu saw the Qam glance up. He saw her, and rose from the rug he was sitting on, offering some final words to the other Qam, before coming over.

    ¡°I wasn¡¯t sure you would still be with us tonight,¡± said Atilay, ¡°You were lucky Sayan¡¯s little brother here took such a liking to you. We may never have found you otherwise.¡±

    Mu glanced at Chinor, who looked away. She thought she detected a faint blush there.

    ¡°Thank you, Chinor,¡± she said. He briefly met her eyes, giving a meek smile, before looking away again.

    ¡°So,¡± said the woman, ¡°Mallam, should I trust her now? She did your trial.¡±

    Atilay gave a wide grin accompanied by a chuckle. ¡°Aye, that she did. I think she may be true after all.¡±

    The woman nodded, seemingly taking a moment to consider. Then she stood. Mu only now realised how tall she was ¨C taller than Mu, but taller even than her own brother.

    ¡°Well, Aixin, you wished to meet me? Here I am,¡± said the woman. She put a fist to her chest, placing it over the turquoise. ¡°Sayan Yinalqizi at your service.¡±

    Mu considered replicating the fist on chest gesture, but was unsure of the cultural implications.

    ¡°Mukushen of the Hala Mukta,¡± she said, choosing to omit the Aixin surname. She wasn¡¯t sure how familiar these people were with Imperial customs, but before the empire, the Aixin ¨C or Alabey, as they then were ¨C did not use surnames, only clan or hala names. After the custom of the subjugated Shang, they had adopted surnames after the founding of the empire, but the elites had all collectively taken on the name Aixin. Mu was not yet ready to reveal the proximity of her heritage to the emperor who had ravaged this world.

    ¡°Well met,¡± said Sayan. ¡°Take a seat. Let us talk.¡±

    Chinor moved over to provide a space adjacent to Sayan and Mu did as indicated, seating herself, cross-legged, upon the rug. Sayan¡¯s falcons observed her intently as she did so and they had a knowing quality about them that she¡¯d only once before seen in a bird ¨C Matthias, Seraphina¡¯s familiar. Nearby Atilay Qam also took up a seat. Sayan sat, her pose exuding a distinctly masculine, aggressive energy.

    ¡°You survived the U?armaz,¡± said Sayan, then added with a laugh, ¡°Atilay Mallam did not think they would take kindly to an Aixin.¡±

    The memories of her experiences in the Black City were far clearer now. She shook her head, ¡°I would not say they were kind¡­ but they could have destroyed me and they didn¡¯t. They had every right too.¡±

    ¡°Are you some self-hating Aixin? Atilay Mallam and Chinor have both told me about your strange attitudes. So strange Mallam did not believe you.¡±

    Mu decided honesty might get her further than any other approach. ¡°In truth I am a princess of the White Horse Banner. Or at least I was. I left the Imperial Court.¡±

    ¡°Do they allow that? Leaving?¡±

    Mu shook her head. ¡°My father has hunted me across the stars.¡±

    Sayan laughed uproariously. ¡°What a terrible daughter! Ah, but do not worry. Perhaps unlike most of your people you retain some of the nomad spirit, hrm?¡±

    ¡°I did not want to live my life in a cage,¡± said Mu, getting a sense for what appealed to Sayan.

    ¡°A falcon amongst the Aixin, eh?¡±

    ¡°I told you this one was strange,¡± said Atilay Qam.

    ¡°Very strange,¡± agreed Sayan, ¡°I have not met so many Aixin, but I suspect they are not like this.¡±

    Mu thought of the people she had known at the Imperial Court. ¡°Not most, I guess.¡±

    Sayan looked Atilay¡¯s way and smiled, giving a shrug. She fixed Mu with her penetrating gaze. ¡°So, Princess, what questions did you have?¡±

    Mu again settled on a policy of honesty. ¡°I have been travelling on board a starship, the Amrita. Ulduz Yarghunqizi hired us to investigate the murder of Su Bolin at Karbaliq. Toghrul¡ª¡±

    Sayan held up her hand. ¡°I know the story well. Ask your questions.¡±

    Mu nodded. ¡°Ulduz thinks Toghrul is innocent. I was wondering if you had a view on that matter and¡ª¡±

    ¡°He is innocent,¡± said Sayan, her tone now firm, her smile gone.

    ¡°Do you have any evidence of that? Something we could¡ª¡±

    ¡°What would evidence mean? They don¡¯t have evidence that Toghrul was guilty. They don¡¯t because they can¡¯t. Such evidence does not exist. But that man¡ªhis brother, Taghay¡ªhe wants Toghrul gone, so Toghrul will take the blame. They will kill him.¡±

    ¡°They will not believe evidence from you, it¡¯s true,¡± said Mu, trying a different tack, ¡°But if we can get something compelling to Ulduz¡­ well, she¡¯s Taghay¡¯s sister.¡±

    ¡°I am certain Taghay does not believe Toghrul committed the murder, but he is still willing to see his brother die for that crime. You think a man who will slay his little brother will be swayed by his sister?¡±

    ¡°I think with the right evidence, Ulduz can make it impossible for the authorities to pretend to have a case,¡± said Mu. She still remembered Mingxia¡¯s accusations of na?vet¨¦, and was determined to avoid such perceptions now.

    ¡°What would work? Footage of the crime? No such footage exists and if it did¡­ they would say it is doctored,¡± said Sayan.

    ¡°It would be a start¡­ but what makes you so certain that no footage exists?¡±

    ¡°Because if it did, they would have destroyed it by now,¡± said Sayan. ¡°Maybe there was footage. There isn¡¯t now. I can guarantee that.¡±

    Mu felt a knot of frustration forming. She was starting to see why Ulduz considered this a ten million tael job. ¡°You want Toghrul to be freed, though?¡± she said.

    ¡°Of course,¡± said Sayan.

    ¡°You think he is important?¡± asked Mu.

    For a moment Sayan had a surprisingly introspective expression. ¡°Toghrul had big ideas. Big plans. He was a true champion of this world. He could have been its saviour.¡±

    ¡°You speak of him like he is already dead,¡± said Mu.

    ¡°He may as well be,¡± said Sayan, and Mu thought she detected a note of frustration in the other woman¡¯s voice also.

    ¡°That¡¯s what Ulduz hired us to avoid.¡±

    Sayan leant towards Mu. ¡°Believe me, if I could, I would save him. But I can¡¯t. And, even in death, Toghrul will pursue his mission. If he must be a martyr for this new world, so be it.¡±

    ¡°Is it not worth trying?¡± asked Mu. ¡°Should you not keep fighting, keep striving?¡±

    Mu saw something spark within Sayan. ¡°Are you accusing me of cowardice, Aixin?¡±

    Mu felt the ferocity bearing down on her. She shook her head rigorously. ¡°Of course not.¡±

    ¡°Toghrul is important to me for many reasons,¡± said Sayan. ¡°If I believed he could be saved from this fate, I would wade through lakes of blood and burn Yengishahr to the ground to do so. But I think Toghrul has accepted his fate, so I must too.¡±

    She paused a moment.

    Then she shouted out. ¡°Erkegul!¡±

    From somewhere nearby, the young girl who had escorted Mu, appeared again.

    ¡°Come,¡± said Sayan, and the girl walked over to her. ¡°Sit.¡±

    Erkegul took a seat next to Sayan, who placed an arm around her.

    ¡°There is another reason Toghrul is important to me. Not merely to this world, or to our people: to me. Erkegul is our daughter.¡±

    Mu hadn¡¯t been expecting that.

    ¡°So, Princess, do not doubt my commitment to Toghrul.¡±

    Mu was unsure what to say to that.

    ¡°You stumped her, Cousin Sayan,¡± said Atilay with a laugh.

    Sayan ruffled Erkegul¡¯s hair. After she withdrew her hand, Erkegul set to straightening it out again.

    ¡°What I am curious about, though,¡± said Sayan, ¡°Is why you are so committed. Is it truly just the money Ulduz has promised you? Did you endure near certain death to come here on the off chance I might be able to give you a lead?¡±

    In truth Mu wasn¡¯t sure herself. She had a potent need to make things right ¨C as right as ever they could be ¨C but she didn¡¯t know why she was so certain that this was the way to pursue that. ¡°I¡ª¡± she began hesitantly, ¡°I sense that something important is happening here. In truth, I don¡¯t really know what, but if I can play a role¡ª¡±

    ¡°Guilt is powerful, isn¡¯t it, Aixin?¡± said Sayan. ¡°Well, some might mock you for that. What is done is done, cannot be undone. But I guess it is a noble sentiment. Still, you risk your life for a mere hunch?¡±

    Mu looked away, into the dancing flames of the fire. She considered, then turned back. ¡°Perhaps you can help me understand?¡±

    Sayan smiled. ¡°You are open to learning. Surprisingly humble for a princess of the Aixin.¡±

    ¡°The U?armaz have shown me much of what my ancestors did here,¡± said Mu.

    ¡°Naturally. The centuries have mounted up, and they¡¯ve been forever trapped between life and death, unable to take flight into the Cosmos. Your people could have left us be. Even in defeat, this world could have simply been occupied. But no. Your Emperor chose to make an example of us, to demonstrate his accursed power. So yes, the U?armaz are angry.¡±

    ¡°That much, I understand,¡± said Mu. ¡°But what¡­ what of this conflict between brothers? What is it Toghrul believes he can do? Why would the development at Karbaliq be so terrible¡­ what is it about this disagreement that is worth killing and dying for?¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t know yourself why you risked your life to wade deeper in,¡± said Sayan, ¡°Yet here you are, asking us why we are passionate about defending our history? What little is left to us?¡±

    Mu chose her words carefully. ¡°I don¡¯t mean to minimise that¡­ but there is something else, isn¡¯t there?¡±

    Sayan looked over at Atilay Qam. ¡°There are some like Atilay Mallam who might disagree with me and Toghrul on this, but what do you think happens to the dead of Yarkan when we drive them forever from Karbaliq, with these ARCs that Taghay says he will bring?¡±

    ¡°The desert is vast,¡± said the Qam.

    ¡°But will Taghay stop? Will the Empire? In many ways Yarkan was never truly conquered. Yengishahr is part of the Empire, but out here? Sure, we must stick together and travel with our Qamlar if we are to be spared the Tempest and anguish of the U?armaz, but that was ever our way of life, even before the Theophany. In many ways, out here we are free. But if Yengishahr is not, if it is truly conquered, then that is the case because of the ARCs. When Taghay spreads that to Karbaliq, that will not be the end of it. And what happens when the dead have nowhere left to go? The ruins of Karbaliq are not merely a physical monument to our history. The U?armaz are a spiritual monument. They will not finally be able to take flight simply because we free Yarkan from the Tempest.¡±

    Mu listened intently. ¡°Is there no alternative to this way of things?¡±

    Sayan shook her head. ¡°That is not what Toghrul wanted. Taghay¡ªha!¡ªeven Atilay Mallam, here, they think that is what he wanted, to just accept our lot, but no. Toghrul dreamt of embracing our past, of working to truly let the U?armaz fly and end the Tempest.¡±

    She paused. Her tone shifted. ¡°Do you know much of science? What happens when you compress a gas? For a while you can do it. The pressure builds, but the gas can be stowed in a smaller and smaller space. But that cannot go on forever. Eventually, it will explode. If we build more and more ARCs, if ever more of the surface becomes ¡®protected zones¡¯, then one day we will have compressed the U?armaz so much that there will be an explosion. What does that look like? I do not know, but I do not think it is something we want to see.

    ¡°Toghrul wants a brighter future, but it requires patience, understanding¡­ respect for history, for the dead. Taghay brings none of that. There is a future for Yarkan ¨C one brighter than its past or present: no one disagrees on this. But we disagree ¨C profoundly ¨C on what road we must travel to reach that future.¡±

    Sayan sat back, folding her arms. She was quiet a moment. ¡°I get that you came here hoping for answers. I cannot help you with that. I cannot save Toghrul. But if you seek to understand what compelled you to come here, to endure so much, go back to the yurt. Think a little on what I have said. Perhaps the answers you truly seek will become clearer to you.¡±

    Mu sensed this conversation was drawing to an end. She stood. ¡°Thank you for your time,¡± she said.

    Sayan gave little more of a nod in response. Mu smiled at her, then at Atilay Qam. She began to walk away, back the way she had come, when she heard footsteps behind her.

    Chinor was there. ¡°You know she wasn¡¯t happy that Atilay Mallam and I brought you here.¡±

    ¡°She seemed happy enough to talk,¡± said Mu, ¡°I get the sense she wouldn¡¯t be shy in sending me away if that¡¯s what she wanted.¡±

    Chinor nodded. ¡°I¡­ I think¡­ She knows more than she is letting on, but I think she has her reasons for not speaking.¡±

    ¡°Is there something you can tell me?¡± asked Mu.

    They were now away from the gathering area, back among the maze of yurts.

    ¡°I won¡¯t betray her trust¡­ but there are things I don¡¯t understand about what she¡¯s doing. I think maybe you can get answers on that,¡± said Chinor.

    ¡°You¡¯re being very cryptic,¡± said Mu, ¡°But ¨C and I don¡¯t mean to be rude here ¨C I¡¯m getting a lot of that. She spoke plenty about Toghrul¡¯s big plans, but she never really said what they were?¡±

    Chinor visibly swallowed. ¡°I mean it when I say I won¡¯t betray her trust. I think she should tell you things. I will even talk to her on your behalf¡­ but it will be up to her to tell you.¡±

    A pause.

    ¡°But Toghrul, I honestly don¡¯t know what he planned. He had an inner circle. I went and worked with the company at Karbaliq, so obviously I was excluded, but I got the sense he had a big plan. Something specific. He was always searching archaeological sites for things, delving into the histories, the old stories. He would seek out Qamlar who said they could commune with the U?armaz. I¡¯m certain Sayan knows what that plan was¡ªis¡­ but I couldn¡¯t tell you.¡±

    Mu considered. ¡°Are they married? Her and Toghrul?¡±

    Chinor shook his head. ¡°Sayan is not like most girls of the tribes who marry young. She never married. Toghrul was¡ªis¡ªan outsider, someone whose family moved to Yengishahr and lost touch with the old ways, so it would be unusual for a girl of the tribes to marry him anyways¡­ but they were certainly close.¡±

    ¡°Even her brother doesn¡¯t know?¡± asked Mu.

    ¡°She doesn¡¯t talk about personal matters much,¡± said Chinor, ¡°I was surprised she said as much as she did to you.¡±

    Mu laughed. ¡°I can see that. Not one for girly gossip, I¡¯m thinking. She certainly strikes me as a tough one.¡±

    ¡°She is strong,¡± said Chinor, ¡°Stronger than I could ever be.¡±

    ¡°She seems so willing, or at least so resigned to Toghrul¡¯s fate,¡± said Mu.

    ¡°That¡¯s kind of the way she is¡­ but it¡¯s also Toghrul¡¯s influence,¡± said Chinor. ¡°Our histories are full of tales of leaders ¨C even the Khagans themselves ¨C making sacrifices for their tribe, their people. Toghrul¡­ well, his family, they have the blood of the Khagans in them. Toghrul takes that seriously. I think he thinks it is his duty to sacrifice everything for this planet if necessary¡­ or at least for what he thinks is necessary.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re not so sure that it¡¯s necessary?¡± asked Mu.

    Chinor shrugged. ¡°I don¡¯t know. Toghrul, Sayan¡­ they¡¯re much wiser than me. But then so is Atilay Qam, and he is not so convinced. Who knows¡­¡±

    As they¡¯d been talking, they had reached the yurt Mu had awoken in earlier. Chinor stopped.

    ¡°I will leave you here,¡± he said. He clearly wanted to say more.

    ¡°What is it?¡±

    ¡°I want to help you. I know he probably thinks I¡¯m a traitor for going and working at Karbaliq¡­ but I like Toghrul. I don¡¯t want him to die. I want you to succeed.¡±

    ¡°Thank you, Chinor,¡± said Mu. ¡°And thank you for saving me. I wouldn¡¯t be here without you.¡±

    Chinor blushed. ¡°It was the right thing to do.¡±

    A silence grew between them.

    Mu broke it. ¡°I¡­ have a lot to think about. And I¡¯m still not feeling the best. Goodnight, Chinor.¡±

    ¡°Goodnight¡­ Mu-Mukushen,¡± he said. With an awkward smile he began walking away. Then he turned, ¡°You should eat. I¡¯ll make sure someone brings you some food.¡±

    ¡°Oh, thank you,¡± said Mu. This time he left and she made her way inside the yurt, removing her boots at the entrance.

    Barely a moment passed before she heard a rustling, then Erkegul¡¯s face appeared. ¡°I brought some food,¡± she said.

    She handed Mu a plate with a variety of mostly unfamiliar items. Rice. Some sort of stewed meat. Dates. Mu thanked her.

    ¡°You try to save my Dad,¡± said the girl.

    Mu was surprised a moment. ¡°I am.¡±

    ¡°He did not kill that man,¡± said the girl.

    ¡°I don¡¯t think so either,¡± said Mu.

    ¡°The man¡­ the one who died. Mum and Dad - they friends with him, he come to the camp a lot.¡±

    ¡°He did?¡± asked Mu, shocked. ¡°Are you sure? Su Bolin?¡±

    The girl nodded fervently. ¡°That was his name. Yes. He help Dad with his plans.¡±

    Mu¡¯s mind was racing. ¡°But he worked for the company¡­¡±

    ¡°Lots of people pretend they work for company,¡± said the girl, ¡°Like Mr Su, or Uncle Chinor.¡±

 Chapter XXIII - Desert Fox

    Chapter XXIII ¨C Desert Fox

    ¡°Noodles! Noodles! Noodles!¡± sung Nova.

    Seraphina¡¯s crimson gaze locked upon her. ¡°I don¡¯t understand.¡±

    Nova looked over at her. ¡°Not much to understand. It¡¯s my noodle song.¡±

    ¡°What is its purpose?¡±

    ¡°To celebrate eating noodles.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not very good.¡±

    ¡°Well, miss critic, do you have a better noodle song?¡±

    ¡°I do not have any noodle songs.¡±

    ¡°As I suspected,¡± said Nova, enunciating each word slowly, picking up some noodles with her chopsticks and gleefully slurping them up. ¡°Noodles! Noodles! Noodles!¡± she sung through a full mouth.

    She put the cup of noodles down, taking a swig from her can of drink. She looked at the noodles contemplatively. ¡°I do enjoy noodles¡­ but I do kinda wish Harry would come back. He makes better noodles¡­ and I miss pizza¡­ and burgers¡­¡±

    ¡°You could learn to cook,¡± suggested Seraphina.

    ¡°What part of ¡®banned from the kitchen¡¯ don¡¯t you understand?¡±

    Seraphina seemed convinced by this argument.

    Nova¡¯s eerie experiences with the ghost were fading from the forefront of her mind. The whole incident seemed more of a curiosity now than the thing of horror it had been not so long ago. Not that she was quite ready to head back to her own room.

    Meanwhile she¡¯d been immersing herself in cracking the mystery on the surface.

    If the ghost had faded somewhat in her consciousness, events down below had taken the opposite trajectory. Kal had just informed them that Mu ¨C and now Tavian ¨C had ventured beyond the protected zone. It was a cause for considerable concern, but she tried to comfort herself that if things went awry, Kal was there, and he would be sure to keep everyone safe.

    Even as she was contemplating the situation, she heard a vibration. She slurped up some more noodles and looked to her side, where her tablet was sitting. A small notification was on screen.

    ¡°Got ¡®em!¡± she exclaimed.

    Seraphina looked her way with enquiring eyes. ¡°Got what?¡±

    ¡°Some idiot has kindly ¨C if unknowingly ¨C granted me access to the Yarghun Company¡¯s network.¡±

    ¡°Does that mean you can see the security footage now?¡± asked Seraphina.

    ¡°Hopefully,¡± replied Nova, her noodles now abandoned as she clicked away on her tablet. ¡°Hrm¡­ let¡¯s see¡­¡±

    It didn¡¯t take her long to locate the raw security footage. It also didn¡¯t take long to confirm her fears.

    ¡°It¡¯s been cleared out,¡± she said.

    ¡°The footage?¡±

    ¡°Yep. For the cameras that would have covered the murder, the span of about fifteen minutes either side of the murder is missing,¡± said Nova.

    ¡°That does not sound like a coincidence.¡±

    ¡°No, my friend, it does not.¡±

    Let¡¯s look for backups¡­ depending on how tech literate they are, they may not even realise backups were being made.

    A moment later she was looking at the backup files.

    ¡°Backups for those cameras have been wiped too.¡±

    ¡°That does not give us much material to continue our investigation.¡±

    ¡°No,¡± agreed Nova. ¡°But it isn¡¯t a dead end either. Everything leaves a trace. If we can find out who wiped the footage¡­ then we have a lead.¡±

    ¡°Is that something you¡¯ll be able to find?¡± asked Seraphina.

    ¡°We¡¯ll know in a sec,¡± said Nova, navigating through the forgotten parts of the company¡¯s network. ¡°Ah, there we go. Access audit. Let¡¯s have a look.¡±

    She awaited the results.

    Leaning in to look at them, she clicked her tongue.

    ¡°Well, we have a name.¡±

    ¡°Taghay?¡± asked Seraphina.

    Nova shook her head.

    ¡°Kinda doubt the top guy himself is the one doing all this dirty work,¡± said Nova.

    She showed the audit logs to Seraphina. The witch shook her head.

    ¡°It¡¯s not a name I recognise,¡± she said. ¡°We should consult the others on the surface. Maybe they will be familiar.¡±

    ¡°Maybe,¡± said Nova. ¡°Before we go bothering them, though, I¡¯m gonna do some more snooping on this guy first. See what else he¡¯s been up to. Check out his personnel file. Could be he does all the shady jobs for Taghay.¡±

    ¡°That sounds like a good idea,¡± said Seraphina.

    Nova set to work getting the system to bringing up the relevant personnel file, and searching the access audit to put together a history of his activity on the network.

    As this was happening, she resumed stuffing her face with noodles. ¡°How¡¯s the ghost going, by the way?¡±

    ¡°It is being elusive,¡± said Seraphina. ¡°I thought it wanted to communicate, but though it continues to dwell in the background, I have been unable to established direct contact.¡±

    ¡°I shoulda asked it what it wanted when it was haunting me,¡± said Nova. ¡°Maybe if it¡¯d been more chill¡­¡±

    ¡°Spirit behaviour is often difficult to fully explain,¡± said Seraphina. ¡°We cannot know what qualia the dead truly perceive, so it is highly probable that their observational experience of the mortal realm is highly inconsistent with our own. This may be why they do not seem to behave in a manner we may consider wholly rational.¡±

    ¡°Totally,¡± said Nova, ¡°And I¡¯m not into that. Opposite of machines and computers.¡±

    ¡°I will concede that it does make this task of communing with the spirit quite difficult,¡± said Seraphina. ¡°Perhaps I shall further consult my grimoire.¡±

    With that she conjured up her enormous floating book once more. Nova put her noodles aside once more, took a swig of her drink, then returned her attention to her tablet.

    ¡°Ha,¡± she said.

    Seraphina looked over from her book. ¡°Have you discovered something interesting?¡±

    ¡°Kinda the opposite. If this guy is doing all the suss jobs for Taghay, they¡¯ve done a really good job of getting rid of any obvious connections.¡±

    ¡°What is his job?¡± asked Seraphina.

    ¡°Going by his personnel file, he¡¯s just some grunt on site at Karbaliq. I don¡¯t even understand why he has this level of access. He¡¯s not involved in security or anything,¡± said Nova.

    She shrugged and took another drink.

    ¡°Ah well,¡± she said, ¡°I guess I¡¯ll let the others know what I¡¯ve found and see if the name rings a bell with them.¡±

    She pulled up the personnel file again, scanning it once more for anything she may have missed on her first perusal. Nothing.

    There were definitely more leads to investigate ¨C when and by who were his access permissions granted? Had he contacted Taghay or any likely intermediaries¡­ she¡¯d keep probing. But if any of the others knew the name, they might at least be able to give her search some focus.

    ¡°I tell you what, Sera,¡± she said. ¡°I really struggle with these names. Gotta learn how to pronounce this one before I speak to Ostara and the others. Hrm¡­ let¡¯s see¡­¡±

    She examined the name, mentally forming the sounds.

    ¡°I guess it makes it easier that they all have the same endings. I can say the whole ¡®oghul¡¯ part now. Still, makes them all blend together. How¡¯s this sound? Chee-nor Yee-nahl-o-ghul. Chinor Yinaloghul.¡±

    Seraphina nodded. ¡°That sounded approximately correct to me.¡±

    The cameleers had found Tavian near ?zg¨¹nyaylaq.

    As they entered the camp Tavian was in a contemplative mood, his mind wandering over his experiences in the buried village. The desert landscapes, especially in the early hours, with the sandstorm now long abated, had a certain quality that demanded such reflection.

    Before him stretched an expanse of maybe fifty or so tents. Though the hour was still early, there was already plenty of activity. At the centre of the camp, a great fire was burning and many of the nomads gathered about it, breaking their fast.

    The two cameleers were not a talkative pair. There had been a perfunctory exchange when first they arrived before him at ?zg¨¹nyaylaq. From this he had ascertained the answer to his principal question: an Aixin woman was staying at their camp as a guest of Sister Sayan. After that, there was little further discussion, but given his pensive mindset, Tavian was fine with that. It was enough to take in those vast and undulating desert landscapes and await his reunion with Mu ¨C Mu, who if nothing else, was confirmed to still be alive. The Black City had seemed comparatively kind to him, but had Mu endured greater tribulation?

    The tribesmen halted their mounts.

    ¡°You wait here,¡± said one.

    He dismounted. Tavian followed suit, less gracefully. The other man led the camels away, while the first man headed off among the maze of tents.

    Tavian gazed around him. The morning¡¯s light was spreading, the sky transitioning from pink to blue. A complex melange of scents wafted through the camp. A few people looked his way. In each instance he responded with a broad grin, more often than not reciprocated. His erstwhile guides¡¯ subdued vibes notwithstanding, he had found that the Yarkanese were, as a rule, always ready with a smile, regardless of what attitudes they might harbour. He could not deny the planet¡¯s hospitality. Irrespective of the smiles, though, no one deigned to say a word to him, each person merely continuing about whatever business animated them.

    ¡°I see you came better prepared than your friend,¡± came a jovial voice from behind him.

    He spun about to come face to face with a tall woman, dressed in typical Yarkanese nomad fashion, but eschewing the bright colours of others in favour of shades of orange-brown and green. She carried herself with a sense of pride and strength. There was a danger about her, too. Tavian didn¡¯t know precisely what it was, but he had the distinct impression that though she was someone who was quick to display mirth, she would be as quick to violence, given just cause.

    ¡°Well, I didn¡¯t think it¡¯d be much use two of us dying the desert,¡± Tavian responded.

    ¡°You¡¯re funnier than she is,¡± said the woman. She put a hand to her chest, ¡°Sayan Yinalqizi.¡±

    ¡°Tavian Locke. Pleasure to meet you, ma¡¯am.¡±

    Tavian only now saw that a young girl was standing behind Sayan, seemingly willing that she not be noticed.

    ¡°And who is this young lady?¡± asked Tavian.

    ¡°This is my daughter, Erkegul,¡± said Sayan, stepping aside so that she was no longer between Tavian and the girl.

    ¡°Nice to meet you, Erkegul,¡± said Tavian, with a smile and a bow of his head.

    Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site.

    ¡°Ha-hello,¡± said Erkegul.

    Tavian observed with interest the momentarily soft smile that crossed Sayan¡¯s face as she looked down at Erkegul, placing a hand gently upon the girl¡¯s shoulder. Of course, it was fleeting. Her raptor¡¯s gaze returned to Tavian.

    ¡°I expect you are firstly wishing to speak with Mukushen?¡± asked Sayan.

    Tavian nodded. ¡°I would appreciate it.¡±

    ¡°Follow me,¡± said Sayan.

    Tavian nodded and set off after her. Erkegul walked along, a little behind.

    ¡°Atilay Mallam tells me you are a musician?¡±

    ¡°That is my trade,¡± said Tavian.

    ¡°But you are no ordinary musician.¡±

    ¡°I do try to be other than ordinary¡­ in anything I do,¡± replied Tavian.

    ¡°Mallam says you play the music of the U?armaz.¡±

    ¡°Is he here?¡±

    ¡°He was the one that brought Princess Mukushen to us.¡±

    Tavian was genuinely surprised to hear this. ¡°Funny: last we met him, it seemed as if he was determined to have her killed.¡±

    Sayan laughed, ¡°Oh, he is not so terrible as he likes to appear. But you didn¡¯t answer my question.¡±

    ¡°Well, I played him a song. Barchin¡¯s Lament, I am told,¡± said Tavian. ¡°Frankly, he didn¡¯t seem particularly impressed.¡±

    ¡°Neither you nor Mukushen would be here if he was not impressed,¡± said Sayan. ¡°Chinor has certainly taken a liking to the two of you. He heard your song, no?¡±

    ¡°He was the one that took us to see Atilay Qam.¡±

    ¡°I daresay I can blame my dear little brother for much of the trouble that is to come.¡±

    ¡°We don¡¯t been to bring trouble,¡± said Tavian. ¡°We are just trying to prove a man¡¯s innocence.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Mukushen has spoken to me of your mission.¡±

    Tavian flashed a grin, ¡°And have you solved everything for her?¡±

    Sayan stopped walking. She faced Tavian. ¡°Mr Tavian¡­ there are things at play here that you two, as outsiders, cannot comprehend.¡±

    ¡°I guess not, then.¡±

    Sayan gestured to the tent they were standing beside. ¡°Go speak to Mukushen. She will tell you what we have discussed. After that we will talk further.¡±

    Tavian nodded, but didn¡¯t immediately part ways with her. ¡°We are trying to help Toghrul. As I understand things, that puts you and me on the same side.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t understand much, Mr Tavian,¡± said Sayan, and Tavian thought for just a moment that he detected a note of sorrow or regret in her tone.

    ¡°Perhaps you can help me with that?¡±

    ¡°Perhaps¡­ Things are in motion. Big things. They have not yet acquired the quality of inevitability, but that threshold is surely not far off. I¡¯m not sure your understanding will change much. For me. For Toghrul. For Yarkan.¡±

    ¡°Very mysterious,¡± said Tavian. He indicated over his shoulder with his thumb. ¡°I¡¯ll go talk to Mu.¡±

    ¡°You do that.¡±

    With that Sayan turned and strode away, Erkegul scampering after her.

    Tavian watched them go, then turned to the tent. He found the entrance and called in, ¡°Morning, Mu!¡±

    He heard hurried rustling sounds from within. Moments later, Mu pulled back the flap at the entrance.

    ¡°Tavian!¡± she said, her eyes lit up. She seemed to catch herself and cleared her throat. ¡°Took your time.¡±

    ¡°Well, Princess, you ran off without me,¡± he said. ¡°Am I coming in, or are you coming out?¡±

    She glanced around. ¡°Oh, come in.¡±

    He stepped inside, setting about removing his boots. This was no simple task, given the complex design of the sand suit. Eventually, though, he set the boots aside and followed Mu in.

    It was a smaller tent with a distinctly more traditional design than the mass-produced company tents back in the protected zone. This little circular tent and everything inside it gave the impression of being handmade. To Tavian¡¯s mind, it gave it all a folkish charm.

    Mu, he saw, was now dressed after the manner of the desert nomads, wearing a light and colourful dress. Her long black hair ¨C which ordinarily was carefully and precisely arranged ¨C was tied into a simple, loose bun.

    ¡°You¡¯ve gone native, I see,¡± he remarked.

    Mu rolled her eyes. ¡°Our hosts provided me with a change of clothes.¡±

    ¡°They do seem nice,¡± said Tavian. ¡°I met Sayan.¡±

    ¡°I met her last night,¡± said Mu, ¡°She seems intense¡­ but not unreasonable.¡±

    ¡°I would not like to be on her bad side,¡± said Tavian. ¡°And I¡¯m reasonably sure we aren¡¯t yet.¡±

    ¡°I think she¡¯s fairly straightforward. We would know if she had problems with us,¡± said Mu.

    ¡°You¡¯re probably right,¡± said Tavian, taking a seat on the small bed. Mu, who was still standing, gave him a look, but said nothing. ¡°Quite the looker, too.¡±

    ¡°Is that the only thing you can think about?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not fair, I mentioned other things before that. Plus, you can¡¯t deny it,¡± said Tavian.

    Mu said nothing, but glared at him.

    ¡°So, did you get much out of her?¡±

    Mu shook her head. ¡°Not really. Less than I was hoping. Like Chinor said, she¡¯s definitely a strong supporter of Toghrul, but she seems pretty resigned to his fate. Almost weirdly so, given how fierce she comes across.¡±

    ¡°Maybe she isn¡¯t as straightforward as we think. She certainly said some cryptic stuff when she was talking to me just now,¡± said Tavian. He swung his legs up onto the bed and lay down, staring up at the ceiling. The sun was getting brighter outside.

    Mu didn¡¯t immediately say anything, so he looked over her way. She was glaring at him, but also clearly considering something.

    ¡°She definitely has secrets¡­ but she¡¯s also pretty upfront about the fact she¡¯s not telling us things, or at least that¡¯s how she was with me. She talked about Toghrul having big plans, about him wanting to end the Tempest on Yarkan¡­ but she wouldn¡¯t tell me details.¡±

    ¡°She told me ¡®big things¡¯ were in motion,¡± said Tavian, providing air quotes for ¡®big things¡¯.

    Mu was rubbing her hands together, deep in thought, when she next spoke, ¡°I did find out something. Not from Sayan, but I think it¡¯s important.¡±

    ¡°Oh?¡±

    ¡°Well, I spoke to her daughter.¡±

    ¡°I met her. Erky¡ª¡±

    ¡°Erkegul,¡± said Mu. ¡°She brought me food last night.¡±

    ¡°Food! Now there¡¯s a good idea, I am starving¡­ but, er, carry on.¡±

    ¡°She let on that Chinor might be working with Toghrul and Sayan.¡±

    Tavian shrugged. ¡°I mean, he¡¯s been willing to help us from the beginning. New info, I guess, but not exactly surprising.¡±

    Mu shook her head. ¡°That¡¯s not the big part. Su Bolin ¨C the murder victim ¨C often came and talked with Sayan and Toghrul.¡±

    Tavian sat up. ¡°Now that is something new.¡±

    ¡°What do you think it means?¡±

    ¡°I think it means Taghay¡¯s trying to kill two birds with one stone,¡± said Tavian.

    ¡°How do you figure?¡±

    ¡°Well, if I had to guess what happened, based on what we know so far, I¡¯d say our late friend Mr Su was secretly working with Toghrul and Sayan and got found out. Now he¡¯s reasonably senior in the company ¨C a site manager or whatever ¨C and so this is a big problem. Taghay has him taken out, blames it on Toghrul. Bam! The traitor¡¯s dealt with and the principal nuisance is taken out of the picture at the same time.¡±

    Mu considered what Tavian had said. ¡°One thing bothers me though. If it happened like that, I still just don¡¯t buy that Toghrul and Sayan are just accepting it. I mean, I dunno, I haven¡¯t met Toghrul, but he seems like someone who¡¯s managed to get everyone stirred up. He seems like a pretty passionate guy. And Sayan, well you¡¯ve met her.¡±

    ¡°You got a theory then?¡±

    Mu shook her head. ¡°No. But I think that¡¯s the missing piece of the puzzle that would bring this all together: what is Toghrul planning?¡±

    ¡°So, you don¡¯t like my theory?¡± asked Tavian.

    ¡°Don¡¯t be sad, it¡¯s not that I don¡¯t like it, it¡¯s just I think there¡¯s some extra part of it that we¡¯re not getting,¡± said Mu.

    Tavian shrugged. ¡°I guess the investigation goes on, then.¡±

    ¡°I guess so,¡± said Mu. ¡°You know another thing that¡¯s interesting?¡±

    ¡°Bees? How are they so organised?¡±

    Mu looked half-puzzled, half-annoyed. ¡°What? No. Su Bolin. It¡¯s a Shang name. In the time I¡¯ve spent on Yarkan, I¡¯ve hardly seen any Shang people. Pretty much everyone appears to be ethnically Jaril.¡±

    ¡°Company employs offworlders. Doesn¡¯t seem so remarkable,¡± said Tavian.

    ¡°Sure, but why would an offworlder get tied up with Toghrul¡¯s group?¡± asked Mu.

    Tavian shrugged. ¡°No idea. Guess we add that one to the mystery pile. At any rate, maybe we should contact Ostara and the others, see what they think about all of this?¡±

    ¡°Yes!¡± said Mu. ¡°I lost my tablet at some point ¨C I don¡¯t know when ¨C and I¡¯ve been wanting to let everyone know I¡¯m alive.¡±

    ¡°We were wondering about that. Before I left to come after you, we were trying to contact you ¨C after we got your cheery little message. Figured the storm was getting in the way, but then I still couldn¡¯t get hold of you once it cleared. Did wonder whether you were dead ¨C hoped you weren¡¯t.¡±

    ¡°Gee, thanks,¡± said Mu. ¡°It was not easy getting here.¡±

    ¡°I was gonna ask. How did the Black City treat you?¡±

    ¡°I saw some things. I¡¯m still trying to make sense of it all,¡± said Mu, gazing down at her feet. ¡°I¡ªI kept seeing the dead and the dying of Karbaliq¡­ you know, when it all happened. Children¡­ he murdered children, their parents¡­ everyone. I can¡¯t understand how anyone could do that, but I just keep thinking¡­ that was my ancestor. The blood of that monster¡­¡±

    Tavian gave an exasperated sigh. ¡°How many times are you going to do this? You aren¡¯t the First Emperor. You didn¡¯t do this. And, look, the whole reason you and I met is because you¡¯re running away from all that.¡±

    ¡°Maybe that¡¯s stupid of me. Maybe I can¡¯t escape¡­ that¡¯s what people keep telling me. It¡¯s my destiny, apparently.¡±

    ¡°Bullshit,¡± said Tavian. ¡°You get to choose who you are. That¡¯s why you were on Shangxia. That¡¯s why you¡¯re on the Amrita. Because you get to choose, and you did choose. Hey, maybe I¡¯d be saying something else if you came here as Empress-to-be on some inspection of your dominions. But you didn¡¯t. You came here as a lowly runaway, just like me, just like the rest of us on that ship. And now you¡¯re out here risking your life to try and make things better. Sure, I don¡¯t know what you hope to achieve, and I¡¯m not sure you do either, but your heart¡¯s in the right place. So just forget about feeling guilty.¡±

    Mu was silent.

    She took a shuddering breath.

    ¡°It¡¯s just not that simple,¡± she said. ¡°You didn¡¯t see what I did in the ruins.¡±

    ¡°I saw things. I saw the dead,¡± said Tavian. ¡°But I get it, I didn¡¯t experience what you did. I haven¡¯t had your experiences. My Dad was a piece of shit alcoholic who beat his kids, and I¡¯m pretty sure his was pretty much the same, but I¡¯m reasonably certain none of my ancestors committed Cosmic genocide.¡±

    Mu narrowed her eyes at him. ¡°Are you trying to help right now?¡±

    Tavian swung his legs around to place his feet once more on the ground. ¡°Tell you what. If you wanna just go rogue ¨C go all in with whatever Sayan and Toghrul are up to, I¡¯ll happily advocate for you. I¡¯ll be there right by your side. I¡¯ve got nothing better going on. Mind you, I¡¯m not saying this is what you need to do. I stand by what I said about you not being guilty of anything. But you gotta work out what it takes to get your head sorted, clear your conscience, whatever.¡±

    ¡°Why are you like this?¡±

    ¡°Did I say something offensive?¡± asked Tavian.

    ¡°One moment you¡¯re an arsehole, the next¡­ why are you so willing to help me?¡±

    Tavian shrugged. ¡°I dunno. Duality of man¡­ or something. Who am I kidding? I guess this place has kinda got under my skin. I¡¯m invested now. Plus¡ª¡± here he paused just long enough to ensure he had Mu waiting on his next words, ¡°¡ªyou¡¯re an attractive woman. That¡¯s always been reason enough for me to do anything.¡±

    ¡°And there it is,¡± she said. ¡°For a moment there I thought Karbaliq might have changed you, but you¡¯re still an arsehole.¡±

    Tavian laughed. ¡°I¡¯ve been hearing some allegations lately that I might be a nice guy. Just wanted to clear that up.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry,¡± said Mu, ¡°I am not confused anymore.¡±

    Harry ended the call.

    ¡°Well?¡± said Kal, taking a sip of his beer.

    ¡°Mu¡¯s alive. Tavian¡¯s with her,¡± said Harry.

    ¡°That¡¯s good news,¡± said Kal.

    Harry nodded. ¡°Especially since I would have felt quite guilty that we¡¯re sitting by the oasis drinking beers if it turned out she was dead.¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s tough, that girl,¡± said Kal. ¡°I was sure she¡¯d make it.¡±

    Harry sipped his own beer, nodding slowly, while observing Kal. ¡°¡¯Course.¡±

    A gentle breeze played upon the surface of the lake. The weather had improved out of sight after the storm of the previous day. It was hard to even imagine this being the same place.

    ¡°You know, I think I get it now,¡± said Harry.

    ¡°Get what?¡± asked Kal.

    ¡°How they plan on making this into a resort. It¡¯s actually quite a pleasant spot, when the weather¡¯s behaving.¡±

    Kal nodded.

    ¡°I mean, they say it¡¯s haunted, but I haven¡¯t seen any ghosts,¡± said Harry. ¡°You?¡±

    ¡°Only the ones in my dreams,¡± said Kal.

    Harry grinned. ¡°Ah, uplifting as ever.¡±

    He gazed out at the lake. The water was a profound blue, reflecting the clear desert sky, except where the dark reflections of the ruins stretched out, their outlines distorted with each breath of the zephyr.

    ¡°Have they contacted Ostara?¡± asked Kal.

    ¡°Apparently,¡± said Harry.

    ¡°Any word from Yengishahr?¡±

    ¡°No major breakthroughs, though she has succeeded in getting access to Toghrul, so who knows, perhaps she¡¯ll find something out there.¡±

    Kal moved his hand to his mouth, ostensibly stroking his beard and moustache, but quietly he spoke. ¡°Don¡¯t look, but we¡¯re being watched.¡±

    Harry had to resist the very strong impulse to immediately turn and look. He nonchalantly took another sip of his beer. Never breaking his smile, he spoke, continuing to stare out towards the water.

    ¡°Anyone we know?¡± he said, quietly.

    ¡°No, but I saw her earlier too,¡± said Kal. ¡°Some company worker.¡±

    Harry yawned, maintaining a spectacularly unbothered appearance. ¡°Well, I mean, we did come here thanks to Nova¡¯s surveillance coverage map. Guess they need to keep an eye on us the old-fashioned way.¡±

    Kal took a sip of his beer. ¡°This one¡¯s different. Something about her I can¡¯t put my finger on. The way she moves.¡±

    Harry laughed. ¡°The way she moves, huh? Got a little crush there, Big Guy?¡±

    But Kal didn¡¯t respond. ¡°She¡¯s gone.¡±

    Harry looked over at Kal. The other man seemed more concerned about this than Harry would have expected. ¡°I guess two guys sitting and drinking beers isn¡¯t all that interesting.¡±

    ¡°She was just there¡­¡± said Kal.

    Harry now dropped his act and looked around. He saw trees. Sand. Water. The Black City rose beyond the edge of the trees. The tents of the company camp were arrayed a little closer. He did not see any woman watching them.

    ¡°Tell you what, why don¡¯t we head back to the tent. We¡¯ll take the long way, via the foreshore. There¡¯s not anyone around, so if anyone wants to follow us, they¡¯ll be pretty obvious.¡±

    Kal looked over at him. ¡°Fine.¡±

    Harry rose to his feet, Kal virtually leapt to his, his eyes scanning their surroundings. Harry dusted the sand off his trousers, casting his own eyes about once more, but still seeing no one. He stooped to pick up the cooler of beers, using the strap on it to hang it over his shoulder. Without another word they began making their way down the short slope to the lake shore. As they went Harry tried to decide whether this was a case of Kal being paranoid, or whether he should trust the older man¡¯s instincts on this. Something about the intensity of Kal¡¯s expression made him lean towards the latter.

    But what was Kal concerned about?

    They knew the company was keeping a close eye on them while they were at Karbaliq. Some company employee tailing them seemed to be no big deal. An annoyance at most, but hardly even that.

    They were not far from the water¡¯s edge when Kal stopped. He turned around.

    ¡°Come out,¡± he demanded, his voice deep and commanding.

    Harry stopped a few metres ahead of him, turning to face back towards the poplars. From among them emerged a woman wearing a company worker¡¯s uniform. She had narrow eyes with a knowing look, and a sly smile.

    ¡°Hello, boys,¡± she said. ¡°I guess the game¡¯s over.¡±

    ¡°Guess so,¡± said Kal, snarling the words.

    The woman raised a finger to point at him. ¡°Kallistos Nyx,¡± she said, then pointed to Harry. ¡°Harry Zhang. Am I right?¡±

    The revelation that she knew their names did little to improve Kal¡¯s mood. ¡°Who are you?¡±

    ¡°Oh, how rude of me,¡± she said. ¡°Zhen Yan is my name. I thought maybe we could have a little chat.¡±

    ¡°Talk then.¡±

    ¡°I was hoping you could tell me where I¡¯d find Mukushen.¡±

    Kal glared darkly at her. ¡°Not here.¡±

    ¡°I figured,¡± said Zhen Yan, ¡°That¡¯s why I¡¯m asking you. I have some¡­ business to discuss with her.¡±

    Kal was about to speak again, but Harry put his hand on the other man¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Easy there, Big Guy,¡± he said, then turned to Zhen Yan, ¡°Perhaps if you could give us a bit of a better idea about what¡¯s going on, we could be more helpful.¡±

    Zhen Yan seemed to consider his words, taking a few more steps towards them as she did so. ¡°Well, Mr Zhang, I am in a bit of a hurry and I have some clients who very much appreciate confidentiality, so I¡¯m not sure I can provide you with too much additional information. However¡ª¡±

    Here she paused and lifted one hand over her head, raising her index finger and making a quick circular motion. Before their eyes her appearance changed in an instant. The unremarkable company uniform was gone, replaced by a black sleeveless tunic, one side crossed over the other, bound at the waist by a cloth belt. Underneath this, she wore a pair of tight shorts. Her forearms were bound in white cloth. On her feet were a pair of split-toed boots rising to the mid-calf. More remarkable than her outfit though, was the pair of fox-like ears that sprouted from her head and the nine tails that appeared behind her.

    ¡°¡ªyou need not be concerned,¡± she continued, drawing a long straight sword from a sheath on her back, ¡°You are not my targets, so if you cooperate¡­ we can make this easy.¡±

    Kal groaned and move his head from side to side, his neck making a cracking sound. ¡°Pass that cooler,¡± he said to Harry.

    Wordlessly, Harry complied. Kal opened it, and took out two beer bottles. He smashed them together, the liquid within splashing across the dry desert sand, leaving behind a mess of jagged glass.

    His voice was low and filled with menace once he next spoke. ¡°This was never going to be easy, not the moment you threatened any member of my crew. Not for you.¡±

    ¡°Oooh, but I think it will be fun.¡±

    Zhen Yan¡¯s eyes lit up with delight.

    "Finally someone who isn''t afraid."

 Chapter XXIV - Martyr of Yarkan

    Chapter XXIV ¨C Martyr of Yarkan

    Roughly ten metres of flat sandy ground separated Kal from Zhen Yan. Either or both would close the gap in an instant. The trick was going to be getting in under the range of that sword of hers. He figured his best bet was to block a strike from the sword with his cybernetic left arm. Unusually he was wearing long sleeves, so with any luck the use of the arm would catch her off guard. And once he had her at that range it would be over quickly.

    But Kal had never been one to underestimate an opponent and everything about this one ¨C from her ecstatic joy at the prospect of violence, to her poise and precise movements ¨C suggested she knew how to fight.

    Then there was the matter of what other powers she might have. Her appearance had changed in an instant, but was she a true shapeshifter or was it an illusion? Kal had fought many strange opponents in his life. The Host of Xerxes fielded all manner of horrors, and Kal had faced them innumerable times. With his bare hands he had slain a Void Chimaera. With his spear he had brought down Manticores. He had fought against the Writhe, seething masses of shadowy tendrils that sustained themselves by devouring the sanity of men. Whatever this vixen was capable of, Kal would be ready.

    Not moving his eyes off the woman, he called out to Harry. ¡°Contact security. If she¡¯s still alive by the time they get here, we¡¯ll find out who sent her.¡±

    Harry nodded. Kal saw Zhen Yan¡¯s eyes dart to him.

    ¡°Your fight¡¯s with me, fox. Follow him and you won¡¯t last long.¡±

    She turned back to him with a grin. ¡°You talk a big game. Let¡¯s see what you can do.¡±

    When she moved, she moved fast.

    But Kal could move fast, too.

    He dodged. He¡¯d catch her off-guard with his cybernetic arm when the moment was right, but from here he wasn¡¯t going to be able to close in and mount a counter attack.

    Her blade danced about in a frenzied flurry of strikes. Each time Kal managed to avoid one of the slashes or thrusts, there was no delay as the blade changed direction, homing in on in him. It was as if it had a mind of its own, and it was thirsty ¨C thirsty for his blood. Unable to block her strikes, Kal had to keep moving ¨C ducking and weaving ¨C but ultimately propelled back, always remaining just out of the thirsting blade¡¯s reach, seldom more than centimetres from a fatal strike.

    If only I had a proper weapon. With her speed, and her reach advantage, I¡¯m never going to get close enough to land a blow.

    As Zhen Yan¡¯s blade darted forward, passing by his ear, he ducked. An infinitesimal fraction of a second later it was already making a slashing movement, right through where his head had just been. Her attacks changed direction so fast, it seemed to almost violate physical laws. Where was the conservation of momentum? Even among all those monstrosities of the Host, there was never anything that moved quite like this.

    Zhen Yan laughed, but she did not relent in her assault to do so. ¡°You¡¯re quick for an old man. Been a while since I had a proper opponent.¡±

    Kal didn¡¯t respond.

    Distractions. Only distractions.

    He knew he had to change the momentum of this fight. Without some significant turning point, sooner or later his luck would run out. Kal was strong. Far stronger than any ordinary man. He carried the blood of the Pyrphoroi. He was born for war. Yet even if he survived the first blow that caught him, it would undoubtedly slow him. And if she could land a blow on him when he was fresh and unwounded, a second would inevitably follow the first. If there was a third, there would not be a fourth.

    Provided of course, the Flame did not ignite.

    It didn¡¯t matter. If he had his way, there would not be a first.

    He flung one of the broken bottles towards her. Instinctively, she moved out of the way of the projectile. That was his opening. He surged forward like a charging bull, combining immense speed and power. The blade moved quickly, but not quickly enough.

    And then he had her.

    His huge natural hand closed around her upper sword arm like a crushing vice. His mechanical arm drove the remaining bottle¡¯s jagged points towards her neck, but she managed to squirm about so that the glass drove deep into her other arm, flecking the sand with blood.

    Kal had broken many rules in his life, but he wasn¡¯t about to break the laws of physics.

    Momentum was conserved.

    The two of them went tumbling back, as her lithe form, built for speed and agility, crumpled before his uncanny physical might. They landed in the sand, he on top, gazing down at her. With one hand he drove the glass deeper into her arm, severing flesh and tendons alike. She gave a cry of pain as he twisted about the makeshift weapon, all the time his other hand squeezing tighter and tighter till he felt like the bones might begin to crack and break.

    ¡°Nothing to say now?¡± said Kal.

    He released her sword arm from his grip and it fell limply at her side. Without taking his eyes away from her face, he yanked the sword from her lame hand and cast it away. She struggled futilely, both her arms now unusable wrecks, all her strength not even rating as a nuisance to Kal.

    ¡°You did this,¡± he snarled. ¡°No one touches this crew. Not on my watch. I hope the money was worth it.¡±

    Yet even as he looked down into her face, awaiting her response, he was surprised when at last it came. He relented the twisting of the glass, now buried deep in the horrific bloody mess of her shoulder. The sand she lay in was turning to dark mud. Cloth and skin and flesh and glass were inextricably meshed, all gleaming bright and crimson in the harsh light of the desert.

    As he watched, though, her screams turned to laughter; her eyes, scrunched closed in agony, now burst open and sparkled with mischievous light.

    ¡°Oh, you are good!¡± she said, her voice erupting with effusive, unhinged relish, her manic laughter high and piercing to his ears.

    Momentum was conserved.

    But matter was not.

    For in an instant she was gone, Kal lurching forward onto his hands and knees, glass crumbling beneath his iron hand.

    It took a moment for him to work out what had happened.

    But it took the smallest sound to awaken his martial instinct. Her footsteps were soft, but fast, precisely what his brain was ever alert to.

    The company worker from before now charged him, the very sword he had cast aside in her hands.

    This time he didn¡¯t try to hold off employing his surprise move until later. As the charging blow swept towards him, his iron arm sprung forward and caught the blade.

    At least that is what he expected to happen.

    Instead, the blade slid straight through his hand, severing the thumb. It was all he could do to leap out of the way, but it still left a shallow gouge across his abdomen.

    Not good.

    Though she had caught him by surprise, and not the other way around, he could see in an instant that she was slower now. Her blade did not move with the same impossible agility it had exhibited before.

    And even against an opponent armed with a blade that could slice through the reinforced and armoured metal of the star-forges; even while utterly unarmed himself: Kal knew he could defeat this opponent. Speed and tricks were all she had. She had not yet seen all he had.

    But she was about to.

    ¡°You¡¯re hurting.¡±

    This time there was no response from her.

    But Kal didn¡¯t care. He could already feel the frenzy rising in him, the moment her blade had pierced his flesh. It was the frenzy that all thoughts of self-preservation gave way to; the frenzy that had seen him tear through the Voidborn Legions of the Host across countless worlds.

    The Flame of the Pyrphoroi had lit within him.

    Only blood could quench it.

    Each day in Yengishahr seemed colder and shorter than that which had preceded it. Though the vast landscapes of the steppe had an undeniable stark beauty to them, Ostara found herself longing for the warmth and light of her garden.

    But that would have to wait.

    She stepped out of the cold, following Ulduz. A large sign bearing the insignia of the Planetary Government of Yarkan proclaimed this to be Yengishahr Central Detention Facility.

    A bored guard greeted them, showing none of the usual warmth of the Yarkanese people, to which Ostara had become accustomed. Elsewhere in the Empire, of course, such interactions were rather more common.

    ¡°Identification?¡± said the guard, holding out her hand.

    Ulduz provided it.

    Ostara provided hers also.

    The Guard looked from one of them to the other. ¡°Ulduz Yarghunqizi? Ostara Li?¡±

    They both nodded.

    She returned their identification. ¡°Purpose of visit?¡±

    ¡°We are visiting Toghrul Yarghunoghul,¡± said Ulduz.

    The Guard inspected her terminal.

    ¡°Please proceed to the waiting area. Someone will escort you to the meeting whenever the prisoner is ready.¡±

    Ostara smiled widely and thanked the guard as they went through. The guard remained stony faced.

    The waiting room was mostly empty. They took seats.

    ¡°Li?¡± asked Ulduz, ¡°I don¡¯t think you¡¯ve mentioned your surname in any of our interactions.¡±

    ¡°My culture does not use surnames,¡± said Ostara, ¡°I picked a common name to use in the Empire.¡±

    ¡°Ah,¡± said Ulduz. She paused a moment. ¡°Now, as I said, please don¡¯t expect too much. Toghrul has barely uttered a word in his own defence, even with the prospect of death hanging over his head. I suspect my other brother only consented to this meeting even happening because he expects nothing will come of it.¡±

    Ostara smiled reassuringly. ¡°I appreciate this may not yield much, but you¡¯ll forgive me for insisting on being thorough. The rest of the crew is hard at work at Karbaliq. Any piece of information Tohgrul provides, however small, may aid the others.¡±

    Ulduz nodded. ¡°I am paying you to be thorough.¡±

    ¡°Well, I¡¯m hoping you¡¯re happy so far,¡± said Ostara.

    ¡°I am confident you are leaving no stone unturned,¡± said Ulduz.

    Further conversation was cut short. A guard walked in. ¡°You here to see Toghrul?¡± he asked.

    ¡°So soon!¡± said Ostara, cheerfully. ¡°The lovely lady at the entrance had led me to believe there would be a longer wait.¡±

    ¡°This way, please,¡± said the guard, ignoring her remarks.

    Ostara and Ulduz followed the guard down a series of winding hallways, then into a small room with nothing but three chairs in it, two of which faced the other. There were no windows in the room, though the overhead lights were unpleasantly bright.

    The solitary chair was occupied by a man. He had an unkempt mop of black hair atop his head. He had short stubble on his face, but lacked the thick moustache that most men on Yarkan seemed to cultivate. He wore a simple grey jumpsuit and Ostara noted he wore thick socks, but no shoes.

    His head was hung down, but he looked up as they entered. There were those same piercing blue eyes. Undoubtedly Ulduz and Taghay were this man¡¯s siblings.

    ¡°Sister,¡± he said.

    ¡°Toghrul,¡± replied Ulduz, as she and Ostara sat in the chairs facing him.

    The guard stood by the door.

    ¡°Who is this?¡±

    ¡°I am Ostara. It¡¯s a pleasure to meet you, Toghrul.¡±

    This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.

    ¡°You are working for my sister?¡± he asked.

    Ostara observed his face. He was undeniably handsome, but it was a face to which joy seemed a foreign concept. Everything about this man suggested an almost unsettling intensity, a deep seriousness.

    Ostara nodded. ¡°Ulduz has employed me to investigate the events surrounding the murder of Su Bolin.¡±

    Toghrul looked over at his sister a moment, then fixed his gaze once more on Ostara. ¡°Taghay¡¯s decision has been made.¡±

    Ulduz leant forward. ¡°His heart is not stone. He is our brother. Your brother. He can be persuaded.¡±

    Ostara could hear the anguish in her voice, anguish she was barely containing. There was frustration there too.

    Toghrul¡¯s expression never changed. ¡°You¡¯re becoming emotional sister.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t want you to die. I want my family back,¡± said Ulduz. She turned Ostara¡¯s way. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, you¡¯re not here to be drawn into our family drama.¡±

    Ostara smiled, ¡°I don¡¯t mean to be crass, but I¡¯ll happily be drawn in for what you are paying us.¡±

    Toghrul won¡¯t be swayed my emotive appeals. He needs to see me as detached and rational.

    Ulduz gave her a strange look. Ostara ignored it. She crossed one leg over the other, and cocked her head to one side, fixing Toghrul with a soft smile and a firm gaze.

    ¡°Have you any indication of the intended penalty?¡± she asked him.

    ¡°That is for the court to decide,¡± said Toghrul. ¡°I have not yet been found guilty.¡±

    ¡°But I think we both know that the decisions are not going to be made in that courtroom.¡±

    Something flickered across Toghrul¡¯s face, but his expression remained in place. ¡°My brother¡¯s lawyers have indicated they believe the prosecution has been persuaded to pursue exile over death.¡±

    ¡°That must be a relief,¡± said Ostara.

    ¡°Yarkan is my home. Without it I am nothing.¡±

    Ulduz spoke up, her tone dark. ¡°Among the Jaril exile once meant simply that: one could not return to one¡¯s tribe, but was otherwise free. Under the Empire it means never returning home, but it also means penal transportation and forced labour. As often as not, the penal colonies amount to a death sentence.¡±

    Ostara did not allow her smile to fade. ¡°Well, neither of those possibilities sound good.¡±

    ¡°Taghay wishes to see me out of the way. Whether I live or die is immaterial to him. The distinction is largely immaterial to me also,¡± said Toghrul.

    ¡°Then should we not pursue the third option? That is, your release,¡± said Ostara.

    ¡°Taghay will not have it. I have accepted my fate. My supporters have accepted my fate. Only my sister does not.¡±

    ¡°Interesting,¡± said Ostara. ¡°I was led to believe you were a great fighter. Yet, I¡¯m seeing nothing of that here.¡±

    ¡°My cause is larger than me,¡± said Toghrul.

    ¡°Hrm¡­¡± said Ostara, ¡°Is it though? You¡¯re willing to die to stop a resort being built?¡±

    Now, for the first time, she saw a flash of emotion on Toghrul¡¯s face. ¡°It is about more than that.¡±

    Ostara leant forward. Her tone was soft, but she enunciated her words carefully and clearly. ¡°Mr Yarghunoghul, my crew and I have spoken to many people on Yarkan about this matter. And if your cause is greater than opposing this development, none know it.¡±

    She paused and leant back once again, adopting a more casual manner. ¡°Which to my mind means no one will remember you for anything else. You think your brother wants you out of the way? You say your fate is immaterial to him? Well, maybe it is, but that is because it¡¯s not you he wants out of the way, but your ideas.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t know anything about this,¡± said Toghrul, and his mask of calm was dissolving.

    Ostara pushed on, ignoring him. ¡°Taghay will make sure that all the public remembers, is that you were the fanatic who murdered someone to get in the way of progress.¡±

    Ulduz seemed unsettled by Ostara¡¯s course. ¡°Madame Ostara, I¡ª¡±

    Ostara held up a finger to silence her.

    ¡°I say all this to make one thing clear to you, Toghrul: whether you are exiled or executed, your cause will die. The only way to keep fighting is to free yourself.¡±

    Toghrul glared at her. ¡°The fate of this world is no longer in my hands. I have done what I had to do. The rest is up to others now.¡±

    ¡°Sayan?¡± asked Ostara.

    ¡°How do you know of her?¡± asked Toghrul.

    Ostara saw something else in his expression. Not just the anger she had stirred in him, but something new. There was worry.

    The mention of Sayan worries him¡­ interesting.

    She pressed on. Each emotion was like a new shoot rising from the soil. Watered with the right words, each would bloom.

    ¡°Like I said, my crew and I have spoken to many people. Two of my crew are with Sayan right now,¡± said Ostara.

    The worry became more pronounced.

    ¡°Are you concerned what she might tell them?¡± asked Ostara.

    ¡°There is no one in this world or any other that I trust more than Sayan,¡± said Toghrul.

    ¡°Well, she is the mother of your daughter, is she not? Erkegul, is it?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t bring my daughter into this,¡± said Toghrul, his tone icy.

    Ostara smiled demurely and nodded. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. That was inappropriate. And you can rest assured: as I¡¯m sure you expected, Sayan has told my crew very little.¡±

    A hint of relief spread over Toghrul. His tense posture slackened.

    ¡°It seems she is very loyal to your cause. She certainly believes in your plan for Yarkan,¡± said Ostara.

    ¡°Of course,¡± said Toghrul, ¡°She believes in the great future we can build for Yarkan.¡±

    ¡°Future? Interesting,¡± said Ostara. ¡°Taghay was very concerned with the future too. He believed you to be trapped in the past.¡±

    Toghrul was calmer now, but his voice was steely when he spoke. ¡°The only future Taghay believes in is dissolving our world into the tens of millions of others that make up this Empire. The very same Empire that visited such ruin upon us.¡±

    ¡°So, what future do you believe in?¡±

    ¡°One in which we are the agents of our own fate once more. One in which our people are not mere historical victims, but are proud and free as we once were.¡±

    ¡°And Karbaliq is central to that? As an important symbol?¡±

    ¡°Karbaliq is no mere symbol. Taghay courts catastrophe by disrespecting the U?armaz and driving them from Karbaliq. But more than that, Karbaliq is the source of our people¡¯s strength,¡± said Toghrul, and Ostara could see the light of passion now burning in his eyes. That was good. Passionate people tended to be more talkative.

    ¡°Is it the U?armaz? Do you seek to¡ª¡±

    Toghrul cut her off. ¡°The U?armaz are not some resource to be drawn from, nor are they a hireling host to be bought. They yearn to be set free, to take flight into the Cosmos, as is the due of the dead. Yet they endure their agony, for they respect the solemnity of their duty as guardians of Karbaliq and the power it holds.¡±

    ¡°If not the symbolism of Karbaliq, and if not the U?armaz¡­ what is this power you speak of?¡±

    ¡°That is not a matter for an offworlder.¡±

    It had been a gamble asking directly, one that had not yielded an answer, but Ostara was sure now that Toghrul believed that something contained within the Black City was the key to whatever plan he had. A plan to free Yarkan.

    And whatever is there, it is jeopardised by Taghay¡¯s project.

    She decided to probe elsewhere.

    ¡°You have lofty ideals,¡± she said. ¡°I guess that¡¯s why so many view you as a leader for Yarkan. I can see that you must bring them hope. But if you die ¨C well, I stand by what I said. I do not believe your brother will be kind to your legacy.¡±

    ¡°No,¡± said Toghrul, shaking his head. ¡°I think you are a clever person, Ostara, but you understand too little to make sense of all this. I am no leader. I am simply an instrument of our cause.¡±

    ¡°Very humble of you,¡± said Ostara, ¡°But people listen to you. Your family ¨C you have the blood of the Khagans, do you not? Who else is as well placed to lead this cause that you hold so dear?¡±

    ¡°Taghay is right about one thing,¡± said Toghrul. ¡°We cannot fixate on the past; we must look to the future. The Last Khagan died when the First Emperor unleashed his ruin upon Karbaliq. Yes, we have the Khagans¡¯ blood, but blood is not what ultimately matters.¡±

    ¡°But symbols are important, and if nothing else, your heritage is of symbolic significance, is it not?¡± asked Ostara.

    ¡°I do not deny the importance of symbols. Nor do I think we should be blind to the past, only that we should not be bound to it, trapped in it. Tell me, Madame Ostara, do you know the story of the Jaril Confederacy¡¯s foundation?¡±

    ¡°You may need to refresh me,¡± said Ostara.

    ¡°After the Great Clanship Kulkana first came to Yarkan and the Jaril settled it, they spread out over many worlds. In time the different clans would fight each other. Much blood was shed in these wars. But there were other threats too. Threats against all the Jaril peoples. So, a great chieftain called a Kurultai ¨C a meeting of chieftains from across Yarkan and the other Jaril worlds ¨C and he said that regardless of their world or their totem, they were all descendants of Kulkana, and that they should unite and claim that ancestral strength. Many doubted him. Some claimed he was power-hungry, greedy¡­ but this chieftain¡­ he insisted his heart was pure, he thought only of the Jaril people. He said it need not be him who led the people, so long as a wise and virtuous leader could be found. Yet the Kurultai ended in failure, neither he, nor any other was proclaimed Khagan. Disheartened he led a band of great warriors of his wolf totem ¨C the B?ri ¨C against the enemies of the Jaril. He and they were slaughtered in the battle that followed, but this sacrifice gave the Jaril the gift of time. A new Kurultai was called and this time the Chieftain of Karbaliq was elevated as Khagan. The new Jaril Confederacy brought its warriors together and drove back our enemies.¡±

    ¡°A noble tale,¡± said Ostara. ¡°The chieftain¡¯s sacrifice was the symbol that brought unity.¡±

    ¡°Precisely. And the Khagans that followed learned this lesson well, ever ready to sacrifice themselves for the sake of the people. Their blood today flows in my veins, and if I am called upon to make a great sacrifice, so be it. This is our history, and I will honour it, even to the utmost degree of sacrifice.¡±

    ¡°Please,¡± said Ulduz, beside Ostara. ¡°Please, Toghrul. What does you dying achieve? It won¡¯t stop Taghay.¡±

    ¡°And who will lead those who believe as you do, when you are gone?¡± said Ostara. ¡°After Taghay has besmirched your legacy.¡±

    Toghrul gazed back with equanimity.

    ¡°Sayan. When I am gone, Sayan will lead our people.¡±

    ¡°Tavian, you there?¡± came Mu¡¯s voice from outside the yurt.

    ¡°Come in,¡± said Tavian, putting down his tablet and swinging down his legs, so that he was sitting on the side of the bed.

    Mu entered.

    ¡°Have you heard from Ostara?¡± she asked.

    ¡°Yes,¡± said Tavian. ¡°You just missed her.¡±

    ¡°Has she spoken to Toghrul?¡±

    He nodded.

    ¡°What news?¡±

    ¡°Well, we were right about Toghrul having big plans, but he¡¯s not spilling on what those might be exactly. Still, Ostara said a few things caught her interest. He was worried when she first mentioned Sayan¡­ but once he got going, he basically said he saw Sayan as the future leader¡­ after he was gone.¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s still so ready to die¡­¡± said Mu, obviously deep in thought.

    To Tavian¡¯s surprise she walked over and sat down next to him on the bed, her eyes cast down.

    ¡°But Sayan as leader¡­ that¡¯s interesting. It¡¯s almost like he thinks his sacrifice will¡ªwait! It¡¯s like the Great Kurultai!¡±

    ¡°Funny you should say that¡­¡± said Tavian.

    ¡°He said something?¡± asked Mu.

    ¡°Apparently he told Ostara a story about how an ancient chief called a¡­ Kurultai, like you say¡­ but he had to sacrifice himself to convince them to unite under a Khagan and face their enemies together.¡±

    ¡°Exactly!¡± said Mu, excitement creeping into her voice. ¡°It¡¯s not that he¡¯s accepted his fate. He wants it. He sees himself like Uchuk Khan ¨C that¡¯s the chieftain who sacrificed himself in the story. And he wants to elevate Sayan through his sacrifice¡­ she must know his plan.¡±

    ¡°Okay, but from the way Ostara tells it, the Jaril were spread across many worlds. This Kurultai¡­ it wasn¡¯t like a few tribes meeting, it was people across many worlds coming together to found an interstellar empire. There¡¯s what ¨C one hundred, two hundred people here? Putting aside how Toghrul dying actually helps Sayan become leader of anything, they won¡¯t even be able to push Taghay¡¯s company out of Karbaliq, let alone free Yarkan from the Empire, or recreate the Confederacy. She¡¯s not exactly going to become a new Khagan.¡±

    ¡°Khatun,¡± said Mu.

    ¡°Huh?¡±

    ¡°Khatun. It¡¯s Khatun, not Khagan. Since she¡¯s a woman.¡±

    ¡°Right,¡± said Tavian. ¡°Well, at any rate¡­ We¡¯re still missing a lot of this puzzle. I guess the question is¡­ is there any point in us pushing on. Even if we find evidence Toghrul is not the killer, it sounds like whatever his plan is, he¡¯s already decided to be a martyr. In fact, at this point, it seems like the two brothers are pretty much in agreement: Toghrul has to die. It¡¯s only sister Ulduz that still isn¡¯t down with this.¡±

    ¡°That tells us that whatever Toghrul¡¯s plan is, Taghay hasn¡¯t worked it out. If Toghrul dying is going to somehow advance his cause, Taghay wouldn¡¯t be pushing ahead with framing Toghrul,¡± said Mu.

    Tavian shrugged and gave a laugh. ¡°Unless he¡¯s really in on the plan.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    ¡°Well, maybe this is how they keep the authorities¡¯ eyes off them. Fake a conflict, make a martyr out of Toghrul. Who knows? The whole resort project could be some sort of plot to channel resources to the tribes in the desert ahead of some sort of uprising. Would kinda explain why Su Bolin, a company guy working for Taghay, was out here talking to Toghrul and Sayan.¡±

    Mu considered. ¡°I guess it¡¯s possible. But why exclude their sister from this scheme?¡±

    ¡°Maybe she¡¯s in on it too.¡±

    ¡°Then why hire us to prove Toghrul innocent?¡±

    Tavian shrugged. ¡°Further misdirection.¡±

    ¡°If it was all for show, she didn¡¯t have to approach offworlders to take care of it. And she didn¡¯t need to actually give us instructions to go and investigate. That¡¯s unnecessarily risky. What if we expose the whole thing? It doesn¡¯t make sense. Ulduz can¡¯t be in on it, but if there¡¯s a conspiracy between the brothers, why exclude her and have her meddling in their plans?¡±

    ¡°It was just a theory,¡± said Tavian.

    ¡°The most crucial detail we¡¯re missing, whether or not Taghay¡¯s in on it all, is what Toghrul and Sayan are hoping to achieve. Like you say, they¡¯re not really in a position to create a force that could oppose the Empire and free Yarkan.¡±

    ¡°Ostara did say something else that might be important: apparently Toghrul called Karbaliq the strength of the people.¡±

    ¡°I mean, it¡¯s a key symbol of their history and¡ª¡±

    ¡°No, she was very explicit about this. Or he was. He apparently said this after explicitly dismissing the idea that he was talking symbolically.¡±

    Mu went quiet a moment, considering this new information.

    ¡°What if¡­¡± she muttered. ¡°¡­strength of the people¡­¡±

    Tavian was about to speak, but could see wheels were turning and decided to let whatever was going on in Mu¡¯s head play out.

    ¡°Hear me out¡­ I¡¯m still¡­ but¡­ what if¡­ the sacrifice was for the U?armaz?¡± said Mu.

    ¡°Actually, Ostara apparently suggested kinda the same thing and he¡­¡±

    ¡°No, no, I¡¯m not thinking he is trying to use the U?armaz themselves¡­ but what if they¡¯re protecting something. Something powerful. This strength of the people.¡±

    ¡°Any idea what that could be?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s what I¡¯ve been trying to work out. I¡¯ve been reading Yarkanese and Jaril history since we got here¡­ but there aren¡¯t that many sources of literal power that it could be. There was never a Theophany in Jaril history, and there isn¡¯t even an Awakened Star they could be seeking one from ¨C and besides, how would that tie into Karbaliq itself?¡±

    ¡°I feel like you¡¯re trying to lead me somewhere with this,¡± said Tavian.

    ¡°There¡¯s only one thing I can think of. Something with the kind of power that could be transformative for an entire civilisation.¡±

    ¡°Enough suspense, spit it out.¡±

    ¡°Their Clanship. The Kulkana.¡±

    ¡°The Clanship?¡± asked Tavian.

    Mu nodded. ¡°All of the Yultengri ¨C the Star Nomads, or Scattered Peoples¡­ whatever you want to call us ¨C we are all descended from different Clanships that set out across the Cosmos in ancient times. The Clanship that carried the Jaril ended its journey here on Yarkan. What if it¡¯s buried beneath Karbaliq?¡±

    ¡°So¡­¡±

    ¡°So¡­ and I don¡¯t know¡­ this is all just coming to me¡­ but what if Toghrul sees his death as some sort of¡­ ritualistic sacrifice. One that will prove his sincerity to the U?armaz.¡±

    ¡°Allowing Sayan to be embraced as leader¡­ and reawaken the Clanship?¡±

    Mu nodded. ¡°Look, I don¡¯t know¡­ maybe it¡¯s even crazier than your conspiracy theory¡­ but it¡¯s the only thing I can think of that explains why Toghrul is so ready to die¡­ what might be powerful enough to justify a sacrifice and achieve his big¡­ world-saving goals.¡±

    ¡°You might be onto something,¡± said Tavian, then he laughed.

    ¡°What is it?¡± asked Mu.

    ¡°We gonna do this?¡± asked Tavian.

    ¡°Do what?¡± asked Mu, suspiciously.

    ¡°Wake up an ancient Clanship. Save a civilisation. Fight the Empire. I dunno, I¡¯ve told you I¡¯m coming along for the ride. You just gotta pick one.¡±

    Mu paused. But not for long.

    ¡°Let¡¯s talk to Sayan. We¡¯ll be completely open about what we think. If I¡¯m right¡­ we¡¯ll offer to help out however we can.¡±

    ¡°Now, doesn¡¯t that feel better?¡± asked Tavian.

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°Making that decision. Bet you¡¯re not feeling so guilty anymore.¡±

    Mu looked at him. There was an uncertain expression upon her face. Then she smiled.

    ¡°I guess it does.¡±

    From the wound in Kal¡¯s abdomen, the light of the Flame began to shine. He could feel the heat building within him, could feel reason slipping away.

    He had hoped to contain this.

    Yet, it was his curse as a Pyrphoros to carry the Flame of Phaiston. Now this foolish fox had ignited it.

    The adrenaline surged through him. He felt his muscles harden, his blood boil. The roar rose in him with a frightening inevitability. He could not restrain it.

    He let it loose.

    Zhen Yan leapt back, sword moving into a guard position.

    The last of Kal¡¯s control ebbed away.

    He charged.

    Zhen Yan struck him. That same blade that had moments earlier sliced clean through star-forged metal, now glanced away from his flesh in a shower of sparks.

    He moved forward, raining blows upon her. She responded in kind, that wicked blade stinging him again and again so that more rivers of fire appeared upon his flesh, yet he did not slow, he did not relent, rather he surged forward, always forward.

    And he could sense fear.

    As smoke promised fire, so for the Pyrphoroi fear promised blood.

    Kal couldn¡¯t follow what happened next. The frenzy had taken him completely. His entire world became one of battle. His fists were a kinetic storm, seeking unceasingly for that moment of the satisfying crunch of caving ribs.

    Yet this dancing vixen eluded him, continuously denying him the joy of her death.

    That enraged him still further.

    When so many had crumpled before him, how dare this insolent one deny him?

    The desert itself was melting away as the Flame burned hotter, hotter, hotter.

    Yarkan?

    The moon of Limen Asterion.

    Fox?

    Voidborn.

    ` Shatter the Host. Defend the Polis.

    Don¡¯t fail them this time.

    Don¡¯t let Xerxes take them.

    Not this time.

    The Flame consumed him.

 Chapter XXV - The Candle-Bearer

    Chapter XXV ¨C The Candle-Bearer

    Harry raced back, company security in tow. He had heard the bestial roar echoing across the oasis as he ran. He had a sinking feeling, knowing what it meant.

    When he reached the shoreline, he could see other security personnel down the far end. With any luck they would be able to encircle Zhen Yan.

    If she lived long enough.

    There wasn¡¯t much prospect of anyone getting close with Kal in berserker mode. Harry had seen it twice before ¨C on neither occasion did it end well. And it had been made abundantly clear that there was no reasoning with him. Friend and foe alike were in grave peril the moment they came near him.

    For now, Zhen Yan lived. Harry could see her darting around the enraged Kal, constantly remaining just outside his reach.

    Good. If we can¡¯t reason with Kal, perhaps we can reason with her. If she surrenders, we can find out why she¡¯s chasing Mu.

    Plus, surrender had to be a better option than facing Kal.

    More security personnel were sweeping down out of the trees. Soon the ring would be closed, the combatants would have security on three sides, the water on the fourth.

    ¡°Don¡¯t get too close!¡± yelled Harry.

    From where he was, Harry could now clearly see the battle. Zhen Yan moved with a speed and elegance he had never seen in a combatant before. She was a mesmerising spectacle to watch, her tails swirling about her as she moved.

    Kal on the other hand made for a fearsome spectacle. Even in his present state there was a precision to his movements. His punches were not great brawler swings, but were precise and efficient, every attack an attempt to off-balance his opponent, and catch her with a crippling strike. Muscle memory had clearly taken over, and a lifetime spent training for combat was not easily overcome, even under the haze of his curse.

    Harry was ever impressed by the sheer skill Kal displayed in combat, alongside his awesome power. That was undiminished by his rage.

    But he could see the fight was taking a toll, even if Kal didn¡¯t realise it yet. Zhen Yan had landed many blows, and while they did not cut deep, there was only so much cumulative damage Kal could take, even in this state. Each incision of the fox¡¯s blade had left a fiery gash behind. Kal was bleeding, but his blood was like liquid flame.

    The security officer next to him halted. ¡°The big man with you?¡± he asked.

    ¡°He sure is,¡± said Harry, his eyes fixed on the combatants. ¡°He¡¯s not normally like this. Good guy to have a drink with.¡±

    Out of the corner of his eye, Harry saw the officer looking at him askance. The man levelled his weapon, taking a few more steps towards Kal and Zhen Yan.

    ¡°Cease fighting immediately!¡± he yelled. ¡°We have you surrounded.¡±

    There was no response.

    ¡°You¡¯re not going to get through to him,¡± said Harry, quietly. ¡°He¡¯s not really there anymore in any real sense.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with him?¡± asked the company man, his face suggesting he was simultaneously repelled and fascinated.

    ¡°He¡¯s born of an ancient warrior lineage, cursed by a dark god,¡± said Harry. ¡°We haven¡¯t managed to find a doctor that can treat that.¡±

    The man fixed him with a look like he was sprouting complete gibberish.

    ¡°You¡¯ve got more chance with the fox,¡± Harry added.

    The security officer bore all the signs of someone who was less than happy that his uneventful job in the desert had suddenly become so eventful. Moreover, he appeared quite uncertain with what to do.

    ¡°Shoot her if you like. Though I¡¯d like to ask her some questions, so ideally don¡¯t kill her,¡± said Harry.

    The man spoke in Jaril into a comms device on his wrist.

    Two shots rang out a moment later.

    Both missed.

    But Zhen Yan could clearly read the writing on the wall. With an agile flip she extricated herself from her close quarters battle with Kal. A quick hand motion and there was a blinding flash of light. After that, she was nowhere to be seen.

    Kal let out another roar.

    The security officer yelled again at his wrist. He turned back to Harry. ¡°What is going on?¡±

    Harry shrugged. ¡°She just attacked us out of nowhere. She can shapeshift, like I said, and she can apparently do that. I dunno. I¡¯m not working with a whole lot more info than you here.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t like not knowing what¡¯s going on,¡± said the officer.

    ¡°Nor do I. But I can tell you one thing: we¡¯ve still got a big problem on our hands. Kal just lost the object of his Flame. And that means it¡¯s going to be real hard to calm him down.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re going to have to control him somehow,¡± said the officer. ¡°Since you¡¯re working directly for one of the Directors, we¡¯ll try to employ non-lethal force.¡±

    Harry looked Kal¡¯s way. He was turning about, thrashing with his arms, his fury aimless. There was a mindlessness in his eyes; he could look, but not see.

    ¡°Why don¡¯t you let me try and get through to him?¡± asked Harry.

    ¡°I can¡¯t allow that. We will take care of this.¡±

    He was beginning to regret getting security involved. They had not even come close to capturing Zhen Yan, and he was starting to become increasingly concerned that one of them was going to get killed.

    Things are going to get a whole lot worse if Kal straight up murders one of these idiots.

    But they weren¡¯t going to let him closer.

    They were moving towards Kal, who was still turning about continuously, but had thankfully not yet charged towards any of the company men.

    Harry pulled out his tablet and found the number.

    ¡°Captain!¡± he said when he heard the voice at the other end.

    ¡°Mr Zhang, how can I help?¡± said Apollo in a cheerful voice.

    ¡°We have a bit of a problem here,¡± said Harry, ¡°Kal and I were attacked. By some shapeshifting fox woman.¡±

    ¡°A Hulijing,¡± responded Apollo.

    ¡°Sure,¡± said Harry, though he was given momentary pause to reflect on the fact that Apollo was so unfazed by that last bit of information, and even knew what he was talking about. ¡°But that¡¯s not the main reason I¡¯m calling. The fox lady¡¯s gone, but Kal, well he¡­¡±

    ¡°The Flame of Phaiston ignited?¡± asked Apollo.

    ¡°Yeah, precisely.¡±

    ¡°It is a shame I cannot reach you,¡± said Apollo. ¡°But we shall attempt to rectify this from afar. If you can place your device in projection mode so I can see Kal and he can see me, I can attempt to quench the Flame like last time.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ll have to give me a moment,¡± said Harry. ¡°There¡¯s Yarghun Company security everywhere here. They won¡¯t let me get close¡ª¡±

    Harry had only been half-watching proceedings while he spoke to Apollo, but at that moment a guard had attempted to physically restrain Kal. He had caught a backhand and even from a distance, Harry could see a spray of blood and shattered, dislodged teeth across the sand.

    ¡°Mr Zhang?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, Kal just hit one of the security guys. I told those stupid bastards not to get close.¡±

    ¡°Is the man alive?¡±

    ¡°I think so¡­ yeah, he¡¯s moving.¡±

    ¡°I am glad to hear it,¡± said Apollo.

    At that moment Kal charged a group of the security guards. Their weapons erupted in a series of flashes, clearly on the stun setting. It did nothing to slow Kal. His fist slammed into one man¡¯s midsection and he crumpled with a sickening crunch.

    ¡°Get back!¡± yelled Harry, running in the direction. ¡°Don¡¯t antagonise him!¡±

    ¡°Mr Zhang, get me on projection right away. You¡¯re going to have to get close,¡± came Apollo¡¯s voice.

    The guards had scattered. Kal appeared to have once again planted himself in one spot. Without the singular focus on Zhen Yan, his movements were far slower than they had been. The guards had mercifully relented in firing their weapons at him.

    ¡°Kal!¡± yelled Harry, ¡°Big guy!¡±

    No response.

    Harry touched a button on the screen of his tablet, and the image of Apollo materialised above it.

    ¡°Mr Nyx, it is Apollo, can you hear me?¡± said the Captain.

    This time Kal¡¯s head snapped around, his eyes fixing on the image of the Captain. There seemed to be a momentary flicker of understanding there.

    But Harry immediately developed a concern that he was about to become the next focus of Kal¡¯s ire.

    ¡°Mr Nyx, what you are experiencing is the Flame of Phaiston. It burns hot, but it is not all that you are,¡± said Apollo.

    Kal took once step closer to Harry.

    Harry began to consider whether he could outrun Kal.

    He was fairly sure he couldn¡¯t, despite being about twenty years his junior.

    ¡°Mr Zhang, please get closer.¡±

    Great. That is not the direction I want to be heading.

    But Harry complied. Slowly, cautiously, he walked closer to Kal.

    ¡°Please don¡¯t crush my skull.¡±

    Yet as Harry advanced, holding up the tablet, a black tendril lifted from the device, and floated out through the air, circling around Kal, settling on the sand in front of him. There the tendril wove itself into the form of a giant black cat with eyes of pure golden light.

    ¡°Phaiston, this man did not bargain with you. You are not entitled to him,¡± said the apparition of Apollo in a now booming voice. ¡°Return him to us.¡±

    In response Kal lifted his fists, clenching them, the bulging muscles of his arms tensing. A guttural growl escaped from him.

    It occurred to Harry to wonder if this apparition had any capacity to physically stop Kal if he charged.

    ¡°Extinguish your flame, relinquish your control.¡±

    Kal roared to the heavens.

    Apollo hissed, arching his back.

    ¡°Give him back!¡± yelled the apparition, and there was a flash of golden light.

    The apparition dissolved with the breeze and the projection of the Captain once again appeared above Harry¡¯s tablet.

    Kal slumped to his knees. The light faded from his burning wounds. His head hung forward.

    He let out a long breath.

    ¡°It is done,¡± announced Apollo. His image yawned widely. ¡°I shall leave the rest in your capable hands, Mr Zhang. He was difficult to reach. It was no simple task, pushing back the Starflow Tempest of the First Emperor¡¯s Theophany from such a distance ¨C all that before I could deal with the Bargainer. I think I shall require a nap.¡±

    Harry reflected that he only partially understood what had just happened and been said, but it did appear that Kal was under control again.

    He walked over to the hunched, kneeling figure.

    Tentatively, he reached out a hand and placed it on Kal¡¯s shoulder.

    ¡°Back with us, mate?¡±

    Kal lifted his head and looked at him. There was a hollowness to his eyes, but understanding had returned. ¡°What have I done?¡±

    ¡°Well, I don¡¯t think you killed anyone¡­ but security might have some questions for you.¡±

    Nova collapsed into the bean bag.

    ¡°Woo! That was a good session. Thanks for coming to the gym with me, Ser-bear.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t mind,¡± said Seraphina.

    ¡°Do you really not mind?¡± asked Nova. ¡°Because left to your own devices, I feel like you don¡¯t really leave this room very often.¡±

    ¡°I feel like maybe you don¡¯t leave this room very often either,¡± said Seraphina.

    ¡°Well, if you don¡¯t leave the room, I can¡¯t leave the room, because¡­ y¡¯know¡­ ghosts.¡±

    ¡°I understand,¡± said Seraphina.

    ¡°Speaking of which, where are we up to on that?¡±

    ¡°I believe I¡¯m getting closer. I am seeing the spirit more often,¡± said Seraphina.

    ¡°Hrm,¡± said Nova. She was spread out like a droopy starfish, staring at the ceiling with her limbs hanging off the sides of the beanbag.

    I gotta do it, she told herself.

    ¡°Sera, I think it¡¯s time I faced my fears,¡± she announced, leaping up into a sitting position.

    ¡°But I thought you said you were banned from the kitchen.¡±

    ¡°Not---no, the ghost! The ghost we were just talking about!¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re going to return to your own room?¡±

    Nova shook her head fervently. ¡°No, that¡¯s much too scary. Imagine if I was in bed and then I thought I saw it looking at me through the window, so I put my head under the covers, thinking it was safe, and then when I opened my eyes, there was a little candlelight, and then it sticks its big ugly ghost face all up in my face, and then¡­¡±

    ¡°This is an elaborate scenario you have devised,¡± said Seraphina.

    ¡°Point is: no. I¡¯m your roommate until we have definitively resolved this ghost problem,¡± said Nova. ¡°However¡­ I cannot go through life not gaming. And I think ¨C for whatever reason ¨C the ghost wants to talk to me. That¡¯s why it stalked me. So, maybe if I play with you right next to me¡­. Maybe then¡­ we can talk to the ghost and get this sorted.¡±

    ¡°Very brave. Perhaps you are correct. I have seen the spirit, but establishing direct contact is exceedingly difficult. It may indeed be significant that it first appeared to you,¡± said Seraphina.

    Nova leapt to her feet.

    ¡°I am going to need to prep,¡± she said.

    She moved her beanbag to position it facing the screen. This accomplished, she retrieved herself an energy drink, and cracked it open, the can emitting a satisfying hiss. With her free hand she scooped up Charlie, then fell back into the beanbag, Charlie now on her lap. She took a deep swig from the energy drink, then looked at Seraphina.

    ¡°Right,¡± she said. ¡°Pass me that controller. We¡¯re doing it ¨C we¡¯re facing the ghost.¡±

    Seraphina did as instructed, before rising to light several sticks of incense around the room. She returned to take up a position sitting cross-legged on the floor beside Nova.

    Nova pulled down her goggles.

    ¡°What are they for?¡± asked Seraphina.

    ¡°The world makes more sense when viewed through these babies,¡± said Nova. ¡°Nothing¡¯s quite as scary when you¡¯re getting number readouts, stats ¨C all the good stuff.¡±

    ¡°I see,¡± said Seraphina. Although Seraphina¡¯s face almost always carried the same neutral expression, Nova was fairly sure she did not in fact ¡°see¡±. But that was okay. She and Sera accepted and supported each other. Whether they understood each other was immaterial.

    Nova switched on the game.

    She felt the trepidation rise in her as the projection sprung to life. The protagonist stood in the living room, her hair blowing in the wind, a rain of plum blossom flowers coming down around her. Classical Shang music played in the background.

    ¡°You ever think that Zhao Linyi looks kinda like Mu?¡± asked Nova.

    ¡°Zhao Linyi is taking on the role of an imperial princess,¡± said Seraphina.

    ¡°True,¡± mused Nova. ¡°Mu¡¯s hotter though. Wow, but how wild is that? We¡¯ve played this game with an actual imperial princess.¡±

    ¡°It is very surprising. That we have done that,¡± said Seraphina. ¡°Are you perhaps delaying starting the game?¡±

    Nova looked Seraphina¡¯s way. How oddly emotionally perceptive of the witch.

    Her goggles informed her Seraphina¡¯s body temperature was three hundred and six point four five. A warning for mild hypothermia sprung up.

    Ha! thought Nova, Guess that explains why this room is always so warm.

    ¡°You still haven¡¯t started the game,¡± pointed out Seraphina, and Nova realised she¡¯d simply been staring at her friend.

    ¡°Okay, okay. I¡¯m doing it, I¡¯m doing it.¡±

    She hit the button to start and braced herself.

    The air in the room flickered and then Zhao Linyi was standing before them.

    There was no ghost to be seen.

    ¡°This is your save, right?¡± asked Nova.

    Seraphina nodded.

    ¡°Which route are you doing? Do you see the ghost more with particular routes?¡±

    ¡°I do. It likes Xu Jianyu the most. Whenever I¡¯m talking to him, it appears in the background,¡± said Seraphina.

    ¡°Ghost shares the same taste as you,¡± muttered Nova, ¡°Figures.¡±

    The scent of the incense was starting to fill Seraphina¡¯s perpetually dim room, and Nova felt a little of the edge being taken off her nerves. Just a little. She began clicking through dialogue options, her eyes constantly searching for that spectral figure holding the candle.

    Nothing yet, but she hadn¡¯t got to a scene with Xu Jianyu yet. That would be the moment of truth.

    ¡°I¡¯ve been wondering, have you ever dealt with a ghost before?¡±

    ¡°I have twice,¡± said Seraphina, ¡°But I don¡¯t have much experience with the dead. On Hecate, witches never truly die, they simply sink back into the Miasma of Shadow. Eventually they re-emerge as new Sisters. Elsewhere in the Cosmos the lingering dead are rare. They usually only occur in places where there are significant Starflow anomalies.¡±

    ¡°Like Yarkan,¡± said Nova, still speed clicking her way through dialogue. ¡°What usually happens when we die?¡±

    ¡°No one really knows. A common belief is that people become one with the Starflow when they pass, though there are countless belief systems throughout the Cosmos.¡±

    ¡°If its possible to be a ghost, then why doesn¡¯t everyone just hang around and do more¡­ living?¡±

    Nova took one hand away from the controller for a second to give Charlie a pat. His tail wagged.

    ¡°It is difficult to know for sure,¡± said Seraphina. ¡°But it is generally believed that spirits of the dead do not have a pleasant time. Most yearn for the release of true death. I do not think it is akin to living.¡±

    ¡°Hrm¡­ sounds unpleasant.¡±

    ¡°It is widely believed to be. Do you have your own beliefs?¡±

    ¡°I dunno if beliefs is the right word, but I think I¡¯m pretty happy to be one and done, y¡¯know? Live this life, have a good time, then call it quits. I don¡¯t think I want to be one with the Starflow or go to Heaven or anything like that. I¡¯m not greedy.¡±

    ¡°I suspect that may be an unusual perspective.¡±

    Nova shrugged. ¡°Maybe. Guess I¡¯m just an unusual gal.¡±

    There was a scene change. The projection vanished for a moment and then sprang back. And there was Xu Jianyu.

    Stolen novel; please report.

    ¡°At last, there he is. See the ghost?¡± exclaimed Nova.

    ¡°Not yet.¡±

    While she¡¯d been talking to Seraphina and racing through dialogue, Nova hadn¡¯t been closely following the plot, and she¡¯d never done Xu Jianyu¡¯s route before, so she wasn¡¯t quite sure what was currently happening in the story. They seemed to be investigating a shady palace official together.

    A full moon illuminated the scene of the ancient palace, as Zhao Linyi and the general¡¯s son set out on their nocturnal investigation. The game¡¯s soundtrack, which by day captured the hustle and bustle of the palace and its countless workers, had now taken on a subdued tone: a little diegetic nocturnal sound for atmosphere, and soft, sparsely instrumented music.

    Click.

    Click.

    Click.

    They headed out into a shadowy palace corridor, Nova quickly selecting flirtatious dialogue options. Out into the main courtyard.

    And there she was.

    A solitary figure, holding a candle.

    Nova resisted the strong urge to look away, tightly clenching her every muscle. The temperature in Seraphina¡¯s room ¨C usually bordering on uncomfortably warm ¨C plunged and the dim light grew dimmer still.

    It was not like before.

    The figure was not in the background, but standing alone in the vast courtyard. Even Zhao Linyi and Xu Jianyu had vanished. And though each projected scene typically featured only limited, looped animation, the figure began walking closer across the courtyard, walking towards Nova.

    ¡°You¡¯ll stop it right?¡± said Nova, her voice trembling. ¡°If it tries to¡­ possess me or something?¡±

    ¡°I will do everything in my power to keep you safe,¡± said Seraphina.

    Nova felt some reassurance at Seraphina¡¯s words, but though she had told herself she was ready for this moment, seeing the spectre advancing towards them was more terrible than she¡¯d imagined. Instinctively, she mashed buttons on the controller, but nothing now happened. The figure drew ever closer.

    ¡°Scutum lucis,¡± whispered Seraphina, and a shimmer of purple light appeared in front of Nova.

    ¡°It is gonna stop?¡±

    The room was growing darker. It felt as if the already low lights were moving farther and farther away, their light struggling to reach Nova. The scent of the incense began to change too ¨C becoming musty, old, stale¡­ decayed. And all the while the temperature continued to drop, so that Nova could now see thick clouds with each shallow breath she took.

    Instinctively she recoiled, pulling her feet up off the floor, tucking them up on the beanbag. She gripped the controller so tightly it felt like it might break, though it was useless in the face of the spirit. Charlie nuzzled into her, sensing something was wrong.

    ¡°H-hello?¡± she managed, but the spirit said nothing, drawing closer, its movements otherworldly.

    The candle gleamed brighter as the darkness crowded about.

    Close now.

    From among the folds of cloth Nova could see one dark eye, devoid of life, yet gazing at her all the same.

    Then a new light appeared. An amethyst gleam spread across the room, driving back the shadows. Beside Nova, Seraphina rose to her feet, then her feet in turn rose into the air, light gathering about her.

    ¡°I, Seraphina of Hecate, Sister of the Melusine Coven, Daughter of the Witching Star, command you, spirit, to speak your part then leave this world in peace,¡± intoned Seraphina, her voice attaining an eerie, mystical quality, as if speaking from far away and in a vast, echoing cavern.

    The spirit halted its advance.

    The shadows drew back, the temperature began to rise.

    A soft and weak voice spoke, straining, as if from a throat as dry as the desert sands. ¡°I¡­ seek¡­ him¡­¡±

    Seraphina¡¯s feet once more touched the ground. The light about her abated.

    ¡°Who do you seek?¡± asked Seraphina.

    Before Nova¡¯s eyes the spectre was becoming less a projection of the game and more an entity of this world, though its robes seemed to billow, as if blown by some ancient wind, that she could not feel.

    ¡°Across¡­ the stars¡­¡±

    Each word sounded as if it were being dragged painfully out.

    ¡°¡­My¡­¡±

    ¡°¡­Love¡­¡±

    Nova didn¡¯t realise she¡¯d been holding her breath until she began to feel light-headed. Slowly she exhaled. Her gaze remained ever fixed upon the apparition before them, but she spoke now to Seraphina.

    ¡°Any idea what it is trying to say?¡±

    ¡°I believe it is looking for someone,¡± said Seraphina. ¡°Someone it once loved.¡±

    ¡°Well, I hope it doesn¡¯t think I¡¯m it¡¯s lover. Because I don¡¯t swing that way. I mean¡­ women¡­ but also ¨C and more importantly ¨C dead people¡­¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t think it¡¯s in love with you,¡± said Seraphina. ¡°But it does appear to have been drawn to you.¡±

    ¡°Free¡­ together¡­¡± came that pained voice.

    ¡°I don¡¯t understand,¡± said Nova.

    ¡°There is a way,¡± said Seraphina.

    She walked over to one of the shelves that ringed the room and took down from it a gourd painted with strange symbols. She opened it and dipped her fingers in it. Some gelatinous ooze of shifting colours emerged, long strands connecting to the witch¡¯s fingers. She put it in her mouth and sucked the substance from her fingers.

    Then she turned to Nova. ¡°You must partake of it also.¡±

    ¡°Ah¡­ what is that?¡± asked Nova, aghast.

    ¡°It is the distilled essence of the Miasma of Hecate. It will allow us to better peer across the veil between worlds and commune with the spirits.¡±

    Seraphina walked over to Nova, dipping her fingers once more into the gourd and then holding them up in front of Nova¡¯s face, slowly dripping with the slime.

    Nova gave her a questioning look. ¡°Okay, but you made this weirder than it had to be. And it had to be pretty weird.¡±

    Nonetheless, she leant forward and sucked the ooze from Seraphina¡¯s fingers. Almost immediately she felt nauseous and light-headed. The room spun. Things settled once more, but every light source appeared to emit a flickering aura. Every boundary was hazy, each thing seeming to meld into the next so that in a moment it was as if there were no discrete objects at all but a unified gestalt.

    She tried to look up at Seraphina, but with the movement of her head, the whole world swam about, once again sending waves of nausea through her.

    Seraphina bent over and kissed her on the forehead and Nova felt some of the nausea abate.

    She attempted to speak, but struggled to find the words, her voice coming out in slurred and elongated syllables.

    ¡°Shh,¡± said Seraphina, holding a finger up to her lips. ¡°It will be easier once we are in its realm.¡±

    With one hand Seraphina reached down and took Nova¡¯s hand. With the other she reached out, towards the spirit¡¯s candle.

    The flame spread quickly, wreathing the witch¡¯s body, then Nova¡¯s.

    It did not hurt.

    Flame turned to billowing black clouds, then nothing.

    Nova now felt the ancient wind.

    It blew among the black saxaul trees and the tamarisk shrubs and across the dunes and the rocky flatlands, whistling among the old stones piled upon each other by the hands of those long passed from this world even in this distant century.

    The sun hung low over the undulating landscapes of the desert, so that the houses cast long shadows. And among the red and orange and pink of those vast desert skies, were immense starships, like mountains, toppled upon their sides, yet suspended above the shifting sands.

    In the distance arose the monolithic towers of Karbaliq, mountains still bound to the sand and soil of Yarkan.

    Three of them stood there, observing this all. Nova. Seraphina. And the one who bore the ever-burning candle.

    They watched as the family walked from the house, parents, grandparents, children of many ages. They walked out and stood upon the hillside gazing as the smaller craft descended from the heavenly titans above, coming to settle upon the sands.

    The adults held back the children, or at least the adventurous among them. Others of the young ones clung to their parents¡¯ legs, shyly gazing as the newcomers emerged from the landing ship.

    The Candle-Bearer spoke. ¡°In this time, we knew little of what lay across the stars. Only the keepers of the arcane lore remembered those interminable generations spent aboard the Clanship Kulkana. We were the people of the valleys and the oases, the Jaril. The Confederacy was far off, the Great Ruin further still. Yet these people came from across the stars. They spoke of inconceivable wonders.¡±

    Among the newcomers was a tall man of radiant beauty. His long black hair fluttered in the wind, as did his robes of silk. His eyes were both kindly and wise. Yet for all his benevolent aura at his waist he bore a sword.

    One of the children broke free from her elders¡¯ clutches and ran to greet the newcomers.

    The Man of Beauty greeted the child with gentleness, ruffling her hair and giving a radiant smile.

    ¡°He was their General,¡± said the Candle-Bearer. ¡°He and I thus made our peoples¡¯ first contact.¡±

    The child looked up and saw the boy standing behind the Man of Beauty. Each smiled at the other.

    The wind gathered power and the sand swirled about. All faded from view.

    They walked among the hardy grasses of the desert.

    A few yurts were arrayed around the fire.

    The totems stood tall and proud.

    The Man of Beauty sat with the people of Yarkan, drinking their tea. The young girl sat to one side of him. On his other sat the young boy. Though still a child, his features were unmistakably those of his father. In time there could be no doubt he would acquire that same otherworldly beauty.

    ¡°I feared speaking to his son.¡±

    The wind gathered again.

    ¡°At first.¡±

    The scene dissolved.

    Children splashed among the reed-filled shallows of the oasis, while the adults sat among the poplars on finely made carpets, drinking floral-scented teas and feasting on fruits and nuts. The Man of Beauty was there, speaking animatedly with the bearded Qam, as others listened in and nodded at the wisdom. Standing silently behind the Qam was a veiled woman.

    ¡°She was our Lore-Keeper, the protector of the ancient secrets of Karbaliq.¡±

    The girl and the boy were older now. She splashed him; he splashed her back. They laughed and tumbled together below the water, churning the muddy shallows.

    Once more the scene dissolved.

    The Lore-Keeper spluttered and coughed.

    The girl stood watching, the Qam at her side.

    ¡°You shall learn from her while she yet lives,¡± he said. ¡°For you shall be the protector of Sanctum of Karbaliq and the knowledge of the ancients in time.¡±

    Older still, the boy led the girl among the trees one dark night, holding her hand, a great smile upon his face, as they made their way, hurried and hushed, up the steep slope. They reached the top of the dune and sat upon it. A great glow was on the horizon. As they sat and gazed out, the moon rose, an immensity through the thick lens of the atmosphere, seeming almost to fill half the horizon.

    She leant her head upon his shoulder.

    The silvery light of the moon spread across the desert.

    He reached with one hand, as soft as could be, and raised her chin to look into his eyes. He smiled at her. Swallowing, she smiled back, giving the smallest of nods. Slowly, unsure at first, he leant forward. His nerve was almost lost, but she closed the rest of the distance, bringing her lips to touch his. They wrapped each other up in their arms and tumbled down among the sand, their lips never parting.

    The moon shone down its radiant light.

    Nova shivered. No longer from the cold. No longer from fear.

    It all was swept away, each moment in time like the shifting of the desert sands.

    ¡°Which is yours?¡± asked the girl on another night.

    The boy considered the glittering array spread across the firmament. He was about to lift his hand and point, but the hand fell back down once more. Instead, he reached and lifted the candle that cast a flickering light across the scene. He leant in close to the girl, so that he could view the stars from her perspective, placing his head on her shoulder, their cheeks touching. He lifted the candle, slowly, carefully. In a moment he had it just right.

    ¡°Look,¡± he said. ¡°That is my star. Now, if ever we are parted, you can keep it with you.¡±

    He passed the candle to the girl and she held it close to her chest, the light dancing upon her face, illuminating the awe written plainly upon it.

    That night too passed.

    The Man of Beauty faced the Qam. The man¡¯s son, a strapping warrior whose handsome visage threatened to outshine even his father¡¯s, stood resolute, yet sorrowful at his side. Immense warships filled the blue desert skies.

    ¡°War has come and I must answer the Emperor¡¯s call,¡± said the Man of Beauty.

    The Qam nodded. The girl stood behind him, among the others, her face streaked with tears, though her posture was proud and unbent by the sorrow of the moment.

    ¡°The fulfillment of man¡¯s duty is his honour.¡±

    ¡°Though Great Sheng Hua calls, and though the Cosmic night may be long, it is my hope that our peoples shall share a prosperous history together, and that I may once more enjoy your hospitality.¡±

    Nova swallowed deeply, feeling a lump in her chest. The Candle-Bearer had not spoken in some time, nor did she speak as the sand rose again.

    ¡°You have a duty,¡± said her father. ¡°You cannot leave.¡±

    ¡°Do I get no choice?¡± she demanded of him.

    ¡°They did their duty to their people; you must do yours.¡±

    ¡°It isn¡¯t fair!¡± insisted the girl.

    ¡°Perhaps not. But if the ancestral knowledge were to pass from the Cosmos, then our people would be lost. Countless generations have lived and died to bring us to this moment. As a Lore-Keeper of Karbaliq, you are one of the chosen who may ensure that they can endure. We that are remembered are never truly lost, and someday others will be called upon to remember you.¡±

    The sun rose and set. The dunes shifted. Lives were lived.

    Darkness overtook everything, and the trio stood in some deep chamber.

    ¡°The Sanctum of Karbaliq,¡± intoned the Candle-Bearer.

    A woman in Yarkanese dress stood before an altar. It was not the girl, the Candle-Bearer, but some woman Nova had not seen before. Nova understood innately that she was now witnessing something that occurred long after the Candle-Bearer had passed. Yet as a Lore-Keeper of Karbaliq it was as if she witnessed all that transpired there.

    ¡°They are coming,¡± said the woman before the altar, her voice shaky. ¡°The Khagan will not abandon his people. He will remain in Karbaliq until the last day. But our armies cannot triumph this time. The enemy brings the power of God with them. I implore you Lore-Keepers, help our people endure this storm. Help our memory live.¡±

    The storm came.

    It came in an instant. It was a thing beyond description, like the Cosmos itself being rent apart by unfathomable and indescribable power, a reconstituting of the raw substance of reality.

    It was the most terrible thing Nova had ever experienced.

    It was over in an instant.

    The woman was gone. The Sanctum was quiet.

    The Candle-Bearer spoke. ¡°We answered her call as best he could. The great maelstrom arose, threatening to draw the myriad dead down into the depths beyond the Cosmos and we gathered ¨C all the generations of Karbaliq¡¯s Lore-Keepers ¨C and we held them. Kept them here, so that one day our people could arise once more.¡±

    Nova was trembling.

    ¡°That woman¡­ was she the last Lore-Keeper?¡± asked Nova.

    ¡°Her apprentice survived. The one name Barchin.¡±

    ¡°Perhaps it would have been less cruel if the Emperor had left no survivors,¡± said Seraphina. ¡°I know a little of what it is to be among the last of your kind.¡±

    ¡°Perhaps¡­ but Barchin and those few began the process of rebuilding.¡±

    ¡°And the dead lingered on,¡± said Seraphina.

    ¡°I did my duty¡­¡±

    ¡°You did well. Can you not be at peace now?¡±

    ¡°No,¡± said the Candle-Bearer, ¡°I must know my love¡¯s fate.¡±

    The Sanctum was gone.

    Normalcy returned.

    And with it, the last shreds of Nova¡¯s strength. The things she had witnessed and felt, the fear, the tension, the longing, the love, the sorrow, the joy ¨C it all flooded over her like the water from a shattered dam. She collapsed into sobbing. Ugly sobbing. Sniffling, body shaking sobbing.

    ¡°There, there,¡± said Seraphina, patting her on the back. ¡°There, there.¡±

    Nova looked at her through the tears. ¡°I¡ªI¡¯m s-sorry,¡± she said, through the sobs. ¡°I don¡¯t kn-know what c-c-c-came over me.¡±

    She squeezed her fists tightly shut, steeling herself. Another sob wracked her body. Matthias fluttered over with a tissue in his beak.

    ¡°Th-thank you,¡± she said, taking it from him.

    Raaark!

    She blew her nose hard and scrunched up the tissue. She took a few deep breaths.

    ¡°Okay¡­ okay. I¡¯m good.¡±

    ¡°I am glad,¡± said Seraphina, her face betraying no hint of what she might be feeling. ¡°That was very emotional. I feel like crying myself.¡±

    Nova squinted her watery eyes at the witch¡¯s blank face. ¡°Do you?¡± she said. Then with a gasp she turned. ¡°Oh! She¡¯s still here!¡±

    The Candle-Bearer stood in the centre of the room, exactly where she had been before they had been transported into Yarkan¡¯s distant past. Yet she was different. Her face was visible now. Lined and sunken, a deathly essence about it, yet otherwise an unremarkable face. A human face.

    ¡°Thank you,¡± said the Candle-Bearer, and her voice was not the excruciatingly raspy sound it had been before, but as it had been during the visions they had seen.

    ¡°We want to help you,¡± said Seraphina. ¡°Tell us how we can do so.¡±

    ¡°I came here looking for him,¡± said the Candle-Bearer.

    ¡°The boy¡­ the boy we saw?¡± said Nova, letting out a little sniffle. Matthias hopped over with another tissue.

    ¡°I thought I saw him¡­ in your memories¡­¡±

    ¡°My memories¡­¡± said Nova, puzzled. ¡°I¡­ I¡¯m sorry, but that was¡­ like¡­ thousands of years ago.¡±

    ¡°This record you have¡­ it appeared to be a record¡­ of him.¡±

    It struck Nova all of a sudden.

    ¡°Oh wow¡­ it¡¯s Xu Jianyu!¡± she exclaimed.

    ¡°You are right,¡± said Seraphina.

    Then Nova realised the full weight of it all and she felt herself teetering once again upon the brink of ugly crying.

    ¡°Oh no¡­ I¡¯m so sorry,¡± she said.

    ¡°I do not understand,¡± said the Candle-Bearer.

    Nova glanced over at Seraphina, trying to work out what to say.

    ¡°It isn¡¯t real. It¡¯s just¡­ a game¡­¡±

    ¡°A game?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s based on the past, on history¡­ sorta¡­ but it¡¯s not real. It¡¯s not something that actually happened.¡±

    ¡°The boy you loved,¡± said Seraphina, ¡°He came from Sheng Hua, did he not?¡±

    ¡°He did, from across the stars, like the Clanship of old. His father was a great general of Sheng Hua ¨C of the Nine Suns, they called it.¡±

    ¡°This game,¡± said Nova. ¡°It¡¯s like a story, but one you can take part in. It¡¯s ending changes depending on the choices you make.¡±

    ¡°It is a story set in the times of the Sheng Hua Emperors,¡± said Seraphina.

    ¡°Xu Jianyu, he is a character in the game,¡± said Seraphina. ¡°He is the son of a general of Sheng Hua.¡±

    ¡°Oh¡­¡± said the Candle-Bearer. ¡°I see.¡±

    Nova wasn¡¯t sure what to say. A sense of deep disappointment and loss filled the room.

    But Nova Reilly was not one to give up.

    ¡°Sera, there must be something we can do to help,¡± she said. ¡°I have been training for years bringing fictional lovers together. That time was surely not a waste! I¡¯m gonna find this¡­ ghost¡¯s¡­ also certainly very dead lover.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not sure,¡± said Seraphina. ¡°Perhaps¡­ no¡­ I do not know.¡±

    ¡°Then let¡¯s work it out,¡± said Nova.

    The Candle-Bearer was silent, her head bowed.

    ¡°I can grant you rest,¡± said Seraphina. ¡°You must be tired after all these millennia.¡±

    ¡°I had to do my duty. I let him go, so I could do my duty.¡±

    ¡°And you did it,¡± said Seraphina. ¡°Let us take up your burden now. Rest with me. I can find a safe vessel to contain you. We will find him and we will awake you when we do. Even if it takes centuries.¡±

    ¡°Better not take centuries,¡± said Nova, ¡°I don¡¯t have centuries.¡±

    ¡°I am tired,¡± said the Candle-Bearer.

    ¡°Of course,¡± said Seraphina.

    For the first time in a while, Nova smiled. ¡°I¡¯m sorry our game wasn¡¯t what you hoped it was. But if you like¡­ you can play with us a while, before you rest. I dunno¡­ I find it kinda¡­ relaxing. It¡¯s silly, but it calms a troubled mind.¡±

    The Candle-Bearer smiled too. ¡°I would like that.¡±

    Nova looked Seraphina¡¯s way. The witch nodded. ¡°Of course. We still haven¡¯t completed Xu Jianyu¡¯s route anyway.¡±

    Nova returned herself to the beanbag, Seraphina took up her customary spot beside her. And the Candle-Bearer took up a place between them.

    As she was about to resume the game, something occurred to Nova.

    ¡°Can I ask you something?¡±

    ¡°Of course, friend,¡± said the Candle-Bearer.

    ¡°You¡¯ve been watching over Karbaliq,¡± said Nova.

    ¡°Since the day I took up my post as a Lore-Keeper.¡±

    Seraphina¡¯s head spun to face Nova. She had clearly realised where Nova¡¯s questions were leading.

    ¡°A man was killed in Karbaliq. Not in ancient times, recently. An offworlder,¡± said Nova.

    ¡°Yes,¡± said the Candle-Bearer, ¡°He was with those who seek to build over Karbaliq.¡±

    ¡°That sounds like our guy,¡± said Nova.

    ¡°Can you tell us who killed him?¡±

    ¡°Of course.¡±

    Zhen Yan had dwelt a time in the shadows, considering her next move.

    She was angry with herself: angry for failing. Yet she knew why she failed. She had grown arrogant and reckless. She had attacked head on, and her opponent had proved far mightier than she could have imagined. Far mightier than she herself.

    But she had lived.

    She had always ensured that she got her targets. No bounty went unclaimed, no commission unfulfilled. Yet, she had an even more important rule: she should live. For as long as it was in her power.

    That was the promise she had made long ago ¨C to one who did not live. And whatever wretched existence she had, she would not give up on it, never give in to the allure of death. It would have been easy to give in, to join her beloved in death.

    But she did not.

    And she would not now.

    Thus, she had fled before the accursed warrior Kallistos, and now she lurked in the shadows and licked her wounds, contemplating what path would take her to Princess Mukushen. She had satisfied her first rule by living, but not yet her second: the target must be found.

    While she considered this course of action, she had more immediate concerns. Her wounds were considerable. To a human they likely would have been permanently debilitating, if not lethal. But Zhen Yan was no human, rather she was a Hulijing of the Cloud Sparrow Clan, and a Resonant of Daqi, the Laughing Star. Through Resonance alone she could not truly heal her wounds, but by shifting form she could redistribute the damage, spreading it across her whole form instead of having it concentrated in one crippling injury.

    She needed medical treatment. And painkillers.

    And alcohol.

    She had restrained a company worker when first she arrived, taking on her identity, but that form had been revealed now, and was thus useless for mingling among the people at Karbaliq. Zhen Yan had donned a hooded cloak and marched the gagged woman to the edges of the protected zone, there releasing her. Killing may have been her life¡¯s work, but she saw no point in taking the lives of those who were neither targets, nor stood between her and her targets.

    She was no longer worthy of her beloved¡¯s affections, but that did not mean giving herself over wholly to cruelty and depravity. Tragic, though, that the noble and good should die so young, yet the wicked like Zhen Yan should live on, sewing death and misery, in selfish pursuit.

    Yet there was no time to dwell on such things. Practical matters called.

    Among the immensity of Karbaliq, lonely places were easy to find. Some people enjoyed being alone. Such people were easy prey.

    A man this time. They would be on the lookout for a woman.

    He sat by himself, smoking and drinking, headphones on. He sung loudly to himself in Jaril, his voice slurred by the effects of alcohol. Zhen Yan was swift and silent. A dart to the side of the neck brought him low. A little of her fox magic and no one would see her handling the body back to her lair.

    He awoke groggily.

    ¡°You should drink less,¡± she told him, taking a swig from his bottle. It was foul stuff, but almost instantaneously the pain throughout her body became a little more bearable.

    ¡°Wha--?¡± said the man.

    She brushed his face with one of her many tails. ¡°Tell me about yourself. Leave nothing out.¡±

    He was confused and reluctant to begin with, but after she twirled her knife a little, he found greater enthusiasm. He was not a great prize. She had been hoping for security ¨C such an individual would allow her to discover where Mukushen had gone, but he would at least help her secure medical care. After that she would find one of the company security officers.

    She was impatient, but she would not let her impatience lead her to the brink of disaster once more.

    What was it the Eleftherians said? Hubris brought Nemesis? Something like that.

    ¡°Alright,¡± she told the man at length, as she began undressing. ¡°Strip.¡±

    A moment later two versions of the man stood naked, facing each other. Zhen Yan bent down and dressed in his discarded clothes. This completed, she wadded up some of her old and discarded clothes and gagged him. After tying his hands, she gave him another little dose of tranquiliser.

    ¡°Sleep now,¡± she whispered gently, ¡°I will release you once I¡¯m done with this form.¡±

    She looked down at his stocky frame.

    ¡°Not the most beautiful creature, are you?¡±

    With a wave of her hand her true form was returned. ¡°Oh well, just another one for the repertoire.¡±

    She sat down on the floor and took out her tablet. Big Bai had asked for reports on her progress at frequent intervals, but she didn¡¯t think he needed to hear about this disaster. It would be sufficient for him to know when she had Mukushen, and Tavian was dead.

    She scrolled through her job files. Security might be able to help her find out where Mukushen was ¨C that remained the plan. However, it occurred to her that if Mukushen wasn¡¯t here, as Harry Zhang had said, and she hadn¡¯t returned to Yengishahr ¨C and Zhen Yan had found no sign that she had ¨C then surely, she must be somewhere in the vicinity, if not in Karbaliq itself.

    That probably meant she had spoken with one of the Qamlar. As Zhen Yan understood it, it would be very difficult for a Resonant in particular to leave the protected zone without one of the tribal Resonants.

    She took another swig of her victim¡¯s terrible spirits, grimacing as it went down.

    ¡°Hrm,¡± she said out loud.

    What was the next step?

    As Mu and Tavian approached one of the larger yurts in the camp, she felt a degree of trepidation. This was the big moment. Was her theory about the Clanship correct? Was that truly Toghrul and Sayan¡¯s grand plan? And was she truly about to offer herself up? Atoning for her ancestors¡¯ crimes by rebelling against her own family, her own people?

    Though on that last point, Tavian had helpfully pointed out that they¡¯d already committed so many crimes on Shangxia, that rebellion against the Empire was hardly the threshold she was making it out to be.

    Nonetheless, much about this moment felt pivotal in Mu¡¯s mind.

    And nerve-wracking.

    As they drew closer to Sayan¡¯s tent, her mind had been going over what they knew again and again. She felt sure she must have missed something, but couldn¡¯t identify what it might be. There were certainly still plenty of unknowns. Su Bolin¡¯s role and fate were shrouded in mystery. Then there was the curious fact revealed by Nova: Chinor had been the one to wipe the footage of the murder.

    That she had rationalised: if Sayan sought to ensure Toghrul¡¯s martyrdom, then even if Tavian¡¯s full conspiracy theory was incorrect, it was at least true that both sides of the conflict had a vested interested in the truth of the murder not coming to light. Provided, of course, that the original assumption that Toghrul wasn¡¯t the killer proved correct.

    But it also suggested Sayan and likely Toghrul knew who the killer was. Moreover, it raised questions about why Chinor had helped them reach Sayan. Was her younger brother having second thoughts about the plan? Perhaps he wasn¡¯t ready for Toghrul to die?

    Many, many questions.

    But few firm answers.

    Yet, perhaps, one way or another, they would know a great deal more shortly.

    Mu had half-expected to see guards posted at the entrance of Sayan¡¯s tent, but no one stood there.

    ¡°Do we¡­ just go in?¡± asked Mu.

    ¡°You first,¡± said Tavian.

    She looked at him.

    ¡°What? I¡¯m not walking into a lady¡¯s tent unannounced.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ve walked into mine plenty of times,¡± said Mu.

    ¡°Announced. I walked into yours announced. Besides, it¡¯s just you.¡±

    ¡°Just!? What does that mean?¡±

    She shook her head.

    She was still unwilling to admit that Tavian was invariably wonderfully effective at dispelling tension.

    ¡°Hello?¡± she called out. ¡°Sayan?¡±

    A voice emanated from within: ¡°Enter.¡±

    She pushed back the flap at the entrance. Apart from its size, there was little to distinguish Sayan¡¯s yurt from any of the others. Notably, Sayan¡¯s bed appeared to be as small and nondescript as the one Mu herself had been sleeping in, since arriving at the camp.

    Mu removed her shoes at the entrance and walked inside, coming to a halt, and awkwardly loitering. Tavian followed her lead.

    Aside from Sayan herself, Erkegul was also present, seated in one corner of the tent, seemingly immersed in reading. She looked up when Mu and Tavian entered. Mu smiled her way. She gave a fleeting smile in return, then hurriedly returned her eyes to her book.

    Sayan¡¯s gaze, by contrast was as fierce and penetrating as ever. Yet Mu was surprised by her appearance, nonetheless. Her hair was worn down, without the braids, the hairband, or any of the usual ornamentation. Her dress appeared to be of the design she typically wore, but she had foregone the tunic over it. She sat upon a cushion on the floor, cross-legged and barefoot. Not a spear, nor falcon was in sight.

    Yet even appearing so casual, none of her presence was diminished.

    ¡°Take a seat,¡± she said, gesturing to two cushions.

    Mu and Tavian did as they were told.

    ¡°Erkegul,¡± she said, and her daughter¡¯s head turned. ¡°Fetch our guests some tea.¡±

    The girl obediently moved to fulfill Sayan¡¯s bidding.

    ¡°Oh, and Erkegul?¡± said Sayan, the girl pausing at the entrance.

    ¡°Make sure your uncle got away with Atilay Mallam. They were supposed to be returning to Karbaliq.¡±

    Erkegul nodded silently.

    Sayan returned her attention to Mu and Tavian.

    ¡°Well, then, you have more questions?¡±

    Mu was about to speak, when her tablet began to vibrate. Irritated, she glanced down. It was Nova. She would have to wait. She declined the call.

    ¡°Sorry,¡± mumbled Mu.

    ¡°Mu seems to have more important things going on,¡± said Tavian. Mu frowned at him. ¡°But I¡¯ll get straight to it. What do you know about the Clanship?¡±

    Sayan laughed heartily. ¡°Oh, I think I see where this is going. But I¡¯ll humour you and play along.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ve been thinking over everything we know, trying to explain it. We cannot help but keep returning to one thing: Toghrul has decided to die,¡± said Tavian.

    Sayan¡¯s eyes narrowed. ¡°He is willing to die for his people. He does not desire death.¡±

    ¡°Both you and he are willing to let him die though,¡± said Tavian. ¡°And for what? You say he is willing to die for his people¡­. Well, okay. But how does his execution or exile help the people? What would actually demand such a sacrifice?¡±

    Sayan¡¯s jovial manner had gone now. ¡°I have already told Mukushen that I am unable to provide you with the answers you want.¡±

    ¡°We want to help. Forget answers,¡± interjected Mu.

    Mu almost physically recoiled as Sayan directed those raptor eyes her way.

    ¡°I do not care about your guilt, Aixin. That is a matter for you, and you alone. Do not burden us with it. We neither ask for, nor desire your help. You can render no greater service to our cause than simply stepping aside, boarding that starship of yours, and carrying on to some other world of your Empire. You have countless worlds. Today, we have but one.¡±

    Even as Mu felt herself withering beneath Sayan¡¯s words, her tablet began to vibrate again.

    Not now, Nova! she barely restrained herself from shouting the words.

    She focused again.

    Sayan had no patience for half-measures and niceties.

    What will sway her?

    Ask her directly.

    Tavian spoke instead, ¡°Perhaps you do not need to be so alone. Maybe you don¡¯t need our help, but is it ever such a bad thing to have more friends? We have a starship. We can connect you to others who may be sympathetic. What of the other worlds of the old Confederacy?¡±

    Sayan looked unimpressed. ¡°You think us so primitive that we cannot find ourselves a starship if we require one? Please, the only reason this one wants to help is because her world was shattered when she saw what that Empire of hers was capable of. And you, Mr Tavian? I¡¯ve met your kind before. The only reason you want to help is to get into this one¡¯s bed.¡±

    ¡°That is not true!¡± exclaimed Mu, outraged.

    She glanced Tavian¡¯s way.

    Probably.

    Her tablet vibrated once more.

    Nova, I am going to kill you.

    But it was a message this time.

    Only a short one.

    Mu had to read it twice before it properly sunk in.

    We know who the murderer was.

    Tribal leader. Woman named Sayan.

 Chapter XXVI - Killer

    Chapter XXVI ¨C Killer

    The Qam was clearly not overly fond of company security, but he was not suspicious when an officer approached him and began asking questions.

    Zhen Yan had worked quickly. She had swapped forms again, finding the individual she needed. This one had been harder to persuade. The mere appearance of her knife had been insufficient this time round ¨C instead she had needed to do a little ¡®digging¡¯. Eventually, the officer had told her everything she needed to know.

    As it turned out, company security had the Amrita crew under continuous surveillance. After she had given him a once over with her knife, the security officer had told her everything she needed. Mukushen and Tavian had both set off beyond the protected zone. Apparently, they¡¯d gone to meet with a local tribal leader.

    Complicating matters was the fact that the tribes were nomadic, so finding them would be difficult.

    And that had led her here: to meeting the Qam.

    ¡°My orders are to bring Mukushen and Tavian back here,¡± said Zhen Yan, though the voice that spoke the words was not hers.

    The Qam smiled. ¡°Getting you there: not so hard. I just came from the Falcon Totem camp. I do not think Cousin Sayan has plans to move. This is simple. I can take you there. But I think you will not have a good time when you arrive.¡±

    ¡°The Falcon Totem tribe¡­ they are hostile to the company?¡± asked Zhen Yan.

    The Qam gave her a strange look, like she was asking the obvious. Always a pitfall when taking over another¡¯s life.

    ¡°Cousin Sayan is Toghrul Yarghunoghul¡¯s chief lieutenant. Are you new here? I thought you¡¯d been here a while.¡±

    ¡°A momentary mix-up,¡± said Zhen Yan. ¡°But I will take my chances. My orders come from the directors.¡±

    The Qam shrugged. ¡°Well, I did warn you,¡± he said.

    Something occurred to Zhen Yan. ¡°You¡¯re helping the company here at the development site¡­ why does this Sayan trust you?¡±

    ¡°Trust me? Ha! I don¡¯t know about that. But she tolerates me,¡± said Atilay. ¡°Her brother is learning the ways of the Qamlar from me, so she has little choice in the matter.¡±

    Interesting, thought Zhen Yan. A plan began to take shape in her mind.

    ¡°Her brother, is he nearby?¡± asked Zhen Yan.

    ¡°He accompanied me back from the camp,¡± replied the Qam. ¡°Why?¡±

    Zhen Yan detected the suspicion growing in the Qam¡¯s voice.

    ¡°How proficient is he in the ways of the Qamlar?¡± she asked.

    ¡°He is getting better. You want him to take you? He¡¯s one of your company people.¡±

    ¡°Really? Interesting.¡±

    Zhen Yan would have continued questioning the man, but she saw the moment suspicion turned to understanding, or the beginnings of it.

    ¡°You¡¯re not with the company,¡± he said. ¡°You¡¯re a Resonant.¡±

    Zhen Yan sighed. ¡°Old man, it would have been much better for you not to have realised that. But I guess if the secret¡¯s out I can be a little more¡­ direct with my questions.¡±

    She gave a devilish smile. She had already established that this site wasn¡¯t covered by surveillance. Another advantage of having thoroughly quizzed a member of the security team.

    It meant nothing now held her back.

    She shed the false form.

    ¡°What are you?¡± asked the Qam.

    Zhen Yan said nothing as her tails spread out behind her and she drew her blade.

    Mu felt her annoyance turn to shock.

    Woman named Sayan.

    She looked up. Both Tavian and Sayan had been speaking, but she wasn¡¯t taking in a word they were saying.

    There was the answer: Toghrul was innocent.

    Sayan was guilty.

    Sayan was a killer.

    It was Sayan¡¯s own words that filled Mu¡¯s head now: ¡°I would wade through lakes of blood and burn Yengishahr to the ground.¡±

    It took Mu a moment to recall the context: to save Toghrul if she thought she could.

    Yet it was her crime for which Toghrul was to pay.

    She looked Sayan¡¯s way. She continued to sit, just as she had, her expression, her posture ¨C all of it redolent of supreme self-assurance. Yet, somehow Mu saw her differently.

    On some level this new perception didn¡¯t make sense. Yet all along Mu had been operating ¨C whether she had realised it or not ¨C under a paradigm that posited that Toghrul was innocent and therefore a good guy. Yet here was the woman to whose cause Mu had offered herself up just moments earlier, and it was precisely this same woman who was guilty of the crime.

    You are a hypocrite Mukushen.

    For Mu¡¯s own hands were not clean. She had killed ¨C and not just once. Who was she to judge this woman who fought for her people and her world? Mu had killed simply to escape her duties. To escape her people.

    My people who brought this ruin upon this world, who now threatened this woman¡¯s way of life.

    Her thinking was threatening to go in circles.

    She had to know.

    Why had Sayan done it?

    It was at this moment that Tavian seemed to have noticed Mu¡¯s distraction. ¡°Still with us there, Princes?¡±

    Mu ignored him and looked directly at Sayan.

    Something in the other woman¡¯s eyes in that moment suggested that she understood there had been a change.

    Mu did not mince words. ¡°Why did you kill Su Bolin?¡±

    To her surprise, Sayan laughed. ¡°That¡¯s what¡¯s got you riled up? Well, I guess you worked it out.¡±

    ¡°So, you admit it?¡± asked Mu.

    ¡°To you? Sure. But if you are about to ask me to go to Yengishahr and trade places with Toghrul, I am sorry.¡±

    Tavian was looking from one of them to the other. ¡°I think I missed something.¡±

    Mu said nothing to him, but passed him her tablet, still open on Nova¡¯s message.

    ¡°Well, shit.¡±

    ¡°How can you just let Toghrul¡ª¡±

    ¡°I thought you came in here with that part all worked out,¡± said Sayan. ¡°I wish it were otherwise. I truly do. More than anything, I wish Erkegul did not need to lose her father. But this is what fate has ordained: it is the curse of his blood. Only he can make this sacrifice.¡±

    ¡°But how do you know it will even work? How do you know it is necessary?¡±

    Sayan laughed once again, ¡°You think we are operating on guess work here?¡±

    Mu didn¡¯t reply.

    ¡°I¡¯ll admit, it wasn¡¯t easy to figure it all out. Our people have lost so much of our own past, even as we live with its consequences every single day. The dead do not easily give up their secrets, but Toghrul has always been a reader. Far more so than me: I prefer to spend my days hunting and fighting. But it is well that we have Toghrul. He had the idea long ago to resurrect the Clanship. I think at one point he even tried to convince his brother to join him in the quest. It was his obsession. But it was difficult: the Lore-Keepers who once protected such knowledge are long gone. The Qamlar of today only have fragmentary knowledge of things that once were common knowledge among the Jaril. But bit by bit Toghrul pieced it together from whatever sources he could find ¨C books, certainly, but he also travelled from tribe to tribe, speaking with the Qamlar, hearing from those who recited old songs and poems.¡±

    She paused.

    ¡°And in the end, he convinced me.¡±

    Mu put a hand to her mouth, her mind swirling. But she realised she needed to focus. One question needed answering before all others.

    ¡°Why did you kill Su Bolin?¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re back to that,¡± said Sayan, sounding almost disappointed. ¡°He was working for Taghay. Which we knew all along. Perhaps if I¡¯d acted more decisively early on, he may have been spared. But I didn¡¯t. Toghrul is more merciful than me. More of an idealist. He thought we could turn Su Bolin. I doubted that, but I always had a weakness for Toghrul and so I held off dealing with the issue. But we slipped up. Su discovered the critical component of our plan: Toghrul¡¯s martyrdom.¡±

    ¡°And if he knew Toghrul¡¯s sacrifice was key to the plan¡­¡± said Tavian.

    ¡°Then Toghrul would be spared,¡± finished Sayan. ¡°Chinor was there at Karbaliq. I demanded too much of him though. The boy is soft. So, I slipped in to the protected zone and did what I had too. We were fortunate that there was a storm that day that interfered with communications. Otherwise, Su may have revealed what he knew before he got back.¡±

    A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

    ¡°Was there no other way?¡± asked Mu.

    ¡°Perhaps,¡± said Sayan shrugging. ¡°But I don¡¯t lose sleep. Su Bolin was a company man in the truest sense. He came to Yarkan because his skills are rare here and in high demand. Having seen this world, he was unmoved by our struggles ¨C even as he immersed himself amongst us and pretended to have taken up our cause. He played a dangerous game and won his prize. The life of one such man is nothing compared to the restoration of our world.¡±

    Sayan now paused, her elbow resting on her leg, her mouth on her fist. She eyed them intently.

    She raised her head again.

    ¡°Which raises the question: what to do with the two of you. You now possess all the information that I killed Su Bolin for possessing.¡±

    Tavian grinned. ¡°Well, I hate to break it to you, but killing us won¡¯t get you far.¡±

    He had returned Mu¡¯s tablet to her, but now snatched it back, holding it up.

    ¡°No storm today,¡± he said. ¡°Communications are going through just fine. But that doesn¡¯t even matter. Our pal Nova ¨C who is sitting aboard the starship Amrita in high orbit above Yarkan, a little beyond your reach ¨C is the one who told us you killed Su Bolin. And she has already obtained the security footage of you committing the crime ¨C the precise footage which would force the court to dismiss the charges against Toghrul if made public.¡±

    She does? thought Mu, experiencing a moment of disorientation. Then she reprimanded herself. Idiot, he¡¯s bluffing.

    ¡°Impossible. Chinor wiped the footage,¡± said Sayan.

    ¡°Nothing¡¯s ever truly deleted,¡± said Tavian. ¡°And Nova¡¯s very clever ¨C if it exists, she¡¯ll find it.¡±

    Sayan rose to her feet, folding her arms. ¡°Well, I guess we are at your mercy. How much is Ulduz paying you? You¡¯ve solved the mystery now. Why don¡¯t you go claim your prize?¡±

    ¡°Ten million Imperial taels,¡± said Tavian, with a smirk.

    Mu flashed him an annoyed look. ¡°I meant what I said before. We want to help.¡±

    Sayan was pacing. ¡°Even at the cost of ten million taels?¡±

    ¡°Well¡­¡± said Tavian.

    ¡°Yes,¡± snapped Mu, emphatically.

    Sayan had her back turned to them. She ceased pacing. ¡°Then what I said earlier still stands. Leave us. This is our struggle.¡±

    ¡°Before we do that,¡± said Tavian, ¡°I did actually have a question: can¡¯t Toghrul just off himself?¡±

    ¡°Tavian!¡± snapped Mu.

    Tavian shrugged, ¡°Seems like a legit question to me.¡±

    Sayan turned back to face them. ¡°We have stood before the U?armaz. There is no other way to placate them ¨C the sacrifice must be made at the hand of the enemy of the Jaril. If the sentence is passed and carried out by the Imperial government of Yarkan, Toghrul believes this criterion will be met.¡±

    ¡°I see,¡± said Tavian.

    ¡°And there is one other thing which must happen. In the Sanctum of the Black City, the ancient Wolf Totem resides. With it we can convoke a Kurultai of the U?armaz. The Kurultai must be convened when the sacrifice is made. There is no other way to gain power over the Clanship and awaken its power.¡±

    Tavian turned to Mu. ¡°Huh, well credit where credit is due, you pretty much got all that spot on.¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t know about the Totem¡­¡± murmured Mu.

    ¡°You sure that foresight of yours isn¡¯t working?¡±

    Mu shook her head. ¡°The residue of the Emperor¡¯s Theophany makes it impossible.¡±

    ¡°If you say so,¡± said Tavian.

    A thought occurred to Mu. ¡°Why haven¡¯t you taken the Totem yet? What if the court rushes Toghrul¡¯s sentence.¡±

    ¡°Because that will summon the U?armaz. The time is not right,¡± said Sayan. ¡°That will be Chinor¡¯s role.¡±

    ¡°Chinor¡¯s?¡± said Tavian, in a surprised tone. ¡°That¡¯s a lot of responsibility.¡±

    ¡°He has been training in the ways of the Qamlar,¡± said Sayan. ¡°It is necessary in order for him to enter the Sanctum. I had hoped Atilay Qam would aid us, but he turned down my entreaties. He won¡¯t try and stop us, nor shall he help us.¡±

    ¡°You weren¡¯t worried he would spill the beans? Since he¡¯s helping maintain the protected zone at Karbaliq?¡± said Tavian.

    Sayan sighed. ¡°I had no choice but to trust Mallam. I just needed the knowledge of our plan to stay hidden from Taghay and the authorities in Yengishahr long enough that things would become inevitable.¡±

    ¡°And what if they spare Toghrul death?¡± said Mu. The thought had been bugging her for some time. ¡°One of our crew met with Taghay. He said he would try to spare Toghrul from the death penalty.¡±

    ¡°I do not trust Taghay¡¯s word,¡± said Sayan. ¡°He is petty. He loathes Toghrul. He wishes to appear other than he is ¨C a monster. But when the time comes, he will be in the Governor¡¯s office demanding Toghrul¡¯s blood. I have deep faith in that.¡±

    She sat once more.

    Her tone changed, becoming businesslike. ¡°The rest of your crew knows it was me who killed Su Bolin?¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± said Mu. ¡°I believe so.¡±

    ¡°Then there is something you can do for me,¡± said Sayan. ¡°Speak with them. Plead for their silence. We are so near the moment of our people¡¯s liberation.¡±

    Mu nodded. ¡°We will do that now.¡±

    She didn¡¯t mention the fact that Tavian had been bluffing about the footage. To her knowledge, regardless of what they might know, neither Nova nor Ostara, nor anyone else on the crew, had any solid evidence. Not the sort of evidence they would need to sway the court¡¯s hand. But though she wanted to help Sayan, maintaining some leverage was wise.

    So, she kept quiet.

    This was getting progressively harder, reflected Zhen Yan, as she wiped the blood from her blade before sheathing it.

    But this one had been worth it.

    She gazed down at the wreckage of the old man¡¯s face, feeling the faintest stirrings of pity. His long white beard was now drenched with blood, his mouth missing most of his teeth. He had forced her to get creative. Threats alone had not broken him like some of the other, more pitiful individuals she had come across. Only once she had broken his mind and applied a few illusions, did he finally give her what she wanted. But when he had, what a treasure trove.

    She even had to do a little research on the side to make sense of everything he was saying.

    But she¡¯d pieced it together now.

    Shockingly, given what a remote pit of misery it seemed, big things were afoot on Yarkan. The stirrings of rebellion. She almost wished them luck.

    Bitterly she reflected that perhaps these Yarkanese were braver than her.

    After the authorities had taken her love from her, she¡¯d simply caved, given up on any hope of revenge. Yet, here were these tribes ¨C so few in number ¨C on this desolate world still dreaming of resistance. And what a plan!

    It was a shame she was going to have to ruin it for them, but it was too big an opportunity to miss out on. This could be quite the pay day. She¡¯d sent out feelers already, so when her tablet buzzed, she felt a little thrill.

    ¡°This is Taghay Yarghunoghul. You have something for me?¡±

    Zhen Yan walked away from the bloodied mess so that the groans of pain wouldn¡¯t be audible on the call. ¡°I certainly do.¡±

    ¡°Zhen Yan is it? Tell me what you have.¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s not be too hasty,¡± said Zhen Yan. ¡°I have a few choice offerings for you, but each will fetch a different price. I understand your poor brother may be facing some criminal charges. Before you take any action on that front, I feel you¡¯ll be very interested to know what I have to tell you ¨C it may make you reconsider your plans.¡±

    ¡°Ah, yes. We will need to find a way to trust each other. Tell me, do you know a Sayan Yinalqizi?¡±

    ¡°I do,¡± came Taghay¡¯s voice at the other end of the call, laden with suspicion.

    ¡°Well, it so happens that I am highly specialised in eliminating that kind of nuisance for people like you,¡± said Zhen Yan. ¡°So that¡¯s part of the deal I¡¯m offering you today. But I also happen to have come into some information regarding what she and Toghrul are planning. You will want to know.¡±

    There was silence at the other end of the call.

    ¡°I¡¯m not sure why I¡¯m wasting my time with this. I didn¡¯t get to where I am by falling for such scams.¡±

    Zhen Yan sighed. ¡°Have you ever paused to wonder why your little brother is so willing to accept his fate? Given that both you and I know he did not murder that man.¡±

    Another silence.

    Then Taghay spoke.

    ¡°Tell me what you have.¡±

    Zhen Yan grinned. She turned to her prisoner and mouthed thank you, but he didn¡¯t see anything, having passed out, slumping forward in the chair, at least as far as the ropes would allow.

    ¡°I¡¯m going to send through some account details. It is a bank in the Eladian Republic, even if the Imperial authorities cared to trace it, they couldn¡¯t. Give me a spoonful of sugar. I might speak some more,¡± she said.

    A discontented sound came from the other end, followed by a lengthier silence.

    Finally, Taghay spoke again.

    ¡°It is done. What have you got for me?¡±

    ¡°One moment,¡± she chided him.

    She looked at her screen, tapping a few times.

    Hrm, not bad. I won¡¯t push too hard. This is all a bonus on top of what Big Bai is sending my way.

    ¡°By the time this is over, I¡¯ll need at least ten times that,¡± she said.

    ¡°Provided this information of yours checks out and is as useful as you claim, you have a deal.¡±

    Zhen Yan laughed. ¡°Wonderful. You¡¯ve made the right decision.¡±

    The guards had come in the midst of the night.

    This was unusual.

    Usually, they left him be in these hours. For that reason, Toghrul preferred this time. He could sit in his cell and read undisturbed. There was solace in those quiet, subdued hours.

    Yet tonight the guards came.

    ¡°Mr Yarghunoghul, you have a visitor,¡± they announced.

    A visitor? Visiting hours were long over.

    He wondered whether this was the moment. Perhaps they were going to transfer him to some holding cell at the courtroom ahead of passing a sentence. Surely that moment couldn¡¯t be far off.

    If this was some psychological tactic to deprive him of sleep and make him more compliant, they would be disappointed. He did not sleep much even when left entirely to his own devices. Tonight was unlikely to be much out of the ordinary in that respect.

    The guards opened the door to the cell and led him away down the long hallways. As they walked, a part of him fantasised that somehow he was getting a visit from Sayan and Erkegul, but he knew this was impossible. Sayan knew as well as he did to stay far from Yengishahr and his brother. And though he dearly craved one last meeting with his daughter, the thought of her falling into his brother¡¯s clutches horrified him.

    He had told Sayan as much: let her grow up in the deep desert. Let her live the ancestral ways, not merely read of them, as he had done growing up. She would be a true Jaril.

    Yet even then, the thought of her sweet face, her shy and nervous demeanour ¨C it made him feel weak, like he must fight this, free himself. In every other respect he was ready to face death, but the longing to hold his daughter ¨C even just one last time ¨C it made it hard, hard in a way that no mere fear ever could.

    There were no windows in the prison ¨C the corridors were lit up with the same ugly, harsh light at all hours, creating a disorientating sense of a place out of time.

    He was led into the room.

    As always, he took his seat.

    One visitor. Tonight, there was only one chair set up, facing his own.

    The room¡¯s far door opened. Taghay entered.

    He smiled thinly at Toghrul, but did not speak until he had seated himself.

    ¡°My apologies for waking you,¡± he said.

    Toghrul shook his head. ¡°I was not sleeping.¡±

    Taghay gave a little laugh. ¡°Reading, was it? It was the same when we were young. You were always reading.¡±

    ¡°Perhaps you could have stood to read a little more,¡± said Toghrul.

    ¡°And perhaps you¡¯d be more anchored in reality if you had spent less time with books, and more time learning the family business with father,¡± replied Taghay.

    Toghrul gave him a scathing look, but said nothing. There was little point in dignifying his brother¡¯s self-justifications.

    ¡°You always looked down on me for that, didn¡¯t you? You thought me shallow and materialistic. And selfish,¡± said Taghay.

    Toghrul sighed. ¡°Is there a reason you¡¯re here?¡±

    Taghay collected himself. ¡°I just had an interesting conversation.¡±

    ¡°I wonder what that¡¯s like,¡± muttered Toghrul.

    ¡°Very funny, brother,¡± said Taghay, but though his tone was sarcastic, he was indeed smiling. ¡°I found out some quite interesting information just now.¡±

    Toghrul looked off to one side, running hand through his messy hair.

    ¡°It¡¯s quite the plan you and that tribeswoman have hatched,¡± said Taghay. ¡°Ambitious, certainly. Yet, I fear it suffers from your customary lack of realism.¡±

    Toghrul now looked directly at Taghay.

    What is he getting at?

    ¡°Resurrecting the Clanship? Ha! I recall you rambling about such things once, long ago, but to think you¡¯d actually try to put it into practice. To think you¡¯d be willing to die for such a wild fantasy.¡±

    Toghrul felt his blood run cold.

    Taghay knew.

    He took a deep breath.

    Show no weakness. Let him talk.

    ¡°Well, I treasure you, brother, so I¡¯m not going to let you die. Of course, you still need to face punishment, but I meant it when I said I would strive to ensure you are spared the ultimate penalty. So, you can forget about your noble sacrifice and perhaps you can gain a more grounded perspective through labour.¡±

    I am not to be executed?

    ¡°I spoke with the Governor¡¯s chief of staff just now on the way here. He has assured me the Governor will instruct the prosecution not to pursue the death penalty when you are found guilty. You will be placed in the tender custody of the Luanyuan Planetary Development Corporation. It will be quite the change of scenery ¨C they say every part of Luanyuan is covered in lush jungles.¡±

    Toghrul closed his eyes, willing his rapidly beating heart to be calm. He still doesn¡¯t know everything. Keep quiet.

    ¡°Unfortunately, there have been some complications, based on the information I have received. Based on the information I have received and relayed to the Governor¡¯s office, they agreed with my assessment that was there was credible evidence of a major terrorist threat at Karbaliq centred on the rebel group led by Sayan Yinalqizi.¡±

    This time Toghrul couldn¡¯t contain himself. ¡°You bastard¡­¡±

    ¡°Necessary preparations are being made. Tomorrow morning, Yengishahr time, the Governor will proclaim a planet-wide State of Emergency and dispatch forces to neutralise the terrorist threat at Karbaliq. Of course, under the state of emergency, as a co-conspirator with the terrorist leader, we will necessarily have to expedite your trial to summary judgement. You will then be immediately placed on a transport to Luanyuan to fulfill your sentence.¡±

    Sayan won¡¯t know¡­ she won¡¯t have time to claim the Wolf Totem.

    ¡°No smug remarks?¡± asked Taghay. ¡°I guess the books didn¡¯t prepare you for this. I live in the real world, brother. That¡¯s why I win.¡±

 Chapter XXVII - Before the Dive

    Chapter XXVII - Before the Dive

    Nova was enjoying having her main workstation back. It made life considerably easier.

    That said, as good as being back in her own room was, she did find herself actually missing those days spent staying with Seraphina. There was a camaraderie. But with the ghost situation now dealt with, it was time to return.

    Despite having reconciled herself with the Candle-Bearer, she still got slightly unnerved whenever she looked at the window. Previously she had loved the Cosmic vistas outside of the Amrita, but she now kept imagining looking out to see some ethereal figure gazing in. She assumed in time she¡¯d get over it, but she wasn¡¯t quite there yet.

    She was also determined to learn from the incident. While everything had worked out in the end, there was no guarantee that next time would end so well. When everyone was back on board, she intended to raise the issue with the Captain and Ostara. There had been biosecurity incidents in the past. Harry had purchased gourmet mushrooms on Meishan that had spread fungal spores throughout the Amrita. The mushrooms had attempted to psychically control the crew to spread themselves across the Cosmos. That had been a pain to deal with. This latest incident had not been strictly a biosecurity incident, but it fit within the general theme of accidentally bringing foreign things on board the ship.

    Nova was stirred from her thoughts when an alert appeared from one of the monitoring programs that she¡¯d created to snoop of the Yarkanese Government and Yarghun Company communications.

    ¡°What¡¯ve you got for me?¡± she said out loud, leaning forward and opening the alert.

    ¡°A lot apparently.¡±

    She flicked through the alerts.

    Well.

    This was big.

    Multiple alerts were coming up now.

    A state of emergency was to be declared.

    Security and military assets to be transferred to Karbaliq area for ¡°major anti-terrorism operation¡±.

    Taghay Yarghunoghul to proceed to summary trial and sentencing immediately.

    Prosecution will pursue exile.

    She flicked over to the Amrita¡¯s orbital imaging of the surface. She zoomed in. Around Yengishahr there were clearly the signs of equipment being mobilised.

    She looked at Karbaliq. No signs there yet.

    But she had other data coming in. Atmospheric sensors were detecting signs of a low-pressure system developing about five hundred kilometres southwest of Karbaliq. The computer¡¯s atmospheric modelling data showed this was likely to build into a major sandstorm with winds of at least sixty kilometres an hour, possibly much stronger.

    Nova sat back in her chair, considering it all.

    If they planned to airlift forces into Karbaliq from Yengishahr, they were likely to have a narrow window. Orbital visibility would be reduced to zero once the sand shroud descended over Karbaliq. That might advantage defenders.

    But in order for the defenders to have any advantage, they needed to know what was coming.

    Nova breathed in; her previous musings forgotten. She put in a call to Ostara.

    Mu was back in the yurt when her tablet lit up.

    ¡°Hello, Ostara,¡± she said.

    ¡°Hello, Mu.¡±

    Mu looked up at Tavian and mouthed ¡°It¡¯s Ostara¡±. They¡¯d been debating how to handle this conversation. Mu wasn¡¯t sure they¡¯d entirely settled the matter, but she was going to have to plunge forward now and hope for Ostara¡¯s understanding.

    ¡°I expect you¡¯ve heard what Nova¡¯s discovered,¡± said Mu.

    ¡°If you¡¯re referring to the identity of the killer, yes I have. You are still in Sayan¡¯s camp?¡±

    ¡°We are,¡± said Mu. She decided she had to charge forward. ¡°We want to help Sayan and Toghrul.¡±

    There was a momentary pause at the other end.

    ¡°I thought you might say that,¡± said Ostara, ¡°Or rather, the Captain did. You do realise this means abandoning the job we are being paid for.¡±

    ¡°I do,¡± sad Mu, ¡°But¡­ I¡­ I don¡¯t want to be part of dashing the hopes of this world. Not after what my ancestors did.¡±

    ¡°I understand,¡± said Ostara. Her tone was neutral, giving away little of her thoughts. ¡°I take it you know why Sayan did what she did, and what she and Toghrul are planning.¡±

    ¡°We do,¡± said Mu. She got the sense Ostara was holding something back.

    ¡°Toghrul was not forthcoming when I spoke with him,¡± said Ostara.

    ¡°They intend to reawaken the Clanship Kulkana,¡± said Mu. ¡°In order to achieve that, Toghrul must sacrifice himself.¡±

    Another pause at the other end. Mu looked Tavian¡¯s way once more. His eyes were fixed upon her, awaiting the outcome of the conversation.

    What do I do if Ostara insists on pursuing the mission? We cannot fulfill the job from Ulduz, if we don¡¯t try to exonerate Toghrul, but that would mean working against his and Sayan¡¯s plan.

    ¡°Toghrul will not be killed,¡± said Ostara.

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°Nova has intercepted communications between the Yarghun Company and the Planetary Government. In a few hours the Governor will announce a planet-wide state of emergency. Toghrul¡¯s trial will be conducted summarily and the sentence of exile passed. The ship transporting him to a penal colony will take flight soon after. At the same time forces of the Planetary Government in cooperation with Yarghun Company security will conduct a joint ¡®anti-terrorism¡¯ operation aimed at capturing or eliminating Sayan and her supporters in the Karbaliq area.¡±

    Mu felt herself go cold.

    Her mind raced to process this.

    ¡°What¡¯s she saying?¡± asked Tavian.

    ¡°S-sorry, Ostara¡­ just a moment,¡± said Mu. She lowered the tablet and quickly explained to Tavian. She raised the device to her mouth again. ¡°Ostara¡­ I¡¯m going to put you on speaker. Tavian is here with me.¡±

    ¡°Hello, Mr Locke,¡± said Ostara. ¡°I think two things are now true. Firstly, time has run out for us to complete our assignment from Ulduz. Even if we had further evidence that Toghrul was not the one guilty of the crime, we no longer have any capacity to bring that evidence to light. Taghay and the Governor now know what Toghrul and Sayan intend and are moving to actively prevent it. Which brings me to the second thing: Sayan and Toghrul¡¯s plan ¨C at least in its current form ¨C will no longer be able to go ahead.¡±

    Mu was feeling emotional whiplash. Not long ago she¡¯d been ready to finally commit to Sayan and Toghrul¡¯s plan, even if it meant abandoning the Amrita¡¯s mission. Now it seemed neither would come to fruition. Only Taghay would get what he wanted.

    It was ironic, Ostara¡¯s choice of words: Toghrul¡¯s ship would take flight. That was what Toghrul had wanted. But in the end, it would be far more literal than he¡¯d hoped.

    ¡°We should tell Sayan,¡± said Tavian.

    ¡°You can if you wish,¡± said Ostara. ¡°After that, I believe it is in our best interest to cut our losses and leave Yarkan.¡±

    Mu wasn¡¯t ready for that.

    Not just yet.

    ¡°Give us a little longer. Maybe there¡¯s another way,¡± she said.

    ¡°Speak to Sayan, like I said,¡± said Ostara. ¡°But I must warn you: you will be in immense danger if you do not leave as soon as possible. Not only will the Government attack the camp ¨C with overwhelming force according to Nova¡¯s analytics ¨C but something else has happened. Kal and Harry were attacked inside the protected zone in Karbaliq. The attacker was a shapeshifter ¨C a Hulijing, according to the Captain. She was coming for you, Mu.¡±

    ¡°Are Kal an--?¡±

    ¡°They are fine, but they lost track of the attacker. She could take any form and she¡¯s likely to be far more cautious after Kal nearly overpowered her. Kal said he believes she didn¡¯t know where you were, but that will likely change quickly.¡±

    ¡°Why?¡± asked Mu, ¡°Why is she coming for me?¡±

    ¡°We don¡¯t know,¡± said Ostara. ¡°My best guess is that she is a bounty hunter in the employ of some faction of the Imperial Government ¨C someone unhappy that the Resonance Bureau were forced to call off their hunt.¡±

    Mu had the sinking, hopeless realisation in that moment: They will never leave me alone, never let me have my freedom.

    But that was it. The system that hunted her so relentlessly was the same one that Sayan and Toghrul were fighting against.

    There must be a way.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Ostara,¡± said Mu. ¡°I am going to talk to Sayan. I do not know what will happen after that.¡±

    ¡°Well, it¡¯s probably not to Nova¡¯s standard,¡± said Harry. ¡°But it should stay in place.¡±

    Kal flexed his fingers.

    Not perfect.

    Far from perfect.

    But it¡¯d do.

    ¡°I¡¯ll get Nova to do a proper job when I get back to the Amrita,¡± he said.

    ¡°Given I¡¯m more used to working with fabric than whatever wild metals you Eleftherians use, I¡¯d say I did a pretty good job,¡± said Harry, a defensive note entering his voice.

    ¡°Read-outs I¡¯m getting from here look workable,¡± came Nova¡¯s voice. ¡°You owe me a pizza when you get back.¡±

    ¡°Ah, wait, I¡¯m sorry ¨C I owe you a pizza? Didn¡¯t I just do your job and fix Kal¡¯s hand?¡±

    ¡°But I talked you through it. Imagine if you had to do it without me! Thus, I have earned a pizza,¡± proclaimed Nova.

    ¡°Whatever,¡± said Harry.

    ¡°Alright, I¡¯m gonna leave you boys to it,¡± said Nova, ¡°I¡¯ve gotta gaming session with Ser-Ser and the ghost.¡±

    ¡°Weren¡¯t you terrified of the ghost?¡± asked Harry.

    ¡°She¡¯s a pretty nice ghost, and I¡¯m a sucker for a good love story,¡± said Nova.

    ¡°You¡¯re a weird girl,¡± said Harry.

    ¡°Eh, whatever. Nova out.¡±

    They were sitting by a small fire outside their tent. The stars twinkled overhead. The desert sky was clear, but if what Nova told them was accurate, that wouldn¡¯t last.

    Kal sighed. The hand felt weird, but Harry had seemingly managed to reattach the thumb, sure enough. Opposable thumbs, as it turned out, were very useful and Kal had been growing increasingly frustrated dealing with life with only a single thumb since that damned fox had severed his. Having lost an arm fighting the Voidborn of the Host, he¡¯d always considered the metal replacement to be far more durable than the weak organic flesh of the rest of his body. Yet when the Flame of Phaiston burned, it turned out his cybernetic arm was weaker. At least when facing whatever that vixen¡¯s blade was made of. He¡¯d have to research these Hulijing. If there was one thing Kal hated, it was being surprised by a foe. Intel was the core of success in warfare.

    ¡°We have to find that fox before she finds Mu,¡± said Kal.

    Harry adjusted his glasses on his nose. ¡°She won¡¯t make it easy. She could be anyone. I doubt she¡¯s going to straight up reveal herself again ¨C not after that thrashing you gave her.¡±

    ¡°Not enough of a thrashing,¡± Kal grumbled.

    But Harry was right. That first encounter had been their big chance. Now she could be anyone, anywhere. What concerned him more, was he still didn¡¯t fully understand her powers. She was a shapeshifter, sure enough, but how had she vanished when he had her pinned? How had she made her final escape? If intel was the key to warfare, he was sorely lacking in this instance.

    ¡°The only option is to go join Mu and Tavian,¡± said Kal. ¡°If we¡¯re with them, we can be on the lookout. But we have to get there before she does.¡±

    ¡°Well, Ostara says she¡¯s warned them,¡± said Harry.

    ¡°That¡¯s a start,¡± said Kal. ¡°But Mu can¡¯t use her prescience properly here. She will get no forewarning before that bitch slips a blade between her ribs.¡±

    ¡°If Ostara¡¯s theory is correct, she¡¯s probably being paid by someone from the Imperial Court. If that¡¯s true, then she¡¯s probably not out to kill Mu, just capture her. That improves our chances of catching her ¨C she¡¯ll still need to get Mu offworld,¡± Harry pointed out.

    ¡°You¡¯re probably right,¡± said Kal. ¡°But we don¡¯t know what she¡¯ll do to Tavian or anyone else. Which means we have to hurry. I don¡¯t like not knowing.¡±

    Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel.

    Any further conversation was interrupted when a young worker approached them.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry to interrupt,¡± he said. ¡°But are you associates of Mukushen and Tavian?¡±

    Kal, ever alert, felt his suspicions raised. Was this the fox?

    ¡°Who¡¯s asking?¡±

    ¡°Sorry, I should have introduced myself,¡± said the man. ¡°I¡¯m Chinor. I was with Mukushen and Tavian not long ago.¡±

    Kal wasn¡¯t about to give away their location. ¡°And where might that have been?¡±

    ¡°At the Falcon Totem Tribe¡¯s camp,¡± replied Chinor.

    Some might have considered that enough. Kal wasn¡¯t some. He wasn¡¯t about to lead the fox to her targets. ¡°Okay. What do you want?¡±

    ¡°Do you know Atilay Qam?¡± asked Chinor.

    ¡°He¡¯s the one who tried to send Mu to her death,¡± replied Kal.

    He wondered vaguely if he moved quick enough whether he could restrain the fox in some way that she wouldn¡¯t get away. Maybe grabbing this false form by the throat? This was the frustrating part of not understanding how her powers worked. He should have asked the Captain ¨C he seemed to have some knowledge of these creatures.

    Let it play out some more. She¡¯ll slip up if given enough time ¨C if it is her.

    ¡°He¡­ had his reasons,¡± said Chinor, looking down at his feet. ¡°Not reasons I wholly agreed with¡­ but suspicion is rife here at Karbaliq. I think Mallam felt he needed to test her, to prove she was truly who she said she was.¡±

    ¡°He didn¡¯t trust the Aixin,¡± said Harry, matter-of-factly.

    Kal laughed at this. ¡°Can¡¯t say I blame him.¡±

    He felt a little of his suspicion ebb away.

    Do not let her fool you. She was rash the first time, but she will be more subtle this time. Do not trust when the heart is satisfied, only when the mind is.

    ¡°I wondered¡­¡± said Chinor, and if he was faking concern, it was compelling, ¡°¡­if you had seen Mallam.¡±

    ¡°Never met him,¡± said Kal.

    ¡°Mu told us he was with them,¡± said Harry.

    Kal glared at him.

    Give away nothing.

    ¡°He was,¡± said Chinor, ¡°He and I came back to Karbaliq together. But I haven¡¯t been able to find him.¡±

    Kal remembered what Ostara had told them about the plot that was brewing on Yarkan. He was rather impressed with this Sayan and Toghrul. They had the warrior spirit, no doubt about that. But if this Qam knew where Sayan, and thus Mu was¡­

    Harry asked the question. ¡°You are the tribal leader Sayan¡¯s brother, right?¡±

    Chinor nodded.

    Kal had forgotten that part.

    ¡°This Qam¡­ how much does he know about what your sister¡¯s planning?¡± he asked.

    Chinor looked uncertain.

    Harry helped.

    ¡°We know everything. There are no secrets among the crew of the Amrita.¡±

    Chinor was clearly less suspicious than Kal himself, for Harry¡¯s words seemed to convince him. ¡°I think¡­ I think Atilay Mallam knew what my sister and Cousin Toghrul intended.¡±

    ¡°And you can¡¯t find him?¡± asked Kal.

    Chinor shook his head.

    Fuck.

    The fox had gotten to him.

    Kal was sure of it.

    ¡°We have to go,¡± he said.

    ¡°Pardon me?¡± said Harry. ¡°I don¡¯t think I follow.¡±

    Kal ignored Harry. ¡°What was the last thing you heard from this Qam?¡±

    ¡°After we got back, he went to meet with company security¡­ I don¡¯t know what about¡­¡±

    That was it. Kal had already heard a security officer failed to show up for a shift. Another worker had been found naked and disorientated on the edges of the protected zone. The clues were pointing in one direction.

    ¡°Your Qam may or may not be alive,¡± said Kal. ¡°Can you guide us back to Sayan?¡±

    Chinor¡¯s face contorted into a look of horror. ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    ¡°Something very dangerous entered this camp. It could be anywhere. I believe it got your Qam,¡± said Kal.

    It was simple now. If this was some grand trick, it was easily revealed. If this ¡®Chinor¡¯ knew where Mu was, then all the better. They would reach her and could protect her. If he was the fox in disguise, then he wouldn¡¯t be able to guide them.

    If acting it was, it was good acting. Chinor looked shocked and horrified. ¡°But¡­ what do you mean?¡±

    ¡°A being that can take on any form is seeking Mu,¡± said Kal. ¡°Even if you find your Qam, he may be the enemy already. Can you take us to Sayan?¡±

    Chinor, his eyes glazed, nodded.

    ¡°Wait a sec,¡± said Harry, ¡°How well will we do beyond the protected zone?¡±

    ¡°I¡­ I am training to be a Qam,¡± said Chinor, his mind still clearly elsewhere. ¡°I can help push back the Tempest¡­¡±

    ¡°Then it¡¯s decided,¡± said Kal.

    ¡°I just,¡± began Chinor. ¡°What do you mean the Qam might be dead?¡±

    ¡°If you need it explained, I¡¯ll explain it on the way,¡± said Kal, then on an afterthought added, ¡°And if we can save your Qam friend, we will.¡±

    He turned to Harry.

    ¡°Get provisions ready. According to Mu and Tavian it isn¡¯t far, but Nova says another sandstorm¡¯s coming. I¡¯ll find us sand suits. We move out as soon as we¡¯ve got what we need.¡±

    ¡°Should we tell Ostara?¡±

    ¡°On the way.¡±

    ¡°But¡ª¡± began Chinor.

    ¡°There¡¯s no time to lose. Are you with us?¡±

    Meekly, Chinor nodded.

    One of the things Zhen Yan abhorred about taking another form was taking on its weaknesses. She had spent her entire lifetime honing her own form to the peak of physical prowess. Hulijing were superior to humans in almost every regard. She could move faster, react faster, see farther, smell better, hear better. At worst her true form was no stronger than an ordinary human, but everything else meant she had always been able to casually dominate them. Except for that big freak, Kallistos Nyx. But whatever he was, he was not fully human. As best she could tell, he wasn¡¯t a Resonant. Yet some strange power worked within him, nonetheless.

    This Qam¡¯s eyes were weak. The eyes of an old man. She was tempted to shed the form, but it was more easily concealed. And if she was seen, she needed not to be found out.

    Still, she did not doubt these poor eyes now. She watched Nyx, Zhang and the young tribesman set out.

    They would lead her to Princess Mukushen.

    There was one complication. If she ventured beyond the protected zone, she would be exposed to the Starflow Tempest left in the wake of the First Emperor¡¯s Theophany. But if what the Qam said was true, this tribesman was growing in their ways. He would keep the Tempest at bay. It thus became simply a matter of following and remaining unseen.

    She marvelled at it though.

    The First Emperor¡¯s power.

    Even centuries later a potent Resonant, like herself could not deal with the raging storm left by a single use of his power. What an unjust Cosmos. How could an individual so cruel, so arrogant be gifted such power: the power of a God?

    There was no point in complaining about it, though.

    She had long ago learned the folly of defying the Aixingo Empire. Even if the monster that had created this preternatural storm was long dead, he had forged an unassailable edifice of might. She and the one she had once loved had learned that the hard way.

    Now she knew two things: that she hated the Aixingo Empire, and that it had been their mortal error to ever dream of fighting it.

    Did that make her coward?

    No.

    She had promised she would live. And living meant joining that which you could not oppose.

    She set out beyond the protected zone, staying as far back from the would-be future Qam as she reasonably thought was safe. Yet even then ¨C whether because this man¡¯s powers were too weak, or because she was too far back ¨C she almost immediately felt the weight of the Tempest.

    There were voices, but there seemed to be visual disturbances too ¨C always at the edge of her vision. When she turned to look, they were gone.

    For a moment she thought she saw Xingyan.

    No, she told herself. She is long dead.

    Yet the thought persisted and not much time had gone by when she thought she saw her again.

    This was a planet where the dead far outnumbered the living. Perhaps the Tempest did not discriminate between the ghosts of those who had died here, and the ghosts others brought with them.

    Don¡¯t judge me. I promised you I would live. That¡¯s all I¡¯ve ever done. Live.

    She shook her head. Surely, it was just the Qam¡¯s poor eyes playing tricks on her.

    It wasn¡¯t though.

    And she knew it.

    She just wasn¡¯t yet ready to see Xingyan again. Because that would mean Xingyan seeing her ¨C seeing what she had become.

    And she wasn¡¯t ready for that.

    Tavian did not hesitate this time. Sayan was not in the yurt but sitting by the fire outside. He walked up to her, Mu in his wake.

    ¡°Taghay knows everything,¡± he said.

    Sayan hesitated only a moment. When she spoke, her tone was cold, but calm.

    ¡°Who broke?¡±

    Mu shook her head.

    ¡°We don¡¯t know¡­ but our crew tell us he is preparing to move against you in force. The Governor will declare a state of emergency. It will be called an anti-terrorist operation.¡±

    Sayan smiled. Her bright eyes seemed somehow to gleam brighter.

    ¡°War was ever a prospect,¡± she said.

    Mu shook her head.

    ¡°You don¡¯t understand¡­ they will come with overwhelming force. It will be like¡ª¡±

    Sayan laughed. ¡°As ever, it is you, Aixin, who doesn¡¯t understand. I will send out the call. The tribes will answer. We will fight for the Black City. We were denied that opportunity when the First Emperor came and wielded his Theophany. This time, however, will be different.¡±

    Tavian sighed. ¡°I may not understand much, but I have witnessed a rebellion before. The Empire gets rough.¡±

    ¡°We are far from the Imperial Court. The Banner Fleets and Armies haven¡¯t visited Yarkan in a century. There are perhaps a thousand soldiers of the Verdant Standard across the whole planet. We will wipe them out.¡±

    Tavian could see a desperation in Mu. ¡°They will come. Even if you win for a moment¡­ and I don¡¯t see¡ª¡±

    Sayan laughed once more. ¡°Great Kulkana will awake. And even before that, even before the warriors of every totem go to war, the U?armaz will swamp the enemies of Yarkan. The Emperor¡¯s Theophany is a two-sided blade. There is a reason in all the centuries since our people were so abased, that the Empire¡¯s tendrils have never penetrated the deep desert until now. We have at our side the unnumbered dead. The ancient armies of the Confederacy will rally.¡±

    Tavian knew where this was going. But Mu got there first. ¡°Toghrul will not be killed. The sacrifice necessary to awaken the Clanship won¡¯t happen.¡±

    For the first time, Tavian recognised uncertainty spread across Sayan¡¯s face. But it did not last.

    ¡°Then we will fight and die as the Last Khagan intended, defending the Black City. It will be the final battle of that ancient war.¡±

    Incredible, he thought. Her dreams shattered by that news, yet she wavered for only a moment.

    Tavian could see that Mu, however, was near breaking point. His mind raced for ideas, but they weren¡¯t coming. So, he spoke anyway.

    ¡°The U?armaz like my music, and I theirs. Let me go to this Sanctum and we¡¯ll see what arrangement we can come to.¡±

    Sayan¡¯s brilliant eyes fixed on him. ¡°Very well. Play your music. I won¡¯t stop you.¡±

    It was clear she didn¡¯t hold much hope for his plan to rally the dead with a song. He didn¡¯t either, but there didn¡¯t seem to be much else on offer by way of solutions to their lethal conundrum.

    Before Tavian could speak again, Mu yelled.

    ¡°Wait!¡±

    ¡°What?¡± asked Sayan.

    ¡°Something I heard¡­ to take flight¡­¡±

    There was a look of confusion in Sayan¡¯s eyes.

    ¡°What if¡­ in modern Jaril¡­ the words for death¡­ they mean to take flight in ancient Jaril, right?¡±

    Mu¡¯s mind was clearly moving faster than she could form sentences.

    Sayan seemed to follow, but was hesitant in her response, ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°The U?armaz speak in the ancient tongue. What if they literally meant it? Taghay will make Toghrul take flight. What if that¡¯s enough?¡±

    The Qam of Sayan¡¯s tribe spoke up, ¡°It is possible.¡±

    Sayan turned to him. ¡°But Mallam¡­¡±

    ¡°In the past exile was akin to death. If Cousin Toghrul, one who is of the blood of the Khagan, takes flight¡­ into the Cosmos¡­ even not in death¡­¡±

    Sayan¡¯s confusion began to shift. A grin spread across her face. It almost seemed as if a great weight had lifted from her. Watching the change, Tavian understood now that whether she had shown it or not, the news she had heard had indeed devastated her, yet it was only now ¨C with another reversal of fortune ¨C that she revealed that.

    ¡°I like this,¡± she said. ¡°We do not know. But let us embrace that. We will go to war. And we will call upon the U?armaz. We will convoke the Kurultai of the Dead. Mr Tavian, play your music for them, if it pleases them. I will have my brother take the Wolf Totem. One of two things will happen. The Clanship will awake ¨C if you, Princess Mukushen are correct¡­ or we will die in glorious battle.¡±

    Mu had a dark look upon her face. ¡°Let me go. Let me and Tavian go with Chinor to the Sanctum. You can stay and fight. I know I do not deserve it, but give me the chance to undo my people¡¯s shame.¡±

    Sayan nodded. ¡°Very well. Go. I will speak to Chinor. He will meet you at the Sanctum. Mallam? Travel with them. Protect them until they reach the Sanctum.¡±

    The Qam nodded.

    ¡°Chinor and Atilay Qam will meet the three of you at the Sanctum. If your music is all you claim it is, Mr Tavian, you will have two Qamlar with you too. Calm the U?armaz and rally them to our purpose. I will entrust it to Chinor to take the Totem of the Wolf and convoke the Kurultai. If I am alive, and you are correct Mukushen ¨C if Toghrul¡¯s sacrifice can be to take flight by exile, not death¡­ then when all is done the Great Kulkana will awake and I shall be Khatun.¡±

    Tavian could see the fire awaken in Mu¡¯s eyes, yet the uncertainty lingered. ¡°But what then? The Banner Fleets are still out there.¡±

    Sayan smiled. ¡°I will not declare war against all the Empire at once. We shall deal with what comes next when the time comes. But I believe you Aixin have lost your way. The conquering way of the Peoples of the Clanships.¡±

    ¡°They will not need a Theophany this time,¡± said Mu. ¡°They have sufficient power without it to burn worlds. Trust me. My father is one of them.¡±

    ¡°You worship Nara Enduri, do you not, Aixin?¡±

    ¡°The Shepherd of Destiny speaks to me, but¡­¡±

    ¡°Do you know which star we worship?¡±

    Sayan did not give Mu a chance to reply.

    ¡°The One we refer to as the Great Qam. To you, it is Nara Enduri. I believe when the Clanship is awakened, the Great Qam will smile upon us.¡±

    ¡°But It smiled upon your enemies¡­ it brought such ruin,¡± said Mu.

    ¡°It granted such power to Yurhudan Khan, the one you call First Emperor, because he was strong. The Great Qam embraces the conquering spirit of the Clanships. Yurhudan Khan, long before the Banner Wars, long before he conquered the Nine Suns, conceived of such things. Not as a Theophant, but as a man. I admire that. But the Aixin have become weak and decadent. Now we will be strong. The Great Qam will smile upon us once we awaken the Clanship.¡±

    Tavian felt a shiver. He had spent many years on many worlds recording the songs and stories and myths of those worlds. Yet for the first time he had the sensation of witnessing a myth in the making.

    ¡°And I ask you, Princess: if we are given the gift of Theophany¡­ how shall we use it?¡±

    Sayan stood atop the dunes, Erkegul at her side.

    She had spent too much time in the yurt or around the fire. She was starting to feel confined. Out here she was free. The desert was the very essence of freedom.

    The falcons soared above.

    The sky was clear, but she could see the haze on the distant horizon that indicated a coming sandstorm. She turned to her daughter.

    ¡°Watch the falcons,¡± she said. ¡°They are the essence of efficiency. They feel the currents of the air and move upon them, almost never flapping their wings. Every bit of energy is preserved for the critical moment.¡±

    ¡°The dive,¡± said Erkegul.

    Sayan smiled. ¡°The dive.¡±

    The two birds circled about, rising high on the thermal currents, barely visible from the ground, but for the sharp eyes of their minders.

    ¡°The Yarkanese Falcon is the perfect predator. It was created from the genestock preserved aboard the Clanship and then introduced to this world to be the king of its skies,¡± said Sayan, observing the dark silhouettes as they dwindled ever higher into the hazy blue of the desert skies.

    ¡°It comes to this world, as the Jaril do: as conquerors,¡± said Sayan.

    Erkegul looked uncertain.

    Sayan rounded upon her. ¡°Speak up, do not hold back.¡±

    Erkegul looked down, then she raised her eyes to meet those of her mother. ¡°Are we conquerors?¡±

    Sayan smiled reassuringly. ¡°We are. It is our way.¡±

    ¡°Didn¡¯t the Aixin¡­ conquer us?¡±

    Sayan nodded. ¡°We were strong. They were stronger. But things are ever in flux. We must not abandon the mindset of the conqueror. When we do, we are forever condemned to be victims. To be the playthings of the Aixin. To be the conquered.¡±

    ¡°Weren¡¯t we stronger when they conquered us than we are now?¡± asked Erkegul.

    ¡°Yes,¡± said Sayan, ¡°But even in the time of the Last Khagan, we had forgotten the power of the Clanship. The maker of worlds. The Aixin came from a Clanship too, but they have spread so far across the stars that their essence is diluted. We have only this world.¡±

    ¡°We do not have a Theophany,¡± said Erkegul.

    Sayan smiled. ¡°This is the great lie they tell: nor do they.¡±

    ¡°But our world¡ª¡±

    ¡°Was devastated by the Theophany of Yurhadan Khan, the one they call First Emperor. Theophanies are not trinkets to be passed from generation to generation. They are not a crown. The Aixin rule their empire with fear. A fear born of what they did here. But their emperors are fatted babes, raised in the cradle of the Imperial Court. They have no more Theophany than you or I. The Great Qam is silent.¡±

    Erkegul looked like she was about to raise further objection.

    ¡°Do not listen to their claims. The Shixing Emperor has no Theophany, whatever they claim. It is their hope that the power they used against our people holds uncountable others to their yoke, but the one who received Nara Enduri¡¯s Theophany has been dead for centuries.¡±

    The falcons circled higher still.

    ¡°A great test is coming,¡± said Sayan.

    ¡°Father will leave us,¡± said Erkegul.

    ¡°As he must,¡± said Sayan, ¡°But in his wake, the Clanship will rise again to remake our world.¡±

    Erkegul examined her feet.

    ¡°I have told you already: speak. It is just you and I here.¡±

    Erkegul¡¯s bright eyes stared directly into Sayan¡¯s, a mirror. ¡°I just wish we could be together.¡±

    Sayan felt a fleeting moment of uncertainty. But she knew that if she wavered, her daughter¡¯s strength would collapse. However cruel her indifference might seem; it was the fuel for her daughter¡¯s resolve. Tenderness would only make the coming days harder. ¡°We all have our duty. We sacrifice our joy so that the Jaril people can rise once more.¡±

    ¡°I know,¡± said Erkegul. ¡°I guess¡­ I just wish¡­ it was different.¡±

    ¡°It was once. Before Yurhudan Khan came with the power of the Great Qam in hand. But on the that day, ruin was unleashed on our people. Many families were broken. Lineages that had endured since before the Clanships embarked into the Cosmos, were severed. There are many things we may wish, but only through resolve and the ancient, conquering spirit, can we gift such things to those who will come after us.¡±

    Erkegul appeared deep in thought.

    ¡°But if the Great Qam gifted such power to our enemies, what hope do we have?¡±

    ¡°I said it already: in that time, we were strong, but the Aixin were stronger. By evoking the U?armaz to awaken the Clanship once more, we can attract the gaze of the Great Qam. Thus, can our people be chosen to be falcons, soaring high across the Cosmos, once more. The Aixin, in their complacency, have become the desert mice.¡±

    Sayan felt a rage at herself as she spoke. A child ¨C her child ¨C desperately wanted comfort, softness¡­ yet she could not give it.

    Erkegul deserves better than me as a mother, she thought.

    Perhaps when this coming storm had passed, she could give Erkegul what she deserved ¨C what Sayan so deeply desired to give.

    But for now, the only gift she could give was strength. The strength to endure.

    ¡°Look,¡± she said, needing to distract herself as much as Erkegul.

    Mother and daughter turned their eyes to the sky. The falcons were now mere specks.

    ¡°The Yarkanese Falcon, when it enters a dive, is the fastest natural beast. It accelerates to five hundred kilometres an hour. The kinetic force of its talons when it strikes is like a bullet. But it must choose its moment wisely. Once the dive is initiated, there is no changing the course. The desert mouse is tricky, but the falcon does not miss. I will not miss. The moment of our dive is almost here.¡±

    Erkegul sighed.

    ¡°I understand.¡±

    Sayan watched her. Her heart broke, but her face remained stony.

    There was a shrill cry above.

    A feathered missile plunged from the sky.

 Chapter XXVIII - The Tempest

    Chapter XXVIII ¨C The Tempest

    From his bed, Toghrul could see the earliest light of the dim dawn of Yengishahr filtering in.

    He had slept little, as was typical, though he had spent some unknowable amount of time simply lying and staring, his reading abandoned, his thoughts wandering. Confinement such as his had the curious quality of warping space and time. Alone and unstimulated, the mind strayed across many things, rambling from one topic to another, a blend of ideas and sensations defying language¡¯s power, closer to the primal essence of thought that a newborn babe must have, before acquiring the power of language. And with his life limited to the confines of those walls, the tiniest of details of that space took on a significance, taking up an outsized portion of those straying proto-thoughts. The sensation developed ¨C after long enough lying still ¨C that the walls were much farther apart than they truly were, a yawning chasm opening that could be crossed in just a few steps.

    The meta-reality of this reverie was broken by the arrival once more of the guards. They were as brusque and discourteous as ever, bidding him to rise and dress quickly. From their manner alone, he could tell that this time truly was different. It was what he had been waiting for since they escorted him back here after that brief encounter with his gloating brother.

    He did as instructed.

    There was nothing else for it.

    For he was a man condemned, before ever he set foot in a courtroom. The expediency of the integration of Yarkan into the Imperial fold demanded it.

    Thus, it would be done.

    His thoughts were more focused now.

    And as he focused back in on the reality of the moment, he felt little fear about his own fate.

    It was to the desperate battle Sayan now faced that his thoughts instead turned. Had she caught wind of Taghay¡¯s moves in time? Would she be caught by surprise, her and her warriors slaughtered?

    Most of all though he feared for Erkegul.

    Does love make you weak?

    He chastised himself for the thought. Whatever he outwardly displayed ¨C all he did was for love.

    Erkegul should have a future.

    But a dark thought occurred to him.

    Didn¡¯t Taghay offer a future? One of prosperity and peace within the Empire? What if I am wrong? What if Sayan is wrong?

    He breathed in deeply.

    Doubts were meaningless now.

    Everything was done.

    Whatever was to happen, would happen. There was no use dwelling on the choices already made.

    Be proud.

    Be the man Erkegul will one day speak of with pride.

    Be a father worthy of her.

    He presented himself before the guards. They opened the door. As dangerous a man as Toghrul was proclaimed to be by the authorities, he was not cuffed, nor restrained in any way. Taghay trusted his brother to accept his fate. And on Yarkan, it was rapidly becoming clear, Taghay¡¯s word was law.

    ¡°You will be transported to the Central Court Building Holding Facility ahead of summary trial and sentencing by the Chief Magistrate. Do you understand?¡±

    Toghrul gave the slightest of nods.

    Without further word, the guards began to lead him away.

    This is it, he thought.

    Show them.

    Show them, Sayan.

    Show them our people¡¯s strength.

    The party of Harry, Kal and Chinor had not long left the protected zone when they heard the first great roar above.

    ¡°Zhouyuan 63s,¡± murmured Kal.

    Harry had been lost in thought until that moment and turned to Kal.

    ¡°Huh?¡±

    ¡°The aircraft they¡¯re using. Zhouyuan 63 IAATs,¡± said Kal. ¡°They¡¯re an old model used by the Verdant Standard Army. Many of them were sold off to various Eleftherian polises as our forces were depleted by the Host. They¡¯re too vulnerable to be much use in modern warfare, but they¡¯ll do just fine against an opponent with only small arms and no aerial or orbital cover.¡±

    ¡°IAATs?¡± asked Harry.

    ¡°In-Atmosphere Armour Transport. It can move troops or heavy weapons and armour.¡±

    ¡°Good to know,¡± said Harry.

    Kal started to say something else, but a far louder roar ensued and he was drowned out. Many, many more aircraft were moving overhead now.

    When finally the fury abated, Chinor spoke.

    ¡°How many of them are there?¡± he said, fear thick in his voice.

    ¡°That was a few dozen,¡± said Kal. ¡°Hard to say what sort of force that equals without knowing what they¡¯re carrying. Haven¡¯t heard anything like ground attack craft, though, so they seem to be neglecting their air superiority. Probably because of the storm. Drop their guys, get out.¡±

    ¡°I hope Sayan is ready,¡± said Chinor.

    He paused, as if something had just occurred to him.

    ¡°I felt something,¡± he said.

    ¡°You should,¡± said Kal.

    ¡°No¡­ I¡¯ve been trying to hold back the Tempest¡­ but when they flew over it got lighter.¡±

    Harry looked to Kal. The other man seemed to have no explanation for this.

    A thought occurred to Harry.

    ¡°Could they be repelling it artificially, like they do around Yengishahr?¡± he asked.

    Chinor looked uncertain. ¡°I¡­ I don¡¯t know. I¡¯ve never been there. But from what I know, those things they use ¨C ARCs, or whatever ¨C are massive. You couldn¡¯t put them on an aircraft like that¡­¡±

    Now he looked even more worried.

    ¡°But if they could¡­ I¡¯m sure Sayan was planning on using the Tempest to her advantage. The Qamlar can protect our forces, but if theirs are exposed to the Tempest¡­¡±

    ¡°And if they are protected from it¡­¡± murmured Harry, catching onto what Chinor was getting at.

    ¡°We best hurry,¡± said Kal. ¡°I reckon I¡¯ve fought with a lot of this tech. Half the League¡¯s forces are built on dated Imperial tech. I¡¯ve got a decent idea of how to take down a bunch of it.¡±

    Chinor closed his eyes and breathed in deeply.

    ¡°It¡¯s getting heavier,¡± he said, ¡°I haven¡¯t been out here alone without a Qam before.¡±

    Even Harry could hear the steady murmur of many, many voices on the wind. If this was what it was like for him, without a hint of Resonance, and with Chinor pushing back the Tempest, he could only imagine the intensity of the experience for Mu and Tavian when completely unprotected.

    ¡°We have to move faster,¡± said Kal. ¡°How far now?¡±

    ¡°Maybe an hour?¡± suggested Chinor, though he didn¡¯t seem certain.

    ¡°I¡¯ll warrant that sandstorm¡¯s gonna hit us before then,¡± said Kal. ¡°Not to mention that battle starting. C¡¯mon, let¡¯s move.¡±

    They quickened their pace.

    Silence only pierced by the wind reigned once more over the towering behemoths of the Black City as the three travellers continued.

    I feel small, thought Harry, his eyes rising up the obsidian walls.

    They had not gone far when Chinor received a call. ¡°It¡¯s Sayan,¡± he said.

    He answered.

    A brief exchange followed in Jaril.

    He turned back to his companions.

    ¡°Sayan says Mu and Tavian are headed for the Sanctum with Buka Mallam ¨C our tribe¡¯s Qam,¡± he explained.

    ¡°The Sanctum?¡± asked Kal, considering this new information.

    ¡°To seize the ancient Wolf Totem and raise the Clanship,¡± said Chinor. ¡°She wants me to join them.¡±

    ¡°Then that¡¯s where we¡¯re going,¡± said Kal. ¡°You know the way?¡±

    Chinor nodded.

    Thirty-two tribes had answered the call.

    The warriors of six had reached Karbaliq in time.

    That was it then.

    Sayan looked out over the assembled fighters. Far fewer than she would have liked. But they just needed to last long enough for Chinor and Toghrul to do their part.

    Will they?

    They were skilled and knew the desert. But none had ever stood upon the field of battle. Were they ready?

    Am I?

    Sayan didn¡¯t dare explore that thought further. She surveyed the warriors before her. Young and old. Men and women. In some she could see the adrenaline, the twitching readiness. In others she could see the trembling. The pale complexion. One young woman, not many years Erkegul¡¯s senior, looked about ready to throw up.

    They needed certainty and unambiguous purpose.

    She could give them the latter, at least.

    She finished her explanation.

    ¡°Now you know everything Toghrul and I have planned,¡± said Sayan. ¡°Are you with me?¡±

    ¡°We are with you,¡± shouted the warriors.

    The six tribal chieftains stood at her side, each, like Sayan herself, standing firm and steady.

    Sayan wore an intricately patterned tunic and long pants tucked into boots. On her back was a cloak of flacon feathers, more feathers woven into her hair. Turquoise shone brightly on her headband and at her breast. A dagger hung from her belt; a spear was held in her hand.

    She raised her eyes to the darkening sky, breathing in deeply. Those who couldn¡¯t fight were being led deep under the Black City with those Qamlar who could be spared. Erkegul was with them.

    It had been four centuries since the Jaril had last managed to defeat the Aixin in battle during the first attack on Yarkan. But they were not facing the battle-hardened warriors of Yurhudan Khan¡¯s White Horse Alabey, merely a backwater garrison of the Verdant Standard and company security.

    History is re-enacted as farce.

    ¡°This is the moment our people have awaited since the great ruin. It falls to us to fight the battle of the Black City that we were denied centuries ago. Be proud, for today you are all B?rilar, the last champions of the Khagan. Be fierce, soldiers of the Confederacy! Show the enemy no mercy.¡±

    She paused, surveying those assembled. The young girl Sayan had noticed before had determination in her eyes, but there was the shimmer of tears there too.

    Sayan spoke more softly.

    ¡°Our people crossed the Cosmos to come to this world. Generations beyond count have lived and died here, teaching their children our ancient ways. We have built a civilisation on the shifting desert sands, and in the great expanse of the wind-blown steppes. We have brought life to this once dead world. We have sung songs, and written poems, and found beauty here.¡±

    She raised her voice.

    ¡°It will not be taken from us, but by the deaths of each and every man and woman here. And even then, we shall not take flight but join the U?armaz, and defend Karbaliq even in death. Stand by the totems of your tribe, defend your Qam, and make these lowly dogs of the Aixin fear you. Blood will be answered by blood. Let it flow and irrigate the sands of the Black City. For each drop of ours, unleash a flood from the enemy. Give no quarter, expect no quarter. Do not die thinking you could have given more.¡±

    She became quiet once more.

    ¡°Disperse. Melt into the Black City. We do not fight alone. Our ancestors are with us and will bring aid. And when Toghrul has made the sacrifice, we shall raise up the Kulkana and the stars themselves will tremble. Let us bring the gaze of the Great Qam upon us.¡±

    A brief pause.

    ¡°Are you with me?¡±

    ¡°We are with you!¡± came the roar.

    ¡°Then go. We must welcome our guests from Yengishahr.¡±

    The chiefs moved to organise the fighters.

    Sayan too walked among them.

    She reached the young woman, and placed her hand on her shoulder.

    ¡°Go into the catacombs with the others, if you wish. Do not fight unless you will it with all your heart.¡±

    Without speaking the girl shook her head, her mouth held firmly closed, as if fighting back the contents of her stomach.

    Sayan looked directly into her eyes, placing her other hand on the girl¡¯s other shoulder. ¡°Then if it is your decision to fight, do so. Do so with all that you are. The worst they can do is kill you.¡±

    The girl looked right to collapse.

    ¡°You¡¯ve made your decision. Embrace it. Some days you wake up uncertain, worrying whether this will be a hard day. This day you know: it will be the hardest day of all. Take comfort in that. For once you have endured these coming hours you can live all tomorrows as a hero.¡±

    The girl nodded.

    ¡°What is your name?¡±

    With a great effort she opened her mouth, swallowing deeply.

    ¡°Tangai.¡±

    ¡°The Dawn Moon. A symbol of hope.¡±

    The girl looked uncertain. But she spoke again.

    ¡°I¡­ will fight.¡±

    Sayan smiled.

    ¡°I know.¡±

    Zhen Yan closed her eyes and tilted her head to one side, as if trying to shake the voices from her head in the manner of a swimmer whose ears are full of water. Yet it was to no avail, the whispering ¨C the continuous, unceasing whispering ¨C would not abate. Rather, it became steadily louder, with each passing step.

    She was trying to stick close to those she was trailing, but it was difficult to achieve whilst remaining hidden. She did not fancy facing down that monster Kallistos once more, not after last time, and not with these damned voices wreaking havoc upon her focus.

    You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.

    The wind was blowing more fiercely now, fine grains of sand whipping at her face, and stinging the Qam¡¯s weak eyes ¨C the weak eyes that were for the time being her own.

    At least with visibility lowered, I might be able to stay hidden at closer range.

    Perhaps she could even risk returning to her true form.

    Yet, she was beginning to fully appreciate that the task she had set out to accomplish ¨C to capture Mukushen, and kill Tavian and Sayan (if the latter did not fall in battle before she could get to her) ¨C was going to be a far more difficult one than she had initially expected.

    And all of it was complicated in her mind by the persistent presence of Xingyan, ever at the periphery of her vision, yet unmistakably now there.

    You¡¯re dead, thought Zhen Yan. Stay dead.

    It took me all the years I¡¯ve had to come to terms with that. Why must you come back now?

    She felt the weight of Xingyan¡¯s judgement upon her, seeing what she had become ¨C a murderer for hire, aiding the power of the very authority they had struggled in vain to be free from. Yet, in Zhen Yan¡¯s mind it no longer mattered how many she killed, she could abase herself no further. She had long since crossed the threshold, honour now lying unattainable across the divide.

    You took all that was good in me with you.

    Zhen Yan forced herself forward, willing her mind to refocus on the task at hand. She had never failed to get her target. She would not start now.

    You are a legend, she told herself. The stalking shadow of death. You long ago abandoned the weakness of love.

    As if to reassure herself, she reached out to the Starflow, seeking to feel the cunning and strength of the Laughing Star. This, however, proved a grave mistake, for the conduit she opened let more of the Tempest into the fortress of her mind, the murmuring dead assailing her focus and her sanity.

    She closed it off.

    She would have to rely on the sharpness of her blade and her wits, not on the boons of Daqi.

    What wits I have left, once this accursed city is through with me¡­

    So, she persevered.

    For Zhen Yan always got her quarry.

    And Xingyan was long dead.

    The Black City, however, thought otherwise.

    Even though she had begged for this opportunity, Mu had been dreading entering the Black City once more. She did not want to see the things she had seen when last in Karbaliq ever again. Even now, under Buka Qam¡¯s protection, she continually imagined seeing the smirking face of the Emperor at every turn. At any moment she felt she might turn a corner to see the bodies of the dead, the brutal and bloody aftermath of Theophany.

    Yet so far it was all entirely in her imagination.

    Buka Mallam was a younger man than Atilay Qam, and far quieter. He led them in silence. Yet he was clearly competent, for though the voices were there, they were nothing compared to the unholy crescendo that had filled Mu¡¯s mind when she had been completely exposed to the Tempest.

    Tavian, almost frustratingly, was letting on no outward sign of struggling as she was. He looked positively cheerful, as ever he did. It was galling that he could live thus ¨C to Mu it gave the impression of being mocked.

    But perhaps such free and easy living, such peace of mind, is attainable. I need only expunge the guilt of my blood. Maybe once we step out of the Sanctum again, I will be freer than I¡¯ve ever been before.

    Maybe.

    She was haunted by Sayan¡¯s and Atilay Qam¡¯s mockery, though. Did the fact that she was selfishly motivated by the need to rid herself of guilt abrogate any alleviation of guilt her actions might otherwise grant?

    No. I genuinely wish to help these people. I am not doing this just for myself.

    That was what she had to believe.

    She wasn¡¯t sure if she did.

    ¡°Are we close?¡± she asked the Qam. She was annoyed by the weakness and fear she heard in her own voice.

    ¡°Yes,¡± he replied, elaborating no further.

    ¡°How exciting,¡± remarked Tavian. ¡°I can write a song out of this.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t be so flippant,¡± said Mu.

    ¡°Flippant? Songs are the vessel of memory. Whatever happens today, if I¡¯m still alive at the end, I intend to make sure many others know what happened here,¡± replied Tavian.

    He wasn¡¯t being unreasonable, but Mu felt her contrarian instincts gripping her fiercely. She attempted to fight them back, and not trusting herself to speak kindly, opted instead for returning to silence.

    But the silence didn¡¯t last long.

    ¡°I see them!¡± exclaimed Tavian.

    Mu squinted through the gathering clouds of sand. Sure, enough three figures, though hazy, were increasingly resolving themselves into her vision. She had no doubt it was indeed them: Kal¡¯s hulking silhouette was quite unmistakable, even at this distance, in these conditions.

    Tavian set off at a run towards them.

    She followed more slowly, alongside the Qam.

    As they got closer, she saw the immense structure behind them, revealing itself amidst the billowing plumes of sand. Concentric rings of sharp-pointed minarets encircled a towering central dome. Many of the minarets were cracked or half-fallen down, but the sheer scale of the building was such that its majesty was undiminished by this state of disrepair.

    She knew its name from the history books. It was known simply as the Grand Temple of Karbaliq. Contained deep within it was the Inner Sanctum ¨C their destination.

    Up ahead Tavian came to a halt. She and Buka reached them shortly after.

    ¡°Fancy seeing you two still alive!¡± said Harry with a grin.

    Mu felt a great flood of relief seeing him and Kal. It had not been so long since she left them behind, yet so much had happened since then, that it felt like half a lifetime ago.

    Instead of replying to Harry she rushed forward and wrapped him in a hug.

    ¡°Oh,¡± he said, ¡°We¡¯re doing this, huh?¡±

    He returned the gesture.

    She pulled away then went to wrap Kal in her arms. This proved tricky, given the great width of his chest. Like Harry he reciprocated, but far more awkwardly, pulling back quickly.

    ¡°Hello, Mukushen,¡± he said, ¡°It¡¯s good to see you again.¡±

    Chinor and Buka Qam exchanged greetings in Jaril.

    Tavian shook hands with Harry, then Kal and Chinor.

    ¡°Glad you could finally join us,¡± he said. ¡°Heard you got attacked by a fox woman. Never encountered a fox woman before¡­ and I¡¯ve encountered a lot.¡±

    ¡°Oh, you mean our friend Zhen Yan?¡± said Harry.

    Kal¡¯s tone, as ever, was more serious. ¡°That¡¯s why we¡¯re here. She¡¯s a shapeshifter and she¡¯s coming after Mu,¡± said Kal.

    ¡°What, ah, what does a fox woman look like?¡± asked Tavian. ¡°Just out of curiosity.¡±

    Mu gave him a glare. ¡°Are you really thinking what I think you¡¯re thinking?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re too harsh on me, Princess,¡± said Tavian.

    Mu gave an aggrieved sigh.

    ¡°Be on the lookout. Treat anyone who approaches us with supreme caution,¡± said Kal. ¡°Regrettably I couldn¡¯t capture her.¡±

    ¡°Kal just about killed her,¡± said Harry. ¡°But she still got away. Tricky one.¡±

    Mu¡¯s lightened mood at seeing Kal and Harry was turning dark once more. ¡°Once again, I¡¯m putting everyone in danger.¡±

    Harry shrugged. ¡°Oh, I wouldn¡¯t worry too much about that. We¡¯ve always been pretty good at finding danger without you.¡±

    Mu gave him a thin smile.

    Harry looked as serenely confident as ever and Kal looked no more glum than usual. On Chinor¡¯s face, however, she could see what appeared to be relief. She had a good guess as to why.

    ¡°Sayan told us you have been training as a Qam?¡± she said to him. ¡°I didn¡¯t even realise you were a Resonant.¡±

    Chinor nodded. ¡°I¡¯ve been trying.¡±

    ¡°He did well,¡± said Harry. ¡°He got us this far.¡±

    ¡°Thank you for helping us so much,¡± said Mu.

    Chinor looked down awkwardly. ¡°I¡¯m just doing what I can.¡±

    ¡°Well, Big Sis has confidence in you,¡± said Tavian. ¡°She¡¯s got you lined up to do the big deed when we get inside.¡±

    Mu thought reminding Chinor of this was possibly not the best idea at the moment. She could see his nervousness plainly upon his face, even if being in the presence of a true Qam had brought him some relief from his burden.

    ¡°We shouldn¡¯t delay,¡± said Kal, nodding in the direction of the temple. ¡°The enemy will begin their attack any moment now. I doubt Sayan¡¯s forces will hold out long.¡±

    ¡°You should have more faith in our warriors,¡± said Buka Qam.

    ¡°I¡¯ve never had much time for faith,¡± said Kal. ¡°I believe what I see. Now let¡¯s not delay further.¡±

    ¡°The Big Guy¡¯s probably right. Let¡¯s get going,¡± said Tavian.

    Mu nodded. ¡°Let¡¯s do it.¡±

    They headed towards the Grand Temple.

    Mu thought it probably once towered over a broad plaza, but deep drifts of sand had built up, and only a few steps emerged, leading to a sort of cloistered platform and a dark and gaping entrance. Even in the Qam¡¯s presence, she could hear the clamour of voices, and was near certain that it grew louder as they approached that entrance.

    Ascending the steps ahead of the others, the Qam paused in front of the doorway.

    ¡°I do not know what we will face inside,¡± he said. ¡°The U?armaz will not readily surrender the treasures of the ancients.¡±

    ¡°Well, it wouldn¡¯t be any fun if it was easy,¡± remarked Tavian.

    Mu had built up this moment in her mind over the journey there, yet when she finally crossed the threshold into the temple, it almost felt anticlimactic. Inside was dark, the light that streamed in through the entranceway growing dimmer as the storm outside gathered ferocity. Deep sand piled at the corners of the room. The high ceiling was obscured in the shadows above.

    They now stood in a symmetrical antechamber, divided into three levels, a central stairway leading up to the higher floors. It was flanked at each level by a pair of wolf statues. On the third level another door led deeper into the temple.

    ¡°Anyone know the way?¡± asked Tavian.

    ¡°I was thinking we should head through the only other door here,¡± said Harry, then added with a shrug, ¡°But I don¡¯t know, maybe someone else has a better idea.¡±

    Despite herself Mu let out a little chuckle.

    ¡°I think Harry¡¯s onto something,¡± she said.

    Tavian looked mildly annoyed. ¡°I¡¯m guessing it¡¯s not going to be just one door after another till we get there. You saw how big this place was from outside.¡±

    ¡°I have studied the old maps,¡± said Chinor.

    ¡°I know the way,¡± added Buka.

    They crossed the chamber and began ascending the stairs. Yet even as they did so, the dim light in the room flickered. Mu turned to look behind them, seeing the silhouette of a robed man in the entrance.

    ¡°It¡¯s her!¡± said Kal.

    As Mu watched, the silhouette shifted. Fox tails spread out behind it.

    ¡°Run!¡± yelled Kal. ¡°I will hold her. She¡¯s not getting away this time.¡±

    Mu didn¡¯t argue. Before she turned to do as Kal commanded the figure moved. It did so with terrifying speed.

    Air traffic over Yengishahr had come to a complete halt under the Governor¡¯s emergency proclamation.

    So, the singular small craft Taghay could see from his office stood out clearly against the clear blue sky. Its journey was more of a jump than a flight, rising on the outskirts of the city and barely reaching the plateau of its flight before descending once more.

    He watched this brief journey from his office window, the silent city sprawling out below him. He knew its purpose: to carry his brother from the prison to the court. In many ways that flight represented the culmination of his victory. Once Toghrul was bound for Luanyuan in a few hours ¨C and his sympathisers around Karbaliq were crushed ¨C there would be little to stand in the way of Taghay¡¯s vision for this planet.

    Yet watching the airship, full of knowledge of what it represented, Taghay felt little of the elation he had expected.

    Rather, he mostly felt frustration. Frustration that Toghrul had been unable to see his vision. Frustration that Ulduz now saw him as a monster for the actions he had taken in defence of that vision. If so many could see and understand that vision, why were his very own siblings so blind?

    Yarkan could never go back. To dream of such things was to forever condemn this world to being the backwater it had remained ever since the defeat of the Confederacy by the nascent Empire. What did Toghrul even hope to achieve? Rebellion against the Empire? The Onyx Tortoise Banner alone could with ease bring an army of occupation with ten soldiers for every person on Yarkan.

    It was infuriating, frankly. Such blind romanticism was the enemy of reason and progress.

    What had happened to Toghrul? They had once dreamt of the future they would build for their world together. They had been given the great gift of their father¡¯s fortune, the very tool they needed to forge ahead, to become the great champions of Yarkan as it rose to take its place in the Empire.

    When did our dreams diverge?

    Taghay shook his head.

    There came a buzzing. He walked to his desk and hit the button for the intercom.

    ¡°Sir, the prisoner has reached the Court.¡±

    ¡°On my way,¡± he said.

    He checked his tablet. No reports yet from the operation at Karbaliq.

    But there was little uncertainty there.

    The rebels would be crushed: he had taken special care to ensure that. Each of the Mechanised Assault Vehicles deployed to Karbaliq now carried a brand-new experimental, miniature ARC courtesy of the Yarghun Company. He knew the rebels would be counting on miring their attackers in the Starflow Tempest. With these ARCs there would be no chance of that. Stripped of their only advantage, the enemy would be rapidly overwhelmed.

    Sayan heard the roar of the airships as they closed in. Visibility was now diminishing rapidly, the lights of the ships only dimly shining through the raging desert sands.

    She breathed in deeply.

    Almost time.

    They would only get one chance at this first strike. They had to make it count. And that meant waiting until the airships had completed the drop of their cargo of soldiers and vehicles.

    It was the last moment before the dive.

    She turned to the man next to her, a warrior and Qam in training named Arslan.

    ¡°Everyone ready for the signal?¡±

    It took him a few moments to answer. ¡°All units are ready.¡±

    No change since she last asked.

    Was she showing too much of her nervous energy?

    I must show no weakness in front of them.

    Still, nervous though she was, she was impressed with the communication system their fighters had developed. The enemy would no doubt attempt to intercept any conventional communications. Yet Arslan had devised an alternative: the Qamlar could use their Resonant abilities to cause fluctuations in the Tempest. By feeling out through the Starflow, the Qamlar could thus detect messages sent by one another. As a system of communication, it was rudimentary. But it would ensure they could retain the element of surprise over the enemy up until the critical point of their attack.

    No doubt the enemy were now entering the campsite and finding it completely vacant.

    They would surely turn their attention to the ruins next.

    But Karbaliq was vast and the Government and Company maps were far from complete. Sayan had ensured her people had been exploring and mapping every centimetre of the ruins for years now. There had been a time when such preparations were derided as paranoid by some, but now they were the lifeline of their resistance. Without the shelter of the Black City, they would be exposed in the open desert and slaughtered swiftly.

    There came an immense sound and a shaking of the earth.

    ¡°What was that?¡± she asked.

    Arslan shook his head. ¡°I¡¯m not getting any reports.¡±

    ¡°We can¡¯t lose the element of surprise. We need them close before we strike.¡±

    There was another sound. Then Arslan turned. ¡°They¡¯re on the move. They¡¯re entering Karbaliq.¡±

    Sayan looked to the other warriors with her in that dark place amongst the ruins. The nervous energy was palpable, even though their faces were obscured by the thick shadows that hung about.

    Her fingers ran across the detonator before her, yearning to trigger it. Years of preparation, of bringing in weapons from all over Yarkan. Soon to be unleashed.

    She could hear them now, the heavy thuds of the Mechanised Assault Vehicles. Drawing ever closer.

    She thanked the Great Qam for sending this storm. The enemy would have little or no aerial cover. But those MAVs would cause enough problems on their own. The infantry they could handle, but the MAVs they would have only one serious crack at. That was what the detonators were for.

    ¡°There¡¯s something wrong,¡± said Arslan.

    Sayan scowled. ¡°That is not what I want to hear.¡±

    ¡°They¡¯re repulsing the Tempest,¡± he said.

    ¡°They¡¯re what?¡± she asked.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know¡­ but I can feel it. There are bubbles in the Tempest, like those created by the Qamlar.¡±

    ¡°How are they doing that?¡±

    Arslan shook his head.

    ¡°Are our communications still working?¡± she asked.

    ¡°For now,¡± said Arslan, ¡°But I don¡¯t know how long it will last once they get closer.¡±

    Her thoughts raced. Had she underestimated the enemy? What other tricks might they have up their sleeves?

    No doubt. No hesitation.

    Just action.

    ¡°Are they in range?¡± asked Sayan.

    A pause, as Arslan sent out the question. ¡°Some are. Not all.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ll have to move early,¡± said Sayan.

    ¡°But too many of the MAVs will survive¡­¡± said another warrior, Ilg¨¹n.

    Sayan turned her way. ¡°They¡¯ll all survive if we lose the ability to communicate and can¡¯t coordinate our attack. We¡¯ll likely as not blow up our own people with those charges.¡±

    Ilg¨¹n looked unsure, but she did not protest further.

    Sayan took just a moment more to think.

    ¡°Ten more seconds, then send the signal,¡± she said.

    The fingers of one hand caressed the detonator, while the other tightly gripped her spear.

    A spear.

    Seemingly a useless weapon against the MAVs and likely ineffective against armoured infantry, but she enjoyed its symbolism. And besides: this was no ordinary spear, irrespective of its appearances.

    She counted down the seconds in her head.

    Is this the right move?

    It didn¡¯t matter. It was what she had committed to.

    Three.

    Two.

    One.

    ¡°Now,¡± she said.

    Saying the word, she felt much of her fear melt away. The dive had been made. She would strike her prey or not.

    She hit the detonator.

    There was an almighty assault of noise and the ground quaked. Dust rained down from the roof of the ancient ruins.

    Sayan spat onto the sandy ground, then pulled a cloth up over her mouth and nose.

    ¡°Strike, wolves of Yarkan!¡±

    Mu was almost through the door when she felt the fleeting glimpse of premonition.

    She spun about, her hand moving automatically to the hilt of her sword. She was just in time to catch the moment that the fox woman darted beneath Kal¡¯s blow and came surging towards her. Her own blade caught Zhen Yan¡¯s just in time, though there was tremendous force behind the attack and both blades locked together just in front of Mu¡¯s face.

    ¡°No, you don¡¯t!¡± bellowed Kal, spinning to give pursuit to Zhen Yan.

    Sensing the incoming threat, Zhen Yan disengaged from Mu, her movements appearing like an elegant dance. A moment later Harry had drawn a pistol and let loose several shots.

    But before Mu¡¯s eyes Zhen Yan disappeared.

    She reappeared a moment later several metres away, immediately rushing towards Mu again.

    This time shots came from a different direction. They missed Zhen Yan, but seemingly gave her pause. Mu turned to see Tavian had drawn a pistol.

    ¡°Where did that come from?¡± she asked.

    ¡°A gift from Sayan,¡± shouted Tavian.

    Mu didn¡¯t have time to respond. The fox was almost upon her again. She could barely access her foresight, but the calm created by the Qam gave her just the slightest gain in reaction times. Usually even only that would be sufficient to defeat an ordinary opponent. But Zhen Yan was no ordinary opponent. She was quick ¨C even against an opponent who was able to react to things before they even happened.

    Mu attempted to thrust at Zhen Yan, but the vixen darted aside then came at her from another angle. Mu parried.

    Zhen Yan was denied her next attack as Kal had closed the gap. She darted away again.

    ¡°Get out of here. Get through that door. I¡¯ll hold her back,¡± demanded Kal.

    Mu was about to argue that they¡¯d do better together, but she felt Tavian¡¯s hand grabbing her arm.

    ¡°He¡¯s right. We¡¯ve got a job to do. Let him to his.¡±

    Mu didn¡¯t like having others fight for her. It was becoming to common of an occurrence.

    But she knew Tavian was right.

    She ran.

    Behind her Kal issued a bestial shout of defiance against his opponent.

    She reached the Qam, who had already, alongside Chinor, entered the next chamber ahead of her and Tavian.

    ¡°Can you tighten the sphere of protection?¡± she asked. ¡°She¡¯s a Resonant. She¡¯ll feel the effects of the Tempest far more than Kal.¡±

    The Qam nodded in understanding.

    ¡°We¡¯ll stick close,¡± she said.

    They rushed deeper into the chamber, the sounds of the fight dwindling behind them. Mu could barely get a coherent sense of the Starflow in here, but she probed for any sign, however slight, that Zhen Yan had slipped once more by Kal¡¯s guard and followed them.

    She did not think on a playing field levelled by the loss of her prescience she would stand much chance against Zhen Yan¡¯s truly ferocious speed.

    She looked around the new chamber.

    Then she realised it.

    ¡°Where¡¯s Harry?¡± she asked.

    ¡°He stuck with Kal,¡± said Tavian. He seemed to sense her thoughts, adding, ¡°Let him go.¡±

    ¡°But he won¡¯t last long against that¡ª¡±

    ¡°Kal¡¯s there. Just trust that they know what they¡¯re doing,¡± said Tavian.

    Mu nodded, but she didn¡¯t feel good about it.

    Chinor, meanwhile, had lit a powerful light, which pierced the otherwise all-encompassing gloom they now found themselves swamped by.

    This new chamber was far vaster than the antechamber they had just entered from. It was a huge square, with stairs descending on all sides to a central shrine of some sort. Around its edges many more doors led to other chambers and halls beyond.

    ¡°See,¡± said Tavian, ¡°Not so straight forward after all.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, yeah,¡± said Mu. ¡°You do know the way, right?¡±

    ¡°I know,¡± said Buka Qam.

    ¡°Let¡¯s hurry,¡± said Tavian, and even as he said it they heard the echoes of shots fired behind them.

    Mu swallowed.

    In here she could feel the oppressive weight of the Tempest far more profoundly than she had felt it previously. Perhaps it was the shrinking of the Qam¡¯s protection allowing it to press closer, or perhaps it was simply much stronger inside the Temple. Whatever the case, it was not merely the voices here. She felt something almost like claustrophobia, like her mind was being squeezed down a tighter and tighter passage. Like her very soul was being constricted. She pushed back a note of panic and steeled herself to press on.

    As they journeyed across the great dark chamber everything suddenly shuddered.

    ¡°What was that?¡± asked Chinor, nervously.

    ¡°The battle must have started,¡± said Mu.

    Tavian muttered something under his breath, and Mu could have almost sworn it was a prayer.

    How unlike him.

    Toghrul was led into the courtroom and told where to stand.

    It was a large room, but mostly an empty one. Rows and rows of benches sat deserted. At a high bench at one end of the room, sat a singular man, dressed in Aixin-style robes, his countenance grim. To his side was another man at a lower bench, dressed in a plain suit. Apart from these two men, the guards, and Toghrul himself, there was only one other occupant of the room.

    Taghay.

    ¡°Brother,¡± said Toghrul, by way of greeting.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry it had to come to this,¡± said Taghay.

    ¡°No, you¡¯re not.¡±

    The man in the suit spoke up loudly, speaking not in Jaril, but in the Imperial Standard Tongue.

    ¡°There will be quiet in the Court. This session of the Court is hereby officially opened. His Excellency Cheng Wenlong, Chief Magistrate of Yarkan, is presiding. In accordance with the Declaration of Special Measures for the State of Emergency proclaimed by His Excellency Aixin Nikan, Governor of Yarkan, this shall be a summary hearing. The matter at hand is the guilt or innocence of one Yarghunoghul Toghrul, who is charged with the murder of Su Bolin.¡±

    As he stood there, listening, Toghrul found himself growing frustrated with the theatre. Not one person present had any doubt about the outcome of this process.

    As it turned out, the Court agreed with him on that.

    The Magistrate cleared his throat.

    ¡°The Court has already reviewed all relevant evidentiary material and is satisfied that no further recapitulation is necessary. The Court finds that Yarghunoghul Toghrul is guilty of the Crime of Murder.¡±

    They were quicker than he¡¯d imagined.

    I guess there is little need for theatre when there¡¯s no audience.

    ¡°Under the sentencing provisions of the Special Measures proclaimed by His Excellency, the Governor, the Court sentences Mr Yarghunoghul to extraplanetary exile without right of return. The Court further orders that in light of the extraordinary circumstances and political motivations for Mr Yarghunoghul¡¯s crime, the sentence be carried out immediately. To enable this, any right to appeal of this decision is suspended.¡±

    And thus, it was done.

    Toghrul looked once again at Taghay.

    ¡°I hope this brings you joy, brother.¡±

 Chapter XXIX - Sanctum of the Black City

    Chapter XXIX ¨C Sanctum of the Black City

    Among the roar of explosions that rippled out across Karbaliq, punctuated by a cacophony of small arms fire, Sayan erupted from her hiding place, spear in hand. The Black City revealed an infernal vista of swirling sand, illuminated by the myriad of fires that had burst into life. Visibility was limited, and all Sayan could hear were the screams and moans of the dead and the dying, those caught in the series of blasts the defenders had rigged across the ruins. The smell of smoke and burning things ¨C of flesh and metal ¨C was carried by the driving winds.

    Sayan could see little, but she knew the direction they would be coming from. She moved swiftly, unfazed by the wind or the chaos.

    There was little warning when she came across a young soldier, the two opponents catching sight of each other when only metres apart. Almost all of his body was covered, but she could still see his eyes. She could see the shock they expressed when she materialised out of the storm in front of him; she could see the shock intensify as her spear found its way into his neck, just above the collar bone, the tip sprouting like a new shoot from the back of his neck. He coughed, gargled, and sagged. With an effort she tugged her weapon free and his corpse fell twitching in its death throws to dampened sands.

    New explosions erupted somewhere nearby, their light and noise suffocated by the storm.

    She glanced around. Arslan was just behind her, keeping close as he had been ordered.

    ¡°Send the signal: no more detonations! We don¡¯t want to blow up our own!¡±

    She could barely hear her own voice over the noise of the storm and the battle, but Arslan somehow understood, judging by his nod.

    Two warriors appeared at her side. One she recognised as Ilg¨¹n, the other was of another tribe. Both were armed with assault rifles. Ilg¨¹n raised her weapon and fired off several bursts into the maelstrom.

    ¡°Stop!¡± yelled Sayan. ¡°You¡¯ll hit our own. Fire only when you have an identifiable target.¡±

    Ilg¨¹n lowered her weapon, circumspect. Sayan could see she was shaking.

    ¡°On me!¡± yelled Sayan, pointing forward with her spear. ¡°Advance.¡±

    More warriors had gathered to her and they pushed forward. Occasionally a shot or a burst of automatic fire would ring out, but it seemed there was little left of the enemy here ¨C the explosions had either slain them, or caused them to retreat.

    But Sayan knew there were plenty more. They¡¯d triggered the blasts early, and thus missed the bulk of the enemy force.

    She reached a point covered in the burning wreckage of one of the Mechanised Assault Vehicles. She didn¡¯t have to go much farther to find an infantryman who was presumably caught up in the same explosion that took out the MAV. What was left of the sand suit he had been wearing had been fused by the heat of the blast to what was left of him, blackened and hairless. The charred remains of two of his limbs were nearby, though no longer connected.

    Sayan stepped over the wreckage of man and machine alike. Behind her, she heard a groan, then a single gunshot.

    He was still alive?

    Not anymore.

    The sound of heavy machinery up ahead was soon joined by lights dimly shining through the clouds of sand.

    ¡°Halt!¡± she shouted, and the small group obediently halted and dropped low.

    These enemies were coming closer, but their advance was slow, cautious.

    One MAV.

    Unknown numbers of infantry.

    She surveyed the force with her. Twelve warriors, herself included.

    With the element of surprise, and if they could take down the MAV quickly, perhaps they stood a chance.

    ¡°You two,¡± she said, indicating two of her fighters, ¡°Try and get around the edge of this group. Fire into the group and make them think it is a flanking attack in force. I will go for the MAV.¡±

    The two men gave the barest of acknowledgement, but moved swiftly to fulfill her orders.

    She turned to Arslan.

    ¡°I¡¯m going to need more power,¡± she said.

    He placed his hand against the shaft of her spear, closing his eyes. Moments later dim light wreathed his form, then spread up and down the length of the spear. He opened his eyes.

    ¡°I¡¯ve given you what I could,¡± he said.

    ¡°It¡¯s all I ask,¡± she said.

    She was no Resonant, but even she could feel the Starflow that now suffused her weapon.

    ¡°Great Qam, guide my spear true,¡± she said quietly.

    Two bursts of gunfire were heard. Shouting followed.

    ¡°Now!¡± yelled Sayan. ¡°Cover me closely. I¡¯m going for the MAV.¡±

    She took off at a sprint. The first soldier she saw had his attention directed off to the side as she had hoped. He saw her only a moment before a part of his skull erupted outwards with the impact of several shots. Sayan darted past him.

    She was almost at the MAV before the infantry accompanying it saw her. They met similar fates to their companion, mown down with no time to properly react to the threat. The MAV twisted about to target its twin directed energy cannons at its attackers. Two blasts of brilliant light lanced past Sayan and she heard a scream behind her. She did not stop to see what had happened, instead vaulting a stone protruding from the sand, and grabbing onto the side of the MAV with one hand. With her other she thrust the glowing spear into the machine. There was a flash of light and a burst of heat and the machine swayed precariously. She yanked free her spear and leapt back to the sand as the contraption tumbled to the ground.

    Yet no sooner had she landed than she saw the bright flashes of incoming energy weapon fire.

    ¡°Fall back!¡± she yelled.

    The call echoed out amongst the other warriors still standing and under a hail of incoming fire ¨C kinetics and energy ¨C they ran, bent close to the ground, back towards the safety of the ruins.

    Zhen Yan had ended up exactly where she didn¡¯t want to be: facing off against the big guy again. He was not her target, so there was a singular objective: get past him, and separate him from those he was trying to protect. She had missed her one chance to get Princess Mukushen early, but she would not relent.

    In the last battle, he had slipped into his berserker state when she¡¯d inflicted a non-fatal wound on him. That meant if she was going to wound him, it had to be the end of him. Otherwise, things would be a lot harder.

    ¡°It doesn¡¯t have to be like this,¡± said Xingyan. ¡°This isn¡¯t who you are.¡±

    Zhen Yan ignored her.

    After all, she was dead.

    Zhen Yan shook her head.

    Think clearly!

    But she could feel the Tempest pressing in ever more forcefully, now that both the Qam and the one who had led Nyx and Zhang here were moving farther away.

    I won¡¯t be able to keep fighting much longer like this. I have to catch up to the Qam.

    But Nyx wouldn¡¯t move, not of his own volition.

    Zhen Yan charged him, but unlike last time, he was heavily armed. Both her opponents had firearms, so she had to get in close. Both also appeared to be exceptional shots, willing to shoot her way even when she came close, confident of not hitting each other.

    But she had a plan.

    If she could just hold herself together long enough to execute it.

    She darted towards Nyx. She knew now that the artificial arm he possessed was no match for her Starflow-infused blade, but it would still do some serious damage if he collected her with a punch.

    She weaved side to side as Nyx fired at her, evading his shots.

    Even as she charged though, everything shifted. Liu Da stood before her. Her mind spun. He was an arms dealer on Lingzhu.

    I killed him.

    The pain of a bullet impact broke the illusion.

    Zhen Yan staggered back, blood drizzling from her side. She moved. Quickly. Any direction, didn¡¯t matter. The next shot would kill her if she didn¡¯t.

    Focus.

    The dead are just that.

    The pressure from the Tempest was becoming unbearable.

    ¡°You¡¯ll die here if you keep going,¡± said Xingyan.

    Zhen Yan ignored her, and darted swiftly back towards Kal, weaving as she went. Bullets flew by. Her sword was ready.

    With only a firearm, Nyx had no way to fend off her strikes. Surely, he would move.

    She struck with speed and force. Nyx raised his forearm and spun his body to one side. Her blade pierced the arm and slid out the other side. It was the metal arm. And though she could cut it, it wasn¡¯t without resistance. A fast motion of Nyx yanked the blade clean from her hands.

    But she had her opening.

    With all her speed, she darted forward.

    In an instant, she was past Nyx and into the chamber beyond.

    There was a heavy explosion and dust descended like a rain from the towering, shadowy ceiling.

    Buka Qam led the way as they descended deeper into the Temple. They had long since left behind all natural light. Chinor and the Qam were carrying bright torches to drive back the pressing shadows. But the shadows were not merely those that could be repelled by the light of a torch: even with the Qam here, the voices of the dead clamoured with ever greater intensity. Moreso than when he had crossed Karbaliq unprotected, searching for Mu, Tavian felt a resistance. It was not merely the restlessness of their terrible deaths that bestirred the U?armaz here, rather there was a distinct sense that they sought to protect something.

    What will they do to defend their secrets? he wondered.

    Increasingly it felt to him as if his notion of placating them with song was foolhardy. Yet he had never been one to back down merely because a course of action was foolhardy. Nothing for it, then, but to continue on, plunging deeper into this ancient structure, hoping that somehow they emerged alive.

    When the circle of light cast by the torches fell upon the walls, he noticed they were carved with immense detail, unlike the smooth and monolithic exterior. Each wall depicted images of people and animals, some seemingly fighting great battles, others involved in what he took to be rituals. Some images unmistakably depicted stars, and the great ships sailing among them. There was script in places too, though none that he could read. It was clearly ancient and worn, yet in here the surfaces were protected from the abrasive sands driven by furious winds, and there was no sign of water or moisture of any kind. Yet the air still had a staleness to it adding, to the borderline claustrophobia of the place, if not the weathering of its surfaces.

    They descended stairs, and passed along straight halls, crossed more vast chambers, and always went down, down, down. Tavian was certain now that they must be well below the level of the streets of the Black City, certainly below the rolling sand dunes.

    But for the many things clearly wrought by ancient human hands, there was little sign that any living thing had been in this place within the memory of innumerable generations. And though the voices made the presence of the dead within the tempestuous Starflow abundantly apparent, there were no bodies that marked the lives that had once belonged to them ¨C no physical sign of the places where those lives ended.

    He turned his gaze to Mu. In her eyes was a look of determination, yet he could see the nerves there too, a tenseness to her posture, her teeth gently biting her bottom lip.

    ¡°Inviting spot, isn¡¯t it?¡± he said.

    She looked at him and he could see on her face the process of her mind shifting from something far away, refocusing upon his words.

    ¡°I¡¯m sure it was once very beautiful,¡± she said. ¡°It is a sacred place.¡±

    ¡°In my experience, those can be among the grimmest,¡± said Tavian.

    ¡°You have no respect,¡± she said, tersely.

    ¡°I never get credit for coming along on these wild adventures of yours,¡± said Tavian, his tone remaining light and amused. As strongly as he felt the weight of the Tempest, he knew it would bear more potently down upon Mu. It would help her to be distracted, to throw a few barbs his way.

    ¡°You want a reward?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m a humble man. Your company is reward enough,¡± said Tavian, placing a hand to his chest.

    ¡°Urgh,¡± she said, rolling her eyes. He could see some of the stiffness had gone from her posture though.

    He cast a glance to Chinor. ¡°How you doing there, mate?¡± he asked.

    Chinor turned his way. ¡°Mallam is bearing the brunt of the Tempest, but it is getting harder the further we go.¡±

    ¡°I feel it too,¡± said Tavian in his best reassuring voice. ¡°You¡¯re doing well.¡±

    Chinor looked forward once more. ¡°Thank you,¡± he said.

    ¡°Would a story help ease everyone¡¯s nerves?¡± asked Tavian.

    ¡°We don¡¯t want a story,¡± snapped Mu.

    Tavian shrugged. ¡°Just a thought. I have some good ones. Heartwarming and wholesome - or lewd and spicy¡­ just ask if you change your mind.¡±

    ¡°I will not be doing that,¡± said Mu.

    ¡°Suit yourself, Princess.¡±

    As they walked, everything shook once more. The sound of the blasts was more muted now, cushioned as the explosions were by an unknown quantity of stone and sand above them. Yet the tremors, the rumble ¨C it served to reinforce the stakes of the situation they now found themselves in. Somewhere up there, Sayan and her fighters were surely immersed in desperate battle. Many were no doubt already dead.

    This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.

    Tavian¡¯s tablet buzzed. He saw an incoming call from Kal.

    ¡°Big Guy, what¡¯s happening? Fox dealt with?¡±

    ¡°Cave¡­ in¡­ coming after¡­¡±

    Kal¡¯s voice was barely intelligible.

    ¡°What¡¯s he saying?¡± asked Mu.

    Tavian shook his head. ¡°Can¡¯t hear much of you there, Kal. What¡¯s this about a cave?¡±

    ¡°¡­following you, but¡­ she got past¡­¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m losing you.¡±

    ¡°¡­careful¡­ hunt¡­ Mu.¡±

    The call went dead.

    Tavian sighed.

    ¡°What did he say?¡± asked Mu.

    ¡°I¡¯m not sure. But I think the fox got away.¡±

    Mu considered this. ¡°We have to be careful. But he have to keep going.¡±

    ¡°No argument here. Let¡¯s maybe try picking up the pace. How far have we got to go, Buka?¡±

    ¡°Mallam?¡± asked Chinor, seemingly concerned by Tavian¡¯s omission of the honorific.

    ¡°The Sanctum isn¡¯t far. I am unsure what we will encounter when we reach it,¡± said the Qam.

    ¡°Perhaps, Mallam,¡± said Mu, more diplomatic than Tavian, ¡°If you can, pull in the bubble of protection closer around us. The Hulijing is a Resonant, so she is particularly susceptible to the Tempest.¡±

    The Qam nodded. ¡°I will do what I can.¡±

    They quickened their pace and journeyed deeper into the dark. The dead clamoured mistrustfully in Tavian¡¯s mind. He instinctively touched the case of his mandolin.

    I hope you can placate them.

    In the far shadows ahead of him he saw the Veiled Lady. But he knew her name now. Barchin, the last Lore-Keeper.

    Maybe I can. If she is here.

    Ostara stood outside the court, Mingxia and Ulduz at her side. She checked her tablet. Nothing from the rest of the crew in Karbaliq. That was probably fine. If things were going especially wrong, she would have heard. They were reliable like that.

    She looked up at the bright lights of the waiting room. They had come here to support Toghrul, but no one was allowed into the closed session of the court under the Emergency Declaration. Instead, they waited here. There was a nervous energy, notwithstanding the certainty of the outcome.

    ¡°Will we hear anything before it¡¯s over?¡± asked Mingxia.

    Ostara shook her head. ¡°I doubt it. But they won¡¯t take long.¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s no real question,¡± said Ulduz. ¡°My brother has made his decision. Toghrul is guilty.¡±

    Ostara knew she was correct. Whatever was happening in that closed room, it was no true deliberation. The powers that be had decided Toghrul¡¯s guilt long before he entered. Truth did not matter. Yet, she had seen enough of such governments to know how they functioned. Keeping up appearances was vital. They would not spend much time, but they would spend just enough to give the illusion that it was possible ¨C however unlikely ¨C that some level of deliberation or debate had occurred.

    But Ulduz was right.

    Toghrul would walk out of the court a guilty man.

    ¡°I guess so,¡± said Mingixa. ¡°I didn¡¯t see the court cases on Shangxia, but I was aware of them. When my ¡®dear¡¯ Yucheng made a decision, that was the outcome.¡±

    Ulduz sighed. ¡°I wonder if I¡¯ve been blind to the true nature of the Empire for too long. Perhaps Toghrul was right.¡±

    Ostara shook her head. ¡°As long as you maintain an openness to learning.¡±

    Ulduz looked down. ¡°Have I been a coward? Should I have worked with Toghrul?¡±

    Ostara didn¡¯t mince her words. ¡°Perhaps, you should have. But I don¡¯t think that makes you a coward.¡±

    ¡°I thought I could be the conciliator. The one who restored the unity of the family. Both my brothers ¨C and I still believe this ¨C ultimately wanted what was best for Yarkan.¡±

    ¡°That wasn¡¯t a foolish thing to want, nor to work towards. But it did not succeed. I suspect after the moment Toghrul emerges, there will be a choice to be made ¨C by yourself, by Sayan, by every person on this world. One of two fates are in store for Yarkan. The Clanship will awaken or it won¡¯t. If it awakens, then it will be down to Sayan to determine the fate of this world. I can¡¯t say whether the Banner Fleets will come. Perhaps Sayan will find a diplomatic solution, some way of giving autonomy to Yarkan within the Empire. I do not think in all of history the Empire has ever willingly given up a possession.¡±

    Ulduz shook her head. ¡°I don¡¯t know Sayan, except what my brother has told me. But I do not think she is the diplomatic sort.¡±

    ¡°Tavian says she¡¯s smart,¡± said Mingxia. ¡°I doubt she would go to this effort only to have an Imperial Fleet arrive and bring more hell to this world.¡±

    Ostara smiled. ¡°Hopefully.¡±

    Ostara knew once the decision was made, if Toghrul and Sayan were correct in their plan, there would be little time. Toghrul¡¯s sacrifice would need to happen during the Kurultai of the Dead. If it didn¡¯t, the ritual may not succeed. The Clanship may not awaken.

    And if that happened: Sayan and her fighters would die in the desert. Taghay would forge ahead with his plans. For the Amrita there would be other worlds. But Ostara had never been able to assuage her feelings with such nihilism. People mattered. Worlds mattered. Whether the Empire spanned a single world or forty million, that fact was unchanged. And she had come to care for this one.

    She wondered what Apollo made of it all. He had said little during their time on Yarkan. And yet he had brought them here for a reason. And Ostara suspected it was not just Ulduz¡¯s ten million taels. As ever, his plans were inscrutable, even to her.

    In that soulless place, a bureaucratic building like so many others across the Empire, she waited. Though she was impatient, she told herself the delay was good. It gave Mu and Tavian and the others more time.

    Yet it did not last long.

    An official of the court emerged. ¡°The Court has reached its deliberation. Yarghunoghul Toghrul is guilty on all charges.¡±

    There it is.

    A moment later two guards escorted Toghrul himself out.

    Ulduz leapt to her feet and rushed over.

    ¡°Stay back,¡± said one of the guards.

    ¡°Toghrul, I¡¯m sorry,¡± said Ulduz. ¡°I should have believed in you.¡±

    He looked at her with eyes revealing little emotion. ¡°I forgive you, sister. Now we must all be strong. The rest is the domain of the Great Qam.¡±

    Ostara saw the tears welling in Ulduz¡¯s eyes.

    ¡°I will make him have mercy. I will tell Taghay¡ª¡±

    ¡°He is beyond mercy.¡±

    ¡°Please clear the way,¡± said a court official. ¡°The sentence will be carried out immediately. Prisoner Yarghunoghul, you will be transferred to Yengishahr Spaceport for offworld transportation.¡±

    ¡°Please, give us a moment,¡± insisted Ulduz.

    The guards ignored her. Toghrul was escorted away, gone in an instant.

    Ulduz turned to Ostara. ¡°The penal colonies: they mean death.¡±

    Ostara knew she was once again correct. ¡°It is not certain.¡±

    ¡°Isn¡¯t there something we can do?¡± asked Mingxia.

    Ostara turned to her. ¡°We can¡¯t stop this.¡±

    But Ulduz came close to Ostara, placing her hands on her shoulders. ¡°Please,¡± she said.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± said Ostara.

    ¡°I-I¡­ let me make myself clear. I know. I understand. Toghrul will be sent there. But I can pay you. Get him out.¡±

    Ostara breathed in deeply, gazing into Ulduz¡¯s glistening blue eyes.

    ¡°Please,¡± repeated Ulduz. ¡°I know where he is to be sent. Luanyuan. It¡¯s brutal.¡±

    Ostara raised her head and looked at the ceiling. Then she gazed once more into Ulduz¡¯s imploring face. ¡°I will speak with my Captain.¡±

    Her voice shaky, Ulduz said, ¡°It¡¯s all I ask.¡±

    ¡°We will do what we can, but I cannot make any promises. You must understand¡­ he cannot return to Yarkan. It would invalidate the sacrifice he is making.¡±

    Ulduz nodded frantically. ¡°I know¡­ but if you could just get him somewhere else¡­ somewhere where he can live peacefully. He has endured so much pain.¡±

    Ostara smiled reassuringly at Ulduz, nodding slowly.

    She looked to the doors through which Toghrul had been escorted. Time was running out. If only there was a way to buy more time.

    Hurry, she urged the others, The sacrifice is almost upon us.

    Toghrul was about to take flight.

    ¡°We¡¯ve lost contact with Uchuk¡¯s group,¡± declared Arslan, a grim tone to his voice.

    That makes three.

    ¡°They¡¯re finding our hiding places. We need to move deeper into the Black City,¡± said Sayan.

    This was not going to be easy. The enemy was now right on top of their position. Any attempt to relocate would be near as fraught as staying still. But they had to try. It was the only way they stood any chance of prolonging this fight.

    ¡°Maybe we should disperse more,¡± said Ilg¨¹n.

    So far, their strategy had been to sally forth from concealed positions in Karbaliq, launching concentrated attacks targeting the MAVs before returning to their hiding places. Yet this posed significant risks, as a whole group of fighters could be eliminated when discovered by the enemy.

    Sayan shook her head, though. ¡°The Qamlar won¡¯t be able to protect our warriors from the Tempest if we do so.¡±

    Ilg¨¹n fell silent.

    Sayan turned to Arslan. ¡°I ask a little of your strength once more.¡±

    Arslan nodded, yet Sayan could see the exhaustion growing on his face, in his posture. He was not yet a full Qam, yet he was striving to push back the Tempest and gifting her some of his Resonance. On top of that, their communications also fell to him. It was a lot to ask of one so young, yet Sayan only did so because she had faith in his abilities. Each tribe had only one Qam, each of whom had one apprentice. Only by involving the Qamlar in training could they spread out their warriors sufficiently. And among those still training, Sayan could see plainly that Arslan was a man of special Resonance. Thus, she had handpicked him to accompany her through this battle.

    He obliged her request, her spear once more becoming suffused with the Starflow.

    They were at present in the basement of one of the smaller buildings near the fringes of the Black City.

    ¡°I will go to the surface and try and get a sense of the enemy positions and strength around us,¡± she said. ¡°I will call the rest of you when the time is right. Arslan, let the survivors know to converge on the Plaza of the Khagans. We can draw them inside there and the MAVs will be less effective.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Chief,¡± he said.

    ¡°Ilg¨¹n? Lend me your keen eyes.¡±

    The young warrior nodded. With that she followed as Sayan ascended the stairs to the surface. The ground level rooms were dark ¨C there was no artificial lighting and the sunlight had disappeared behind the clouds raised by the sandstorm. The two women walked to one of the windows that looked out upon what had once been a city street, and now was mere drifts of sand.

    There were clearly tracks left by a MAV, and smaller ones denoting the passage of infantry. That meant, unless they had been destroyed by another group, that there were now enemy forces between them and the Plaza of the Khagans, potentially severing their axis of retreat.

    Sayan looked back up the street. No enemy forces in immediate view, although that was limited. The sounds of gunfire and explosions echoed among the ruins.

    ¡°We need to scout out the route of our retreat,¡± said Sayan.

    Ilg¨¹n said nothing.

    Sayan walked to the door and tentatively looked out. She saw nothing.

    ¡°Follow me,¡± she said.

    She darted out into the sand, looking both ways as she did so. Just as they reached the middle of the street, lights gleamed through the clouds of dust. They were still a decent way from the next building entrance. The lights were growing closer quickly . Sayan turned, put her hand on Ilg¨¹n¡¯s back and pushed her down into the sand, Sayan dropping alongside her.

    ¡°Crawl,¡± she said to Ilg¨¹n, and they slowly made their way towards the edges of the street where great drifts of sand piled against the stone walls.

    What terrible timing? thought Sayan.

    She pushed her spear, which pulsed with the light of the Starflow into the sand.

    Moments later a MAV came clanking along the street, five infantrymen around it. Sayan froze. If she could make out the enemy, the same was true in reverse. Only by remaining very still would her and Ilg¨¹n escape detection.

    She willed the enemy to pass, her heart thundering in her chest as they drew closer. An irrational part of her mind concerned itself that her heartbeat was so loud it would give them away.

    It was then, as the MAV drew to its closest point, that she saw more lights approaching from farther back.

    Great Qam have mercy!

    She only had a moment to contemplate this new information when one of the infantrymen turned their way. At this range there was no way they wouldn¡¯t be seen.

    ¡°Shoot!¡± she yelled at Ilg¨¹n.

    To the young warrior¡¯s credit, she leapt to her feet, immediately unleashing a flurry of kinetic rounds. Sayan sprinted towards the MAV, spear in hand.

    The infantryman who had first spotted them had been spared Ilg¨¹n¡¯s fire, but he got one panicked shot away before Sayan had closed the gap, pulling a knife from its sheath. She plunged it into his neck, then shoved his suddenly limp body around. An instant later, it was riddle by the incoming fire of his colleagues. Sayan herself spun aside as the rounds tore out the opposite side of the corpse.

    She hefted her spear over her head and with all her might threw it towards the MAV. The machine staggered on the impact and an eruption of Starflow created a burst of light, but it was not put completely out of commission. This was unfortunate ¨C she would not be able to damage it again without a fresh infusion of Starflow from Arslan. Sayan used the moment, however. Ilg¨¹n was still laying down suppressing fire, and the MAV ¨C unwieldy at the best of times ¨C was rendered especially so now by the damage of Sayan¡¯s strike.

    In a moment, she had her spear back in her hand and rushed back towards the building they had first emerged from. The second unit of enemy forces was now closing in on their position, but with the low visibility afforded by the storm and their comrades in front of them, they had not yet opened fire.

    Sayan darted around the hulking form of the MAV. Too late she realised she had stepped directly into a soldier¡¯s line of fire.

    She probably would have died at that moment, had the man not tumbled forward. As he did so, her warriors were revealed, emerging from the concealment of the building, weapons trained.

    Not following the plan, but I would be dead if they had, she thought.

    She yelled over the wind and pointed up the street. ¡°More coming.¡±

    Ilg¨¹n¡¯s voice came from behind her. She turned to see her pointing the other direction. That¡¯s when she saw the lights. Another enemy unit must have been ahead of the one they just engaged. Now they were about to be caught in a pincer.

    ¡°Fall back! Fall back!¡± she yelled.

    Ilg¨¹n sprinted towards her as the others fired on the damaged MAV, which had not fired any shots since Sayan¡¯s strike. As Ilg¨¹n passed it, it swivelled towards the other warriors. Sayan had almost reached them now, sprinting with difficulty through the deep sand. They walked backwards while firing, moving in the direction of the building¡¯s entrance. Rifle fire did little against the armour of the MAV.

    ¡°Rockets!¡± yelled Sayan.

    Another warrior with a portable launcher stepped forward, aiming towards the MAV. Ilg¨¹n stumbled in the sand. She picked herself up and resumed her run just as the rocket launched. There was a great flash of light. The MAV stumbled about once more. Ilg¨¹n was thrown face-first into the sand.

    Sayan, looking over her shoulder, paused just a moment, then bolted back out into the street.

    No sooner had she done so, than the first lance of light from incoming MAV fire struck the ground nearby. She staggered, but kept her footing. It missed her, the enemy clearly still lacking a visual lock on them. She yanked Ilg¨¹n to her feet, and the girl groaned. Sayan saw only now that her cloak and sandsuit were ripped, several small shards of metal protruding from her back.

    No time to pause. She pulled Ilg¨¹n along, even as a second burst of energy weapon fire struck the sand nearby ¨C close enough for Sayan to feel the heat.

    Stumbling they reached the entrance, plunging over the threshold.

    ¡°She¡¯s injured!¡± Sayan shouted as she helped Ilg¨¹n inside.

    Sayan tore off her own cloak and bunched it up on the floor. ¡°Lie down on your stomach,¡± she instructed Ilg¨¹n, who responded with a whimper, but did as she as told, resting her head on Sayan¡¯s cloak.

    Arslan rushed over. ¡°I can attempt to heal her¡­ but I¡¯m not sure how much I can do,¡± he said, as he examined the bloodied mess of Ilg¨¹n¡¯s back.

    ¡°Do what you can,¡± she said, knowing this would stretch his abilities even thinner. Even for the most experienced Qamlar, Resonance healing was a difficult technique, and usually only a stopgap before more traditional medicinal interventions.

    But Sayan did not have time to delay. The enemy knew their position now.

    ¡°Shooters and one rocketeer to the second floor,¡± she instructed.

    Outside the heavily damaged MAV was still staggering around. This came to an end when it was caught by another incoming shot from its own side, the bulk of the machine simply disappearing in a flash of light.

    On such a confused battlefield with such low visibility friendly fire was almost inevitable. It was not lost on Sayan that the rocket strike she had ordered was responsible for Ilg¨¹n¡¯s injuries. Yet without decisive action the MAV may have taken out all of them, once it got a lock. There was no time for regrets, only continuous, unquestioning decisions. Doubt would bring death.

    She sent two more fighters to take up positions by the windows. They would have to pull back if the MAVs got a lock ¨C the walls offering little protection against higher powered directed energy weapons. Still, they might get a few shots on the infantry before they had to do so.

    She heard a groan behind her. Not Ilg¨¹n, but Arslan.

    ¡°What is it?¡± she asked.

    He was kneeling at Ilg¨¹n¡¯s side, but his head was bowed and his eyes scrunched closed. Without opening them, he spoke.

    ¡°The Tempest just grew stronger. I don¡¯t know how much longer I can hold it back while trying to heal her,¡± he said.

    It must have been the MAV, reasoned Sayan. Whatever onboard technology was repelling the Tempest may have been covering them as well when it was close. The moment it got destroyed, that protection disappeared. Now Arslan was facing the full brunt of the Tempest, while expending much of his energy with healing.

    ¡°Send the message that we won¡¯t be able to make the rendezvous with the other groups,¡± said Sayan. ¡°We¡¯re cut off and have wounded. They should proceed with the plan. We¡¯ll make our stand here.¡±

    Arslan had opened his eyes, but now shook his head. ¡°I don¡¯t think we do.¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡±

    ¡°Have wounded,¡± he said. He placed his hand against Ilg¨¹n¡¯s neck. ¡°She¡¯s dead.¡±

    Mu and the others entered another vast chamber, the far walls concealed among the shadows. Rows of what appeared to be shelves receded into those shadows in every direction. Small crystalline cylinders were arranged in a honeycomb of tubes on the shelves.

    ¡°The Chamber of the Lore-Keepers,¡± announced Buka Qam. ¡°This was where the archives of the Grand Temple were stored. Only one more chamber separates us from the Sanctum, after this.¡±

    Tavian ran his fingers over the end of one of the cylinders on a nearby shelf. ¡°What are these?¡±

    ¡°We think it¡¯s an ancient data storage format,¡± said Chinor, ¡°Passed down from the Clanship itself. We don¡¯t know how to process it anymore.¡±

    ¡°Hopefully that doesn¡¯t apply to the Clanship as a whole, when we awake it,¡± remarked Tavian. ¡°Would be a shame to go to all this effort, then not be able to use it.¡±

    ¡°The U?armaz will show us the way,¡± said Buka Qam.

    ¡°I¡¯m sure you¡¯re right, Mallam,¡± said Mu, looking Tavian¡¯s way with a frown. Now was not the time to be spreading doubt.

    They moved quickly among the rows and rows of shelves, the Lore-Keepers¡¯ Chamber spreading out, seemingly endlessly before them.

    With or without Tavian¡¯s help, Mu was having her own doubts. The U?armaz seemed in a far from obliging mood. Once indecipherable, their voices now conveyed clear meaning in Mu¡¯s mind.

    ¡°Be gone from this sacred place, Daughter of Ruin.¡±

    ¡°The Aixin shall not profane the holy.¡±

    ¡°We will defend the Sanctum.¡±

    It occurred to her, that in her determination to help, she may have doomed this venture. Perhaps her very presence would turn the U?armaz against them, given the devastating legacy of her ancestry.

    Had Sayan been right in telling Mu she was being selfish in her desire for redemption?

    Her own words came back to her:

    I can¡¯t change the past. But I can change the future.

    Last time she had yelled it into the Tempest and it had presaged the end of her tribulations during the crossing of the Black City. Perhaps now, keeping those words in mind would carry her to the Sanctum.

    I am not my ancestors, nor do I seek to live as the beneficiary of their crimes.

    Yet such thinking alone was not going to open the way into the Sanctum. For, as at length the group at last reached the far side of the Lore-Keepers¡¯ Chamber, they found their way blocked. By the wolfskins they wore, Mu recognised those that now barred their passage. They were the B?rilar who had once served the ancient Khagan.

    ¡°Warriors,¡± said the Qam, ¡°We seek to enter the Sanctum. Our purpose is the victory of the Jaril over the occupiers.¡±

    The B?ri who stood at the centre of their line stepped forward, even as other warriors materialised in the chamber before them, already outnumbering their small group three-to-one.

    ¡°You bring one of the invaders with you. You conspire with the enemies of the Jaril. We shall not permit the Daughter of Ruin to pass into the most sacred place of our people.¡±

    ¡°She is not one of them,¡± said Chinor, ¡°She turned her back on the Imperial Court. She seeks to undo the wrongs of the past.¡±

    ¡°There is no path to redemption for those who carry the blood of the Ruin-Lord.¡±

    Mu saw that more of the B?rilar were materialising behind them. They were surrounded, and hugely outnumbered.

    ¡°We do not wish to fight you,¡± said the Qam.

    ¡°Then you should leave at once.¡±

    ¡°No,¡± said Mu, her resolution firming. ¡°We cannot do that. As we speak your descendants are fighting and dying. They are mounting the final defence of Karbaliq. It is the battle you were denied by my ancestor ¨C Yurhudan Khan, First Emperor, Ruin-Lord ¨C call him what you will. And it will end in them dying if you do not hear our plea.¡±

    She swallowed and took a deep breath and then continued. ¡°I urge that you grant us that much. Listen to us. I do not come as an invader ¨C I seek the freedom of Yarkan and her people. But don¡¯t listen to me for my sake, nor even your own. Listen to me so that Yarkan¡¯s children can have a future not defined by the pain of the past¡¯s horrors. Because none of us ¨C living or dead ¨C can change the past, but we can change the future. And that begins with the choices we make here and now. So, make the choice to exchange words, not blows. I ask only that you hear us out.¡±

    ¡°Say your piece then,¡± said the leader of the B?rilar. ¡°Then when you have spoken, we shall decide your fate: whether you are cut down where you stand, or enter the Sanctum.¡±

 Chapter XXX - Taking Flight

    Chapter XXX ¨C Taking Flight

    Nova hurriedly crossed the common room towards the front of the Amrita. Seraphina followed, carrying an amphora, Matthias flapping alongside her. While Nova almost jogged across the room, Seraphina moved with little urgency.

    The door at the far end of the room slid open, a short corridor opening before them. They were in the nose of the Amrita now. Off to the right was the entrance to the engine room, where Nova ordinarily spent a lot of time, tending to the Amrita¡¯s various systems, keeping things chugging along optimally. Now, though, she headed straight past that door. She passed the armoury where Kal maintained a collection of weapons to impress even the most avid connoisseur of instruments of violence. Straight ahead were the doors to the Amrita¡¯s bridge. Instead, however, Nova took the last door on the right.

    A strong, fishy odour swept over her the moment the door opened. Inside was a chaotic room, filled with small tunnels, fluffy polls, boxes of various shapes, and walls covered in empty shelves that appeared to be arranged almost like steps. Various beams criss-crossed from one wall to another, close to the ceiling.

    Apollo was waiting in the centre of the room.

    ¡°Ms Reilly,¡± he said. ¡°How may I help?¡±

    ¡°Ostara just called. Toghrul has been sentenced by the court, but it seems Mu and Tavian and the others haven¡¯t convened the¡­ ah¡­ ghost¡­ council¡­ thingy yet. If the sacrifice goes unwitnessed, everything may not work,¡± explained Nova.

    Seraphina arrived behind Nova while she was speaking. ¡°I concur with Madame Ostara¡¯s concerns,¡± she said. ¡°But I may have a solution.¡±

    Apollo cocked his head to one side. ¡°And that might be?¡±

    ¡°The spirit that boarded the ship, the one we call the Candle-Bearer, was once a Lore-Keeper of Karbaliq. If we can project her to witness Toghrul¡¯s sacrifice and then, in turn, to Karbaliq, perhaps her status as a Lore-Keeper may be sufficient to convey the sacrifice to the Kurultai, once convened,¡± said Seraphina.

    Nova chipped in. ¡°Only thing is, I¡¯m not sure how to, er, beam a spirit to the surface. Maybe with Sera¡¯s input and enough time with the Amrita¡¯s Resonance core I might be able to work out a way, but I¡¯m gonna be real, Cap: this is waaay outside my expertise.¡±

    Apollo considered a moment. ¡°I believe I can assist. I take it the spirit is confined to that vessel, at present?¡± he said, indicating with his head the amphora Seraphina was carrying.

    ¡°Yes, Captain,¡± said Seraphina.

    ¡°Very well. It is no simple matter, however. The Starflow Tempest on Yarkan has become far more intense these past hours,¡± said the Captain, ¡°I¡¯m sure you have felt it, Seraphina.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Captain. I considered whether I could achieve what we are discussing, but I do not believe my power is sufficient to penetrate the Tempest.¡±

    ¡°It was wise of you not to take the chance,¡± said Apollo. ¡°After all, the Tempest ultimately arises from the power of a Theophany. Release the Spirit. I will speak with it.¡±

    Seraphina held up the amphora with both hands and began muttering quietly ¨C words that Nova couldn¡¯t begin to follow. Violet light flowed around her and around the amphora, before it floated up into the air. Moments later a stream of sand arced up out of amphora before settling on the floor, assembling into the now familiar figure of the Candle-Bearer.

    ¡°You called for me?¡± asked the spirit.

    ¡°Greetings, Lore-Keeper,¡± said Apollo, ¡°I am Apollo, Captain of the Starship Amrita. I wish to ask a favour of you.¡±

    ¡°It is a pleasure to meet you, Captain Apollo. Seraphina and Nova have told me of you. What favour is it you ask?¡±

    ¡°Toghrul Yarghunoghul, who I believe you are familiar with, is readying to make the sacrifice of taking flight from Yarkan and journeying into exile, having surrendered to the Imperial authorities. The Jaril at Karbaliq seek to offer up his sacrifice to the U?armaz of the Black City so as to call a Kurultai. It is their desire to proclaim one Sayan Yinalqizi as Khatun so that she may call upon the Clanship Kulkana.¡±

    ¡°If it is to aid with this,¡± said the Candle-Bearer, ¡°Then you ask no favour of me. Rather you perform one for me, allowing me to aid in freeing my people.¡±

    ¡°I ask that you observe the sacrifice of Toghrul and convey it to the U?armaz of Karbaliq when the Kurultai is convened,¡± said Apollo.

    ¡°I would gladly do this, but it is beyond my power to appear at such distant points in such short time,¡± said the Candle-Bearer.

    ¡°I believe I can assist with that, if you would agree to this thing,¡± said Apollo. ¡°I can project your essence through the Starflow.¡±

    ¡°Very well. Do as you must, and I shall play my part,¡± said the Candle-Bearer.

    ¡°We still intend to keep our promise to you,¡± said Seraphina. ¡°Once this is over, we will allow you the undisturbed rest you hoped for.¡±

    ¡°I will do my duty once more.¡±

    Nova watched as Apollo¡¯s eyes began to glow with golden light. Moments later similar light wreathed the Candle-Bearer. There was a flash that left Nova blinking and the robed figure of the spirit was gone.

    Apollo¡¯s eyes faded to their customary yellow.

    ¡°I will take care of the rest,¡± he said.

    ¡°Then you¡¯ll excuse me if I go and try to get into contact with Kal and the others again?¡±

    ¡°Of course,¡± said Apollo.

    ¡°Sera, come with me. For moral support.¡±

    ¡°If you believe it will be useful,¡± said Seraphina.

    With that the two of them left Apollo¡¯s cabin, headed for engineering.

    ¡°I don¡¯t get it,¡± said Nova, ¡°How is it that the Captain can project that spirit through the Tempest, when even you can¡¯t. Like, didn¡¯t he just say that the Tempest is left over from a Theophany?¡±

    ¡°I do not fully understand the Captain¡¯s powers,¡± said Seraphina, ¡°But they far exceed my own.¡±

    ¡°Crazy,¡± muttered Nova, shaking her head. She opened the door to engineering. ¡°Please be careful in here,¡± she added, indicating the various tools and pieces of metal lying around. ¡°As the ship¡¯s designated safety officer, I should probably insist on wearing shoes in here, but¡ª¡±

    Seraphina floated up into the air, her feet suspended above the surface.

    ¡°Guess that¡¯ll work,¡± muttered Nova, moving some things out of the way to get to her chair.

    ¡°Shouldn¡¯t the safety officer not leave so many obstacles around?¡± asked Seraphina.

    Nova directed a glare at the witch.

    She shook her head.

    ¡°Anyway¡­ the Cap said the Tempest had gotten worse these last few hours, right?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s correct,¡± said Seraphina, ¡°The Starflow around Karbaliq and Yarkan more broadly has become a lot more chaotic in the prior three and a half hours.¡±

    ¡°Hrm,¡± said Nova, looking across the various comms status info. ¡°I thought it was the sandstorm that was interfering with comms, but perhaps the Tempest is. I just don¡¯t know how to counter that¡­ But it makes me super uneasy that Kal and the others are down there among all this craziness and I can¡¯t contact them. There¡¯s nothing I can do to support them.¡±

    ¡°You were still able to speak to Ostara,¡± observed Seraphina.

    ¡°She¡¯s a long way from Karbaliq.¡±

    ¡°Perhaps it is a mix of factors,¡± said Seraphina.

    ¡°It usually is,¡± said Nova. ¡°I¡¯m just gonna try Kal again. I can see a signal from him, even if it isn¡¯t strong.¡±

    She put in the call from her terminal and to her surprise Kal answered. There was plenty of distortion, but unlike before not so much that she couldn¡¯t make out a word.

    ¡°Kal, what¡¯s happening? I couldn¡¯t get you before.¡±

    ¡°We¡­ in the main temple¡­ the fox woman¡­ away,¡± came the fragmented reply.

    ¡°You¡¯re not in there now? Where are Mu and Tavian?¡±

    ¡°¡­parated. There was a cave-in¡­ we¡¯re headed for Sayan.¡±

    ¡°Straight into the battle?¡± asked Nova, more than a little alarmed.

    ¡°We¡¯ve made contact with¡­. of the tribal fighters. Sayan¡¯s cut off, apparently. The MAVs they¡¯re using have¡­ Cores¡­ can¡¯t use the¡­ ¨Cpest to their advan¡ª¡±

    ¡°What cores?¡±

    ¡°Artificial resonance cores,¡± replied Kal.

    ¡°Mobile ones?¡± asked Nova, surprised. As she was talking, she brought up another window and logged into the Yarghun Company and Yarkanese Government networks. She launched a few search queries.

    ¡°Sayan and the fighters¡­ use the Tempest against the attackers.¡±

    ¡°Okay, I got you,¡± said Nova, her eyes scanning the multiple windows open on the terminal. ¡°I¡¯m checking now to see if I have any point of access to these cores. Maybe if I can shut them down¡­¡±

    ¡°That¡­ cellent.¡±

    ¡°Got it!¡± exclaimed Nova. ¡°They¡¯re being controlled by the Company, not the Government. I should be able to deactivate them, but someone will notice straight away and reactivate them. It¡¯ll be a narrow window, but will that still help? I¡¯ll probably only get one shot, because they¡¯ll block my credentials once I¡¯m discovered doing it.¡±

    ¡°¡­ig help,¡± said Kal. ¡°¡­need to tell¡­ fighters when.¡±

    ¡°Tell you what, don¡¯t waste time explaining anything to me on this dodgy call. Just send me a message when the moment arrives and I¡¯ll be ready to go,¡± replied Nova. ¡°Remember, the opening may only be seconds.¡±

    ¡°Und-stood.¡±

    ¡°And if we lose contact again and I haven¡¯t heard from you in half an hour, I¡¯ll kill the ARCs anyway. Half an hour exactly from the timestamp of the message I¡¯m sending now.¡±

    She shot off the message in question.

    ¡°-nks¡­ va.¡±

    ¡°No worries, Big Guy,¡± she said, giving an approximation of a salute to the terminal.

    The call ended.

    ¡°I dunno why I did that,¡± she added to Seraphina. ¡°He can¡¯t see me. Anyway, at least that¡¯s something I can do to be useful,¡± said Nova. ¡°Feel better already.¡±

    Zhen Yan was chasing the little island of stability she could sense in the Starflow. Everything else was the swirling Tempest, which seemed to be continually gathering force and fury, the cacophony of the fallen reverberating through her mind. Her innumerable victims surrounded her, watching on in silent judgement as she journeyed deeper. And ever did Xingyan follow her.

    But despite it all ¨C despite the fragmenting of her reality; her sense of time and place ¨C she pressed on, following that little bubble of relative calm. That was where the Qam was; that was where Princess Mukushen was.

    Just claim your target, and get out of this place.

    She felt the knife at her waist. It had been a blow to abandon her beloved sword, but it was the only way to get past Nyx. She always got her target because she wasn¡¯t prone to sentimentality. A knife could serve her just as well. Skin and flesh and muscle parted all the same, for knife and sword alike.

    ¡°Whatever you¡¯ve done, you still have the choice to change your path,¡± said Xingyan.

    ¡°No,¡± said Zhen Yan, keenly aware of the absurdity of speaking to the deceased. ¡°You are dead. To be with you is to be dead. This is my life now. The hunt. The prize. The next hunt. It¡¯s simple.¡±

    Xingyan had been beside her, but now appeared up ahead, directly in her path. ¡°Things were simple for us once,¡± she said. ¡°We ventured freely across the Cosmos, just the two of us.¡±

    ¡°We were not free, we were hunted,¡± said Zhen Yan.

    ¡°For a time¡­¡±

    ¡°It was all an illusion!¡± snapped Zhen Yan. She blinked hard and tried to anchor herself back in the substantive foundation of her reality, yet the Tempest ever threatened to drag her down into its maddening depths.

    Xingyan was now seated further ahead, half-obscured by shadows. ¡°Are you free now?¡± she asked. ¡°You must get your target! Right? What if you chose not to? Can you?¡±

    ¡°There are some who choose failure, I do not,¡± said Zhen Yan. ¡°But it is still my choice.¡±

    She could feel the bubble of stability up ahead drawing tantalisingly close. She tried to remember the route she had taken to get here. Once she had Mukushen, she would have to navigate her way out of this shadowy, subterranean labyrinth to the surface. She vaguely wondered what she would find when she got there ¨C the rumble and thunder of battle above continued unhindered, even as the Tempest raged below, above, all around.

    She reached a corridor lined with equestrian statues. At the far end was a great mural. It depicted what Zhen Yan took to be a planet and a star. From within the planet a giant woman was reaching up, while a giant man reached from within the star. Where their fingers met was the figure of a smaller man surrounded by depictions of a wolf, horse, and falcon.

    Beneath the mural was another door.

    ¡°There was a time you were fascinated in these things,¡± said Xingyan, walking out from between the equestrian statues, gazing up at the mural as she spoke. ¡°You lived to experience the Cosmos. Does anything still fascinate you?¡±

    ¡°I have experienced the Cosmos: it contains only misery,¡± replied Zhen Yan, ¡°I was blind to the truth, foolish. From the moment the two of us fled Aixingo, you foresaw your own death. Nothing we did changed that outcome, none of it mattered. We had Imperial agents behind us, your death ahead of us. So how do you figure we were free?¡±

    ¡°We were happy at least,¡± said Xingyan, whispering in her ear from behind.

    ¡°That only made the pain more acute,¡± said Zhen Yan. ¡°And if the Cosmos is full of misery, then I would rather be the one who distributes it, not the one who endures it.¡±

    Zhen Yan stepped through the door beneath the mural and emerged into a vast chamber lined with shelves stacked high with crystalline cylinders. Her prey was close now. This trial would soon end.

    Xingyan stepped out from behind one of the rows of shelves. ¡°It was a beautiful fantasy though, wasn¡¯t it? While it lasted. An outcast Hulijing prankster and a runaway Starseer, exploring the Cosmos, untethered. Have you felt that joy since?¡±

    Zhen Yan snapped angrily. ¡°Do you know the pain I felt when the executioner¡¯s sword fell? My own people cast me out for who I was, and the only one who accepted me, who celebrated me, was killed for daring to dream of freedom. That told me everything I needed to know about this Cosmos of ours. And you know what? People do accept me now. Because they fear me.¡±

    Xingyan¡¯s hand caressed Zhen Yan¡¯s cheek. ¡°Do you not feel fear right now, my love?¡±

    Zhen Yan looked out across the swamp of blood that had filled the chamber in the moments she had been distracted. The corpses of her victims floated facedown in the sanguinary miasma. She did feel fear. A profound abundance of it.

    ¡°None of this is real,¡± she insisted, wading forward.

    ¡°It does not have physical substance, but I think it¡¯s very real,¡± said Xingyan. ¡°Do you think I am not real?¡±

    ¡°I think you¡¯re dead,¡± said Zhen Yan. ¡°And I would know. Your death was the most important day of my life.¡±

    A tear of blood drizzled down Xingyan¡¯s face. ¡°Not the day you met me?¡±

    The tear reached her chin, then slid down her neck. A thin red line appeared across her throat.

    ¡°Don¡¯t twist my words,¡± said Zhen Yan.

    ¡°You always loved wordplay,¡± said Xingyan.

    ¡°I¡¯m not here to banter with ghosts.¡±

    The chamber shook and the blood rippled, the bodies rocking about like ships on a stormy sea.

    Where is the end of this chamber? thought Zhen Yan. I can¡¯t take much more of this.

    Yet no sooner had that question crossed her mind than she heard it. Distantly, voices echoed across the chamber. Real voices, spoken by living people. Zhen Yan could not say what the difference was precisely, but she was absolutely certain of it.

    She rounded a row of shelves and before her stood an Imperial executioner. Blood ran down his blade and dripped into the lake at their feet. The corpse of a woman floated there. Her head was held aloft in his hand. Xingyan¡¯s head.

    The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

    ¡°I don¡¯t want this to be the last thing you remember of me,¡± said the severed head. ¡°You fixated on my death, on death itself. But do you even remember my last words to you?¡±

    Zhen Yan roared with fury. She bounded forward, splashing blood about liberally. She thrust her knife again and again and again and again and again into the executioner snarling and screaming in her frenzy.

    The executioner, Xingyan¡¯s body, the lake of blood ¨C it all evaporated into nothing.

    Zhen Yan stood panting; knife pointed at the empty air.

    Shakily she sheathed it.

    She collapsed to her knees, fists clenched tightly in rage.

    ¡°I don¡¯t remember,¡± she said quietly, but out loud.

    But it didn¡¯t matter.

    An illusion now, an illusion then.

    There was only the hunt.

    And she excelled at the hunt.

    She rose to her feet again, her shaking abating. Her steely resolve returned. Zhen Yan did not give up, did not fail.

    Kal and Harry sprinted through the streets of the Black City, heads bent against the wind and the sand. The dim lights of many flames burned around them, casting an eerie light over the scene. From every direction the rattle of small arms and the thunder of artillery sounded. Occasionally the bright lights of directed energy weapons sprung up like silent lightning.

    ¡°We need to find a rebel leader,¡± said Kal.

    Harry rushed behind. He considered himself fit, dedicating plenty of time to the gym, yet Kal, even at over fifty, kept up a ruthless pace, made more difficult by the deep desert drifts that covered everything and the gale they were charging into, which only seemed to be becoming more resolute in its resistance to their every move.

    Nearby there was a crackle of assault rifle fire and Harry felt the impacts of stone chips against his sandsuit. He instinctively ducked, though he had no idea where the danger was coming from.

    ¡°Down!¡± yelled Kal, and Harry threw himself to the ground.

    Another burst rattled out. Then another, this from elsewhere, an answer to the first.

    Harry had been around live fire exchanges far more often than a humble bartender should be, yet here in Karbaliq the roar of the storm was somehow even more frightening, suffocating all other sound, making humanity¡¯s efforts seem pitiful in comparison.

    A few moments passed. No more rounds were fired.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡± yelled Kal and the two of them leapt to their feet.

    This was not where he expected to find himself. They had been pursuing Zhen Yan into the Grand Temple, when some great blast above had shaken a wall of rubble into their course. Whether due to the storm, the thick stone walls, or the enraged eddies of the Starflow amidst the Tempest, they had been unable to talk with Mu and Tavian.

    Now they had a new objective. Let the rebels know that Nova would disable the mobile ARCs and expose the attackers to the Tempest. The window would not last, but the sudden onslaught of the echoes of Theophany would surely sew confusion and chaos among the invading forces.

    That was the idea.

    But finding anyone among this chaos was a struggle. Sound and sight were feeble tools. And the Black City itself was immense ¨C far more so than Harry had realised, even having seen it from the air. He guessed it once housed millions. Now a few thousand fought this battle on either side. And though weapons fire revealed their locations, it was almost impossible to tell which side they would encounter if they followed the sound of those weapons.

    He wondered how Kal was going. Outwardly he was as stoic as ever, but Harry was unsure how long it had been since he¡¯d been in a battle like this. It seemed distinctly possible that anything could trigger the ignition of the Flame within Kal. Harry was desperately trying to plan for what to do if this happened, but the chaos of Karbaliq was not merely an assault on the senses, but on reason itself.

    Was it like this when you faced the Host?

    Just find Sayan¡­ or anyone¡­ anyone who can spread the word.

    Harry caught sight of his arm. The outer layers of the sandsuit ¨C designed for these exact purposes ¨C were slowly being stripped away by the unceasing barrage of tiny particles. At some point it seemed the winds and their tiny projectiles would break through, smothering and drowning him. Yet if he removed the suit, it seemed to him that flesh would be stripped from bone.

    How the Black City still stood seemed in that moment to be a question without answer. How many storms had swept through over the millennia? Yet these monoliths still rose from the uncaring desert.

    They rounded a corner into a narrow laneway that led between two mighty colossi. Almost immediately they saw the twin figures coming towards them, mere silhouettes in the storm.

    ¡°Yaxshimu!¡± yelled Harry. ¡°Yoldash! Yoldash!¡±

    The Jaril words for ¡®hello¡¯ and ¡®friend¡¯. Kal clearly realised what Harry was doing. With his deep, booming voice he called out over the wind: ¡°Yoldash!¡±

    Harry saw the rifles lower. If these were Company or Government troops, they were probably moments away from being fired upon. Should he repeat his yells in Imperial Standard?

    Kal decided more swiftly.

    ¡°Sayan! Yoldash! Sayan!¡±

    Harry tensed, ready to leap to one side.

    Then the cry came back. ¡°Yoldash! Sayan!¡±

    Well, shit. That¡¯s lucky.

    They ran the rest of the way.

    They met with two tribal warriors. One was a man, shorter than Harry ¨C much shorter than Kal ¨C but judging by his broad shoulders ¨C a strong man beneath the sandsuit and desert robes. The other was shorter still and slightly built ¨C a woman, but Harry thought barely more than a girl.

    ¡°Yaxshimu,¡± said the man.

    Harry wasn¡¯t sure if they understood Imperial Standard, but he didn¡¯t know much more than those few words of Jaril, so he did what he could. ¡°We have information for Sayan.¡±

    ¡°Sayan, yes,¡± said the girl.

    Harry looked at Kal. Kal uncharacteristically hesitated. Then he said: ¡°Take us!¡± and gesticulated the way they had come. ¡°Leader. Sayan.¡±

    The two warriors looked at each other. Then the man nodded. ¡°We go. Leader. Yes?¡±

    ¡°Yes, yes,¡± said Harry, nodding fervently.

    ¡°We go,¡± said the woman.

    With that their group set off back the way the warriors had come. Harry fervently hoped they were all on the same page about the goal here. He found himself wondering why they had embarked on this journey without a translator. With any luck whichever leader they were taken to ¨C or perhaps the Qam ¨C would speak enough Imperial Standard to get their message across.

    For his part Harry knew only his native dialect, as well as Imperial Standard, and a little Elysian. As far as he knew Kal spoke his own native Ellasian ¨C the common tongue of the League ¨C as well as Imperial Standard, and apparently some of the Voidcall of the Host. None of these languages were remotely related to Jaril.

    There was no time to wonder though. They merely had to hope.

    ¡°Harry,¡± he added, indicating himself as they went, having to yell above the storm.

    ¡°Tangai,¡± said the girl.

    ¡°Alp.¡±

    ¡°Kallistos.¡±

    Well, that communication seemed to work, thought Harry. Positive sign.

    They rounded another corner. Harry had noticed that some streets gave some minimal protection from the wind. They had been on such a street, but rounding that corner, they were confronted with a frontal barrage from the storm, such that he instinctively recoiled. This new wide boulevard was like a wind tunnel, channelling the fury of Yarkan¡¯s roiling atmosphere.

    Somewhere not far away a great explosion shook everything, though Harry saw no light from it. They went maybe another hundred metres, before their escorts bid them duck inside one of the ominous ruins.

    Inside Harry¡¯s eyes took a moment to adjust to the minimal light. He saw many more rebel warriors looking back at him. Some quick words were exchanged in Jaril and then an elderly man came forward, the helmet of his sandsuit removed.

    ¡°You not with Company?¡± he asked in broken Imperial Standard.

    ¡°No,¡± said Harry.

    ¡°We have information for Sayan,¡± said Kal. ¡°For leaders.¡±

    The man looked from Harry to Kal. ¡°Information? What information?¡±

    ¡°The ARCs¡ª¡± Harry began, but Kal cut him off.

    ¡°The enemy¡¯s protection from the Tempest,¡± he said. ¡°We can stop it. For a short time.¡±

    Their interlocutor¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡°You can stop it?¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± said Kal. ¡°Then the enemy will feel the Tempest.¡±

    ¡°The U?armaz,¡± added Harry, feeling like Kal was stealing his thunder.

    ¡°How long?¡±

    ¡°Whenever the warriors are ready,¡± said Kal.

    The man nodded. He turned to a younger man and said something in Jaril. A brief exchange was had, then the elderly man said: ¡°We tell other leaders. Then you do?¡±

    Kal smiled ¨C a rare expression coming from him. ¡°Then we do,¡± he said.

    Toghrul walked slowly, escorted by two guards across the open landing pad. The breeze was not strong, but Yengishahr was on the verge of winter, and he still wore the clothes he had been wearing in his cell. The cold was merciless. He felt the tip of his nose and his ears sting, then go numb, followed by his cheeks. The grey clouds had parted to reveal a clear blue sky. The sun gleamed off the mountain glaciers and the snow-caps.

    Ahead was the ship. A simple, unremarkable STOC, it would carry him into orbit where the prison transport awaited. He had been calm until this moment, taking each step of this cruel charade in his stride. But whether it was the cold that weakened his resolve, or the finality of the moment, he finally felt the emotion come rushing in. The fear, the regret, the doubt.

    I have made my decision. This is the consequence, he reassured himself.

    It was the sacrifice that would make Sayan Khatun.

    He was doing this for his people.

    For Erkegul.

    For the future.

    The U?armaz would only surrender the mastery of Clanship Kulkana to one worthy of being Khan of Khans. Khagan. Or Khatun. The sacrifice of one of the blood of the Khagans¡¯ lineage would cement the sincerity and righteousness of Sayan¡¯s claim. The Kurultai of the Dead would soon be convened, Great Qam willing.

    He had a moment where he almost laughed. All his decisions had been made already. He had no decisions left to be made, no power over even his next meal. Why be anxious now? His destiny was locked in, ordained.

    Be anxious, be calm ¨C it doesn¡¯t matter anymore.

    It occurred to him his mental energy was better spent relishing these final steps across the landing pad ¨C the last he would ever take on his homeworld. Even if it was in this soulless place ¨C devoid of culture or sanctity ¨C beneath this concrete was the soil of Holy Yarkan. Around Yengishahr was the great steppe. Here despite the bitter cold of the winters and the fury of the boreal winds, the Jaril had settled, spreading from the deserts where they had embarked from the Clanship.

    The deserts.

    Karbaliq.

    He remembered that first trip he had taken, just a teenager. It was electrifying. Far from the palatial suites of his father¡¯s home he had sat by the campfire in a nomad camp outside Karbaliq, the dunes rolling away to every horizon. The stars above were as unfiltered as if he was in deep space, the desert skies clear in a way the skies above Yengishahr never were.

    It was a place vast and free.

    Redolent of history, of the ancient lineage of his people.

    It made the Empire and the Company and the petty day to day affairs of his father and his elder brother seem petty, small, insignificant.

    This was a place where a person could be true to themselves.

    And around that campfire he had met her.

    Her eyes had captivated him first. They had the intensity of the hunting falcon, they were hot like the fire reflected in them, and green like emeralds, outshining the turquoise at her breast and hanging from her ears. She had a loud laugh, and a voice more commanding than Qamlar three times her age. She stood tall and proud. She was coarse and honest and full of joy and righteous fury all at once. She was brash and patient, violent and caring, parochial and wise.

    And in time she had born his only daughter.

    Why did I never marry you, Sayan?

    His only regret. Everything else could burn in history¡¯s flame, but those two women ¨C his daughter and her mother ¨C he would give the Cosmos itself for them. He would plead before the Great Qam for their life and happiness.

    I only hope I have done enough.

    He was almost at the STOC. Such an unremarkable thing, this craft ¨C the craft that would be the instrument of his great sacrifice.

    It was almost time.

    The guards lacked a sense of ceremony.

    ¡°Get on,¡± one said.

    Toghrul looked back across the expanse of grey. He took in the sights of Yarkan one last time.

    What happens next is on you, Brother, he thought.

    Then he took his final step away from Yarkan, walking slowly up onto the STOC.

    The guards followed him.

    The door closed.

    Pre-flight checks were quick, mostly automated.

    The key moment was easy to miss.

    But they were now airborne.

    ¡°And thus, I take flight,¡± he intoned. ¡°The sacrifice is made.¡±

    ¡°What are you on about?¡± asked the guard, irritably.

    Toghrul ignored him, looking instead at the cloaked figure holding a candle in one corner of the craft, unseen by all but himself.

    ¡°Tell them it is done. The blood of the Khagan has taken flight.¡±

    The spectre bowed her head.

    ¡°Let Great Kulkana awaken.¡±

    Somewhere ¨C whether in his memory, or the memory of Yarkan herself ¨C he heard the shrill cry of the falcon, the whinnying of the steppe pony, and the howl of the wolf.

    Mu felt her resolve sway on the brink of the precipice of doubt.

    Who am I to claim this historic duty?

    But she did as she had to, pushing aside the doubts. Whatever road had led her from the Imperial Court of Aixingo to the depths below Karbaliq, through chance, design, or the will of Nara Enduri, here she stood, having claimed this mantle.

    Worthy or not, she would do her part.

    ¡°We seek to revive the Clanship Kulkana,¡± she began. ¡°With its power to make and remake worlds, we believe Yarkan can have a new birth, free from the ruin brought by¡­ by my ancestor.¡±

    The B?rilar seemed to bristle at her words.

    The leader spoke.

    ¡°We know your guilt. Even you do not believe in your innocence.¡±

    ¡°Please let her speak,¡± said Chinor, his voice timid. ¡°Are the crimes¡­ are the crimes of the father the burden of all subsequent generations to bear? Must she and those that come after her pay for that which was not their choice, until the Long Road to the End of All Things is fully trod?¡±

    ¡°The seed of doubt is not with us. She doubts her innocence, who are we to question her own conscience? The blood of the Jaril drips from her, soaks her.¡±

    Mu felt those words like a physical blow.

    But Tavian stepped forth.

    ¡°If you doubt her sincerity, then ease the Tempest if is within your power. Let Nar¡ªlet the Great Qam speak truth through her.¡±

    Mu understood what Tavian was attempting. Perhaps if she could deliver a vision of the future ¨C one in which Sayan was Khatun ¨C they would understand. The U?armaz could clearly see into her mind, but that only served to ensure her doubts were writ large, overpowering the eloquence she strove for.

    She had once defeated the spectral B?rilar in battle, but it had been a moment she now suspected had been granted to her by the First Emperor himself. Now there were far more of them, and without the Starflow, and her prescience, she would be cut down in little time if words failed and things came to violence. Without the strength of her tyrant forefather. She knew that if she reached out through the Starflow she would not reach Nara Enduri. She would only provide the Tempest with a passage to flood into the very essence of her being.

    But even those thoughts were manifesting.

    For a moment she thought she saw him, standing beyond the grim ranks of the B?rilar.

    The Ruin-Lord.

    Whether she imagined it or not ¨C or whether reality and imagination were even meaningfully distinct any longer ¨C she was unsure. But it seemed as if he smiled.

    Bastard! The guilt belongs to you, not me¡­ why am I so burdened?

    Had he not told her he did it to face that machine on its machine throne? Yet he still smiled. No regret. No guilt. It spoke volumes of his lies.

    You did it for you. You did it for power.

    How did Nara Enduri grant its gift to one so monstrous?

    Was the Cosmos only full of misery? Were the Gods themselves laughing at them?

    Do not think that way.

    You must reach them.

    ¡°I¡ª¡± she said, but her resolve was lost in the solvent of her doubt.

    She felt herself shaking.

    She who had stood firm before her father, an Iron-Capped Prince. She who had escaped the Imperial Court. She who had faced down the enforcers of the Resonance Bureau¡­ she now felt unable to answer the charges, to speak the words she knew must be spoken.

    Am I nothing without my Resonance? The power gifted by my blood? His blood?

    ¡°Barchin!¡± yelled Tavian.

    The ranks of the B?rilar parted and a veiled figure stepped forward.

    ¡°You said the dead must make way for the living,¡± he continued. ¡°I helped you. Help me.¡±

    Mu didn¡¯t understand. She looked from Tavian to the woman who now walked freely among the B?rilar.

    ¡°I gave you what you need,¡± said the Veiled Lady.

    Mu saw Tavian¡¯s expression change. He nodded and unslung his mandolin from his back.

    How will this change anything? Tavian¡¯s song of the dead was not even been sufficient to convince Atilay Qam?

    The Veiled Lady walked closer to Tavian till she stood immediately before him.

    ¡°Play as I taught you at ?zg¨¹nyaylaq,¡± she commanded. ¡°Together we guided a few of the lost souls to take flight. Now guide the multitudes.¡±

    Tavian began to play.

    The B?rilar bristled.

    The notes Tavian now played were not the mournful melody he had played to Atilay Qam. It was a melody suffused with light and joy, at odds with this dark place far beneath the sands of Yarkan. Yet even then, as Mu listened, she could feel the faintest hint of melancholy.

    No, not melancholy¡­ what is it? Nostalgia? Something more subtle, but akin to that.

    It was joy for something that no longer is ¨C tinged with sorrow for its passing, yes ¨C but not mournful, rather hopeful, that brighter futures still may come to pass.

    Tavian¡¯s song, bright as it was, sounded lonely in that vast cavern and the expansive shadows that engulfed them. It seemed feeble in the presence of those mighty B?rilar. She felt it, though, subtle at first, but gathering in strength. Somehow, through the heart of the Tempest and in the murk of the deep, Tavian was reaching the Starflow. It was so faint that she could almost convince herself she was imagining it. But Mu had spent too long channelling the power of the cosmos to remain long confused. This was it. The Starflow, coherent and whole, was reaching through the maelstrom left by the First Emperor¡¯s Theophany. It was reaching Tavian as he plucked at the strings of his mandolin.

    And somewhere, among the B?rilar, a single voice joined him. A strange sound to many, but Mu recognised it. It was akin to the old songs, the songs sung by her people when they were still known as the Alabey, before ever the name Aixin was uttered, before the Empire. Throat-singing ¨C part of the musical tradition of all the Yultengri, be they Aixin or Jaril or others. A single voice at first, but more joined.

    And soon the song spread ¨C not just among the B?rilar before them, but among the uncountable voices that had hitherto whispered in the Tempest. The U?armaz gathered in force, a choir of the fallen. Their sacred song gathered force and among the Tempest deep, rumbling drums sounded, joining Tavian¡¯s song.

    She felt the frisson flow through her, felt her skin prickle with goosebumps. There was an electrifying power to it all, unlike anything she had ever felt. It was an outpouring of the long-held feelings of a fallen people. The song of their salvation. The moment when centuries of anger and grief at last tipped into hope and joy. An awesome moment of celebration.

    Amid it all the Tempest began to part. The power of generations of the dead ¨C the collective wish of the ancient peoples of Yarkan ¨C pushing back that terrible curse left by the Emperor.

    Tavian played on.

    Mu reached out.

    She reached for the idea of Sayan, reached for the mind of Nara Enduri ¨C the Great Qam ¨C and asked of the Shepherd of Destiny: reveal to us the future of this woman. Show me a small part of the Long Road. The part that belongs to this benighted people.

    The vision grew in her mind as she felt at last the connection, spanning the filaments, reaching out like a web across the Cosmos, all the way to Nara Enduri. The Master of the Long Road answered her. The visions flooded her mind and as they did, she freely offered them up to the U?armaz.

    Let us pass. And this can be the future of Yarkan.

    The music rose to a crescendo.

    Then there was silence.

    Mu trembled.

    Tavian lowered his instrument, opening his eyes.

    ¡°Go then,¡± said the leader of the wolf warriors. ¡°Call the Kurultai.¡±

    The B?rilar faded away, bowing their heads in respect.

    The doors to the Sanctum opened.

    Without a word their small group entered.

    What lay beyond was quite unlike the rest of the Grand Temple. The chamber was like two immense conical forms ¨C an upper one, rising to a point; and a lower one, inverted and descending to another point. They emerged where these cones connected, at their widest. A circular platform spread out across the chamber, leaving a crescent of empty space around the edges. At the fringes of the platform were leaf like formations, curving but essentially vertical. The inside surface of these was carved with glowing patterns depicting constellations, people, and animals. Opposite the door they entered via was a raised, smaller circular platform and at its far side was a pedestal. Mounted upon it was the Wolf Totem of the Khagans.

    The walls of the chamber had almost vein-like structures which glowed, bright lights rapidly moving along their length, colliding, flaring and branching out along the network.

    Like neurons, thought Mu.

    But she didn¡¯t contemplate the chamber much further. Even as they began to move toward the pedestal Mu, still feeling the abundance of the Starflow, felt the flair of danger in her immediate future. Her blade was drawn with lightning speed, the dagger that came towards her blocked.

    The fox leapt back, nine tails flowering majestically behind her. Mu didn¡¯t give her time to pause. She knew this was a dangerous opponent.

    But even lacking Mu¡¯s prescience, the fox moved quickly ¨C sidestepping Mu.

    Before she knew it the same knife Mu had deflected was at Chinor¡¯s throat.

    Zhen Yan looked at them and smiled.

    ¡°Give yourself up, Princess,¡± she said, pressing the blade into Chinor¡¯s throat so that a little tear of blood trickled down. Chinor gave a slight gasp as his skin was pierced.

    ¡°Do you know what you¡¯re interfering with?¡± said Mu, rage and frustration flooding through her with the Starflow.

    Zhen Yan shook her head.

    ¡°I don¡¯t care.¡±

    Mu felt her nerves. She sensed that any wrong word would get Chinor¡¯s throat cut.

    ¡°You are here for me. You don¡¯t care what they do. Let Chinor go and come for me. If you¡¯re good enough, I¡¯ll go with you,¡± said Mu.

    Zhen Yan grinned. ¡°Come with me now, or I end this little plot.¡±

    She pressed her blade more firmly, more blood welling up on Chinor¡¯s throat.

    But even as she did so, Mu saw the momentary look of uncertainty on Zhen Yan¡¯s face, the way she shook her head, as if denying the words of an unseen speaker.

    The Tempest is not being kind to her, thought Mu.

    ¡°Coward,¡± she said.

    ¡°What?¡± said Zhen Yan.

    ¡°You can¡¯t take me. You¡¯re a coward,¡± said Mu. ¡°If you were confident in your abilities you wouldn¡¯t need this hostage.¡±

    Zhen Yan sprung forward. Mu met her, then countered. Zhen Yan leapt back.

    ¡°I can foresee your every move,¡± said Mu. ¡°You¡¯ll never reach me.¡±

    Chinor scurried away.

    Zhen Yan scowled, realising her error. She looked at Mu. There was a wildness in her eyes.

    ¡°You are a Starseer?¡± she asked.

    Mu nodded.

    ¡°You left the Court?¡±

    Mu nodded again.

    Zhen Yan¡¯s next words were not directed at Mu: ¡°No, she¡¯s nothing like you. It¡¯s nothing like our situation. She¡¯s one of them!¡±

    Zhen Yan was visibly struggling.

    ¡°Leave me alone!¡± she yelled. ¡°I have not joined them. I do what I must!¡±

    But even a distracted, tormented Zhen Yan was dangerous.

    The vixen was quick. Quicker than any opponent Mu had ever faced. Only her prescience gave her the fractions of a second necessary to block. Even Gorjin hadn¡¯t been this quick. Mu moved with speed only permitted to her by Nara Enduri, knowing that the Tempest may restart at any moment. When it did, her prescience would fail: this opponent would cut her down.

    ¡°Chinor, run for the totem. I¡¯ll stop her,¡± she yelled.

    It was like nothing Mu had ever experienced. Her opponent¡¯s blade was short; Zhen Yan was at a disadvantage. Yet despite Mu¡¯s reach advantage, despite her prescience, she felt herself being overwhelmed. Zhen Yan came at her like nothing she could imagine, a darting fury. Each blow was advised to Mu by the Starflow, fractions of a second in advance, but they still came so quick she could barely fend them off.

    ¡°Take the Totem!¡± she yelled, unable to see Chinor.

    The moment the blade penetrated her arm took a few moments to process. Mu let out a scream as the pain flooded through her.

    Even with foresight, she had not been quick enough.

    Tavian wasn¡¯t ready for the moment he was stabbed, either.

    Zhen Yan rushed forward, leaving them in her wake.

    Metres from the Wolf Totem, Chinor was once again at her mercy.

    Mu looked down. She was losing a lot of blood. She looked to Tavian. He was smiling, even as he lost a lot of blood. His faint, amusement, inappropriate as it was for that dire moment, irritated Mu almost more than anything else.

    ¡°Take me!¡± she yelled towards the nine-tailed assassin. ¡°Let these people free their world.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve already won,¡± said Zhen Yan, as her blade dripped with Mu¡¯s and Tavian¡¯s blood. ¡°I don¡¯t need to bargain.¡±

 Chapter XXXI - Wolf Totem

    Chapter XXXI ¨C Wolf Totem

    Mu¡¯s agony threatened to overwhelm her.

    Am I going to die?

    She wondered it almost idly, focused as she was on Zhen Yan and Chinor, mere metres from the pedestal on which the Wolf Totem of the Khagan resided.

    What is my life compared to the fate of this world?

    She took a deep breath. Trying to push away the waves of pain, and the panicked realisation that everything they had fought for up until this point was on the verge of being lost.

    Focus, Mukushen.

    Yet that was becoming harder for another reason. The Tempest was intensifying once more. The calm the U?armaz had formed was the eye of the storm, now passing over.

    But perhaps that was the answer. Zhen Yan was struggling with the Tempest¡¯s effects. Mu had heard her cries to an unseen observer.

    But would a Zhen Yan driven mad by the assault of the Tempest release Chinor or slit his throat?

    She cast a glance at Buka Qam.

    This was no time for second-guessing herself.

    Zhen Yan was here for her: thus, it was up to her to fix this.

    Guilt and uncertainty would not win this time, though she felt the threat welling up inside her.

    Just do what you must, she told herself. Later is the time to contend with matters of guilt and righteousness.

    ¡°It¡¯s not a bargain I want,¡± said Mu. ¡°I¡¯m offering. Take me. Take me back to whoever hired you ¨C my father, the Resonance Bureau, whoever. Like you say, you¡¯ve won. You have no reason to kill Chinor, to interfere in any of these events.¡±

    Zhen Yan¡¯s vulpine eyes narrowed, her head tilting to one side. Her expression was smug, but Mu could recognise there something else, something roiling beneath the calm surface.

    Mu pressed on. ¡°You said yourself you don¡¯t care. But I think your employers probably care if I die. And thanks to you, I¡¯m bleeding. A lot. You need to decide quickly.¡±

    Mu thought she saw the faintest tremble in the hand with which Zhen Yan held the knife to Chinor¡¯s throat.

    Yet the fox-woman smiled. ¡°I didn¡¯t wound you fatally, Princess.¡±

    Words alone weren¡¯t going to win this.

    Mu looked again to the Qam.

    ¡°Mallam!¡± she shouted. ¡°Let the Tempest close in. Let it envelop us. Protect yourself, if you wish, but not us. Not anymore. Let it all come.¡±

    ¡°What are you doing?¡± snarled Zhen Yan.

    ¡°Whatever you force me to do,¡± replied Mu. ¡°There¡¯s someone here with you, isn¡¯t there? Someone precious.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about,¡± said Zhen Yan. Her eyes darted about, clearly considering her next move.

    ¡°How are they like me?¡± asked Mu. ¡°I heard what you yelled.¡±

    Anger flared in Zhen Yan, her tails bristling. ¡°Silence.¡±

    But there was fear there, too.

    And Mu knew why: almost immediately the Qam had done as she asked. She too could feel the rage of the Tempest building once more, the echo of ancient Theophany. Already her prescience had been drowned out once more. Something told her that in here, in the heart of the storm, it would be far more oppressive, far more mind-shattering, than she had experienced previously.

    If I survive this blood-loss, will my mind still function after this?

    But she only needed Zhen Yan to break first. And Zhen Yan had been outside protection for much longer than Mu.

    She heard a shuddering breath and a groan and saw Tavian. He was holding his hand to his own wound, though it seemed to be doing little to stem the bleeding. His seemed worse than Mu¡¯s. Yet he still had that irritating smile. He coughed and gave a weak laugh.

    ¡°I think it¡¯s her lover ¨C that she¡¯s seeing,¡± said Tavian. Then he added, ¡°Her dead lover. Could be family, but I think lover. Always go with the spicier option.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t need you alive,¡± Zhen Yan said, ¡°Indeed, I¡¯m going to kill you. But perhaps I¡¯ll make it painful first.¡±

    ¡°Seems pretty mean,¡± said Tavian. His tone was confident, but his voice weak. ¡°Would this lover of yours approve?¡±

    Zhen Yan seemed to pause a moment, attempting to regather her composure and restore her command of the situation. ¡°My mission is to kill you, seize the Princess, and kill Sayan Yinalqizi. This one¡¯s Yinalqizi¡¯s brother, isn¡¯t he? Everything I need is right here.¡±

    Through anguish ¨C physical and mental ¨C Mu attempted a smile. She yelled out to Tavian. ¡°I think you¡¯re right. And I think the Empire killed her lover. Yet, now she¡¯s a tool for that same Empire.¡±

    She remembered what Zhen Yan had yelled: ¡°She¡¯s not like you.¡±

    Another runaway Starseer?

    It had been Mu affirming she was a Starseer who had left the Imperial Court that had prompted the outburst.

    Mu thought she saw the First Emperor looming in the shadows once more.

    But she wasn¡¯t going to let herself be distracted.

    And while she could feel the Starflow¡¯s chaotic eddies and Cosmic pressure building, the voices of the U?armaz no longer whispered with such hatred and rage.

    I can bear this, she thought.

    Tavian called back, ¡°If she¡¯s willing to sell-out even her dead lover for money, maybe we should just buy her off with our murder investigation money? She clearly has no pride.¡±

    He attempted to laugh at his own words, but descended into a fit of pitiful spluttering.

    ¡°I always get my prey,¡± replied Zhen Yan. ¡°Money will not get you out of this. Besides, what could you offer that couldn¡¯t be surpassed by the lords of the Empire?¡±

    Mu shrugged. ¡°Well, you could retain some of your dignity.¡±

    Zhen Yan felt control slipping away by the moment.

    Xingyan was everywhere she looked: sometimes alive, sometimes dead.

    The image of the executioner¡¯s blade descending repeated in her mind. Again, and again.

    ¡°You still don¡¯t remember my words?¡± asked Xingyan.

    Don¡¯t look at her. Don¡¯t acknowledge her.

    ¡°Move,¡± she told Chinor, and roughly shoved him away from the pedestal.

    Her eyes swept over the spot next to the fallen and bloodied Princess Mukushen, where the sword she had wielded lay discarded. She spared a moment to keep track of the other two. Tavian was barely clinging to consciousness ¨C she had seen his face grow steadily paler, his smug words coming slower and weaker. He was no threat now. The Qam was no fighter, unarmed as best she could tell.

    This young man would get her to Sayan so that she could fulfill her promise to Taghay. But it would be a challenge escorting both him and Mukushen out.

    ¡°There¡¯s an easier way,¡± said Xingyan.

    Mukushen began to move, dragging herself towards the blade.

    ¡°You think you can fight me like that?¡± asked Zhen Yan, forcing herself to grin.

    ¡°I offered myself freely,¡± said Mukushen.

    ¡°She¡¯s brave,¡± observed Xingyan, ¡°Braver than I was.¡±

    ¡°You faced death with pride in the end,¡± snapped Zhen Yan.

    Xingyan shook her head. ¡°It was only because I wanted that to be how you remembered me. But when they took me in¡­ I was so afraid. I cried with fear. It was only because I was able to foresee my own end that I was able to compose myself for those final moments. Something which is certain is less fearful, somehow.¡±

    ¡°This isn¡¯t like that,¡± said Zhen Yan.

    She shook her head vigorously. She was succumbing. She was talking to the dead. Was she speaking out loud? Were the others listening to her? They had clearly heard her earlier.

    But she couldn¡¯t resist.

    How could she?

    There were so many things she wished she¡¯d had a chance to say.

    So many times that she¡¯d reasoned with Xingyan¡¯s ghost about what she¡¯d become: now though, that ghost could listen, speak back.

    And she was unconvinced by Zhen Yan¡¯s reasoning.

    ¡°She¡¯s probably scared too,¡± said Xingyan, sorrow filling her voice.

    ¡°They won¡¯t kill her.¡±

    Xingyan shrugged. ¡°She won¡¯t have the certainty I had. Just the depredations of a gilded cage.¡±

    Mukushen¡¯s hand reached the hilt of her sword. She stared up defiantly into Zhen Yan¡¯s eyes.

    ¡°If you won¡¯t release Chinor, you¡¯ll have to kill me,¡± she said. ¡°Then you will fail.¡±

    Zhen Yan clenched her free hand into a fist. Her head ached, as if the Tempest was squeezing it in a vice.

    ¡°It¡¯s your choice,¡± said Mu, struggling to rise to her feet, but managing only to reach her knees. Blood soaked her clothing and slicked her hands, now dripping from the sword hilt.

    Choice.

    It was coming back to Zhen Yan.

    Stay focused.

    A sunny day came swimming back into memory. The gathered crowd ¨C most mildly curious, but ultimately disinterested. The executioner, stony-faced, sword in hand. Xingyan on her knees, forced to the ground by the guards, her head bowed, faced away from the man who would usher her from life.

    Zhen Yan was in another form, unrecognisable to the authorities. Even in that moment her mind had darted from one possibility to another.

    She could burst through, cutting down the guards left and right. She would slay the executioner. They would flee. They would find a ship, leave that world, leave the Empire. This time they would succeed. This time they would get far from the Resonance Bureau and its horrific agents, far from the worlds of the Eight Banners. The Cosmos was infinitely vast ¨C even the Empire could not reach everywhere.

    The moment had come and Xingyan had looked up, looked into the crowd. Looked directly at Zhen Yan.

    She knows me, thought Zhen Yan, In any form, she knows me.

    That¡¯s when she had shaken her head: urging Zhen Yan not to intervene.

    ¡°Someday,¡± she had yelled, even as the blade hung above her neck, ¡°Someday you will be able to make a choice. A choice that will change the Cosmos¡¯ fate. Don¡¯t throw away your life now.¡±

    Was it prophecy or hope that elicited those words?

    The executioner¡¯s sword had fallen a moment later and Xingyan¡¯s head had rolled.

    That horrific image.

    How it had haunted her.

    How it had transformed her ¨C filled her with hatred and despair.

    What good did it too to be just and righteous in such as Cosmos as this?

    Zhen Yan looked down at Mu. Pale. Trembling. Drenched in her own blood. Yet still defiant.

    ¡°So, you do remember,¡± said Xingyan, ¡°My last words. You do remember.¡±

    Zhen Yan looked directly at her now.

    ¡°Is this it?¡±

    Xingyan smiled. ¡°Whatever has happened, whatever you have done, each moment is a fresh opportunity to make a choice. A choice for a better universe.¡±

    Mu readied herself to make one last desperate strike. She knew she had no hope. She couldn¡¯t even stand.

    Nearby, Tavian had slumped into unconsciousness.

    Death?

    Surely not.

    Mu felt she herself wasn¡¯t far off. She had lost a lot of blood. Her head felt light, even with the weight of the Tempest pressing in. With trembling hand, she raised her blade towards Zhen Yan.

    Then the unexpected happened.

    Zhen Yan¡¯s hand, holding the blade to Chinor¡¯s throat fell to her side.

    Chinor did not delay.

    He sprinted. Sprinted back to the podium. The Qam rushed to join him.

    Mu looked at Zhen Yan. The fox-woman¡¯s eyes were far off. When she spoke, it was from that far off place.

    ¡°I¡¯ve made my decision,¡± she said. Her eyes refocused. She met Mu¡¯s own gaze. ¡°I¡¯m sparing you. Do something with this. Do not waste it.¡±

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    Mu took a moment to comprehend it.

    ¡°You¡¯re letting us go?¡±

    Zhen Yan shrugged. ¡°I guess I am. I¡¯ve done many terrible things. I don¡¯t know if I truly care, but someone precious to me once cared. She was like you. You got lucky¡­ like I said, do not waste it.¡±

    Mu took a shaky breath. ¡°Did my Father send you? Why were you after Tavian?¡±

    Zhen Yan smiled at this. ¡°It amazes me how close someone can get to death without ever knowing why. No, your father did not send me. But there are many who seek your father¡¯s favour. As for Tavian? He just upset the wrong people.¡±

    ¡°Governor Yucheng?¡± said Mu.

    ¡°And some of his confederates.¡±

    Mu considered all this. ¡°Are there others? Coming after us?¡±

    ¡°I suspect my employers never doubted I would fail,¡± said Zhen Yan. ¡°For now, I doubt there are others. But there will be. You¡¯re too valuable of a prize.¡±

    ¡°What will you do?¡± asked Mu.

    Zhen Yan laughed. ¡°Why would you care?¡±

    Then she was gone. How she disappeared, Mu did not know.

    She raised her eyes to the centre of the room, her mind attempting to assemble all the disparate pieces of what had happened, what was happening.

    Chinor stood before the Wolf Totem.

    ¡°Do it, Chinor,¡± she said. ¡°There¡¯s nothing left to stop you.¡±

    The young man nodded.

    Chinor placed his hand against the Wolf Totem. It was a small, unremarkable motion, but Mu knew its weight, sensed it almost as if in slow motion.

    He raised his head and yelled out: ¡°I call a Kurultai!¡±

    The dead flooded into the Sanctum ¨C not merely the B?rilar, but the Lore-Keepers, the Qamlar, the farmers, the teachers, the children ¨C all those who had been left flightless, enduring the swirling Tempest for centuries. The many, many victims of the First Emperor¡¯s Theophany.

    Chinor turned about, gazing at the spectral figures that filled the Sanctum, his hand still resting upon the Totem.  There was an expression of awe on his face, a struggle to believe that whatever force was now unleashed, it was his doing.

    Mu took in the spectacle, pain wracking her body. As she watched, Buka Qam ran over to her, supporting her, and looking at her wound.

    ¡°Give me your sword,¡± he instructed and wordlessly she handed it over. With it he cut away part of his cloak and set about staunching the flow of blood and wrapping her midsection.

    ¡°It will not do much, I¡¯m afraid,¡± he said.

    ¡°Check on Tavian,¡± said Mu. ¡°Is he alive?¡±

    The Qam rose and ran over to the slumped form of Tavian, bending down and reaching out to feel his pulse. He nodded.

    ¡°He lives.¡±

    As they spoke the dead continued to pour into the Sanctum, forming row upon row of silent onlookers.

    ¡°Speak to them,¡± she told Chinor. ¡°Tell them our purpose.¡±

    Chinor swallowed and nodded. He gazed around at the expectant faces of those lost in time, those who had left life behind, but never found the eternal rest they were promised.

    ¡°I ask that this Kurultai recognise Sayan Yinalqizi as Khatun of the Jaril. As demanded by the ancients¡­¡± he paused here, gathering his thoughts and his courage, considering his words. ¡°As demanded by the ancients, a sacrifice has been made. One of the blood of the Khagans of old has taken flight, never to return to Holy Yarkan. Toghrul¡ª¡±

    Here he was interrupted. From amidst the row upon row of the dead a cloaked figure emerged, carrying with her a single candle. ¡°Toghrul Yarghunoghul, descendent of the last Khagan of the Jaril, has made the sacrifice, taking flight into exile beyond the stars,¡± said the figure. ¡°As a Lore-Keeper of Karbaliq, I declare to this Kurultai that I have witnessed this act.¡±

    Mu watched the assembled dead, not knowing what to expect.

    ¡°It is done,¡± said Arslan.

    Sayan looked his way.

    Gunfire rung out all about her, a deafening barrage of noise, yet one cut through by his words.

    She knew immediately of what he spoke, but she had to confirm, to hear it said.

    ¡°The Kurultai has begun?¡±

    He nodded.

    ¡°You are sure?¡±

    He nodded again. ¡°Right across Karbaliq, the Starflow is concentrating at a single place. At the Sanctum. There could only be one reason.¡±

    Sayan sighed.

    Outside a great blast shook the ground. Directed energy weapons flared brightly in the dim light of the storm-shrouded city of ruins. Much of the front of the building in which they were sheltering was now caved in ¨C the ancient stone that had stood for thousands of years, now reduced to rubble. The surviving fighters were crouched behind those mounds, no longer protected from the ravaging sands.

    ¡°When will we know? Will I know if we have succeeded?¡±

    Arslan considered a moment. ¡°

    ¡°I do not know how long¡­ but you will know if we have succeeded. The U?armaz will proclaim your rule throughout Karbaliq¡­ throughout Yarkan.¡±

    Sayan considered.

    ¡°The tip we got¡­ that their protection from the Tempest can be disabled ¨C send out the message. We will do it now. The disorder of the enemy will hopefully buy us enough time for the Kurultai.¡±

    She did her best to sound confident as she spoke, but she remembered that in the old stories the Kurultais had lasted weeks. It had taken two such events to proclaim the first Khagan.

    But this time will be different, she reassured herself, Toghrul has made the sacrifice. And the U?armaz have waited long enough to reclaim their pride¡­ to at last take flight.

    A moment later Arslan spoke: ¡°I have sent your orders.¡±

    Sayan shouted out to her remaining fighters. ¡°The enemy will be crippled any moment now. We must seize the initiative. Take vengeance for our fallen!¡±

    The warriors were ready, Sayan could see it, but there was no great cheer. Exhaustion, fear, and desperation were taking hold. It was clear that without some extraordinary intervention, there would be no winning this battle.

    The path to hope was narrow.

    But it was not yet barred to them entirely.

    Still, treading that path would be easier with a little encouragement.

    ¡°Open general communications,¡± she said. ¡°We do not need to conceal our locations any longer. The enemy know where we are. I will speak with our warriors.¡±

    Arslan handed her the broadcast communications device.

    She glanced around at those warriors still with her. Then she tapped the screen and began to speak.

    ¡°Sons and daughters of Yarkan! This is Sayan Yinalqizi. You have performed incredible feats and your courage will be legendary. The enemy has paid dearly in blood for their transgression on this sacred soil. I know that we too have paid in irreplaceable lives. Those who have sacrificed everything for our people, our cause ¨C their sacrifice will not be in vain, but is the very instrument that brought us to this moment. We will strike a mighty blow from the heavens imminently. Seize this opportunity! Extract from the enemy a yet higher price. We need fight on only a little longer. By enduring the unendurable, we will be judged worthy. The innumerable warriors of Yarkan¡¯s glorious past will soon join us, and together we will sweep the hated foe from our holy places. You are the pride of all the Jaril, past, present, and future! Fight on ¨C our victory is at hand!¡±

    Sayan ended the broadcast.

    She closed her eyes, breathing in deeply of the filtered air inside the sandsuit.

    Her eyes burst open. She raised up her spear.

    And a second later the hail of incoming fire from the enemy ceased.

    ¡°Now!¡± she yelled. ¡°Strike them down! They are at the mercy of the Tempest.¡±

    They charged out into the street. A few stray shots came their way, but confusion now reigned among the enemy, suddenly confronted by the awesome and terrible weight of the Tempest. The power of the Emperor¡¯s Theophany did not discriminate between friend and foe, but devoured all minds, all beings equally.

    In a moment the tribal fighters were among the enemy, soldiers of the Verdant Standard Army and Company security alike. For those who had grown up in the deep desert, enduring the Tempest unprotected was a rite of passage. These Imperial garrison troops and company men from Yengishahr had no such experience. They were slaughtered, their final moments a blur of supernatural confusion and terror.

    As she tore into these invaders, Sayan felt reinvigorated, her exhaustion melting away amidst the thrill of unrestrained violence.

    The two MAVs in the group swung about, uncoordinated in the chaos. The more distant of the two succumbed to a rocket. One of Sayan¡¯s fighters attached a charge to the other.

    ¡°Charges set! Fall back!¡± went up the cry.

    None of the enemy infantry were alive to hear it. Moments later an eruption of flame shattered the outer armour of the MAV and its burning remains tumbled to the sand.

    ¡°Forward! Forward defenders of Karbaliq!¡± yelled Sayan, electrified by the slaughter.

    The muted thuds of other explosions resounded across the Black City as the defenders unleashed their righteous rage.

    Sayan¡¯s group fell upon another unit of the enemy soon after.

    With the back of her hand, Sayan wiped the blood of fallen foes from the visor of her sandsuit.

    Sayan knew their window of advantage would close soon. But this made the killing more expedient. This was their one moment to down as many of the invaders as possible. This was the one moment to quench the vengeful thirst accumulated over centuries of oppression and shame.

    Onwards. Onwards.

    Let your spear be your guide, your talons.

    The falcon feels no mercy for the mouse.

    You are the diving falcon.

    If the enemy restored their protection, she did not know. In the next moment, that did not much matter.

    The winds began to die. The air cleared.

    A stillness took hold across the ruins, a quiet.

    It did not last.

    Ten thousand voices, maybe more, rung out through the echoing canyons that divided the monoliths of Karbaliq.

    Drums began to beat.

    Myriad ghostly forms rose from the sands all around the frenzied fighters.

    If fear had been rife among the ranks of the enemy before, it now became their absolute sovereign.

    For the armies of the Khagan had returned to fight one final battle.

    Two women ¨C both long dead ¨C glided across the sands towards Sayan. She felt the weight ¨C not of the Tempest, but of the moment.

    ¡°We are the last Lore-Keepers of Karbaliq,¡± said one figure. ¡°The Kurultai has been concluded.¡±

    Sayan¡¯s world narrowed to the spectre¡¯s words.

    ¡°Sayan Yinalqizi, of the Falcon Totem: you are proclaimed Khatun, sole sovereign of all Jaril. You are entrusted with the salvation of our people.¡±

    Sayan smiled.

    It was like a dream.

    A good dream.

    ¡°I accept.¡±

    The Lore-Keepers bowed their heads in respect. Overhead two falcons wheeled in the now clear skies above Karbaliq, their shrill cries carrying across the Black City.

    ¡°What do you ask of your people?¡±

    Sayan looked to the raptors above and then to the ghostly Lore-Keepers. ¡°I call upon the B?rilar to fulfill their ancient oath and drive the invader from Karbaliq.¡±

    She paused.

    ¡°And I ask that Great Kulkana, the Cosmic Womb of the Jaril people, the Maker of Worlds, arise and bring fresh life to Yarkan, just as it did when it first delivered us from across the stars to this world.¡±

    One more deep breath.

    The army of the dead, the mighty wolf-pack of the Khagans swept over the ruins of Karbaliq. And Yarkan shook.

    Beneath the Black City, something immense awoke.

    A strange dream came to Tavian.

    A woman whose form dwarfed the stars themselves gave birth to a wolf cub and a falcon chick.

    The Starflow shifted.

    The Awakened Stars turned their gaze.

    And the Cosmos was changed.

    Lady Anu came to him as he slept. She was soft, gentle, delicate. Fragile, even.

    She possessed might and majesty surpassing all mortal kings and emperors.

    ¡°A new verse in my great song is being written, Tavian Locke,¡± She whispered to him. ¡°Remember it well.¡±

    ¡°I am spent, My Lady,¡± he said to Her.

    ¡°No,¡± She said. ¡°Not yet.¡±

    Harry felt it.

    An earthquake.

    The sand began to move, becoming almost liquid with the jostling of the repeated tremors.

    Kal and the Jaril warriors looked around. It had begun just after the storm suddenly ceased. Around them the wreckage of the MAVs smouldered. The bodies of the fallen of both sides sunk into the shifting sands. The monoliths of the Black City shook violently, as Yarkan itself became unsettled.

    The surviving enemy became panicked.

    The warriors stood firm, ever faithful.

    And before his eyes, Karbaliq began to part, a dark gulf opening wide beneath the ancient desert ruins.

    He shivered in the warm air and the desert sun.

    A behemoth of ancient and alien design began to ascend from the depths.

    Mu¡¯s every breath was laboured, pain was her only reality.

    Faintly, she was aware everything had begun to move.

    Her vision was dimming, but the Sanctum had become well lit now.

    Chinor crouched over her.

    ¡°Thank you,¡± he said.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± she replied. ¡°For what we did.¡±

    He shook his head and smiled.

    ¡°No. Our Clanship has arisen. We are at its helm.¡±

    ¡°Oh,¡± said Mu, her voice barely audible, even to herself.

    She smiled.

    How strange.

    Father wouldn¡¯t like this.

    Her smile grew wider.

    ¡°Is it over, then?¡± she asked.

    Chinor shook his head. ¡°I doubt it.¡±

    She laughed. ¡°I guess not.¡±

    ¡°But you can sleep now.¡±

    ¡°Is Tavian dead?¡±

    ¡°No.¡±

    ¡°Well, that¡¯s good,¡± she said, and, contented, she drifted into darkness.

    Ostara and Ulduz stood resolute against the icy gale, gazing out across the empty steppe beyond Yengishahr, the colossus slowly growing in the pristine azure sky. Behind them their ponies grazed.

    ¡°Toghrul was right,¡± said Ulduz.

    ¡°It appears so,¡± replied Ostara.

    ¡°If I¡¯m to be honest, I thought the Clanships were just some myth,¡± said Ulduz, not looking Ostara¡¯s way as she spoke.

    ¡°Anything that can be conceived in humanity¡¯s mind can be conceived in the minds of the Stars.¡±

    Kulkana loomed ever closer to Yarkan¡¯s capital, a silent mountain moving through the cold skies, as black as the monoliths of Karbaliq.

    ¡°I fear for what will come next,¡± said Ulduz.

    ¡°As well you may,¡± said Ostara. ¡°My Captain tells me that we have intercepted communications. The call has gone out across the stars: the Onyx Tortoise Banner has called its fleet to begin mobilising. On Aixingo ¨C rumour has it ¨C the Grand Council has been convened.¡±

    Ulduz laughed. ¡°Not bad for one little frontier world among millions.¡±

    Ostara shook her head, smiled. ¡°Not bad at all.¡±

    Kulkana drew near.

    ¡°My Captain once told me that ¨C apart from Theophanies themselves ¨C the Clanships may be the greatest power ever wielded by humanity,¡± said Ostara.

    ¡°Toghrul once told me that the Clanships were forged by some long-forgotten Theophany,¡± replied Ulduz.

    ¡°It may well be true.¡±

    Somewhere, out in the steppe, the howl of a wolf sounded. Others soon answered.

    ¡°Toghrul would say that meant something,¡± said Ulduz, with a nervous laugh.

    ¡°I think many of Toghrul¡¯s beliefs have been vindicated today,¡± said Ostara. ¡°None of this could have happened without him.¡±

    ¡°But it could all still end in disaster¡­ especially if what you say about the Banner Fleet being mobilised is true¡­¡±

    Ostara placed her hand on Ulduz¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Do not succumb to anxiety over what might be. You have long been the only bridge between Toghrul and Taghay. Now you can be the bridge between Sayan and Taghay. It may yet be possible to spare Yarkan further bloodshed, if each side can be convinced to see reason.¡±

    Ulduz was a woman of great composure and pose, but she looked almost a nervous girl in that moment. ¡°I¡¯m not sure if I¡¯m up to it,¡± she said. ¡°I failed to realise Toghrul¡¯s vision, after all. I had such small and pitiful desires.¡±

    ¡°Family is important¡­ and right now, reconciling yours is vital to preserving hope for a new Yarkan. Convince Taghay to stand down and perhaps Sayan can be placated. If that happens, then perhaps the Banner Fleet will not come.¡±

    ¡°It should have been Toghrul in this role,¡± said Ulduz. ¡°He could have spoken reason to Sayan, but she and her followers will want vengeance.¡±

    ¡°Toghrul did as he thought he must,¡± said Ostara.

    Ulduz looked down. ¡°Why did the Great Qam wish it so? Our great leader was sent away when we needed him most.¡±

    ¡°Toghrul never claimed any leadership.¡±

    ¡°Which is why he would have been perfect,¡± said Ulduz. ¡°I do not know Sayan well¡­ but her reputation precedes her. She is no dove. She is a falcon.¡±

    Ostara reached out to the Starflow. The Tempest had abated. She let her mind wander the Filaments, searching across the Cosmos for her Star. When she found it, she took strength and let it flow across the lightyears, down her arm, into her finger tips, into the heart of Ulduz.

    ¡°Doubt will avail you of little,¡± she said. ¡°Know what you want. Be true to the purpose of peace. Sayan and Taghay will fall into line.¡±

    Ulduz took a deep breath.

    ¡°Thank you, Ostara,¡± she said.

    A shadow spread across the steppe, across Yengishahr, across the mountains, and the glaciers. Once more the wolves howled and the frigid wind blew.

    Kulkana filled the sky.

    Night came at midday, abridging even the short days of Yarkan¡¯s boreal winter.

    The horses whinnied.

    ¡°Khatun, we have received a message,¡± said the young chief, approaching Sayan.

    ¡°From who?¡±

    ¡°Prince Aixin Abishek.¡±

    ¡°What does ¡®His Excellency¡¯ say?¡±

    The chief lifted the tablet and read from the screen. ¡°I, Aixin Abishek, Banner Lord of the Onyx Tortoise, and Prince of the First Degree, decry this brazen act of rebellion against the righteous authority of the Son of Nara Enduri. As one of the high guardians of the Empire, it is my solemn duty to protect the peace and preserve the integrity of the realm. I hereby order that Sayan Yinalqizi and confederates surrender themselves to the authority of the Planetary Governor of Yarkan and face justice. If my demands are unmet, I shall have no recourse but to call the Fleet of my Banner and bring to bear our unassailable might against the rebellion. If it is the will of Nara Enduri that I am called to such grim duty, I cannot promise that Yarkan and her people will survive. I eagerly await your swift and reasonable reply. I pray to the Shepherd of Destiny that all involved shall choose the road to peace.¡±

    The chief looked nervously to Sayan.

    ¡°Send it through to me. I shall consider our response. Is she here?¡±

    The chief nodded. ¡°She is in your quarters, Khatun, as you requested.¡±

    ¡°Thank you,¡± said Sayan. Her heart¡¯s desire hastened her exit, but she paused, despite it. Turning, she added, ¡°Do not fear. I will protect our people. I will do what I must. We have done the right thing.¡±

    ¡°Khatun?¡± said the chief.

    ¡°Yes?¡±

    ¡°There may be a way. We have received a back-channel communication from the Planetary Governor. Princess Mukushen is recovering on board. They are willing to negotiate for her handover.¡±

    Sayan paused.

    I will do what I must.

    She dismissed the thought.

    ¡°Princess Mukushen is a hero of Yarkan,¡± she said. ¡°There will be no negotiations on that matter.¡±

    ¡°I understand, Khatun,¡± said the chief.

    Before she left, she said, ¡°When we do reply, translate my title to language the Aixin will understand. If I am not mistaken, the word for ¡®Khatun¡¯ in Imperial Standard is ¡®Empress¡¯. They must learn to show due respect.¡±

    ¡°Of course, Khatun,¡± said the chief.

    She departed.

    She had removed her helmet, but still wore the sandsuit that had adorned her throughout the battle. She felt untold exhaustion, exhilaration, and something else, something dissociative.

    Khatun.

    That is me.

    The halls of Kulkana were not homely. They were dim and alien. Perhaps the people who had wrought their architecture were Jaril, but they were Jaril separated by countless millennia from those who today dwelt upon Yarkan. The past was a foreign country.

    Sayan walked those halls though, and reached the entrance to the room she had claimed as her own. The doors opened without command.

    Inside was Erkegul.

    Her heart overflowed with joy, seeing her daughter. Everything had been worth it.

    ¡°Hello¡­ my love,¡± she said.

    Erkegul looked at her with dull eyes.

    ¡°Hello,¡± she said, her voice timid.

    Sayan walked closer.

    Too long had she resisted tenderness. But the battle ¨C the first, at least ¨C was won. She had earned this. Erkegul had earned this. She opened her arms.

    Her daughter recoiled.

    Sayan looked down at herself. She saw the dried blood and dirt that caked her.

    She laughed.

    ¡°Oh, don¡¯t worry,¡± she said. ¡°I am unwounded. Nothing serious at least.¡±

    Erkegul hesitated still.

    ¡°It isn¡¯t my blood, love,¡± said Sayan.

    Erkegul recoiled further.

    Sayan felt her breath shudder.

    ¡°I did what I had to,¡± she said. ¡°For our people. I taught you about this, did I not?¡±

    Erkegul¡¯s eyes glistened. ¡°Is father gone?¡±

    Sayan froze. Slowly she nodded.

    ¡°He also did what he had to.¡±

    Erkegul swallowed.

    ¡°Will I see him again?¡±

    Probably not, thought Sayan.

    ¡°If the Great Qam wills it,¡± she said instead.

 Chapter XXXII - Manda

    Chapter XXXII ¨C Manda

    Tavian¡¯s dreams had become filled with pain.

    Even the pleasant ones would get interrupted by spears of agony.

    He was displeased with this state of affairs, and frankly not even annoyed when the doorbell rung and disturbed him from his sleep.

    It still took him a moment to gather his bearings. Once he had gained some sense of time and place, he went to kick off his sheets and blankets, but immediately felt the pain return.

    Fuck, I had hoped it was just in my dreams.

    Gingerly, he pushed away the sheets and with nonagenarian grace rose from his bed. Swaying a few moments he looked around.

    I¡¯m on the Amrita.

    He rose cautiously, grimacing as he did so and walked towards the wardrobe. The doorbell rung again.

    ¡°Coming, coming,¡± he shouted.

    Maybe they heard him. He had learnt his lesson about using the intercom before he was ready.

    He found some briefs and trousers and pulled them on. Fragile, his brain still sleep-addled, he walked, barefoot and shirtless to the door. He pressed the button to open it.

    Nova stood before him, dressed as she usually was in sleeveless crop top and many-pocketed work pants. Her goggles were, as ever, pushed up on her head.

    Her face was, as ever, bright and cheerful.

    ¡°Hey, guy,¡± she said. ¡°You¡¯re looking better¡­ I guess.¡±

    His brain spun about, trying to connect the chain of events that had led to this moment.

    ¡°Yeah,¡± he said, meaninglessly.

    Nova looked him up and down. ¡°You¡¯re not dead. So that¡¯s cool.¡±

    ¡°So stoked about that,¡± said Tavian.

    Right, he thought, The fox-lady stabbed me.

    ¡°What¡¯s¡­ what¡¯s, um¡­ happening?¡± he asked, his mind-fog stubbornly remaining in place.

    ¡°Sayan sent you and Mu back to us,¡± said Nova, brightly.

    ¡°Sayan¡­¡± said Tavian, blinking slowly.

    Nova¡¯s smile dimmed a moment. ¡°You doing alright?¡±

    ¡°Tip-top.¡±

    Her smile returned, if dubiously. She nodded. For longer than necessary. ¡°Yeah¡­ it¡¯s just you seem to be struggling¡­ with stuff¡­¡±

    He gave a thumbs up, but didn¡¯t really know why.

    Nova ran a hand through her messy orange hair and looked around. ¡°I, er, came here to tell you that the Cap and Ostara have called a meeting in the common room¡­ I guess¡­ if you¡¯re not ready, you could sleep some more?¡±

    ¡°No,¡± said Tavian. He paused longer than he felt he should have before following this up. ¡°I¡¯ll come.¡±

    ¡°Okay,¡± said Nova.

    ¡°Okay,¡± said Tavian. He felt like something was expected of him, but he couldn¡¯t quite work out what it was.

    Ouch, he thought.

    ¡°You, um, you need me to help dress you?¡± said Nova.

    Tavian¡¯s mind gears turned.

    ¡°I, um, I¡¯ll be fine.¡±

    ¡°Cool, cool. Cool. I¡¯ll wait out here, though. If you don¡¯t need me to help. Just so¡­ well, I¡¯ll help you get to the common room.¡±

    Tavian nodded.

    Feeling he should say something in reply, he instead said nothing. He closed the door.

    Something occurred to him.

    He whirled around and opened the door again.

    ¡°Mu!¡± he shouted.

    ¡°Whoah!¡± shouted Nova, surprised by his sudden reappearance.

    ¡°Is Mu¡­ is Mu okay?¡±

    Nova took a moment. ¡°Yeah, she¡¯s fine. She¡¯ll be there. It¡¯s all good. Just chill.¡±

    Tavian closed the door again.

    It was all coming back to him

    The Sanctum.

    The fox-woman.

    The Wolf Totem.

    Vague memories of strange chambers. Dark. Strange people. Ostara (?). Amrita.

    Bed.

    Sleep.

    He thought about taking a shower, but thinking of Nova waiting outside, he decided just to hurriedly dress. He found a loose cotton shirt and pulled it on, struggling with the buttons. He rolled up the sleeves, messily.

    He looked around for socks, but the thought of bending down to put them on was entirely too horrific. Instead, he roughly shoved his feet into some shoes.

    He returned to the door.

    He opened it.

    ¡°Okay,¡± he said. ¡°I¡¯m ready.¡±

    ¡°Love that for you,¡± said Nova. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±

    Tavian was doing better by the time he reached the common room. Nova made a fuss of sitting him in an armchair and making sure he was comfortable (¡°Harry, get him a drink!¡±). The pain was still his constant companion, but at least his brain was functioning a little more normally.

    Ostara was elegantly placed in a chair facing the rest of them, one leg draped over the other, her long white dress flowing over her form. Apollo sat in her lap, his tail slowly twitching.

    Mu was dressed in a simple cotton dress and slippers, her hair uncharacteristically loose. She looked like Tavian felt.

    Kal and Seraphina looked much as they ever did ¨C Kal, stoically glum; Seraphina, expressionless. Harry had departed at Nova¡¯s request to fetch Tavian some water.

    The only other person was Mingxia. She looked worried.

    ¡°Are you¡­ okay?¡± she asked.

    ¡°Great,¡± said Tavian, attempting a smile. ¡°Never better.¡±

    Nova waved her hands in front of her in a reassuring gesture. ¡°He¡¯s fine¡­ just stupid at the moment.¡±

    ¡°So, normal, then,¡± said Mu.

    ¡°Be nice, Mu,¡± said Nova. ¡°He got cut up worse than you. I guess he bled out his brain juice. Is that a thing? I dunno, I know machines, not bodies.¡±

    Mu rolled her eyes and then resumed looking like the definition of struggle.

    ¡°I¡¯m glad to see you up,¡± said Ostara with a gracious smile.

    ¡°Great to be back,¡± said Tavian.

    ¡°Would you like some pain relief?¡± asked Ostara. ¡°It has been a while since we last administered any.¡±

    ¡°That might be nice,¡± said Tavian.

    ¡°One step ahead,¡± said Harry, appearing at Tavian¡¯s side with a glass of water and a small pill. ¡°Get that into you. You¡¯ll feel better.¡±

    ¡°Thanks,¡± said Tavian, popping the pill in his mouth and gulping down some water.

    Almost immediately he felt the sharpness of the pain reduced.

    ¡°What¡¯s¡­ what¡¯s happening?¡± he asked.

    ¡°Ostara and myself felt that we should probably conduct a little debrief about the events that have taken place on Yarkan, now that everyone is back on board and awake,¡± said Apollo.

    ¡°Indeed,¡± said Ostara. ¡°I have received word from Ulduz that a preliminary agreement has been reached between the rebels and the Planetary Government.¡±

    ¡°Does someone mind telling me what happened? Been a bit out of it the last¡­ little while. Y¡¯know, due to the stabbing.¡±

    ¡°Well Chinor got the Totem,¡± said Harry.

    ¡°And then the Clanship came up out of the desert,¡± said Nova. ¡°Oh, and an army of ghosts swept over Karbaliq, and that pretty much ended the battle there.¡±

    ¡°Did¡­ Karbaliq get destroyed?¡±

    ¡°Reconfigured, more like,¡± said Nova.

    ¡°Right,¡± said Tavian.

    ¡°It was pretty crazy,¡± said Nova.

    ¡°The part I saw was crazy enough,¡± said Tavian. ¡°So, what then?¡±

    ¡°Sayan took the Kulkana to hang over Yengishahr,¡± said Kal. ¡°Thanks to Ostara and Ulduz, that was where things paused.¡±

    ¡°Then there won¡¯t be war?¡± asked Mu.

    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t say that¡­ not with any confidence,¡± said Kal.

    ¡°Like Kal says, it¡¯s probably too soon to say definitively,¡± said Ostara, ¡°But the early signs are as good as we might have hoped for. It certainly wasn¡¯t a foregone conclusion that any arrangement could be reached. Ulduz and Taghay, however, were able to reach an agreement between them. I assisted Ulduz with communicating this plan to Sayan, whilst Taghay took it to the Governor. It seems the Governor is willing to accept the re-establishment of the Jaril Confederacy under Sayan¡¯s leadership ¨C and confined to Yarkan ¨C on the condition that it accept status as an Imperial protectorate.¡±

    ¡°And Sayan agreed to that?¡± asked Tavian. ¡°From what I saw of her, she¡¯s a pretty fiery character.¡±

    ¡°From my conversations with her, she was initially intending to attack Yengishahr. However, the Verdant Standard Army still had a significant force in the city and many of the tribes were not willing to enter into outright war against the Empire. I believe she has recognised the reality of her situation.¡±

    ¡°But if she can¡¯t take Yengishahr, why did the Empire make such a large concession?¡± asked Mu.

    ¡°Whether she could have taken Yengishahr is an open question,¡± said Kal. ¡°No one really knows what that Clanship of hers is capable of.¡±

    ¡°Precisely,¡± said Ostara. ¡°The Governor clearly didn¡¯t fancy his chances taking on the Kulkana. Whether the authorities of the Onyx Tortoise Banner or the Imperial Court will feel the same way remains uncertain. Still, I suspect some among the Imperial authorities feel that quietly smoothing over this situation might reduce the risks of other rebellions being triggered.¡±

    ¡°What do we do now then?¡± asked Tavian.

    ¡°The Captain and I have discussed this, and believe that our involvement in Yarkan¡¯s affairs is over ¨C at least for now,¡± said Ostara.

    Mu appeared to protest. ¡°Can we just leave them in such a tenuous position?¡±

    ¡°You and Tavian have done a great deal for the people of Yarkan,¡± said Ostara. ¡°You led Chinor to the Sanctum.¡±

    Mu shook her head. ¡°We also led a mortal danger right to him.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re doing that thing you do again,¡± said Tavian, ¡°Just take a win for once.¡±

    ¡°What thing?¡± snapped Mu, but her heart didn¡¯t appear to be in pressing the argument.

    ¡°There is something more we can do for Yarkan, though,¡± said Ostara. ¡°But it will take us far away.¡±

    Mu gave her a questioning look.

    ¡°Both Sayan and Ulduz are concerned over Toghrul¡¯s fate,¡± said Ostara.

    ¡°But he can¡¯t return to Yarkan¡­¡±

    ¡°No, he can¡¯t,¡± said Ostara. ¡°But they believe that the penal world to which he is being sent is an extremely dangerous environment for him.¡±

    ¡°And they do not want to involve any agents of the new Confederacy in any rescue attempt,¡± said Kal.

    ¡°It would threaten the peace deal,¡± said Apollo.

    ¡°So, we¡¯re going to break a man out of prison?¡± asked Harry. ¡°We are really not going to be popular with the authorities.¡±

    ¡°We will endeavour to be subtle in our efforts,¡± said Apollo.

    ¡°Subtly breaking a high-profile political prisoner out of Imperial captivity, got it,¡± said Harry.

    Tavian spoke up, ¡°I¡¯ve only been around here for a short time, but do we always end up on the wrong side of the law? I¡¯m not against it, just wondering.¡±

    ¡°Probably more often than would be¡­ optimal,¡± said Harry.

    ¡°Got it,¡± said Tavian.

    ¡°We are of course open to discussion if anyone feels uncomfortable with accepting this mission,¡± said Ostara.

    ¡°Doesn¡¯t bother me,¡± said Tavian.

    ¡°We already blew up half of a Planetary Governor¡¯s mansion. Why stop now when we¡¯re on such a winning streak?¡± said Harry.

    ¡°I¡¯ve got no issues,¡± said Nova.

    ¡°As long as we have an appropriate plan in place,¡± said Kal.

    ¡°I think it¡¯s the right thing to do,¡± said Mu.

    ¡°I don¡¯t mind,¡± said Seraphina.

    ¡°Mingxia?¡± asked Ostara.

    Mingxia shook her head. ¡°Before everything happened in Karbaliq, I had a talk with Tavian. I¡¯m endlessly grateful for everything you have all done for me. I will never forget it. You¡¯ve given me a second chance to live my life. But I¡¯m also not sure I have much to contribute to the crew.¡±

    ¡°Nonsense!¡± exclaimed Nova. ¡°Course you do!¡±

    Mingxia shook her head again. ¡°No, my mind is made up. Whenever the Amrita reaches a suitable port, I¡¯ll take my leave. I think it¡¯s for the best.¡±

    Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel.

    ¡°Are you sure about this?¡± asked Mu, concern in her eyes.

    ¡°Yes. I¡¯m sure. Again ¨C I really don¡¯t want anyone to think I¡¯m ungratef¡ª¡±

    ¡°Of course we don¡¯t think that!¡± exclaimed Mu.

    ¡°No one thinks that,¡± concurred Tavian.

    Mingxia looked his way and offered a thin smile. ¡°Thank you everyone. You risked so much for me. Then you risked so much for the people on Yarkan. You¡¯re all really wonderful.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ll miss you,¡± said Nova.

    ¡°We will,¡± agreed Mu.

    ¡°C¡¯mon, she¡¯s not gone just yet,¡± said Harry. ¡°We still have time for one more classic Amrita party first.¡±

    ¡°Yeah!¡± shouted Nova, pumping her fist with enthusiasm. ¡°Let¡¯s have a party.¡±

    Smiling, Ostara spoke up. ¡°We will of course ensure Mingxia is given the warmest of farewells. I know I will be sad to see her go. But before we move to the important business of planning a party, I believe we should conclude this briefing.¡±

    ¡°Of course,¡± said Nova, doing her best to look serious.

    ¡°Going to Luanyuan will not be easy. It will be dangerous,¡± continued Ostara. ¡°The Captain and I have conducted preliminary research on the planet. There are a lot of gaps in the record, but what we do know is that even among penal worlds, it is known as an especially dangerous one. It is almost entirely covered in dense jungles and has an extremely high mortality rate among convicts.¡±

    ¡°Sounds delightful,¡± said Harry.

    ¡°At least it will offer a change of scenery from Yarkan,¡± said Tavian.

    ¡°Detailed information on Luanyuan is difficult to come by,¡± continued Ostara. ¡°I will work with Kal and Nova to compile a more detailed briefing for everyone when we get closer, but I do not want anyone taking on this task lightly.¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s something strange about Luanyuan,¡± said Mu. ¡°I don¡¯t know what¡­ but I can feel it. I feel¡­ uneasy when I look to it.¡±

    ¡°This isn¡¯t just a regular hunch, is it?¡± asked Tavian. ¡°This is a future sight kinda deal?¡±

    Mu nodded. ¡°I can¡¯t see anything clearly yet. The Tempest has grown weaker since the Kulkana awoke, but it¡¯s still clouding my vision. Perhaps when we move away from Yarkan¡­¡±

    ¡°I will be honest with you all,¡± said Apollo. ¡°I have also foreseen that we will encounter something very unusual and possibly very dangerous on Luanyuan. Over and above the natural and human dangers of the planet.¡±

    ¡°Ominous¡­¡± muttered Nova.

    ¡°I¡¯ll try and get a clearer picture,¡± said Mu.

    ¡°You need to relax, girl,¡± said Nova. ¡°You only just got out of the last ordeal.¡±

    ¡°It is a lengthy journey to Luanyuan,¡± said Ostara. ¡°Once we have gone to jump, everyone should get some time to recuperate. It is important for us to move quickly though. We should not leave Toghrul to the mercies of Luanyuan for any longer than we strictly have to.¡±

    ¡°Well, then, let¡¯s get going, I guess,¡± said Harry.

    ¡°That would be best. Nova, can you please perform your pre-jump procedure?¡±

    ¡°On it, boss,¡± said Nova.

    ¡°Mr Locke? Princess Mukushen? I urge you to get the rest you need for your recovery,¡± said Apollo. ¡°Mr Zhang? Could you please see to it that they receive appropriate nutrition?¡±

    ¡°Naturally, Captain,¡± said Harry.

    ¡°Good food is important to recovery,¡± said Apollo. ¡°If you would like, I have some excellent vintage sprats I would be willing to part with to aid your recovery.¡±

    Mu looked like she was struggling to form a response. ¡°I¡ªum¡­ we, would¡­¡±

    Tavian leapt in to save her. ¡°With all due respect, Cap, I very much do not want your sprats. But thank you for the offer. I appreciate the spirit of it. I think Mu here feels the same.¡±

    ¡°Very well,¡± said Apollo, ¡°Humans are strange creatures, turning down fine sprats.¡±

    ¡°We don¡¯t mean to offend, Captain,¡± said Mu.

    ¡°Of course not,¡± said Apollo, and leapt from Ostara¡¯s lap to the ground. ¡°I believe then, that this meeting is concluded. Please consult myself or Madame Ostara if you have any further questions or comments on our plan of action. Thank you all for your efforts on Yarkan. You endured much, but I believe we have made the Cosmos a better place.¡±

    The doors to Apollo¡¯s cabin slid open as Ostara entered.

    ¡°Captain,¡± she said.

    ¡°Madame Ostara,¡± he said. ¡°Any further news from Yarkan?¡±

    She shook her head. ¡°No word yet of the higher Imperial authorities¡¯ response to the deal.¡±

    ¡°I am cautiously optimistic,¡± said Apollo, leaping from the shelf on which he had been perched and strolling over to Ostara.

    ¡°Is that something you¡¯ve foreseen?¡± she asked.

    ¡°Perhaps, though it is ever more difficult to discern what is mere hunch from what is the residual of prophecy.¡±

    ¡°You said as much when we left Shangxia,¡± said Ostara. ¡°You also mentioned that events on Yarkan would lead us to information?¡±

    ¡°I believe that is still the case, but the answers do not lie on Yarkan,¡± said Apollo.

    ¡°You said we would be asked for help, and we were,¡± said Ostara. ¡°Will Luanyuan provide answers?¡±

    ¡°I cannot be certain, but that is my hope,¡± said Apollo.

    ¡°Is it connected to whatever it was you and Mu sensed?¡±

    ¡°Perhaps,¡± said Apollo. He wrinkled his whiskers. ¡°There¡­ there are some things I cannot tell you. Yet it is not due to a lack of desire.¡±

    Even in Apollo¡¯s inhuman face, Ostara could see the conflict. ¡°I know.¡±

    ¡°Do you still trust me, Ostara?¡±

    ¡°Of course, Apollo. Always.¡±

    He rubbed his head against her leg. ¡°I am glad. Though I wonder if I do enough to earn such trust.¡±

    Ostara sat on the floor, smoothing her dress around her. She gently patted him upon the head. ¡°You need never worry about that. I will follow wherever you lead. So will the crew.¡±

    ¡°Then I hope that the course I have plotted is the correct one.¡±

    ¡°No one doubts that it is.¡±

    ¡°I doubt¡­ more often as the days and years go on.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s natural. You carry a great burden. But you always do your best, and we could not possibly ask for more.¡±

    His bright eyes gazed up into hers.

    ¡°I fear the Praetors shall not be so understanding,¡± said Apollo. ¡°Even during these past days and these events on Yarkan, my thoughts dwelt on them. I searched my memory, trying to discern where they might be¡­ but I¡¯ve lost so much.¡±

    Ostara felt a deep desire to sooth his worries, his pain. But even her powers of reassurance had limits. The realisation was frustrating.

    ¡°We can only do what is within our power,¡± she said. ¡°After that, we must have faith that it will be enough.¡±

    Before they could speak further, the intercom sounded. Ostara rose and opened the door. Outside stood Mu.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­ am I interrupting?¡± she asked.

    ¡°No, of course not,¡± said Apollo. ¡°Please join us, Mukushen. How can I help?¡±

    With a deep breath Mu entered, the door closing behind her. ¡°I¡­ I wanted to ask you something. In Karbaliq I had a vision ¨C of the First Emperor.¡±

    Ostara looked to Apollo. His own gaze remained fixed on Mu.

    ¡°He spoke to you?¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± she said. ¡°He showed me something. A far-off world, at the edge of our galaxy. It orbited a black hole, an Awakened¡ª¡±

    ¡°You saw the Oblivion Star?¡± asked Apollo.

    ¡°That was what he called it,¡± said Mu. ¡°It¡¯s true, then?¡±

    Ostara could see from the way her posture slumped, that some part of her was hoping it had all been some deception from the Emperor.

    ¡°I do not know what the Emperor told you,¡± said Apollo. ¡°But the Oblivion Star is very real.¡±

    ¡°He showed me its Theophant,¡± said Mu. ¡°The Cosmokrator? And he told me that agents of the Cosmokrator ¨C Iron Praetors ¨C would attack the Cosmos.¡±

    Ostara could sense that Mu¡¯s words were having an effect on Apollo. Not one that served to alleviate his worries.

    ¡°That much is true,¡± said Apollo. ¡°Mukushen¡­ I am sorry. It was my intention to tell you all this, but this knowledge ¨C it is a grave burden. I had hoped to give you a little longer living free of it.¡±

    She shook her head. ¡°I don¡¯t blame you. I haven¡¯t known you long, but I am confident that your heart is in the right place. If you kept this from me ¨C from the others ¨C I am sure you had good reason¡­ but since I got back on board the Amrita, I keep thinking about it¡­ wondering how long we have¡­ I¡¯ve tried to see them, these Praetors or the Cosmokrator¡­ but I can¡¯t. I don¡¯t know if it¡¯s the Tempest or something else.¡±

    She paused, then looked at Ostara.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I didn¡¯t even think¡­ do you know?¡±

    Ostara gave her best reassuring smile. ¡°I know,¡± she said.

    Apollo leapt back onto one of the shelves, so that he stood at similar height to Mu and Ostara. ¡°They are difficult to perceive. I was just now discussing this with Madame Ostara. I believe the events that have occurred here are important to the project of resisting the Praetors and their master.¡±

    ¡°The Clanship,¡± said Mu. ¡°Is it important?¡±

    ¡°It may well be,¡± said Apollo, ¡°Certainly it¡¯s awakening represents the return of a great power to the arsenal of humanity. It is for this reason; I believe that it is vitally important that the Empire and the Confederacy do not go to war. Unity, not division, gives us the best hope of resistance when the terrible day arrives. I also believe these events have led us on a path that will see us discover something of even greater significance.¡±

    ¡°On Luanyuan?¡± asked Mu.

    ¡°I had the same question,¡± mused Ostara.

    ¡°Quite possibly,¡± said Apollo.

    ¡°Is a Praetor there?¡± Mu asked.

    ¡°In truth, I do not know, but I think it is likely that whatever you and I have sensed waits for us Luanyuan, it is not itself a Praetor. However, I do firmly believe that this encounter shall furnish us with important information.¡±

    Mu swallowed. ¡°Everything you do¡­ it is to prepare?¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± said Apollo simply.

    ¡°The First Emperor said the same thing. He said he built the Empire itself to ready humanity to resist.¡±

    ¡°Perhaps that is true, perhaps it isn¡¯t,¡± said Apollo. ¡°I cannot see the Emperor¡¯s will, but I have no doubt, that as a Theophant of Nara Enduri, he saw much of the Oblivion Star¡¯s plans. His vision was likely clearer even than mine.¡±

    ¡°He told me I would have to embrace my destiny, to accept my heritage,¡± said Mu.

    ¡°Your heritage is undoubtedly important,¡± said Apollo.

    ¡°Then everything I¡¯ve done ¨C all the dangers I¡¯ve brought ¨C the Resonance Bureau, Zhen Yan ¨C it was all for nothing? I should just return to Aixingo?¡±

    ¡°Your heritage is a part of you,¡± said Ostara, softly, ¡°But your future is still yours to forge. I¡¯m sure the Captain has greater wisdom to impart.¡±

    ¡°Ostara says it well,¡± said Apollo, ¡°When I say that your heritage is important, that does not mean I believe your role is the one your father or the First Emperor envisaged. What it is, I cannot fully say, but I knew before we even met that you were important. And specifically, I believe it is important that you came here, to the Amrita. So please, do not construe your flight from Aixingo as futile, or as a selfish act. Your true role will become clearer in time, but if you are willing, we will discover it together.¡±

    ¡°Okay. Alright,¡± said Mu.

    ¡°Do not endure your burdens alone,¡± said Ostara. ¡°You are still in a great deal of pain. That is likely amplifying the anxiety you feel. This was a cruel thing to learn under such circumstances, but now you know we too are aware of it. We are always here to talk if it becomes too much.¡±

    ¡°Thank you,¡± said Mu. ¡°Both of you. I don¡¯t know what would have become of me had I not found the Amrita.¡±

    ¡°But you did,¡± said Apollo. ¡°So, you need not worry about that.¡±

    ¡°And we¡¯re glad,¡± added Ostara.

    She could see Mu was still wavering, still uncertain. ¡°Would a hug help?¡±

    Mu¡¯s eyes became watery. ¡°Yes,¡± she said meekly.

    Ostara wrapped Mu tightly in her embrace. Behind them Apollo landed lightly on the floor and brushed against their legs, his head leaning on Mu.

    After a while, Ostara pulled back.

    ¡°Mukushen,¡± said Apollo. ¡°Knowing of the Oblivion Star¡­ it can make the Cosmos seem a dark place. Just try to remember: this Cosmos contains much beauty, much hope as well. You have fought many hard battles these past weeks ¨C and in truth, there are likely more to come. But make sure, amongst it all, that you make time for the little moments of light. Visit Ostara¡¯s garden, and smell the flowers. Play games with Nova and Seraphina. Listen a little to Tavian¡¯s songs. Drink one of Harry¡¯s concoctions. Even Kal ¨C who I know can seem a little dark at times ¨C ask him to train with you in the gym. It will lighten your mood and clear your mind. Never lose sight of these things.¡±

    Mu nodded through eyes still glistening.

    ¡°And of course¡­ if you change your mind about the sprats¡­¡±

    ¡°I know where to find you, Captain,¡± said Mu, with a little laugh.

    On the edge of Yarkan¡¯s system, several billion kilometres further out from its sun, where the Tempest was all but gone, a single vessel drifted through the immense emptiness of the Cosmic dark. The light of the star was faint out here, the interior left shadowy by the dim lighting of the vessel¡¯s interior.

    A single occupant threw herself down on the worn old couch that sat in one of the vessel¡¯s two rooms.

    Zhen Yan stretched herself out, kicking off her shoes.

    She glanced around the dark cabin.

    She didn¡¯t know what she was looking for.

    It was only her there.

    Alone again.

    What now?

    For the first time in many years there was no hunt, no prey, no purpose. She was adrift in the Cosmos in every sense.

    She closed her eyes and drew a deep breath.

    There was one more thing to do. She knew it wasn¡¯t wise, but the compulsion was too strong. She wouldn¡¯t be done with all this unless she did it.

    She opened her eyes, grabbed her tablet from the table by the couch and put in the call.

    ¡°Zhen Yan,¡± came Big Bai¡¯s voice. ¡°I have heard what happened on Yarkan.¡±

    ¡°I figured you might have.¡±

    ¡°The rebels took Mukushen. They would not hand her over.¡±

    ¡°Truly? I didn¡¯t know.¡±

    ¡°Which means you don¡¯t have her,¡± said Big Bai. ¡°The Governor will not be pleased. I am not pleased.¡±

    Zhen Yan pushed away her uncertainty. ¡°I don¡¯t care,¡± she said.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t care,¡± she said again, louder this time.

    ¡°You failed me.¡±

    ¡°I made a choice. I didn¡¯t fail. The mission was aborted.¡±

    ¡°Why?¡±

    ¡°I had my reasons.¡±

    ¡°That is not acceptable.¡±

    Zhen Yan smiled to herself. ¡°Oh well.¡±

    ¡°I do not take well to failure,¡± he said. ¡°I thought I could rely on you.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m tired of people like you and the Governor,¡± said Zhen Yan. ¡°You¡¯re just the layer of scum that forms on the surface of this Empire. I am no longer at your beck and call.¡±

    ¡°How dare you¡ª¡±

    ¡°What are you going to do? I¡¯m the person you send. You don¡¯t have anyone who can catch me. I¡¯m going to disappear now. Make your threats if you like, but we both know they¡¯re empty.¡±

    ¡°If you ever set foot on¡ª¡±

    ¡°On Shangxia? I have no need nor desire to ever return. I¡¯m done. I¡¯m just calling to say goodbye.¡±

    He yelled obscenities at her and she held the tablet farther from her ear.

    Once she judged he was done she spoke again. ¡°I don¡¯t know how, but the Cosmos is going to change. Change for the better. I have it on good authority. And that can only be bad for people like you.¡±

    He had seemingly worked the obscenities out of his system now. When he spoke, it was in an icy cold tone. ¡°You of all people cannot act so righteous. You kill for a living. For people like me. If I am scum, then what does that make you, Zhen Yan?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± she said. ¡°But I¡¯m going to find out.¡±

    She hung up the call.

    Alright, Xingyan. I¡¯ve done it.

    The dark was silent.

    The emptiness yawned ¨C inside and out.

    You¡¯re really gone now, huh?

    It¡¯s a shame you wasted your short life with a monster like me.

    But I¡¯m going to try.

    Try to be something else.

    Not because of guilt.

    Not because I¡¯m good now.

    Just for you.

    Only for you.

    You deserve that much.

    She propped herself up on her elbow and gazed out at the starry void. So many pinpricks of light. So many worlds turning around those lights.

    Somewhere out there was something.

    Something to fill the emptiness.

    Time to discover it.

    Tavian was in a contemplative mood when the doorbell rang. He placed down his mandolin and walked over, opening it.

    There stood Mu.

    ¡°Princess,¡± he said. ¡°What an unexpected surprise.¡±

    ¡°Can I come in?¡± she asked.

    He shrugged. ¡°Don¡¯t see why not.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not¡­ bothering you?¡±

    ¡°Course not!¡± he said with a grin, ¡°Come, take a seat.¡±

    She entered and sat down on the room¡¯s one chair. Tavian returned to sitting on his bed where he had been previously. He picked up the mandolin and absent-mindedly plucked at the strings. Mu looked down at her feet.

    ¡°What¡¯s on your mind?¡± he asked.

    ¡°I dunno. A lot. Nothing¡­¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t have to tell me,¡± he said.

    She was silent a moment, clearly contemplating what to say next. ¡°You were playing?¡± she asked, pointing at the mandolin.

    ¡°Just tinkering with a song I¡¯ve been working on,¡± he said.

    ¡°Not too sore to play?¡±

    He shook his head. ¡°It takes a lot to keep me away from my music. Helps the healing.¡±

    ¡°You feel it whenever you play, don¡¯t you?¡±

    He raised an inquisitive eyebrow.

    ¡°The Starflow¡­¡±

    ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s always there,¡± he said. ¡°Well, not always, I guess. There were times on Yarkan I couldn¡¯t feel it. To be honest that was kinda unnerving. Even when everything¡¯s going to shit, I could always play music and feel¡­ less alone? Connected?¡±

    Mu nodded.

    Tavian continued. ¡°Was it like that for you? When you couldn¡¯t feel the Starflow on Yarkan?¡±

    ¡°Not exactly,¡± she said. ¡°I¡­ truth be told, it hasn¡¯t always been a source of comfort to me. The things I see¡­ sometimes they¡¯re¡­ dark.¡±

    ¡°Can¡¯t appreciate the light without the dark,¡± he replied.

    ¡°That¡¯s one of those things that sounds nice, but doesn¡¯t really mean anything.¡±

    He shrugged and gave a small laugh. ¡°Maybe. I dunno. Makes sense to me.¡±

    ¡°How do you do it?¡± Mu asked. ¡°You¡¯re always so¡­ happy.¡±

    He laughed again. ¡°That the way it looks?¡±

    ¡°Yeah¡­ even when you were just about bleeding out in the Sanctum you still had this dumb grin on your face.¡±

    He shrugged once more. ¡°I dunno¡­ you can choose to be happy or sad. May as well choose the former.¡±

    ¡°You can¡¯t just choose.¡±

    ¡°No,¡± he conceded, ¡°I guess you can¡¯t. But I still try to see the funny side of it. The absurdity of it all. We were in an ancient temple, I¡¯d just played music for a bunch of ghosts, and a shapeshifting nine-tailed fox-lady was attacking us. No shortage of absurdity.¡±

    Mu gave the tiniest of laughs. ¡°I guess so¡­ but still¡­¡±

    There was a silence. Tavian strummed a little more.

    ¡°Do you think¡­ we¡¯re strong enough?¡± asked Mu.

    ¡°Strong enough for what?¡± asked Tavian.

    ¡°For what¡¯s coming.¡±

    ¡°Well, Princess¡­ Mu¡­ I don¡¯t know what¡¯s coming. That¡¯s kinda your domain. But one way or another, I¡¯ve stayed alive up until this point.¡±

    ¡°On Shangxia we were saved by Kal, then by Black Dragon. If Zhen Yan hadn¡¯t changed her mind on Yarkan, we would have died. She had us at her mercy. We¡¯ve been lucky. But you can¡¯t always be lucky.¡±

    ¡°I try to be,¡± said Tavian. ¡°Lucky, that is.¡±

    She gave him a glare. ¡°I¡¯m being serious.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, I know,¡± he said. ¡°I guess I just feel like if you open yourself up to the good in the Cosmos¡­ well it will come to you. The good. Luck. Whatever.¡±

    ¡°That doesn¡¯t sound like a sustainable strategy,¡± she retorted.

    ¡°Like I said, got me this far.¡±

    ¡°But how much further?¡±

    ¡°Well, again, like I said ¨C you don¡¯t need to tell me what¡¯s on your mind, but I¡¯m guessing it¡¯s got something to do with this whole line of questioning. Tell you what, if it will make you feel better, let¡¯s work on getting stronger together.¡±

    ¡°How do you propose we do that?¡±

    ¡°You know the concept of Manda?¡±

    ¡°Like¡­ Resonance?¡±

    He bobbed his head from side to side. ¡°Kinda. I guess. But I think it¡¯s more than that. I¡¯ve heard it described as knowledge of the Stars, of the Starflow. Resonance is part of that ¨C it¡¯s what makes it possible. But knowing the mind of the Stars, it opens up so much more.¡±

    ¡°And you know how to do this?¡± she asked, sceptically.

    ¡°Not really. I think ¨C for me ¨C playing my music has something to do with it.¡±

    ¡°So how am I supposed to do it?¡±

    ¡°I dunno. But I¡¯m happy to help work it out, if you want. I think even powerful Resonants, they only access a tiny portion of the Starflow. Cultivating Manda ¨C it¡¯s how you harness so much more of what is already there. There are monks who meditate on the Starflow to cultivate Manda. For me, like I said, it¡¯s about playing music. When I play and think¡­ deeply¡­ really feel the patterns in the Starflow, the way it moves through me, the way it interacts with the music¡­ it¡¯s like I¡¯m closer to Lady Anu.¡±

    ¡°Who is this Lady Anu? You¡¯ve mentioned her before,¡± said Mu.

    ¡°She¡¯s the one who watched over me and the people of my world. I think everyone who knows Her has a different, unique relationship with Her, so I can¡¯t really answer in any more precise way than that,¡± explained Tavian.

    ¡°She¡¯s your Goddess?¡± asked Mu. ¡°Is she a Star?¡±

    ¡°You could say she¡¯s a Goddess, but if she¡¯s a Star, I don¡¯t know which one,¡± said Tavian. ¡°It always seemed to me she was just everywhere, like the voice of the Starflow itself.¡±

    ¡°The Starflow comes from the Awakened Stars,¡± asserted Mu. ¡°Like Nara Enduri.¡±

    ¡°Maybe you¡¯re right,¡± said Tavian. ¡°I don¡¯t pretend to be a great expert in these things. I just know what it¡¯s like for me, what I¡¯ve been told, what I¡¯ve experienced.¡±

    He paused, then continued.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know what it¡¯s like for you, thoguh. Very different, I¡¯m sure.¡±

    ¡°The vision,¡± said Mu, ¡°Sometimes I can look¡­ but usually only a short way into the future. The things that come to me ¨C the dreams ¨C they¡¯re more distant, more abstract. I know they¡¯re telling me about things that are yet to come, but¡­¡±

    ¡°Maybe with greater Manda, those futures will become clearer,¡± said Tavian.

    ¡°There¡¯s a part of me that would like to be done with them,¡± said Mu. ¡°Just shut myself off from them. After they started ¨C the visions in my sleep ¨C I could just never be content. They were a big reason of why I eventually fled.¡±

    ¡°Then maybe they freed you,¡± said Tavian. ¡°Is it really a good thing to be content with a prison?¡±

    It was Mu¡¯s turn to shrug. ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡±

    ¡°Well, I guess we¡¯ve got that in common. We don¡¯t know. But at least, unlike some people out there, we have enough sense to admit as much.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s something, I guess,¡± said Mu.

    ¡°Well, are you in? It¡¯s up to you.¡±

    ¡°For cultivating Manda?¡±

    ¡°At least giving it a shot. You said you wanted to be stronger,¡± said Tavian.

    ¡°I do¡­ I just¡­ I want to be able to protect people,¡± said Mu.

    ¡°So noble.¡±

    ¡°Are you mocking me?¡±

    ¡°No¡­ no. I mean it. You¡¯re a really fundamentally good person and I think that¡¯s why you give yourself such a hard time. And, look, I¡¯ll be the first to say that gets a little annoying at times. But, whatever. I¡¯ll give as many peptalks as needed to get you to start being a bit gentler on yourself.¡±

    ¡°Fine,¡± she said.

    ¡°Fine?¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s do it. Let¡¯s learn the mind of the Stars. Or Lady Anu. Or whatever it is that¡¯s out there.¡±

    ¡°Deal.¡±

    Silence descended.

    For a moment.

    ¡°So, when do we start?¡± asked Mu.

    ¡°Well, let me play you a song,¡± said Tavian. ¡°And you can think about the Stars while I play, if you like.¡±

    ¡°You think that¡¯s all there is to it?¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ll do some more reading on it all later. Maybe ask Apollo or Seraphina. They seem to know what¡¯s up. But for now¡­ do you want hear a song?¡±

    Mu was slow in responding. But eventually she said, ¡°I¡¯d like that.¡±

    ¡°Okay,¡± said Tavian, smiling. ¡°Okay. Nice. I call this one Starbound Voyager. It¡¯s a Tavian Locke original. Been working on it since I came to the Amrita.¡±

    With that he began to play. Softly he sung.

    Mu listened, gazing his way.

    She smiled.

 Glossary & Dramatis Personae

    <u>GLOSSARY</u>

    Aixin ¨C The ruling people of the *Aixingo Empire, they are divided into *Eight Banners. They are a small ethnic minority in the Empire.

    Aixingo Empire ¨C The largest empire in the Known *Cosmos encompassing more than forty million worlds.

    Aixingo (world) ¨C The capital world of the *Aixingo Empire, it houses the *Imperial Court

    Alabey ¨C The name of the *First Emperor¡¯s people before they became *Aixin and the foundation of the *Aixingo Empire.

    Amrita ¨C A mysterious vessel of ancient design and unknown origin.

    Angrahar ¨C One part of the binary *Awakened Stars worshipped by the *Gathasian Empire.

    Anu ¨C See *Lady Anu.

    Archon ¨C The ruler of a *polis in the *Eleftherian League.

    Artificial Resonance Cores (ARCs) ¨C Machines capable of interacting with the *Starflow and creating *Resonance.

    Awakened Stars ¨C Conscious stars that exude godlike power through the *Starflow.

    Banner Lord ¨C The leader of one of the *Eight Banners of the *Aixingo Empire.

    Banners ¨C One of the eight fundamental divisions of the *Aixingo Empire.

    Banner Wars ¨C The series of conflicts that led to the foundation of the *Aixingo Empire.

    Barchin¡¯s Lament ¨C A song of mourning written by the poet and *Lore-Keeper Barchin after the fall of *Yarkan.

    Bards of C¨¢erthand ¨C Travelling musicians, poets, and story-tellers from the planet *C¨¢erthand who worship *Lady Anu.

    Black City ¨C See *Karbaliq.

    Black Pilgrimage ¨C The journey of an individual embarking to prostrate themselves before the Throne of the *Cosmokrator; those judged worthy are reforged as *Iron Praetors after being broken by the malice of the *Oblivion Star.

    B?rilar ¨C Elite warriors of the *Jaril Confederacy, they pledged direct loyalty to the *Khagan, and often wore wolf pelts into battle.

    Bureau of Astrogation ¨C An organ of the *Ministry of Transportation of the *Aixingo Empire, it is tasked with ensuring safe navigation and communication across the Empire.

    Bureau of Celestial Foresight ¨C An independent organ of the government of the *Aixingo Empire, directly advising the *Grand Council, it is led by the *Grand Astronomer and made up of *Starseers. It plays a key role in coordinating Imperial policy by collating foresight into prophecy.

    Bureau of Customs ¨C An organ of the *Ministry of Civil Administration of the *Aixingo Empire, it is tasked with monitoring and controlling all movements between worlds within the Empire.

    Bureau of Resonance ¨C An organ of the *Ministry of Civil Administration of the *Aixingo Empire, it is tasked with regulating *Resonants within the Empire, including hunting down those who are unregistered.

    C¨¢erthand ¨C A minor, independent planet.

    Celestial Pagoda ¨C The building which houses the Great Totem of *Nara Enduri on *Aixingo, it is the most sacred site of the *Aixin.

    Chamber of the Lore-Keepers ¨C The archives of the *Grand Temple of *Karbaliq.

    Clanships ¨C The vast generation ships that carried the *Yultengri across the *Cosmos.

    Cloud Sparrow Clan ¨C A clan of the *Hulijing.

    Commonwealth of Elysia ¨C See *Lysandrine Commonwealth.

    Corpse Reapers ¨C Agents of the *Host of Xerxes that harvest the flesh of fallen *Voidborn to construct *Void Chimaeras.

    Cosmos ¨C All that is.

    Covens ¨C The tight-knit and clandestine groups formed by the *witches of *Hecate, most specialise in particular forms of *Starflow magic.

    Daqi ¨C An *Awakened Star, also known as the Laughing Star, it is worshipped by the *Hulijing.

    Divine Lantern ¨C The lantern carried by Princess Chang Xi which preserved the ancient flame of the *Unborn Emperor, used to kindle the *Nine Suns, according to *Shang mythology.

    Doge ¨C The head of the *Republic of Eladia, elected by the *Senate in theory, but in practice hereditary.

    Dynasty ¨C A traditional terms for the familial lines that dominated the *Empire of the Nine Suns.

    Eight Banners ¨C The fundamental divisions of the *Aixin people, they also now serve as the highest administrative divisions of the *Aixingo Empire. There are Three Upper, and Five Lower Banners.

    Eladia, Republic of ¨C A small, but prosperous, and nominally democratic state; a successor of the *Lysandrine Commonwealth.

    Eladia (world) ¨C A planet orbiting the *Awakened Star *La Serenissima, it hosts the capital of the *Republic of Eladia.

    Ellasian ¨C The dominant language of the *Eleftherian League.

    Elysian ¨C The dominant language of the various successor states of the *Lysandrine Commonwealth.

    Eleftherian League ¨C A powerful confederation of millions of worlds ruled by the *Heptarchy.

    Emperor ¨C A ruler of either the *Aixingo Empire or the *Gathasian Empire.

    Empire of the Nine Suns ¨C An ancient *Shang empire, it worshipped a group of *Awakened Stars, the *Nine Suns.

    Enyallios ¨C An *Awakened Star of the *Seven-Pointed Constellation, it is associated with strength and martial valour.

    Falcon Totem Tribe ¨C A nomadic tribe of the *Jaril, inhabiting the deserts near *Karbaliq, it is led by Sayan Yinalqizi.

    Far-Scrying ¨C A unique form of *Starflow magic practiced by certain *witches of *Hecate that allows seeing forward and backward in time and observing occulted events.

    Filaments ¨C Strands of the *Starflow that connect *Awakened Stars.

    First Emperor ¨C In modern times usually refers to the First Emperor of *Aixingo, once known as Yurhudan Khan.

    Flame of Phaiston ¨C The power inside the *Pyrphoroi, it fuels their battle-rage.

    Gathasian Empire ¨C A vast interstellar empire, worshipping the binary *Awakened Stars *Shahrivar and *Angrahar.

    Gong Sheng Xing ¨C One of the *Nine Suns, associated gardens, agriculture, and abundance.

    Grand Astronomer ¨C The head of the *Bureau of Celestial Foresight and an extremely powerful *Starseer.

    Grand Council ¨C The body comprised of Imperial Ministers and some other high officials ¨C military and civilian ¨C that advises the *Emperor of *Aixingo.

    Grand Temple of Karbaliq ¨C The central religious site of *Karbaliq, it sits atop the buried *Clanship *Kulkana.

    Great Oasis ¨C The vast lake in the *Kavuktan Desert that *Karbaliq sits on.

    Great Ruin ¨C A term used by the *Jaril people to refer to the fall of *Yarkan.

    Great Qam ¨C The *Jaril name for *Nara Enduri.

    Heart Orchids ¨C Flowering plants found only on the planet *Lan He, they bloom irregularly, sometimes decades apart.

    Heart Orchid Festival ¨C A festival held on the planet *Lan He to celebrate the blooming of the *Heart Orchids.

    Hecate ¨C The planet inhabited by the *Witches, orbiting the *Witching Star.

    Heptarchy ¨C The group of seven heads of state of the *Eleftherian League, they are the seven most powerful *archons.

    Host, the ¨C The army of Xerxes.

    Hulijing ¨C The shape-shifting fox people that worship *Daqi.

    Hymns of Pythia ¨C Holy songs of prophecy sung by the people of *Ouranos, passed down by the Orcalord from *Pythia.

    Imperial Capital ¨C See *Aixingo (world).

    Imperial Common Tongue ¨C A standardised version of the *Shang language, used throughout the *Aixingo Empire, and as a lingua franca beyond.

    Imperial Court ¨C The political apparatus surrounding the *Emperor of *Aixingo.

    Iron-Capped Prince/Princess ¨C A Prince/Princess of the First/Second Degree of the *Aixingo Empire, whose title can be passed down undiminished through successive generations. It is exceedingly rare for new Iron Caps to be bestowed; the vast majority are descendants of the companions of the *First Emperor.

    Iron Praetors ¨C The foremost agents of the *Cosmokrator, they collectively comprise the *Oblivion Court.

    Jaril Confederacy ¨C An ancient civilisation conquered by the *Aixingo Empire.

    Jaril (language) ¨C The native language of *Jaril people and the dominant language of *Yarkan.

    Jaril (people) ¨C The native people of *Yarkan, a branch of the *Yultengri.

    Karbaliq ¨C The ancient capital of the *Khagans of the *Jaril Confederacy on *Yarkan, now in ruins.

    Kavuktan Desert ¨C A major desert in the equatorial regions of *Yarkan, often referred to as the ¡°deep desert¡± owing to its depressed formation.

    Khagan ¨C The traditional title of the ruler of the *Jaril Confederacy, meaning *khan of kahns.

    Khan ¨C A high leader of the *Yultengri.

    Khatun ¨C The feminine equivalent of *Khagan, also used historically for the wives of Khagans.

    Kulkana ¨C The *Clanship that brought the *Jaril people to *Yarkan.

    Kurultai ¨C A inter-tribal council held among the *Jaril people to decide matters of collective importance, such as the elevation of a *Khagan.

    Lady Anu ¨C A little-known deity worshipped by the *Bards of *C¨¢erthand. Unusually, she is not an *Awakened Star.

    Lan He ¨C A world under direct administration of the *Aixingo Empire¡¯s central government, renowned for its gardens and beauty, it orbits the *Awakened Star *Gong Sheng Xing. It is the only place in the *Cosmos that *Heart Orchids grow.

    Limen Asterion ¨C A world of the *Eleftherian League.

    Living Stars ¨C See *Awakened Stars.

    Longque ¨C A world renowned for its swordsmiths and martial arts, it is an *Upper Banner world of the *Aixingo Empire.

    Lore-Keeper ¨C The *Jaril priestesses who preserve historic records in *Karbaliq, they are often seen as the feminine equivalent of the *Qamlar, though they have a more specialised role.

    Love Champions of a Princess Anachronism 3 ¨C A dating sim game set in the time of the *Sheng Hua Dynasty of the *Empire of the Nine Suns.

    Lower Five ¨C The Five *Banners of the *Aixingo Empire that have more autonomy and less connection to the *Emperor.

    Luanyuan ¨C A penal world covered in jungles; it is in the territory of the *Onyx Tortoise Banner of the *Aixingo Empire.

    This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.

    Luanyuan Planetary Development Corporation (LPDC) ¨C A company tasked with overseeing the post-terraforming development of *Luanyuan, mostly through convict labour.

    Lysandrine Commonwealth ¨C The vast interstellar civilisation once ruled by Lysander, formally the Commonwealth of Elysia.

    Mallam ¨C A title of respect used among the *Jaril, principally employed to address a *Qam.

    Manda ¨C Profound, indescribable understanding of the *Starflow ¨C its cultivation enhances *Resonance. Some believe that Manda is knowledge of the minds of the *Awakened Stars and that its cultivation is the path to *Theophany.

    Manticore ¨C A beast once thought to belong only to the mythology of *Susania, it has the face of a human, the body of a lion, and the tail of scorpion; these monsters have been employed in the *Host of Xerxes in its war against the *Eleftherian League.

    Master of the Long Road ¨C See *Nara Enduri.

    MAV ¨C A Mechanised Assault Vehicle, a generic term for machines that represent a fusion between power-armoured infantry and armoured vehicles.

    Mechanised Assault Vehicle ¨C See *MAV.

    Melusine Coven ¨C A largely extinct *Coven of the *witches of *Hecate.

    Miasma of Shadow ¨C The gestalt inter-life of the *witches of *Hecate, they are absorbed back into it after death and then born anew.

    Ministry of Civil Administration ¨C One of the most powerful branches of the government of the *Aixingo Empire, it overseas a huge variety of functions, including the *Resonance Bureau.

    Nara Enduri ¨C The *Awakened Star worshipped by the *Aixin, associated with prophecy. *Aixingo orbits it.

    New Elysia ¨C A planet ruled by the *Order of Astraios.

    Nine Suns ¨C The group of *Awakened Stars worshipped by the *Shang.

    Nox Aeterna ¨C A name for the fallen industrial world that orbits the *Oblivion Star, it is the throne world of the *Cosmokrator.

    Oblivion Court ¨C The collective term for the *Iron Praetors, presided over by the *Cosmokrator, it has never fully convened.

    Oblivion¡¯s Shadow ¨C See *Oblivion Star.

    Oblivion Star ¨C An *Awakened black hole.

    Oculus Coven ¨C A *Coven of the *witches of *Hecate that specialises in *Far-Scrying magic.

    Old Stars ¨C See *Nine Suns.

    Onyx Tortoise Banner ¨C One of the *Lower Five of the *Eight Banners of the *Aixingo Empire.

    Orbital Ring ¨C A common structure built around civilised planets, it allows starships to avoid atmospheric flight capabilities, relying on *STOCs to ferry passengers from the surface.

    Order of Astraios ¨C A chivalric order that worships the *Starflow collectively. It has both warrior and civilian members.

    Ouranos ¨C An archipelagic world of shallow seas, orbiting the *Awakened Star *Pythia, destroyed by the Cosmic leviathan Lotan.

    ?zg¨¹nyaylaq ¨C A ruined village outside of *Karbaliq.

    Planetary Governor ¨C An official of the *Aixingo Empire charged with governance of a specific planet, usually an *Aixin.

    Plaza of the Khagans ¨C The central square of *Karbaliq.

    Polis ¨C A city-state within the *Eleftherian League.

    Prince-Imperial ¨C The title of the heir to the *Emperor of *Aixingo.

    Pyrphoroi ¨C Legendary warriors of the *Eleftherian League, born from a dark bargain between the *archon Phaiston and the *Awakened Star *Enyallios.

    Pythia ¨C An *Awakened Star devoured by the *Cosmic leviathan, Lotan.

    Qamlar ¨C Singular Qam, the *Resonants and holy men among the *Jaril.

    Resonance ¨C The power to harness the *Starflow.

    Resonance Bureau ¨C See *Bureau of Resonance.

    Resonant ¨C A person with *Resonance.

    Ruin-Lord ¨C A term used by the *Jaril people to refer to the *First Emperor.

    Sanctum of Karbaliq ¨C The chamber deep below the *Grand Temple of *Karbaliq, it serves as the bridge of the *Clanship *Kulkana.

    Senate ¨C The oligarchic legislature of the *Republic of Eladia. Its seats are passed down through the elite families of the Republic.

    Serenissima, La ¨C The *Awakened Star around which *Eladia orbits, it is associated with prosperity, luck, and business acumen. It granted *Theophany to the *Doge of Eladia.

    Seven-Pointed Constellation ¨C The group of seven *Awakened Stars worshipped by the *Eleftherian League.

    Shang ¨C The major ethnic group of the *Aixingo Empire. Before the *Aixin conquest, they ruled the *Empire of the Nine Suns. Today, 80% of the Aixingo Empire¡¯s population is Shang.

    Shangxia ¨C A world of the *Onyx Tortoise Banner, it is heavily urbanised.

    Shangxia Jazz ¨C A music genre popular on *Shangxia, particularly in the planet¡¯s many nightclubs.

    Shangxia Planetary Technical University ¨C A major institute of higher learning on *Shangxia, specialising in science, technology, and engineering.

    Shah ¨C The ruler of the *Gathasian Empire.

    Shahrivar ¨C One part of the binary *Awakened Stars worshipped by the *Gathasian Empire.

    Sheng Hua Dynasty ¨C The first *Dynasty of the *Empire of the Nine Suns.

    Shepherd of Destiny ¨C See *Nara Enduri.

    Singgeri Arkan ¨C The *First Emperor¡¯s flagship during the Second Banner War (see *Banner Wars).

    Starflow ¨C A power that suffuses the *Cosmos. Some conscious beings can *Resonate with it and draw special powers from it, typically tied to a particular *Awakened Star.

    Starlift Elevator ¨C A structure that allows rapid transit from a planet¡¯s surface to its *Orbital Ring, avoiding the use of *STOCs.

    Star Nomads ¨C See *Yultengri.

    Starseer ¨C A *Resonant of *Nara Enduri with the power of foresight.

    Starship Amrita ¨C See *Amrita.

    Starflow Tempest ¨C The collective term for the anomalies left in the *Starflow, after the *First Emperor employed his *Theophany at *Yarkan.

    STOC ¨C A surface-to-orbit craft. Most starships are not designed for atmospheric entry, so these crafts ferry people from planetary surfaces to orbit.

    Supreme Admiral ¨C A rank assigned to the commander of a group of fleets of the *Aixingo Empire.

    Susania ¨C An ancient empire, now supplanted by the *Gathasian Empire.

    Taels ¨C The currency of the *Aixingo Empire, once a measure of silver, but now abstracted.

    Tengrita? Mountains ¨C A mountain range in the northern hemisphere of *Yarkan.

    Tempest ¨C See *Starflow Tempest.

    Theophant ¨C One who has received *Theophany, Theophants have immense, god-like power over the *Starflow, far exceeding that of ordinary *Resonants.

    Theophany ¨C A vision granted to a *Resonant by an *Awakened Star.

    Theophany Research Society (TRS) ¨C A clandestine organisation that funds research into the scientific understanding of *Theophany and the *Starflow.

    Twin Star Empire ¨C See *Gathasian Empire.

    U?armaz ¨C The *Jaril term literally meaning ¡°those for whom flight is impossible¡±; associated with the whispering dead of *Karbaliq.

    Unborn Emperor ¨C The creator deity of the *Cosmos, according to *Shang mythology; the *Nine Suns burn with his flame.

    Upper Three ¨C The three *Banners of the *Aixingo Empire that have direct ties to the *Emperor and the *Imperial Court, these Banners supply most of the highest Imperial officials and *Iron-Capped Princes.

    Verdant Standard Army ¨C The principal fighting force of the *Aixingo Empire, it is comprised of non-*Aixin ¨C principally *Shang ¨C soldiers. It is considered less prestigious than the armies of the *Eight Banners.

    Voidborn ¨C The soldiers of the *Host of Xerxes.

    Void Chimaera ¨C A monstrosity in the service of the *Host of Xerxes, it is assembled from the flesh of fallen *Voidborn soldiers by the *Corpse Reapers to continue fighting.

    West Gate Yamen ¨C The Planetary Governor¡¯s residence on *Shangxia.

    Witches ¨C The arcane race that inhabits the planet *Hecate, they are all female and all *Resonants, specifically of the *Witching Star, the *Awakened brown dwarf around which Hecate orbits. They have no nations, but form tight knit, clandestine groups known as *Covens.

    Witching Star ¨C The *Awakened Star around which the planet *Hecate orbits, it is a brown dwarf.

    White Gang ¨C A secret society and crime syndicate on *Shangxia.

    White Horse Alabey ¨C The clan of the *First Emperor of *Aixingo, predecessor of the *White Horse Banner.

    White Horse Banner ¨C One of the *Banners of the *Aixingo Empire, it is one of the *Upper Three.

    Wolf Totem ¨C A sacred object of the *Jaril Confederacy, its possession is needed to summon a *kurultai.

    Writhe ¨C One of the greatest of all the horrors of the *Host of Xerxes, the Writhe is a formless being of shadowy tendrils that feeds on the sanity of its victims and continually grows.

    Yarghun Company ¨C A major tourism and development company on *Yarkan.

    Yarghun Grand ¨C A major hotel in *Yengishahr.

    Yamen ¨C The residence of a *Planetary Govenor of the *Aixingo Empire.

    Yarkan ¨C A world of the *Onyx Tortoise Banner, inhabited by the *Jaril people.

    Yarkanese Falcon ¨C A genetically modified falcon brought to *Yarkan by the *Jaril aboard the *Clanship *Kulkana, it is said to be the fastest creature in the *Cosmos and is an important symbol of the Jaril people.

    Yengishahr ¨C The capital of *Yarkan.

    Yultengri ¨C The Star Nomads or People of the *Clanships.

    Zhouyuan 63 In-Atmosphere Armoured Transport ¨C An aerial transport employed by the *Verdant Standard Army and some other militaries, such as those of the *Eleftherian League. It is considered to be a dated design.

    <u>DRAMATIS PERSONAE</u>

    Notes: (1) While most characters are alphabetised by surname, Aixin characters are listed by first name, as they do not traditionally use surnames (all nominally adopt ¡®Aixin¡¯ as their surname). (2) Shang names are written with the surname first.

    Aixin Abahai, Prince ¨C Banner Lord of the Onyx Tortoise and Iron-Capped Prince of the First Degree.

    Alin of the Hala Ertu, Vice-Admiral ¨C Chief of Staff to the Supreme Admiral of the First Group of Fleets of the Aixingo Empire during the Second Banner War.

    Alingga Khan ¨C See Shixing Emperor.

    Alp ¨C A Jaril warrior fighting with Sayan Yinalqizi.

    Apollo ¨C A talking black cat and the captain of the Amrita.

    Arslan ¨C A Qam in training and tribal warrior of the Jaril.

    Artabanus ¨C The ambassador of the Susanian Empire to the Jaril Confederacy during the Second Banner War.

    Atilay Qam ¨C A Qam cooperating with the Yarghun Company in Karbaliq, he nonetheless maintains contact with allies of Toghrul Yarghunoghul.

    Bai Qiang ¨C The boss of the White Gang, known as Big Bai.

    Barchin ¨C A poet and Lore Keeper of Karbaliq, she lived at the time of the fall of Yarkan; after her death she manifests as the U?armaz known as the Veiled Lady.

    Barin ¨C A schoolboy from ?zg¨¹nyaylaq who died during the fall of Yarkan.

    Black Dragon ¨C A mysterious masked swordsman and Resonant, working as an agent of Bright Eyes.

    B?ri ¨C A dog kept by the schoolchildren of ?zg¨¹nyaylaq, he died during the fall of Yarkan.

    Bright Eyes ¨C Mu¡¯s mysterious benefactor.

    Buka Qam ¨C A Qam of the Falcon Totem Tribe and a close ally of Sayan Yinalqizi.

    Bukaqizi, Mrs ¨C A school teacher in ?zg¨¹nyaylaq who died during the fall of Yarkan.

    Buyaroghul, Sutay ¨C A shift manager in Yengishahr Spaceport¡¯s security department.

    Candle-Bearer, the ¨C An U?armaz who was once a Lore-Keeper of Karbaliq.

    Chang Xi ¨C A princess in Shang mythology whose Divine Lantern provided the flame that kindled the Nine Suns.

    Charlie ¨C Nova¡¯s robotic dog.

    Chen, Madam ¨C A patron of the Silver Moon lounge and a gambler.

    Cheng Wenlong ¨C Chief Magistrate of Yarkan.

    Chu, Ms ¨C A Resonance Bureau enforcement agent.

    Cosmokrator ¨C The Theophant of the Oblivion Star, it is an ancient war machine, built by a lost civilisation.

    Elyaroghul, Mr ¨C A driver on Yarkan.

    Fang ¨C The lead singer of the house band at Mr Wu¡¯s Jazz Lounge and Cocktails, a nightclub on Shangxia.

    Aixin Gorjin ¨C Mu¡¯s childhood friend and the son of Prince Aixin Mangg¨±ltai.

    Hua, Mrs ¨C The general manager of Mr Wu¡¯s Jazz Lounge and Cocktails, a nightclub on Shangxia.

    Ilg¨¹n ¨C A Jaril warrior of Sayan Yinalqizi¡¯s Falcon Totem Tribe.

    Jirgalang of Hala Borjigit ¨C A Resonance Bureau agent from the time of the First Emperor, who served as liaison to the Empire¡¯s First Group of Fleets during its invasion of the Jaril Confederacy.

    Khasarqizi, Ms ¨C A secretary of the Yarghun Company.

    Li Mingxia ¨C A concubine of the Planetary Governor of Shangxia, Aixin Yucheng, and an aspiring actress.

    Li, Mr ¨C A staff-member at Mr Wu¡¯s Jazz Lounge and Cocktails, a nightclub on Shangxia.

    Li, Ostara ¨C See Ostara.

    Li, Sergeant ¨C A Customs Bureau agent on Shangxia¡¯s Orbital Ring.

    Liang Zheng ¨C An academic with the rank of Assistant Professor of the Shangxia Planetary Technical University.

    Lin, Mr ¨C A dealer at the Silver Moon Lounge¡¯s gambling tables.

    Lin Anshun ¨C A fictional love interest in the game Love Champions of a Princess Anachronism 3.

    Liu Jing ¨C An accountant working with the White Gang.

    Locke, Tavian ¨C A travelling Bard and Resonant of a mysterious entity known as Lady Anu.

    Lotan ¨C A Cosmic leviathan that devours stars, also known as the Heliophage; one of the Iron Praetors.

    Lysander ¨C Once known as the Philosopher-King, he ruled a vast civilisation before embarking on the Black Pilgrimage and being remade as an Iron Praetor.

    Prince Aixin Mangg¨±ltai ¨C Chief retainer to Prince Aixin Ulu?un and father of Aixin Gorjin.

    Man of Beauty ¨C A diplomat and soldier of the Empire of the Nine Suns who visited Yarkan and made first contact between the Shang and Jaril.

    Matthias ¨C The six-winged raven familiar of Seraphina.

    Milos ¨C A superintelligent dolphin of the world Ouranos, that Mu encoutners in a dream

    Mu (Aixin Mukushen) ¨C A fugitive princess running from the Imperial authorities.

    Aixin Nikan ¨C Planetary Governor of Yarkan.

    Nyx, Kallistos ¨C The security chief aboard the Amrita, a former hoplite of the Eleftherian League.

    Orcalord ¨C The leader of Ouranos, a Resonant of Pythia.

    Ostara ¨C The first mate of the Amrita and its gardener, she also acts as a counsellor for the crew.

    Pan, Mr ¨C A people-smuggler on Shangxia.

    Reilly, Nova ¨C The Amrita¡¯s engineer (no formal qualifications), she is also a hacker and stowaway.

    Ruyin ¨C Mu¡¯s former lady-in-waiting, she is now an agent of Bright Eyes

    Seraphel ¨C A wraith-like entity that delights in the corruption and abasement of the noble and powerful; one of the Iron Praetors.

    Seraphina ¨C The Amrita¡¯s resident expert in the arcane, she is an exiled witch of Hecate.

    Shixing Emperor ¨C The current Emperor of Aixingo, also known by his Aixin name, Aixin Alingga Khan.

    Shu, Lieutenant ¨C A Customs Bureau agent on Shangxia¡¯s Orbital Ring.

    Su, Bolin ¨C A site overseer at Karbaliq, working for the Yarghun Company.

    Sutayoghul, Mr ¨C A pilot of Yarkan.

    Tangai ¨C A Jaril warrior fighting with Sayan Yinalqizi.

    Tender Hand ¨C See Ruyin.

    Tianyan Emperor ¨C The regnal title of the First Emperor of Aixingo.

    Toghrulqizi, Erkegul ¨C The daughter of Sayan Yinalqizi and Toghrul Yarghunoghul.

    Ulchuk ¨C A Jaril tribal leader and warrior allied with Sayan Yinalqizi.

    Aixin Ulu?un ¨C Minister for Civil Administration and Prince of the First Degree of the Aixingo Empire, he is an Iron-Capped Prince and the Banner Lord of the White Horse Banner.

    Unborn Emperor ¨C The creator of the Cosmos in Shang mythology.

    Wang, Mr ¨C A Resonance Bureau enforcement agent.

    Wei Jiang ¨C A gangster and underboss of the White Gang.

    Wu, Mr ¨C The owner of Mr Wu¡¯s Jazz Lounge and Cocktails, a nightclub on Shangxia.

    Xerxes ¨C A powerful interstellar warlord; one of the Iron Praetors.

    Xingyan ¨C A Starseer of the Bureau of Celestial Foresight and lover of Zhen Yan.

    Xu Jianyu ¨C A fictional love interest in the game Love Champions of a Princess Anachronism 3.

    Yao Zhi ¨C A landlady in Shangxia City, owner of an apartment on Onyx Tortoise Boulevard.

    Aixin Yucheng ¨C Planetary Governor of Shangxia.

    Yang Yuanyun ¨C A senior site manager of the Karbaliq development, working for the Yarghun Company.

    Yu Zhenfeng ¨C A fictional love interest in the game Love Champions of a Princess Anachronism 3.

    Yarghunoghul, Taghay ¨C A prominent businessman on Yarkan, he seeks to redevelop the ruins of Karbaliq as a tourist attraction. Brother of Ulduz Yarghunqizi and Toghrul Yarghunoghul.

    Yarghunoghul, Toghrul ¨C An archaeologist and activist. Brother of Taghay Yarghunoghul and Ulduz Yarghunqizi.

    Yarghunqizi, Ulduz ¨C A prominent businesswoman of Yarkan, sister of *Taghay Yarghunoghul and *Toghrul Yarghunoghul.

    Yinaloghul, Chinor ¨C A worker for the Yarghun Company at Karbaliq; secretly an ally of Toghrul Yarghunoghul. He is the brother of Sayan Yinalqizi.

    Yinalqizi, Sayan ¨C A prominent tribal leader and warrior of the nomadic Jaril.

    Yurhadan Khan ¨C See Yurhudan Khan.

    Yurhudan Khan ¨C The First Emperor of Aixingo ¨C name used before his ascendency.

    Yusminay ¨C A shift manager in Yengishahr Spaceport¡¯s security department.

    Zhang, Harry ¨C The bartender and chef aboard the Amrita.

    Zhao Linyi ¨C The fictional protagonist of the Love Champions of a Princess Anachronism series of games.

    Zhen Yan ¨C A shapeshifting Hulijing bounty hunter and favourite of Big Bai.

 Chapter XXXIII - Mei Xuelans Discordant Journey

    Chapter XXXIII ¨C Mei Xuelan¡¯s Discordant Journey

    Over a thousand lightyears from her homeworld of Euthelion, the voice of the popstar Psyche belted out a rousing anthem across the brightly lit mallscape of Yuntu-9. The cosmic gulf between Euthelion and Yuntu-9 belied the similarities of both worlds ¨C both were places where the expediencies of commerce had smoothed down every sharp edge, and shined every dull surface to gleam with pleasing and inoffensive light. Such a palace of consumption as Yuntu-9¡¯s Star Junction Mall needed to be a comfortable place for people to spend their taels, and both the precisely maintained temperature, and the precisely produced sound of Psyche served to produce just such an elegant symphony of comfortable and glittering blandness.

    Nova appeared to be in two minds about all this.

    ¡°This is her new single!¡± she had exclaimed when Psyche¡¯s voice first sounded.

    ¡°Whose exactly?¡± asked Tavian.

    ¡°Psyche¡¯s!¡± proclaimed Nova, as if slightly confused by the sheer idiocy of the question. ¡°She¡¯s amazing.¡±

    ¡°Sure,¡± said Tavian, making minimal effort to mask just how disingenuous the word was.

    ¡°Aren¡¯t you supposed to be a musician?¡±

    ¡°I am,¡± he said, then added, ¡°Supposed to be.¡±

    ¡°Then how do you not know Psyche?¡± asked Nova, indignantly, ¡°She¡¯s the biggest artist in the Cosmos.¡±

    ¡°Sounds like she¡¯s out of the league of a humble Bard like me.¡±

    ¡°You betcha she is,¡± said Nova, then belatedly added, ¡°No offense.¡±

    ¡°Good save,¡± remarked Harry.

    They were making their way listlessly along the bright halls of Star Junction. For his part, Tavian was only vaguely paying attention to their surrounds. In his head he was playing around with some lyrics that had come to him half-formed as he woke that morning. Try as he might, he couldn¡¯t quite find the right rhyme, though he liked the first line.

    Psyche was having no such trouble: ¡°This is my emergence, breaking through the night; unfolding every moment, wings of endless light!¡± she declared in an uplifting and largely nonsensical fashion.

    Tavian lost his train of thought.

    ¡°You know,¡± murmured Nova, ¡°None of this was here last time I visited Yuntu-9. I remember it being a much¡­ grimier place.¡±

    ¡°Can¡¯t stop the march of progress,¡± said Harry.

    ¡°Reminds me of Shangxia¡¯s orbital ring,¡± remarked Mingxia.

    ¡°Yet somehow, even more soulless,¡± added Tavian.

    ¡°I dunno, I have a soft spot for places like this,¡± said Harry. ¡°You know when you¡¯re in a place like this that there are a billion identical places across the Cosmos, so it¡¯s like being nowhere¡­ it¡¯s almost a liminal vibe, but weirdly comforting.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s one way of looking at it,¡± said Tavian.

    ¡°I do kinda get what Harry means,¡± said Nova, ¡°But I do miss the old Yuntu-9.¡±

    ¡°You are far too young to be complaining about missing the old days,¡± said Tavian.

    Nova frowned at him. ¡°Hey, I¡¯m almost twenty!¡± she exclaimed.

    ¡°My point stands.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t act high and mighty just ¡®cause you¡¯re older,¡± said Mingxia. ¡°Nova¡¯s a seasoned traveller, despite her age. Plus! Just think, to Seraphina all of us probably seem the same age.¡±

    ¡°Yeah!¡± said Nova with a victorious tone. ¡°What she said.¡±

    Tavian didn¡¯t care enough to push the argument. ¡°So, what was Yuntu-9 like¡­ y¡¯now, back in your day¡­ granny?¡±

    Nova considered a moment, apparently ignoring the last part. ¡°Mainly spaceship wreckers and miners, a few robotics workshops. It was a great place to get parts,¡± said Nova. ¡°That¡¯s why I thought we should come here. My baby girl needs some new accessories.¡±

    ¡°Is there anything left of the original Amrita?¡± asked Tavian.

    ¡°Of course!¡± said Nova, ¡°But that doesn¡¯t mean she doesn¡¯t like a few additions every now and then. I never replace any of her core components, just peripheral stuff ¨C y¡¯know, to give her that extra edge. Lately the Cap¡¯s had me work on boosting the ¡®Rita¡¯s deep space comms systems. I managed to get pretty good fidelity at even a thousand light-years.¡±

    ¡°How do you test that?¡± asked Harry.

    ¡°Bounce a message off a deep space relay station at five hundred light-years, see how the message is when you get it back,¡± said Nova. ¡°Of course, you need to request the station not undertake any signal enhancement.¡±

    ¡°Of course,¡± said Harry. ¡°Makes sense. Why¡¯d the Captain have you do that?¡±

    Nova shrugged. ¡°He doesn¡¯t usually explain his reasons. Although I noticed something cool ¨C the ¡®Rita¡¯s Starflow-based systems were automatically communicating with the conventional systems and further bolstering comms range ¨C seemingly using Starflow Filaments to do so. The Cap was pretty pleased with that. She¡¯s a clever girl, my Amrita.¡±

    ¡°Sounds cool,¡± said Tavian, insincerely. ¡°And you think we¡¯ll find anyone selling fancy Starflow parts here?¡±

    ¡°Probably not Starflow-based tech,¡± said Nova, ¡°But besides the Cap¡¯s projects, I¡¯ve got some enhancements of my own in mind.¡±

    ¡°You really think we¡¯ll find any parts here?¡± asked Tavian, casting a sceptical eye from a fried chicken outlet to a vendor of expensive streetwear.

    ¡°I¡¯ll admit, the vibe isn¡¯t what I was expecting,¡± said Nova, ¡°But, I still reckon all the old Yuntu stuff is still here, just hiding under all¡­ this.¡±

    Tavian was about to say more, when Nova continued.

    ¡°Plus, I wanna buy some stuff for Mu and Ser-bear.¡±

    ¡°Despite the fact neither of them wanted to come here with you,¡± remarked Harry.

    Nova shrugged. ¡°They just need some help sometimes. And they need some new outfits.¡±

    Tavian saw Harry look Nova up and down. She was dressed in her standard ensemble.

    ¡°You on the other hand¡­¡± said Harry.

    ¡°I have heaps of outfits.¡±

    ¡°Sure. Well, at least if we¡¯re going shopping, I¡¯ll be here to provide some fashion advice.¡±

    ¡°Thank the Stars!¡± said Tavian. ¡°I¡¯m sure Mu and Seraphina were getting worried they wouldn¡¯t be able to dress like alcoholic dandies.¡±

    Harry gave him a disdainful look, ¡°Like I¡¯m the only alcoholic on board.¡±

    ¡°Oooh, and I need to get them swimsuits,¡± said Nova, ignoring the others. ¡°I don¡¯t think Mu¡¯s even gone to the Amrita¡¯s pool yet.¡±

    ¡°Has Seraphina even been to the pool?¡± asked Tavian.

    ¡°I pick my battles,¡± said Nova, ¡°But I¡¯ve also just about convinced the Cap and Ostara to agree to taking us to Whaitere after we are finished on Luanyuan. And if that happens, I¡¯m not even letting Sera stay behind.¡±

    ¡°Whaitere?¡± asked Harry. ¡°I used to work there.¡±

    ¡°How am I only just hearing about this now?¡± asked Nova. ¡°I¡¯ve always wanted to go. Is it amazing?¡±

    ¡°Yeah,¡± said Harry, ¡°Pretty much.¡±

    ¡°Wow¡­¡± said Nova, her eyes now far away.

    ¡°I don¡¯t think I¡¯m familiar with Whaitere,¡± said Tavian.

    ¡°Me neither,¡± added Mingxia.

    ¡°It¡¯s a world of coral reefs and islands and beaches and jungles¡ª¡±

    ¡°Aren¡¯t we just about to go to a world covered in jungles?¡± asked Tavian.

    ¡°No, but Luanyuan¡¯s sound scary. These are nice jungles. Chill jungles,¡± said Nova.

    ¡°Right,¡± said Tavian. ¡°Well, I¡¯m happy to cast my vote for that as our next destination. We could probably all use some downtime. Whatever awaits us on Luanyuan will probably only make that more the case.¡±

    ¡°I wonder if anyone I know is still there¡­¡± murmured Harry.

    ¡°On Luanyuan?¡± asked Tavian. ¡°You know many criminals?¡±

    ¡°On Whaitere,¡± snapped Harry.

    ¡°Probably. You guys need to back me up,¡± said Nova. ¡°You too, Mingxia.¡±

    ¡°Er¡­ well, I was kinda planning on leaving here,¡± said Mingxia, her eyes downcast.

    ¡°Oh¡­ right,¡± said Nova, sadly.

    ¡°Yeah¡­¡± said Mingxia. Tavian thought she looked like she wanted to say more, but instead she fell silent.

    ¡°Well, we will give you a good send-off before we depart for Luanyuan,¡± said Harry.

    ¡°I look forward to it,¡± said Mingxia, giving a smile.

    ¡°If we ever finish doing whatever we¡¯re doing here,¡± said Tavian.

    ¡°Parts for the Amrita! Outfits for the ladies! We can even get party supplies,¡± said Nova, holding up her fist and raising a finger with each item.

    ¡°Party supplies?¡± said Harry, ¡°What party supplies? We¡¯ve got enough booze on board to euthanise a leviathan.¡±

    Nova shrugged. ¡°I dunno, funny hats?¡±

    ¡°True,¡± said Harry, ¡°Those are important.¡±

    ¡°Damn straight,¡± said Nova.

    Meanwhile, Mu had in fact left the Amrita, but she had wandered the brightly lit halls of Yuntu-9 alone. It had not been her intention to deceive the others ¨C she had fully intended to stay aboard. But the shimmer of foresight had flickered across her consciousness. Something intriguing and troubling beckoned her.

    Not knowing what she was looking for, she wandered through the sanitised gleam of modernity, casting her eyes about. And casting her mind about. Where had that shimmer gone? That quiet call at the periphery of her consciousness?

    She was reminded of when she first wandered alone through the streets of Shangxia, waiting for a sign of what to do next, where to go. Then she had been truly alone, but this time she could always turn back and be welcomed into the warm glow of the Amrita. It seemed like a lifetime ago, but in truth the time since could be measured in weeks. How far she had come from the ornate halls and magnificent gardens of the Imperial Palace.

    With no destination in mind and no purpose but to pursue the shimmer, she paused at a wide window. Outside, the rocky surface of an asteroid bent away from her, the infinite expanse of the Cosmos presenting a dizzying vista beyond. Even with the bright lights of Yuntu-9¡¯s Star Junction, the view of the stars, unmediated by a planetary atmosphere, was a thing to behold. One she had seldom seen in the first two decades of her life.

    She felt it again. She looked away from the impossibly distant points of light across the glass. The crowds bustled, a thousand conversations mingled into an undifferentiated hubbub of trivialities and pleasantries. It was a long way not just from the Imperial Court, but from the desperate struggle she had participated in on Yarkan. It was difficult to conceive that the sand-blasted ruins of Karbaliq and this temple of commerce were both parts of the same empire.

    Something beckoned her forward. What and to where she still did not know, but she followed nonetheless.

    But the scent faded again, and even though she probed the Starflow, it once again eluded her.

    She had faith, though, that it would come again.

    Absent any greater immediate purpose, she stopped to buy a pearl tea.

    Passing a mirrored column, she caught her distorted reflection on its rounded surface. Dressed in contemporary clothes, she certainly did not look the part of a princess of the White Horse Banner. Just a bored twenty-something girl sipping some sweet tea, window shopping aimlessly. She took another sip and a pearl got caught in her throat. She coughed and spluttered a little, but the tapioca slid smoothly down her throat, ending the momentary discomfort.

    The distraction meant she was startled when a loud sound erupted next to her. But it was just a passer-by laughing at a friend¡¯s joke. Normalcy dominated here.

    She continued on.

    Until normalcy no longer dominated.

    A hand tapped her gently, but urgently on the shoulder. She turned. A young man in an immaculately tailored suit was standing next to her.

    ¡°Follow me, please,¡± he said.

    She glanced around.

    ¡°Quickly.¡±

    She probed the future. This was it. What it was remained unclear, but she sensed it was safe to follow the man. Safer than the alternative.

    She nodded and he led her down a service corridor that branched off the main mall. The security-protected door at the end of the corridor (¡®Staff Only¡¯) slid open when they approached, and soon they were in a far more utilitarian space than the carefully curated blandness of Star Junction¡¯s public spaces.

    ¡°Who are you?¡± she asked.

    ¡°That¡¯s not important,¡± said the man, ¡°Do you trust me?¡±

    She considered a moment. Her future did not contain immediate danger. But something did trouble her.

    She nodded nonetheless.

    ¡°You have grown more attuned to your special gift,¡± said the man. ¡°But if you must address me, you can call me Mr Liu.¡±

    ¡°Pleased to meet you¡­ Mr Liu,¡± said Mu. ¡°You know who I am?¡±

    He nodded, as she knew he would. Sometimes she still did not feel her foresight was real. She had to test it.

    ¡°Why did you bring me here?¡± she asked.

    ¡°About fifty metres behind you were a man and woman known as Mr Wang and Ms Chu. I believe you know them.¡±

    Her eyes widened.

    ¡°The Resonance Bureau agents? From Shangxia?¡±

    Mr Liu nodded.

    ¡°I thought they were called off,¡± she said.

    ¡°Your patron has ensured they will not hunt you with such fervour as once they did. Still, it is safer to give them a wide berth. The Resonance Bureau¡¯s eyes are ever watchful,¡± he said.

    He paused.

    Then he continued, conspiratorially, ¡°But though the Resonance Bureau¡¯s eyes are many and watchful, they are not so bright as to illuminate the Long Road.¡±

    ¡°You work for Bright Eyes?¡± asked Mu.

    Mr Liu nodded.

    ¡°Does he require something of me?¡±

    He shook his head. ¡°He only wishes to assure you that though he has not communicated with you since you departed Shangxia, you remain important to him. And he wished for me to provide advice.¡±

    This is it, she thought.

    ¡°You have many friends, Princess Mukushen,¡± he said, ¡°Yet not all who portray themselves as such may truly be. Though Bright Eyes has sought to keep word of your special talent quiet, many are now aware of it.¡±

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    Mu frowned. ¡°What special talent? I¡¯m a Resonant, sure. But I am not remarkable, surely? I don¡¯t know what you will tell me; I¡¯m not like Bright Eyes. There are hundreds of thousands of Starseers in the Empire, many far more powerful than I am.¡±

    ¡°You underestimate your talent,¡± said Mr Liu, ¡°The Master of the Long Road has not yet revealed much to you, but in time They will, if you allow it.¡±

    ¡°I need to cultivate¡­ Manda?¡± asked Mu.

    ¡°That is how some refer to it,¡± said Mr Liu, ¡°You must learn to recognise the unique Resonance of the Master. Then more will be revealed to you than ever you imagined possible. All things are revealed to the mind of Nara Enduri.¡±

    ¡°My dreams? I dream of ruin, past and present,¡± said Mu.

    ¡°That is part of it, yet you lack clarity to connect these things. That does not mean they are unconnected.¡±

    ¡°Nara Enduri granted Theophany to the First Emperor,¡± said Mu, ¡°I witnessed on Yarkan what was wrought with that power.¡±

    Mr Liu nodded slowly. ¡°Bright Eyes said you have conversed with the Emperor. You have witnessed the Machine Lord, have you not?¡±

    ¡°I know of the Praetors and the Cosmokrator, if that is what you mean,¡± said Mu, ¡°I know that is the justification the Emperor used¡­ for everything.¡±

    ¡°You must have faith in the Master of the Long Road,¡± said Mr Liu.

    ¡°I could have a little more faith if everyone stopped being so damned mysterious all the time,¡± said Mu, frustration fuelling her sharpened tone.

    ¡°The future is fragile,¡± said Mr Liu. ¡°Bright Eyes dearly wishes he could reveal more to you.¡±

    ¡°So I keep hearing. But I cannot reconcile what I witnessed on Yarkan with supporting the First Emperor¡¯s¡­ project.¡±

    Mr Liu sighed. ¡°It is the curse of all those who have been given the gift of foresight that in order to achieve great things they should need to commit acts that might be judged harshly by those without the vision.¡±

    ¡°Then, am I to take it that Bright Eyes supports the First Emperor? I thought¡­ I thought that, in resisting my father, he resisted¡­ the Empire¡¯s tyranny.¡±

    ¡°The Empire is vast and not all those who claim to serve it walk the Long Road, which runs straight and narrow from the Beginning to the End of All Things. The gift of Theophany is fading, but a new era of Theophany shall begin in time. Its dawn is not far off.¡±

    ¡°What if there are other ways of resisting the Praetors?¡± asked Mu. ¡°What if there are ways that do not involve genocide and oppression of however many quintillions of innocent people?¡±

    ¡°I would urge you¡ª Bright Eyes would urge you ¨C not to underestimate the ambition of others who have the gift. They will do terrible things to achieve their aims, just as the First Emperor did. The right choice ¨C the choice that keeps you on the Long Road ¨C is seldom the easy one. We would not consider those who make the right choices heroes, if those choice were easy.¡±

    ¡°Are you talking about Apollo? What terrible things has he done? He guides the Amrita. We saved Mingxia on Shangxia. We helped the Jaril fight for their freedom on Yarkan¡­¡±

    ¡°How much do you know of this Apollo?¡±

    ¡°I know he¡¯s never committed genocide.¡±

    ¡°Oh? And you are confident he will never take such drastic measures.¡±

    ¡°He isn¡¯t the Emperor,¡± replied Mu.

    ¡°No, that he isn¡¯t,¡± said Mr Liu.

    ¡°And if he¡¯s so bad¡­ why did Bright Eyes guide me to him in the first place?¡±

    ¡°I could not speak to the reasons for that. Bright Eyes has not enlightened me as to his reasoning. I will be concise. The Starship Amrita will soon voyage to Lan He to attend the Heart Orchid Festival. Bright Eyes will speak to you in person there. He will answer many of your questions more satisfactorily and with greater eloquence than I can muster. Until such time you must have faith ¨C even through the trials yet to come.¡±

    ¡°Yet to come? What awaits us on Luanyuan? I¡¯ve sensed something,¡± said Mu.

    ¡°A great seed of ruin has been planted on Luanyuan,¡± said Mr Liu. ¡°You must be careful not to germinate it.¡±

    ¡°Cryptic. Very helpful. Love it,¡± said Mu.

    ¡°I am sorry I cannot speak with more clarity.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sure,¡± said Mu, bitterly. ¡°Can you tell me one thing: is it one of these Praetors?¡±

    Mr Liu considered. ¡°Luanyuan is certainly a world touched by the Praetors. But what you have sensed ¨C it is not a Praetor. Though you should be no less cautious because of that fact.¡±

    Mu felt like she was losing her mind. Why could no one speak simply and directly?

    ¡°So, what am I to do now?¡± asked Mu.

    Mr Liu appeared to choose his words carefully. ¡°Continue on your present course. But be wary at all times. Probe the Starflow, accept the gifts of the Master. Be cautious of the motives of those around you. Bright Eyes will reveal more to you on Lan He. Until such time he wishes only to reassure you that you are not alone.¡±

    Mu was about to protest, but thought better of it. There was no point.

    ¡°Fine,¡± she said, ¡°Then may I ask how Ruyin is?¡± she asked.

    ¡°Tender Hand is safe and is a loyal agent of Bright Eyes,¡± replied Mr Liu. ¡°I believe it is Bright Eyes¡¯ intention that she too shall be present on Lan He for the Heart Orchid Festival.¡±

    Mu gave a small smile. ¡°I¡¯m glad. Is that it?¡±

    He nodded. ¡°For now.¡±

    Mu looked back up the corridor they¡¯d come down. She gestured over her shoulder. ¡°Have our friends from the Resonance Bureau passed?¡±

    ¡°I believe so, though they will not be far. They have had you under close surveillance since you set foot on Yuntu-9. You would do well to return to your ship for the time being. They will not follow you to Luanyuan.¡±

    Mu sipped her tea, almost forgotten until that moment. ¡°I didn¡¯t like this place anyway.¡±

    Mei Xuelan was proud of herself. All day she had attended to her homework, studiously working through her mathematics and Music programs. Mother and Father would be very impressed, she just knew it. She looked over at Xixi. They sat watching Xuelan as she worked, slumped unmoving against the pillows of her bed. Father had told her that Xixi would be less talkative if she kept taking her medication. That made her a little sad, but she knew it made Father happy when she did what she was told, so she took her medication. Today that was a source of pride too ¨C she¡¯d remembered to take it, even without anyone asking.

    Besides, though she loved Xixi as dearly as ever she had, her truest desire was that her family would be happy and safe.

    That had been hard back home on Moyang of late. That was why Father had said they had to leave. Leave for a whole new world. He told her they could be happy together on this new world. It had a strange name. A name Xuelan had never heard before: Luanyuan.

    It was a natural world, he had told her. Far from the cruel people who had tormented them back on Moyang. Here they would all be able to practice their Music, to work on becoming better Players in the Orchestra.

    Xuelan didn¡¯t understand much about any of that ¨C even when she had asked Mother and Father why people were so cruel, their answers had not made sense to her. People on Moyang didn¡¯t hear the Music: instead they pursued Discordance. They worshipped other gods, Father had said. He told her that people who worshipped different gods couldn¡¯t get along, but that didn¡¯t make sense ¨C she knew people on Moyang worshipped many different gods. Nara Enduri and Fu Lu Xing, and many others, besides. Those people seemed to get along. But Xuelan couldn¡¯t deny the cruelty she had seen towards her family, towards others who sought to enter the Orchestra.

    But she wouldn¡¯t need to worry about that on Luanyuan. On their new homeworld there were many people who heard the Music.

    That sounded good to Xuelan, though she had missed her old bedroom on Moyang. It wasn¡¯t much, but it was hers. Starships seemed scary.

    But at least she had Mother and Father with her. And Xixi, too!

    So, she did what she was told. She wanted Mother and Father to be happy, so she did her best not to be a Discordant child. She did her homework and took her medication.

    And today she did it all on her own, even without anyone watching over her. Today, everyone was distracted. They were getting close to Luanyuan, Mother had told her. They had to be careful. Some bad people might try to stop them joining the other Players on the surface.

    Right now, though, Xuelan wanted to tell her parents about how hard she had worked. It was getting lonely in her room. Besides, it would make them happy to hear what a good girl she had been.

    She picked up Xixi.

    ¡°We¡¯re going to find Mother and Father,¡± she declared to them. Xixi¡¯s eyes stared back impassively, their soft limbs hanging over her arms.

    No arguments from Xixi!

    She went to her door and pressed a button on the panel. It slid open. Outside the corridor was empty. The windows were dark. She could see no stars outside when they were making the Jump. In truth, the corridor was a little creepy. But Mother and Father were never far on this small starship. Glancing around nervously, her and Xixi set out to find them.

    She stopped at the entrance to the lounge. Sometimes Mother and Father practiced their Music in there. Not today, though she could see their Instruments.

    She continued on.

    She reached the front of the starship. The door wouldn¡¯t open for her, so she pressed the button beside it.

    ¡°Hello?¡± she said, unsure.

    A moment of pause. ¡°Xuelan? You should be studying.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve done lots of study, Mother.¡±

    Another pause.

    Then the door opened.

    Beyond were Mother and Father and Captain Wen and Mrs Wen. They all looked very busy and serious. Mother had walked over to the door as Xuelan stepped tentatively inside.

    ¡°Have you finished today¡¯s programs?¡± asked Mother.

    Xuelan nodded enthusiastically.

    ¡°Yep,¡± she answered, ¡°Xixi saw me. I did them all.¡±

    Mother smiled, glancing back at the others. Then she returned her gaze to Xuelan.

    ¡°We are very busy at the moment,¡± she said.

    ¡°Because we¡¯re almost at Luanyuan?¡± asked Xuelan.

    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡±

    ¡°Are the bad people here?¡±

    Mother shook her head. ¡°We don¡¯t know,¡± she said. ¡°But we have to be careful. Maybe you should go back to your room for now. We¡¯ll come and get you when we know it¡¯s safe for us to land on Luanyuan.¡±

    ¡°But I¡¯ve been in my room all day!¡± protested Xuelan. ¡°I¡¯m bored.¡±

    Her Father turned. ¡°Do not be Discordant,¡± he snapped. Then something else seemingly occurred to him, ¡°Have you taken your medication?¡±

    ¡°I have, Father!¡± she said. ¡°I was good. I am not being Discordant.¡±

    He sighed, about to speak again, when Mother cut him off. ¡°Dear, everyone needs to concentrate. We can talk plenty on Luanyuan. You won¡¯t ever be lonely there.¡±

    Xuelan nodded. ¡°Okay, Mother,¡± she said.

    ¡°Have you checked on the bees?¡± Mother asked.

    The bees!

    Oh no! I was so busy with my programs; I forgot to check on the bees.

    Truth be told, the hive mostly looked after itself, but Mother had told her at the start of the trip that it was her job to look after the bees, and Xuelan took the job very seriously.

    ¡°I will go make sure they¡¯re alright,¡± said Xuelan.

    ¡°That¡¯s a good girl,¡± said Mother.

    With that, she ushered Xuelan out into the corridor and the door slid shut.

    Alone again.

    She dutifully made her way back down the ship. She tried her best not to be grumpy with Mother and Father. To have kind thoughts. They did their best.

    Entering another room, the hive revealed itself. The bees were buzzing about it industriously. Working. Always working. Never Discordant.

    I bet the bees are never lonely, thought Xuelan.

    The bees looked fine.

    They always were.

    With nothing else for it, Xuelan pulled up a seat and sat, watching the bees, Xixi in her lap. Despite her mood ¨C which had turned quickly from pride to disappointment ¨C the movements of the fuzzy insects were mesmerising. She liked the little dances they did on flowers when collecting pollen. When she watched them flying about, it seemed to her that there were patterns in their flight. Patterns only she could see.

    But then again, there were many things that only she could see. That¡¯s what Father told her. He said no one else could see Xixi talk. He said she was too old to carry Xixi around, like a small child. It was true, others her age on Moyang didn¡¯t have any such toys. But she was not like those other kids, and Xixi was no mere toy.

    It wasn¡¯t just Xixi who talked to her either.

    The night before they had left Moyang, she had been grumpy. She had allowed her emotions to become Discordant. Storming out of the house and yelling at Mother and Father, she had found herself sitting hidden behind the stand of sassafras trees at the edge of the garden, her knees pulled up to her chest, her arms wrapped around them. She had dearly wished she had brought Xixi with her, but she had left in such a huff that this thought only occurred afterwards, when she had time to calm down.

    She sniffled, wiping away angry tears as she sat. She didn¡¯t want to leave Moyang, leave behind everything she knew. Even the thought of never seeing these sassafras trees again troubled her greatly. They were nothing special, but they were so achingly familiar that it seemed somehow wrong for her never to see them again.

    Some part of her knew she was being unreasonable. Some part knew she had allowed Discord to creep in. But right in that moment she didn¡¯t much care. Why couldn¡¯t Mother and Father just stand up to the bad people? Wasn¡¯t that what you were meant to do with bullies?

    It was as she was having these thoughts that the black cat had emerged from the nearby bushes, quietly padding towards her. She didn¡¯t notice it at first, but it came to a halt in front of her, raising its amber gaze to meet hers. She wiped away the tears, blinking as she looked at the creature. Such a cute cat. And someone had put a little bowtie on it!

    She smiled.

    ¡°Hello,¡± she said.

    To her surprise, the cat replied. ¡°Hello, Mei Xuelan.¡±

    Had she forgotten to take her medication in her fit of pique?

    ¡°You can talk,¡± said Xuelan.

    ¡°I can.¡±

    ¡°Are you real?¡±

    ¡°To the best of my knowledge.¡±

    ¡°Father says I see and hear things that aren¡¯t real.¡±

    ¡°Maybe you just have better eyes and ears,¡± said the cat.

    ¡°Do you think so?¡± she asked.

    Did cats shrug? It appeared this one did.

    But he added more.

    ¡°It can be hard to be different,¡± said the cat. ¡°But it is usually for a reason that some of us carry such burdens. You are important, Mei Xuelan.¡±

    ¡°But I¡¯m no one,¡± she protested. ¡°I can¡¯t even choose which planet I live on.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t want to go to Luanyuan?¡±

    She shook her head vigorously. Then something occurred to her. ¡°Wait, how do you know about Luanyuan?¡±¡¯

    ¡°How do I know your name?¡± said the cat.

    ¡°Yeah!¡± said Xuelan. ¡°How do you?¡±

    ¡°I know a lot,¡± said the cat. ¡°It¡¯s what makes me different.¡±

    She thought about that. Knowing a lot of things would be useful. Life was easier when you knew things. But seeing things? Hearing things? No one ever listened when she told them about those things. Everyone ¨C Father, Mother, everyone ¨C just told her they weren¡¯t real.

    ¡°I¡¯m not different in a good way,¡± said Xuelan.

    ¡°It may be hard to see now,¡± said the cat, ¡°But there will come a day when the things you do will be very important to a great many people.¡±

    ¡°Oh,¡± she said.

    That actually sounded a little bit scary. But maybe that was good. Becoming a Player in the Orchestra was all about helping others. Working together. So scary or not, it must be a good thing.

    She felt a little bit happier.

    ¡°Do I need to do something?¡± she asked.

    The cat tilted his head to one side. ¡°You need to go to Luanyuan.¡±

    She sighed, wiping away more tears. ¡°I know,¡± she said, gazing down at her knees. ¡°But I¡¯m scared.¡±

    ¡°Of course you are,¡± said the cat. ¡°But that¡¯s to be expected. Leaving the only home you know is scary. But that doesn¡¯t make it a bad thing to do, does it? Where would the Cosmos be if no one ever did anything that scared them?¡±

    She thought about that too. She guessed he was right.

    ¡°I¡¯m going to go back to Mother and Father,¡± she said. ¡°Do you want to come and meet them? Oh, and Xixi, too?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Xuelan,¡± said the cat. ¡°I can¡¯t stay much longer. But it was nice meeting you. Remember what I said.¡±

    ¡°I will,¡± she said.

    Before her eyes, he dissolved into nothingness.

    Her shoulders slumped a little.

    Does that mean he wasn¡¯t real after all?

    Real or not, though, she was sure his words had been wise. She rose to her feet trudged back home.

    Remembering this conversation, she thought back to that cat, wondered where he was now. He had seemed nice. It was too bad he couldn¡¯t stay longer.

    One thing that had solidified itself in her mind since then, though, was that she was sure he had been real. Somehow her conversation with him had been different, even to the conversations she had with Xixi. She was ever surer of it. This thought pleased her. It strengthened her resolve to be a good girl and try not to cause trouble for Mother and Father on this trip to Luanyuan.

    She held up Xixi and looked into their blank eyes.

    ¡°At least you¡¯re with me,¡± she said.

    They were silent.

    That was okay. She¡¯d had her medication not long ago. It was to be expected that Xixi would be less talkative.

    She turned to the bees.

    Still buzzing, still working.

    Then everything shook.

    Just for a moment.

    Xuelan sprung to her feet and looked around. A few things had fallen down. The bees were now buzzing about angrily, their routine disturbed.

    ¡°What was that, Xixi?¡± she asked.

    Her eyes continued to scan the room. But nothing in that room revealed the cause of that sudden tremor. Slowly, cautiously, she went to sit down, still eyeing her surrounds suspiciously.

    But no sooner had she sat, than it happened again, this time much more violently. Her chair went out from under her and she went sprawling to the floor, hitting her head painfully. She let out a sharp cry and her hand shot to the place her head had struck the floor.

    Xixi lay crumpled a short distance away.

    She reached out and grabbed them, hugging them to her chest and kissing their head tenderly.

    ¡°Sorry, Xixi,¡± she said. ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to drop you.¡±

    Another smaller tremor went through the ship.

    Xuelan leapt to her feet, ignoring the pain in her head and a new pain she was just noticing now in her right elbow. Something bad was happening. Maybe Mother and Father needed help.

    She paused.

    Mother had told her not to distract them.

    Maybe this was all just part of the normal process of landing on Luanyuan.

    Another violent shake.

    No, she decided. We¡¯re going to see them.

    She took a deep breath and hugged Xixi tightly to her chest.

    Be brave, Xuelan, she told herself.

    With that she left the room and headed to the front of the ship. She had to brace herself as more tremors shook the vessel, but she managed to stay on her feet, bracing against the wall as necessary, but always holding onto Xixi with one hand.

    She reached the door to the cockpit and pressed the button once more to gain entrance.

    The door opened.

    ¡°What¡¯s happening, Mother?¡± she asked. ¡°Is it the bad people, tyring to stop us getting to Luanyuan?¡±

    ¡°We can¡¯t talk now, Xuelan,¡± replied her Mother. ¡°Just go to your room. It¡¯ll be safe there.¡±

    In front of Mother, Captain Wen, Father and Mrs Wen were talking.

    ¡°Where¡¯s it gone?¡± asked Mrs Wen.

    ¡°I¡¯ve lost sight of it,¡± growled Captain Wen, his eyes alternating between his instruments, and the glass windows that looked out into the Cosmos.

    ¡°We should keep heading for Luanyuan,¡± insisted Father. ¡°It¡¯s not like we can fight it, anyway.¡±

    The ship shuddered again.

    ¡°There it is!¡± shouted Mrs Wen, pointing at one of the rear viewfinders.

    From where she was, Xuelan saw something strange move quickly across the display. They must have disengaged the Jump Drive, because it was illuminated by bright sunlight (Luanyuan¡¯s sun?). It appeared to be long and covered in what looked to be almost feathery wings. It moved swiftly, but gracefully and appeared to be in many different covers.

    ¡°What is that?¡± she asked.

    ¡°Never mind,¡± insisted Mother, quietly, her own eyes scanning the displays and not looking Xuelan¡¯s way.

    The ship shook again, this time more violently than ever before. Xuelan barely managed to avoid falling over. Captain Wen was thrown from his seat. Groaning, he pulled his way back up.

    Then a strange sound rang out through the cockpit. It sounded like a high choral note and bells and chimes and harp strings all at once, seemingly coming from every direction simultaneously. It was over after barely a second had passed.

    ¡°What was that!?¡± yelled father.

    ¡°There¡¯s no way it came from that thing,¡± yelled Captain Wen, ¡°We¡¯re deep in the vacuum.¡±

    ¡°Well, where else did it¡ª¡± Mrs Wen never finished.

    The ship began shaking steadily, like an earthquake. The sound started up again, rising and falling. Its components were musical ¨C choirs and bells ¨C but it had no melody, nothing else recognisably musical. It simply rose and fell in volume in a repeating sine wave.

    Before her eyes, Mother gripped her head, groaning in pain. Xuelan could feel a growing pain in her own head as the sound continued, unabated. She ran to kneel in front of Mother, keeping her balance, even among the shaking. Looking up at Mother¡¯s visage, she saw a little trickle of blood running from her right nostril.

    ¡°Mother!¡± she yelled. ¡°Mother, are you okay?¡±

    Before Mother could reply, the ship suddenly lurched hard, outside the pattern of the shaking. In a moment they were spinning. The force of the spin flung everything and everyone towards the front of the cockpit.

    Something cushioned Xuelan¡¯s horizontal fall, but it made an exclamation of pain when it did so. It took her a moment to realise she had fallen against Mrs Wen, who had it turn struck the glass at the cockpit¡¯s front. The woman gave another groan then fell silent and limp, but for the force pressing her hard against the glass. Xuelan saw red liquid sprayed across the glass.

    All the time the strange, alien music continued to sound. And now everything was becoming suffused with golden light. As Xuelan watched, through the glistening droplets of Mrs Wen¡¯s blood ¨C clinging to the glass ¨C she saw a massive rainbow ribbon swim through the vacuum of space just beyond. She saw now, that though its wings had appeared birdlike at first, the ¡®feathers¡¯ were almost more akin to those on the antennae of a moth and its body ¨C this was surely a living thing ¨C was covered in chitinous plates, each reflecting the starlight in myriad spectra, the patterns that moved across them as the creature itself swam through the void being like those that appeared atop an oil slick. And wherever it went, it left a swirling cloud of golden dust that was illuminated not by the starlight, but by its own inherent light.

    It was gone in an instant, the ship spinning away from it. For a moment the sun shone into the cockpit, then once again the vista was the inky depths of space, the stars becoming tiny streaks of light as the spin picked up momentum. A flash of that many-coloured form again. Sun. Black.

    Inside, the golden light continued to build in luminosity, and as it did so, so too did the arcane song rise in volume and pitch, the voices of that inhuman choir becoming piercing. Whether it was the song or the centrifugal force, Xuelan did not know, but her vision began to dim, even as the golden aura intensified around her.

    The last thing she saw was Xixi, pressed beneath herself and Mrs Wen¡¯s unmoving body.

    Xixi looked up at her.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Xuelan,¡± they said, ¡°we¡¯ll be on Luanyuan soon. Then you won¡¯t be lonely.¡±

    Darkness enveloped her.

 Chapter XXXIV - Tianyun Hao

    Chapter XXXIV ¨C Tianyun Hao

    Leading away from the entrance to Star Junction, a corridor ensconced in glass curved off around the surface of Yuntu-9, leading towards the docking array. Here was assembled the crew of the Amrita, apart from Seraphina and Apollo.

    Mingxia faced the crew.

    ¡°Well, I guess this is it,¡± she said. ¡°I can never say it enough, but thank you for everything.¡±

    ¡°And I¡¯m sorry for what I dragged you into,¡± said Tavian.

    Mingxia grinned. ¡°I guess you¡¯ve made up for it,¡± she said. She leant forward and pecked him on the cheek. ¡°Seriously, though, thank you.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s been fun,¡± Tavian replied.

    ¡°Yeah, it has!¡± said Nova. ¡°You sure you don¡¯t want to stay?¡±

    Mingxia shook her head, her long silky black hair shifting around her. ¡°I need to set a course for myself that¡¯s mine alone. Besides, we¡¯ve been over this ¨C I don¡¯t have all the fancy skills and magical abilities needed for Cosmic adventuring with you guys.¡±

    ¡°I haven¡¯t got any fancy abilities,¡± said Nova, ¡°I just grew up doing hacking challenges and fixing old machines ¡®cause I was bored.¡±

    ¡°You sell yourself short,¡± said Mingxia. She took a deep breath. ¡°Well, goodbyes are never easy, but let¡¯s get this over with before I cry.¡±

    Harry stepped forward and wrapped her in a hug. ¡°I¡¯ll miss having you around. You¡¯re a lot more normal than these weirdos.¡±

    ¡°Hey!¡± snapped Nova, then she looked down. ¡°I guess it¡¯s true,¡± she said more quietly.

    Harry stepped back and Mu stepped forward next. ¡°Stay safe, and stay in touch,¡± she said to Mingxia. The two women hugged.

    ¡°You too,¡± said Mingxia. ¡°You¡¯ve got my details. Let me know that you¡¯re all doing alright once in a while.¡±

    ¡°I will,¡± said Mu.

    She pulled away.

    Kal was standing next to Mu. He didn¡¯t move, but Mingxia stepped forward and wrapped him in a hug. He eventually responded with one arm, perfunctorily patting Mingxia on the back.

    ¡°Thanks, Big Guy. The Cosmos always feels safer with you around,¡± she said.

    Kal grunted in response, then quickly pulled back.

    ¡°Bye,¡± he said.

    Barely had Kal stepped away than Nova bounded over and wrapped Mingxia tightly in her arms.

    ¡°I don¡¯t want you to go!¡± she exclaimed. ¡°With you on board, it¡¯s like I have a big sister.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ve still got Mu,¡± said Mingxia. ¡°And Seraphina¡­ and Ostara.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not the same,¡± said Nova. She looked over her shoulder at the others. ¡°Sorry.¡±

    ¡°Well, I¡¯m always happy to chat. Put those upgraded comms systems to use whenever you want,¡± said Mingxia.

    ¡°I will,¡± said Nova. ¡°You better believe it.¡±

    ¡°I look forward to it.¡±

    Nova finally let go and Ostara approached Mingxia, her face bearing her customary smile.

    ¡°It has been a pleasure having you on board with us,¡± she said. ¡°We all wish you the best in the future.¡±

    ¡°Thank you, Ostara,¡± said Mingxia. ¡°I¡¯ll never be able to repay all the kindness the crew has shown me.¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s no need,¡± said Ostara. ¡°We look forward to seeing you starring in the holodramas.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ll see,¡± said Mingxia.

    ¡°I¡¯m sure we will,¡± said Ostara.

    She wrapped Mingxia in a hug.

    Afterwards, Mingxia turned Tavian¡¯s way again, grinning once more. ¡°And that just leaves you,¡± she said. She paused. Then she turned around with an, ¡°Okay, bye.¡±

    She took a few steps before she turned back around. ¡°Just joking.¡±

    ¡°Damn straight,¡± said Tavian and before she could move, he¡¯d wrapped her tightly in a hug.

    He leaned in close to her ear and whispered. ¡°You know, if in a little while, you¡¯ve had time to think things over¡­¡±

    She gave a small laughed and whispered back. ¡°In a little while, you¡¯ll have moved onto someone else. I know you, Mr Locke.¡±

    He pulled back, holding her shoulders now. ¡°You wound me,¡± he said. ¡°As ever.¡±

    ¡°I doubt it,¡± she responded, then pulled herself free.

    ¡°I¡¯ll see you round,¡± she said with a wave.

    With that she wandered back towards Star Junction.

    ¡°Bye!¡± shouted Nova, waving fervently in her wake.

    Tavian sighed. ¡°Shall we get going then?¡± he asked.

    Ostara nodded. ¡°We should. Time is of the essence.¡±

    The crew made their way back towards the Amrita.

    The Amrita completed its Jump near the icy moon of a gas giant in Luanyuan¡¯s system. A few defunct satellites floated about, but there was otherwise little sign of civilisation.

    Tavian and Mu sat behind Kal, Nova, and Ostara, who themselves sat facing the forward viewing port of the Amrita¡¯s bridge. Before them, Apollo was perched atop a small plinth, appearing like some art piece in a museum, majestic against the backdrop of the alien vista outside.

    The moon blotted out the sun, casting the Amrita in night, but in the distance the light fell upon the gas giant¡¯s swirling cloud tops. The planet filled much of the view, apart from that taken up by the cratered lunar surface. The moon had no atmosphere, and Tavian could clearly see what must be great mountains of rock and ice, though from this height they appeared as only small bumps, inversions of the multitudinous impact craters.

    ¡°My long-range scans are picking up virtually no starship traffic in the entire system,¡± said Nova. ¡°Shit, Yarkan seems lively compared to this place.¡±

    ¡°We weren¡¯t expecting much,¡± said Ostara. ¡°There¡¯s no major industry or resource extraction on Luanyuan, and the rest of the system is deserted.¡±

    ¡°What are the convicts even doing then?¡± asked Mu.

    ¡°Labour for labour¡¯s sake,¡± replied Ostara. ¡°The penal system only masquerades as industry ¨C it¡¯s mostly just punitive.¡±

    ¡°Sounds about right,¡± said Mu, darkly.

    ¡°No sign of orbital security around the planet itself?¡± asked Apollo.

    ¡°Not that I can see,¡± said Nova, looking at the screen in front of her. ¡°Any of this look suss to you, Kal?¡±

    Kal shook his head. ¡°Docking station in geostationary orbit.  Few comms satellites. Not even seeing any STOCs in action at the moment.¡±

    ¡°So, we can just waltz in?¡± said Tavian.

    ¡°Getting to the surface shouldn¡¯t be difficult,¡± said Kal, ¡°It¡¯s what we do once we get there that¡¯s gonna be the challenge. There¡¯s only one spaceport, and with so little traffic, we¡¯ll attract plenty of attention going in there. Of course, we could take the Amrita¡¯s Lander out in the middle of nowhere¡ª¡±

    Nova interrupted, ¡°¡ªbut we don¡¯t know where Toghrul is, so we are gonna need to ask questions.¡±

    ¡°Couldn¡¯t find that info in a computer?¡± asked Tavian.

    ¡°Luanyuan is under direct Imperial administration ¨C every system is much better protected than those used by the Planetary Governments on Shangxia or Yarkan,¡± replied Nova.

    ¡°Aren¡¯t the actual penal colonies run by some corporation?¡± asked Mu.

    ¡°The Luanyuan Planetary Development Corporation?¡± asked Nova. ¡°Yeah, as best I can tell it¡¯s basically just an extension of the Imperial government ¨C a corporation in name only. Probably an excuse to make some official rich.¡±

    ¡°And ensure they have less oversight, no doubt,¡± said Mu.

    ¡°Probs,¡± agreed Nova. ¡°Anyways, their systems are as tight as the official administration¡¯s.¡±

    ¡°So, we just gotta talk to people to find out where he¡¯s being kept,¡± said Tavian.

    ¡°Without alerting the Imperial authorities,¡± added Kal.

    ¡°What about you, Mu? The Starflow here¡¯s not all messed up like on Yarkan. Can¡¯t you foresee where he is?¡± asked Tavian.

    ¡°I¡¯m not omniscient,¡± said Mu, ¡°I can only foresee events I¡¯m there for. Besides, it¡¯s not like memory, it¡¯s fragmentary.¡±

    ¡°And more vibes-based,¡± chipped in Nova, ¡°Mu was explaining it to me.¡±

    ¡°So, you can¡¯t foresee a moment where we¡¯re with Toghrul and tell us where that might be?¡±

    Mu fixed him with a glare.

    ¡°Right,¡± said Tavian. ¡°Well, I know I haven¡¯t really been very involved up until now, but I¡¯m assuming some of you have made a plan, right?¡±

    The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

    Ostara spoke softly. ¡°We have the¡­ fundamentals of a plan.¡±

    ¡°Ah, that gives me confidence,¡± said Tavian.

    Nova piqued up, ¡°I had been thinking we could fake an issue with the Amrita and stop for repairs.¡±

    ¡°Which is all well and good,¡± said Kal, ¡°But after Shangxia and our involvement with events on Yarkan, some Imperial database is inevitably going to flag us, then we¡¯ll be under constant surveillance.¡±

    ¡°The Resonance Bureau was trailing me on Yuntu-9,¡± said Mu.

    ¡°Trailing you? When did you leave the ship?¡± asked Nova in an outraged tone.

    ¡°I went out briefly.¡±

    ¡°Without me?¡± said Nova, placing her hand to her chest in a gesture of hurt. ¡°I thought you said you wanted to stay on board the Amrita?¡±

    ¡°It really was only brief,¡± said Mu. ¡°At any rate, I don¡¯t know if they tracked us here, but it¡¯s not impossible. In which case we might be flagged already.¡±

    Ostara spoke up, ¡°While that is new information, it does strengthen the reasoning for the plan Harry and I were discussing.¡±

    ¡°And that was?¡± asked Tavian.

    Ostara pressed a button on the comms panel. ¡°Harry? Would you please join us on the bridge?¡±

    ¡°Be right there,¡± came the response.

    It didn¡¯t take long for the doors to slide open, and Harry to appear. ¡°Hi, all,¡± he said with a typical grin.

    ¡°How is the plan progressing?¡± asked Ostara.

    ¡°Well, I¡¯d say it¡¯s going well. The Tianyun Hao should be in system in about six hours. Captain Kang has received the funds and says she¡¯s happy to help.¡±

    ¡°Care to explain?¡± asked Tavian.

    ¡°I met a freighter captain on Yuntu-9,¡± said Harry. ¡°She is willing to rendezvous with the Amrita out here and take us to Luanyuan.¡±

    ¡°For a price,¡± said Tavian.

    ¡°Of course,¡± said Harry.

    ¡°Can we trust her?¡± asked Mu.

    Harry gave the appearance of one carefully considering the question for a moment. ¡°She seemed like something of a shady character,¡± he said. Then after a suitable pause, continued: ¡°So, I assume she¡¯s trustworthy. Didn¡¯t seem like a snitch.¡±

    ¡°What has my life become,¡± murmured Mu.

    ¡°Oh, come on, Princess,¡± said Tavian. ¡°Aren¡¯t you having fun?¡±

    Ostara chimed in. ¡°If Harry is willing to trust Captain Kang, I am also willing to do so.¡±

    ¡°We giving Harry that much credit?¡± asked Nova.

    ¡°I think Mr Zhang¡¯s plan is likely our best option to get to the surface of Luanyuan,¡± said Apollo.

    ¡°Guess so,¡± said Nova, quietly.

    Tavian added, ¡°I¡¯m definitely on board with keeping a low profile for the Amrita, but¡­ are we just going to pretend to be crew members for this Captain Kang? Because if our mates in the Resonance Bureau had Mu under surveillance, they¡¯ll probably flag her, even if she isn¡¯t coming from the Amrita.¡±

    ¡°Captain Kang is happy to smuggle us down,¡± said Harry. ¡°She assures me she has a long, successful history.¡±

    ¡°Seems legit,¡± said Tavian.

    ¡°You don¡¯t need to come,¡± said Harry.

    ¡°Don¡¯t be stupid,¡± said Tavian. ¡°Of course I¡¯m coming.¡±

    ¡°Then you¡¯re just gonna have to trust my judgement on this one ¨C unless you¡¯ve got a better idea.¡±

    Tavian shrugged. ¡°Fine, let¡¯s give it go.¡±

    Nova was lying on her bed, immersed in a platformer on her tablet when a call suddenly appeared on screen. It was the Captain.

    ¡°Hi, Cap,¡± she said, trying to conceal the mild annoyance of having her gaming interrupted.

    ¡°Miss Reilly, I was hoping you could assist me with something,¡± came the Captain¡¯s voice. ¡°I believe an unregistered vessel likely entered the system sometime in the past twenty to thirty hours. It may have been either before or after we arrived. Its origin would have been the planet Moyang. It was likely a small vessel ¨C significantly smaller than the Amrita.¡±

    ¡°Okay¡­¡± said Nova.

    ¡°Would you be able to review the Amrita¡¯s sensor logs for any sign of the vessel?¡± asked Apollo. ¡°And if you find nothing there, I would appreciate it if you could investigate other sources for information on this vessel.¡±

    Nova furrowed her brow. ¡°Well, like I said earlier, the government systems on Luanyuan are much tougher to break into than those on Shangxia or Yarkan¡­ but there might be some commercial satellites or relay stations that would record shipping data. I might be able to find one that has the information you are looking for.¡±

    She paused, thinking through the Cap¡¯s request. ¡°Most planets keep a publicly available database of basic arrivals and departures¡­ but I¡¯m guessing if this is an unregistered ship¡­¡±

    ¡°Yes, I doubt those aboard the ship would appreciate having the authorities knowing about them,¡± said Apollo.

    ¡°If such a database even exists for Luanyuan,¡± added Nova. ¡°Can I ask what¡¯s so important about this ship?¡±

    There was silence at the other end of the line for a few moments.

    ¡°Unfortunately, Miss Reilly, I can¡¯t tell you right now,¡± said Apollo. ¡°But if you could please trust me when I say that it is very important that this vessel reached or reaches Luanyuan.¡±

    ¡°Sure, Cap,¡± said Nova. ¡°I¡¯ll see what I can find for you. Anything else that might be useful in my search?¡±

    ¡°I am not sure I have much more to offer you,¡± said Apollo. ¡°But if anything comes to mind, I¡¯ll let you know.¡±

    ¡°Right. Thanks, Cap.¡±

    ¡°Thank you, Miss Reilly,¡± said Apollo, then the line went quiet.

    Nova gave a sigh, put aside the tablet, then rose, swinging her legs from the bed. She stood and walked over to the main console, waking it from standby.

    So many unusual requests from the Captain over the last few days. First it was boosting the comms system, now searching for dodgy unregistered ships. A thought occurred to her. Before she brought up the Amrita¡¯s sensor logs, she pulled up the comm logs. Sure enough, shortly after she¡¯d finished upgrading the comms there had been a super-long range transmission made by the Captain.

    Nova didn¡¯t want to snoop. But she couldn¡¯t help notice one key detail in the logs. The name of the planet that transmission had been made to. Moyang.

    What are you up to, Cap?

    She shook her head.

    Have faith. He¡¯s never led us astray before. If he says he can¡¯t tell you, he can¡¯t tell you.

    She closed the comms logs, and brought up the sensor logs to begin her search. Looking through the data she was once again struck by how very little shipping traffic there was across the Luanyuan system. In any other system she¡¯d been in, finding a single vessel using such little information as the Captain had given her would be far worse than finding a needle in a haystack. Here though, it actually seemed distinctly possible.

    But what does it have to do with rescuing Toghrul?

    She reprimanded herself for once again questioning the Captain. She¡¯d been given a job and she¡¯d do it.

    And that¡¯s what she did, settling in to sift through the unremarkable haul of data from hours of sensor sweeps, since they¡¯d disengaged the Jump drive. After about thirty seconds though, she got bored.

    No need to do this manually, she thought. She got up and grabbed an energy drink from the fridge, then set about programming a search algorithm.

    If you came to Luanyuan, I¡¯ll find you.

    The freighter Tianyun Hao was significantly larger than the Amrita, a fact that became more and more apparent as it drew closer. Mu observed it through the Amrita¡¯s expansive forward viewing port as the shadow of the icy moon fell across its hulking form.

    ¡°Starship Tianyun Hao requesting docking, Cap,¡± said Nova.

    ¡°Madam Ostara, please line us up,¡± said Apollo, ¡°Then they¡¯ll be good to proceed.¡±

    Nova fired off a reply to the Tianyun Hao, while Ostara, who was at the steering controls began to subtly alter the Amrita¡¯s position relative to the larger vessel.

    ¡°In position, Captain,¡± said Ostara.

    A moment later Nova called out, ¡°Tianyun Hao has confirmed alignment. Proceeding with docking.¡±

    Soon there came a loud clank and a slight shudder.

    ¡°Docking link established,¡± said Nova.

    ¡°Well then,¡± said Apollo, ¡°Shall we go meet Captain Kang?¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s do it,¡± said Harry, who was sitting beside Mu.

    ¡°Nova, please message Tavian and Seraphina,¡± said Ostara. ¡°We¡¯ll meet them in the common room.¡±

    With that they all stood and headed for the common room in the ship¡¯s middle section. Here was located the main docking point for the ship. Mu remembered it as the place she had first come aboard the Amrita back at Shangxia¡¯s Orbital Ring.

    Mu had changed into her typical Aixin court dress. While she might have been better served remaining more inconspicuous in one of the more modern, casual outfits Nova had provided her with, she felt more comfortable meeting another Starship captain dressed in her traditional garb. Some ¨C Nova, for example ¨C might consider it stuffy and overly formal, but it was what she was used to. It just felt more right.

    ¡°Hi all,¡± said Tavian, emerging from the opposite end of the common room as they entered.

    ¡°No Seraphina?¡± asked Ostara.

    ¡°She says she would rather stay here,¡± said Nova, holding up her tablet.

    ¡°Sounds like classic Sera,¡± said Harry. ¡°Shall we?¡±

    With that, Ostara pushed a button next to the exterior hatch and it slid open, revealing a small corridor beyond. With Apollo and Ostara in the lead, they disembarked from the ship and headed toward the Tianyun Hao beyond. As they neared the far end of the corridor, the hatch there also opened, revealing a woman in brown overalls.

    ¡°Crew of the Amrita, welcome,¡± said the woman, gesturing for them to come in.

    As Mu stepped over the threshold, she got her first look at the Tianyun Hao. Its interior had none of the warmth and homeliness found on the Amrita. Instead, everything had an unadorned industrial appearance. Shipping containers and machines now surrounded them. It was a space much larger than the Amrita¡¯s common room ¨C indeed it had the appearance of a warehouse.

    Mu now had a better look at the woman who had ushered them aboard. She was quite tall, with short hair, and broad shoulders. Her face bore a wry grin and her brown eyes sparkled with mirth.

    ¡°Well,¡± she said, ¡°I take it you must be Captain Apollo. Harry did tell me that you were¡­ a cat¡­ but I didn¡¯t quite believe him. I have seen a great deal of the Cosmos, but never anyone quite like you.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a pleasure to be able to bring some novelty to the life of one so experienced in the ways of the Cosmos,¡± said Apollo, ¡°I take it you must be Captain Kang?¡±

    ¡°Captain Kang Jiayu at your service,¡± said the woman, putting a hand to her chest.

    Ostara stepped forward. ¡°I am Ostara, first mate of the Amrita and this is our crew.¡±

    ¡°Pleased to meet you,¡± said Kang. ¡°Oh, I see we have an Aixin with us. Didn¡¯t expect to see your kind involved in such¡­ unofficial business.¡±

    ¡°I am not associated with the Imperial government,¡± said Mu.

    ¡°If you say so,¡± said Kang, ¡°Just don¡¯t go causing any trouble for me and my business and I won¡¯t need to ask any more questions.¡±

    ¡°I certainly don¡¯t intend to cause you any hassle, Captain,¡± said Mu.

    ¡°Then we shouldn¡¯t have any problems,¡± said Kang. ¡°Oh, and Harry, good to see you again.¡±

    ¡°The pleasure is all mine, Captain,¡± said Harry, with a slight bow.

    The Captain gave the hint of a laugh, then turned back to Apollo.

    ¡°Now, I¡¯ve got your payment, courtesy of Harry, so why don¡¯t we go over the specifics of the job, before we get on with it?¡±

    ¡°Of course,¡± said Apollo. ¡°It¡¯s quite simple, really: my crew needs to get to the surface of Luanyuan without attracting the interest of the Imperial authorities.¡±

    Kang shook her head with another laugh. ¡°Baffles me that anyone would ever want to go to that place, but I¡¯m sure you have your reasons.¡±

    ¡°Then I take it you are able to do this for us?¡± said Apollo.

    ¡°Wouldn¡¯t be here if I thought I couldn¡¯t,¡± said Kang.

    ¡°Do you have a pretext for going to Luanyuan?¡± asked Apollo.

    ¡°Sure,¡± said Kang, ¡°I¡¯ve got a shipment of¡­ special goods¡­ that was bound for Enyopeia in the League. Thing is, I¡¯ve now got word that Enyopeia¡¯s been overrun by the Host, and I don¡¯t fancy doing business with Xerxes.¡±

    Mu saw Kal flinch as Kang said this.

    The Captain continued. ¡°I hear the Development Co on Luanyuan is pretty undersupplied by the Imperial Government, so I¡¯ll see if they won¡¯t at least purchase some of the shipment off me.¡±

    ¡°Pretty risky selling what I¡¯m gonna guess are weapons from the Empire back to the Empire,¡± said Tavian.

    Kang shrugged. ¡°Eh, the Empire¡¯s no monolith. It¡¯s all just made up of individuals. If you¡¯ve got something that the person opposite needs, they¡¯ll do business.¡±

    ¡°How dangerous is Luanyuan that the authorities might want to buy a whole shipment of weapons bound for a warzone?¡± asked Mu.

    Kang now laughed uproariously. ¡°Pretty fucking dangerous!¡± she exclaimed. ¡°You really sure you wanna go there?¡±

    ¡°Are the convicts rebelling?¡± asked Mu.

    Kang shook her head. ¡°It isn¡¯t the convicts they¡¯re worried about. Those they can handle. It¡¯s the jungle itself.¡±

    ¡°The jungle itself?¡± repeated Mu.

    Kang looked over at Apollo. ¡°I don¡¯t wanna jeopardise the money I¡¯m getting for this gig, but are you sure you¡¯re all ready for this?¡±

    ¡°I assure you, Captain, the crew are up to the challenge,¡± said Apollo.

    ¡°Well, if you say so. Now, I can¡¯t promise you the most comfortable ride to the surface, but I¡¯ll get you there, sure enough. Once you¡¯re there, we¡¯ll keep in touch through secure channels, but keep in mind, me and my crew will only be hanging around for a week tops. If you can¡¯t get what you need to do done in that time, you¡¯re gonna have to find a different ride back to that fancy little ship of yours.¡±

    ¡°Understood,¡± said Ostara.

    ¡°Now, who¡¯s the best person to go over the technicalities of secure comms on the surface with?¡±

    ¡°That would be Miss Reilly,¡± said Apollo.

    Ostara indicated Nova. Kang turned her way.

    ¡°Well, aren¡¯t you a little cutie,¡± she said with a laugh. ¡°If you want to stay here and have a chat with my tech guys, we¡¯ll get you all sorted out. As for the rest of you, we¡¯ll be heading for Luanyuan in one hour. Go grab whatever you¡¯re bringing, but keep it light. Meet me back here before the hour¡¯s out and we¡¯ll show you to your¡­ ¡®seats¡¯.¡±

    ¡°Understood, Captain,¡± said Apollo, ¡°Thank you for your assistance in this delicate matter.¡±

    ¡°Always happy to help out some new friends for the right price,¡± said Kang. ¡°Will you be coming along for the ride, Captain?¡±

    ¡°No,¡± said Apollo, ¡°I will be remaining aboard the Amrita.¡±

    ¡°Sounds like a wise move,¡± said Kang, chuckling. With that she turned and walked off. After a moment she stopped and turned back. ¡°You coming, Miss Reilly?¡±

    Nova nodded and scurried after her, calling back to them to remember her bag when they returned.

    Mu looked at the others. ¡°This is all seems very promising,¡± she said.

    ¡°I thought she seemed nice,¡± said Tavian.

    ¡°See, I thought so, too,¡± said Harry.

    Mu shook her head. ¡°I¡¯m going to go pack.¡±

    With that she headed out the hatch and back towards the Amrita. As she stepped back into the familiar surrounds she remembered Captain Kang¡¯s words.

    The jungle itself.

 Chapter XXXV - The Jungle Itself

    Chapter XXXV ¨C The Jungle Itself

    The rain came down steadily.

    It was a strange sound, mused Mu. Oddly nostalgic. In the big buildings of Shangxia¡¯s cities, you could see the rain if you looked outside, but you couldn¡¯t hear it. Couldn¡¯t smell it. Didn¡¯t experience it.

    On Yarkan, it didn¡¯t rain at all.

    But this was different.

    It wasn¡¯t just raining ¨C a great deluge descended from the grey heavens above. It was so thick that visibility was reduced to maybe a dozen metres. Petrichor hung thick on the air ¨C air which itself felt damp. Everything felt damp on Luanyuan.

    Glancing around the bar she sat in, she could see the mould blooming without restraint across the ceiling. In one corner of the room a bucket had been placed beneath a spot where the ceiling was sagging and a steady drip of water precipitated downwards.

    It was dark inside the bar. The generator was out, according to the gruff, one-armed publican. He didn¡¯t know when they¡¯d have it back up and running. In the meantime, he¡¯d furnished them with rapidly warming beers and vanished into some backroom.

    The climate control inside had failed along with everything else, so all the windows and doors were wide open, giving the heavy rain an immediacy it might otherwise lack. It did little to moderate the suffocating humidity. Mu glanced at her tablet. It told her the current temperature in the bar was thirty-four degrees with humidity of ninety-seven percent. It was unpleasant, to say the least ¨C an entirely more oppressive heat than anything she had encountered under the midday sun of Yarkan¡¯s deserts.

    The dark of the bar¡¯s interior gave the verdant foliage outside a particular intensity, even in sunlight mediated by the low, thick clouds overhead. She had noticed Nova ¨C who more typically had her eyes fixed on a screen ¨C had her elbow on the bar, her chin resting in her hand. Her eyes were fixedly gazing out the window where the rain drops bounced off the broad frond of some rainforest plant. After noticing Nova staring at it, Mu herself had become fixated for a time, her entire Cosmos shrinking to the repetitive strikes of water against the smooth, verdant surface of the frond. At length, she stirred herself from her reverie.

    Though Tavian, Kal, and Nova were lined up alongside her at the bar, none of them were talking. Ostara and Harry had left to carry out some early reconnaissance of Heye, the only city (barely) on Luanyuan, and get some ideas about how they might proceed from here. The rest of them had little appetite for such things, having endured a profoundly uncomfortable journey, squeezed into freight containers.

    Mu, for her part, was reading up on Luanyuan. She¡¯d done some of this before they reached the planet, but now that they were here, among the rain and heat, her appreciation of what she was reading was far greater.

    Luanyuan was a large terrestrial world. This was immediately noticeable. If the heat and humidity were not enough to make one feel sluggish, its unusually high gravity did the rest. The result was almost claustrophobic, even in the open air, like one was constantly being held down. Most worlds Mu had been to ¨C and indeed most settled worlds in the Cosmos ¨C tended to sit in a fairly narrow range of surface gravities, such that differences were usually not especially noticeable. Humans favoured settlement on worlds with conditions they were evolutionarily suited for, and with trillions of worlds in this galaxy alone, there was plenty of scope for picking and choosing. Mu had been shocked to learn once that the usual figure given for the size of the Aixingo Empire ¨C ¡°over forty million worlds¡± ¨C was in many ways an extreme understatement. This was forty million highly developed worlds, but few of the star systems of the Empire had any less than a half dozen planets. Adding in non-terraformed planets, moons, major space stations, asteroid colonies, dwarf planets and other locales besides, the figure could easily exceed a billion. Yuntu-9, for example, with over a million inhabitants, was not typically counted as a ¡°world¡±. Many others, though, the Empire simply did not bother to develop ¨C often for the simple fact that they were too big or too small ¨C their gravity too aberrant. A small locale like Yuntu-9 could get by on artificial gravity manipulation, but that was a hassle to roll out on a planetary scale.

    Mu was disturbed from her reverie, when Tavian spoke up.

    ¡°Wotcha readin¡¯, Princess?¡± he asked.

    She regarded him coolly. ¡°Just about Luanyuan.¡±

    ¡°Anything interesting?¡±

    ¡°Apparently it¡¯s wet,¡± she said.

    Tavian glanced outside, then back to her. ¡°How reliable¡¯s your source on that?¡±

    ¡°Funny.¡±

    ¡°I like to think I am. What else?¡±

    ¡°The whole planet has a population of three hundred thousand. There are city blocks on Aixingo with more people than that.¡±

    ¡°That include the convicts?¡± asked Tavian.

    ¡°Supposedly, although there¡¯s not much info on the penal colonies. Actually, it¡¯s kinda weird ¨C there isn¡¯t much info on the entire planet until about six years ago.¡±

    Tavian seemed unsurprised. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t expect the Aixingo Empire to advertise the finer points of its penal system.¡±

    Mu shook her head. ¡°I think I¡¯ve undersold it. There is literally nothing on Luanyuan before six years ago other than that it existed before then. No details. Just the occasional off-hand reference to the name in star charts and the odd official document.¡±

    Nova was stirred from her mesmerised state. ¡°Hey, I noticed that too when I was looking for exploits in the security systems. It¡¯s crazy. Someone clearly went to immense effort to scrub all records.¡±

    ¡°So, what was here before then?¡± asked Tavian.

    Mu and Nova both shrugged.

    ¡°Maybe the locals can tell us,¡± said Tavian. ¡°The proprietor seemed like a friendly bloke.¡±

    ¡°Really lit up the place with his charm,¡± remarked Mu.

    ¡°I dunno, he gave it a kinda frontier vibe,¡± said Nova.

    Kal turned their way, having hitherto remained silent. ¡°If you¡¯re talking to the publican, fetch me another beer.¡±

    Nova picked up hers ¨C barely touched ¨C and looked at it with distaste. ¡°You can have mine if you want. Dunno what all the fuss is about.¡±

    She passed it Kal¡¯s way. He took it wordlessly, taking a big swig.

    Mu took a sip from her own. It was much warmer than she would have liked, but somehow it was still enjoyable. She guessed contorting one¡¯s self into a shipping container for hours on end had the flow on effect of enhancing one¡¯s appreciation for the simpler pleasures.

    ¡°Anyway,¡± said Kal, wiping away foam from his upper lip, ¡°What else do we know? Ostara and I certainly didn¡¯t find much. We know there¡¯s no info till six years ago. Hot as Enyallios¡¯ arsehole. Prison world. Warm beer. Missed anything?¡±

    ¡°Do stars have arseholes?¡± murmured Nova.

    ¡°That about covers it,¡± said Tavian. ¡°Although I might add wet as--- well Kal seems to have a talent here? What is it wet as, Kal?¡±

    ¡°No,¡± said Mu, firmly, dreading what might otherwise be said.

    ¡°Guess they would be pretty hot if they did¡­¡± Nova muttered in the background, a distracted expression on her face.

    ¡°It¡¯s been terraformed, correct?¡± said Kal.

    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s what the LPDC was first contracted for,¡± said Mu.

    ¡°Luanyuan Planetary Development Corporation, for those not down with the cool kids¡¯ lingo,¡± added Tavian.

    Mu ignored him. ¡°The process completed six years ago. The first convicts arrived five years ago. Before that¡­?¡± She raised her eyebrows and two upturned palms.

    Then something else from her reading came back to her.

    ¡°And it almost seems like terraforming never halted.¡±

    Tavian gave her a quizzical look. ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    ¡°I mean an almanac from 392 stated that atmospheric O2 content was twenty-four percent,¡± said Mu.

    ¡°Okay,¡± said Tavian.

    ¡°And the 397 edition places it at twenty-eight percent. And my own tablet is reading twenty-nine point two.¡±

    ¡°The air does feel very¡­ airy here,¡± said Nova.

    ¡°Do you know what the stabilisation level is for a terraformed planet?¡± asked Mu.

    The others indicated they didn¡¯t.

    ¡°Twenty-one. And usually it takes decades ¨C with modern techniques ¨C or centuries to millennia with older techniques ¨C to bring a planet up to that level. Aside from what the Clanships do, but no one really understands that tech these days. Anyway, Luanyuan¡¯s atmosphere is getting more oxygenated by more than a percentage point a year ¨C since terraforming officially ended.¡±

    ¡°Isn¡¯t more oxygen good?¡± asked Tavian. ¡°I always assumed most of the atmosphere was oxygen.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s good to a point,¡± said Mu, then registered the second part of what he¡¯d said. ¡°And no, most habitable worlds have atmospheres that are mostly nitrogen.¡±

    ¡°I see,¡± said Tavian. ¡°So, what happens when there¡¯s too much oxygen?¡±

    ¡°Oxygen toxicity is a risk with prolonged exposure, once levels exceed thirty percent,¡± said Mu. ¡°It becomes basically certain if the atmosphere becomes majority oxygen. And after only a few hours. The lungs will be severely damaged.¡±

    ¡°Damn,¡± said Tavian, shaking his head, ¡°And I always thought oxygen was one of the good guys.¡±

    ¡°The other thing, is carbon dioxide is plummeting. The same 392 almanac gives CO2 at 185 parts per million. Now it¡¯s down to 170.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t plants need CO2?¡± asked Nova.

    ¡°They do,¡± said Mu.

    ¡°Next time we see Ostara, you can tell her I was listening to her.¡±

    ¡°I do see Nova¡¯s point, though,¡± said Tavian. ¡°If plants need CO2, and CO2 is plummeting¡­. Why are there so many plants on Luanyuan? Like¡­ it¡¯s mostly plants.¡±

    Mu took a deep breath, then a sip of her beer. ¡°Keep in mind here, I¡¯m no scientist,¡± she prefaced. ¡°But¡­ I do have a theory. Luanyuan was probably borderline habitable to begin with. Most terraforming candidates have a decently thick atmosphere to start with. With planets that have high CO2 atmospheres, plants and algae are genetically modified to lower respiration and increase photosynthesis.¡±

    ¡°Respiration?¡± asked Nova.

    ¡°All living things breathe¡­ in a way. That means taking in O2 and putting out CO2,¡± said Mu. ¡°But plants also use the energy in sunlight to photosynthesise, which converts CO2 into O2. Provided this primary production exceeds respirated CO2 ¨C as it usually will do with most plants and algae¡­ or cyanobacteria¡­ then there will be a net increase in O2.¡±

    ¡°Makes sense,¡± said Nova.

    ¡°I think I¡¯m following,¡± said Tavian.

    ¡°Anyway, my read on what¡¯s happened here on Luanyuan is that whatever genetically modified plant species were used in the terraforming process have overshot. The result is increasing O2 and declining CO2.¡±

    ¡°So, the plants will kill themselves?¡± asked Tavian.

    Mu took another sip of her beer. It was now at room temperature. And room temperature here was over thirty degrees. Grimacing she continued. ¡°That would normally be the outcome,¡± she said. ¡°Except¡­ according to what I¡¯ve been able to find, the plants on Luanyuan, have been designed for extremely rapid adaptive mutation. This is pretty standard in terraforming ¨C the plants are after all intended to continually alter the planet¡¯s environment and you don¡¯t want them killing themselves off when they¡¯re successful. Thing is, on Luanyuan, they seem to have adapted to the diminishing CO2 content by becoming increasingly heterotrophic.¡±

    ¡°In normal language, please?¡± said Tavian.

    ¡°They¡¯ve started eating other lifeforms to get their carbon, instead of just using atmospheric CO2.¡±

    Nova cleared her throat. ¡°Would, um¡­ would these other lifeforms include¡­ just for example¡­ people?¡±

    Mu would never admit it, but she was rather enjoying having the rapt attention of her crewmates. She took a theatrical swig of warm beer. ¡°Yes¡­ from what I¡¯ve read¡­ the plants eat people.¡±

    Nova whirled to look at the frond she¡¯d previously been staring at. ¡°You¡¯ve betrayed me!¡± she declared.

    ¡°Not all the plants,¡± said Mu. ¡°But it seems like a large number have made this little adaptive evolutionary leap.¡±

    ¡°Well, I guess that explains why Captain Kang and others seem to think this place was so dangerous,¡± said Nova.

    ¡°I don¡¯t think anyone should be going for strolls through the jungle,¡± remarked Tavian.

    ¡°I should think not,¡± agreed Mu.

    At that point further discussion on the matter was cut short, Ostara and Harry reappearing at the entrance to the bar.

    ¡°Done with sightseeing?¡± asked Tavian.

    Mu noticed both of them were sopping wet. Ostara looked quite unlike her ordinary self. Gone was her customary flowing white dress. In its place she wore a sleeveless top and some long pants and boots that appeared not unlike Nova¡¯s standard ensemble. Her typically wavy hair lacked its usual volume, sopping wet as it was.

    For his part, Harry had opted for a loose-fitting, short-sleeved cotton shirt and pants. The loafers he was wearing were now flecked with mud, and the air of easy-going refinement he typically affected was somewhat marred by this and the fact he was quite drenched, his carefully styled fringe now simply plastered to his forehead.

    Kang had advised Mu and Ostara specifically to adopt more practical attire. Thus, Mu was now herself dressed in a t-shirt, shorts, and a pair of ankle-high boots. The outfit was finished with a cap. It was a long way from what she was used to.

    By contrast, Nova, Kal, and Tavian had stuck to their usual clothing choices, which tended to be more practical for the environment of Luanyuan and the abundant rain and mud it produced.

    ¡°We¡¯ve got some useful info,¡± said Harry.

    Upon hearing new entrants to the bar, the publican had re-emerged. He regarded Harry and Ostara with all the warmth he had directed at the others.

    ¡°Waddaya want?¡± he asked.

    Harry was now standing beside Mu and had, without a word, borrowed the sleeve of her t-shirt to wipe the lenses of his glasses. He looked contemplative, then said, ¡°I¡¯m feeling something sweet and fruity¡­ maybe some coconut, but also a dash of citrus to balance¡ª¡±

    ¡°I think it¡¯s warm beer or warm beer,¡± said Nova.

    ¡°Hrm¡­¡± said Harry, ¡°Then I guess I will have a warm beer.¡±

    Ostara beamed at the publican as he turned her way, ¡°I¡¯m sure whatever you have to offer will be delightful.¡±

    Their host grunted and soon poured out two excessively foamy beers, handing them over the counter. Mu pre-empted the next part of the exchange, sliding some crumpled notes across the bar.

    ¡°This is right, yes?¡± she asked. The publican looked their way, grunted once more, took the money, and disappeared from view once more.

    Ostara looked Mu¡¯s way, raising an eyebrow.

    ¡°Captain Kang said we¡¯d need physical currency on Luanyuan,¡± said Mu, answering the unspoken question. ¡°Fortunately, she had some to offer, so I traded her.¡±

    ¡°Physical currency, huh?¡± said Harry, grimacing as he took a sip of his beer, before wiping away foam from his upper lip.

    ¡°What¡¯d you two find out?¡± asked Nova.

    ¡°There aren¡¯t many convict settlements,¡± said Ostara. ¡°And the majority sit along the banks of the Cang Teng River.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s the river Heye¡¯s on, too, right?¡± asked Mu.

    ¡°The very same,¡± confirmed Ostara. ¡°Most of the planet is deserted. Almost all inhabitants live close to the Cang Teng. There are no roads and few viable landing sites outside Heye, so the river is the only way to get between settlements.¡±

    ¡°Sounds like we¡¯re gonna take a trip on the river then,¡± said Tavian.

    ¡°Any luck on securing transportation?¡± asked Kal.

    ¡°Apparently the official line is that only boats authorised by the LPDC can visit the penal settlements, but in practice plenty of merchants visit and trade with the convicts and the guards,¡± said Harry.

    ¡°And?¡± pressed Kal.

    ¡°And yes, we¡¯ve found someone who will take us up river,¡± said Harry.

    ¡°Any idea where Toghrul might be?¡± asked Tavian.

    Ostara shook her head, ¡°Not at this stage, so we will have to make a number of stops along the way.¡±

    ¡°What stops prisoners escaping with the merchants?¡± asked Nova.

    Harry shrugged, ¡°I wondered the same thing, but I guess we¡¯ll find out when we get there.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s a pretty key question Nova asks,¡± said Kal, ¡°If we intend to get Toghrul out, we¡¯re gonna have to work out what stops others from doing that and get around it.¡±

    ¡°We can find out more once we¡¯re underway,¡± said Ostara. ¡°At any rate, the plan ¨C such as it is ¨C is for us to masquerade as merchants travelling up river. At each stop, we¡¯ll try and establish if Toghrul is there. By the time we find him, we should have a better idea about what the obstacles will be to getting him out.¡±

    ¡°The usual amount of winging it, then?¡± said Tavian.

    ¡°Seems like it,¡± agreed Harry.

    ¡°I don¡¯t like going in so blind,¡± said Kal.

    ¡°I am pretty curious about why they¡¯ve gone to such lengths to hide info about this place,¡± said Nova.

    ¡°I¡¯m sure we¡¯ll find out,¡± said Mu.

    ¡°Do you sense anything about this plan, Mu?¡± asked Ostara.

    Mu probed the future course that ran through this plan. As she probed along it, she felt something. It was the concept of success¡­ but something else came after that. Something dark.

    ¡°We¡¯ll find Toghrul,¡± she declared, then considered the rest. ¡°But the danger I sensed about Luanyuan¡­ we¡¯ll encounter that too.¡±

    ¡°Something to look forward to then,¡± said Tavian.

    ¡°Whatever it is, I¡¯m sure we can deal with it,¡± said Nova.

    ¡°Nova¡¯s got the spirit,¡± said Harry.

    As they spoke, Mu probed that future again. She reached that darkness again. The others were fairly jovial now, all things considered, but she dreaded what was to come. Whatever it was she was sensing, the very notion of it gave her profound anxiety.

    I won¡¯t press the point, she thought, They don¡¯t need to share this feeling.

    The rain had eased somewhat ¨C though not ceased ¨C by the time the crew of the Amrita boarded Weimin¡¯s boat. The vessel had a long and narrow design and a shallow draught. It had a decidedly hodgepodge appearance, bearing all the hallmarks of having been continuously altered and added to by Weimin over the course of its presumably lengthy life. Most of it was covered by a simple canvas top with clear blinds that could be pulled down as necessary to shield the occupants of its deck from the rain. Only in the rear quarter of its length were there any built-in areas ¨C these including Weimin¡¯s own quarters ¨C which he shared with his two crewmates ¨C and the vessel¡¯s storage area, where the various goods Weimin traded were stowed. The Amrita crew themselves were left with the long, more exposed areas. These they shared with two other passengers headed upriver for undisclosed reasons. Ostara had precured some roll-up mattresses and basic bedding for them, but they were not travelling in the lap of luxury.

    That was fine by Tavian, who had developed the capacity to sleep just about anywhere in his years of itinerant wandering. He noticed Mu and Harry seemed rather more perturbed by the set-up, a situation from which he derived a mildly amused sense of superiority. There was some question over whether they would even have to spend the night on the boat, given that the first of the convict settlements they would visit was less than a day¡¯s journey upriver from Heye. However, based on Weimin¡¯s comments, it seemed unlikely it would be that simple: Heishui Zhen, the first settlement they would reach was a mixed community where free settlers lived alongside those convicts with milder sentences or who were nearing the end of their sentence. From what little they¡¯d gleaned of how things operated on Luanyuan, it seemed likely that a high level political prisoner like Toghrul would be banished to one of the smaller, more remote colonies.

    This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

    For the time being, Tavian was content to sit and play his mandolin, gazing out across the wide expanse of the Cang Teng, its waters a great brown expanse, stretching away to a distant, jungle-clad shore. The clouds hung low overhead, whisps of them kissing the jungle canopy. Looking back the way they had come, Tavian could see the ramshackle cluster of buildings comprising the planetary capital recede as they slipped away from Heye¡¯s docks. The rain beat a steady rhythm on the canopy above and the air was laden with humidity.

    It didn¡¯t take them long to leave Heye itself behind, and soon the passing near shore was entangled in thick jungle, the trees each striving to reach for the sunlight, their leaves fusing into a thick canopy. Below everything was tangled in dense masses of vines and undergrowth spilling over the roots and buttresses of the mighty jungle giants. Beyond the tree line ¨C where smaller trees hung to the water, the swift river currents parting around these low branches or loops of vine ¨C everything rapidly became obscured in darkness.

    Tavian had been to rainforests before, and he was struck by an unusual feature of Luanyuan: while there was the occasional birdcall and some insect sounds to be heard, Luanyuan¡¯s jungles seemed far quieter than others he had visited. For the most part the only real sounds came from his mandolin and the raindrops striking the boat¡¯s roof. It gave the place an almost eerie quality, though Tavian found it atmospheric, channelling it all into the music he played. Certainly, whether it was the potent gravity, the thick humidity, or the low clouds, there was an all-encompassing feeling about Luanyuan. Though they had just reached the planet from the expanses of space, it had a certain vibe about it ¨C like all the Cosmos was just an expanse of cloud and rain and tangled vines. He was also struck by how indolent everyone had been since they reached the planet ¨C no wonder Luanyuan was a prison world, everything about it seemed to conspire to keep a person from seizing initiative and agency. Both physically and psychologically, this world seemed confining.

    And what of these carnivorous plants that Mu had spoken of?

    The jungle itself ¨C that had been Kang¡¯s description of the dangers of Luanyuan. This certainly made sense, put in the context of Mu¡¯s theorising. It further added to the innate oppression exuded by the world ¨C not only did it force indolence on its victims, but the lush greenery that covered everything was itself hungering for flesh.

    Although how innate? From the rest of what Mu had said, it seemed likely Luanyuan had not long been this way. These flesh-hungry forests were perhaps the unintended consequence of some company¡¯s hubris, seeking to bend the nature and environment of an entire world to the service of humanity and its drive for order.

    Yet as cruel and perverse as all this seemed, it also imbued Tavian with a sense of inspiration. There was a vividness to life on such a world, a realness to it ¨C something wildly and radically at odds with the experience of places like Yuntu-9 or even Shangxia. Value judgements aside, this was a place that to him demanded artistic interpretation, that yearned to have songs and poems written about it. He wondered whether the convicts themselves had already embarked on this particular project. It was likely, he thought. Adversity was oft the mother of human creativity. Sorrow, pain, anger ¨C these feelings were as likely to inspire music as joy or love.

    He strummed his mandolin, slowly building the rudimentary foundations of his musical notions of this world. His was an iterative process, the melodies, the music emerging gradually from the formless mass of inspiration. His song of Luanyuan would as much reveal itself to him, as it would be written by him.

    He continued to play, the rain continued to fall, and the boat slid through the wide river, taking them into the deep wilds of Luanyuan. The hours passed by, but the view beyond changed little, each stretch of forested shore and river utterly undifferentiated from that which proceeded it. The crew talked little amongst themselves. Ostara had gone to converse with Weimin, presumably learning more about what they might expect within the convict settlements. The others just sat about, staring at a device, or simply gazing at the passing scenery, immersed deep in thought.

    At length, Ostara and Weimin emerged. Weimin informed them that they would reach Heishui Zhen in about half an hour. He intended to remain there the night, before setting off tomorrow to visit the smaller, more remote settlements farther upriver.

    For Tavian, at least, the last half hour seemed to pass by quickly. Heishui Zhen didn¡¯t appear like much from the vantage point of its docks. The settlement was slightly raised up from the level of the river, and a muddy path zig-zagged up the embankment to reach it. A few other boats sat moored near the collection of ageing wooden jetties that jutted out into the river. Weimin and his crewmates guided them in and threw a loop of rope to fasten them. Tavian was struck by how tenuous human existence on Luanyuan was ¨C the fabulous technology that proliferated across the Cosmos was little to be seen here. Things here oft appeared to be done in much the same way they had surely been done by humans for tens of thousands of years. Of course, given the failures of technology they¡¯d already seen in Heye, perhaps the people of Luanyuan had adopted a preference for those simple tools that could be relied upon.

    Once they were securely moored, Weimin led the way off the boat. The others followed him. Once they were all on the jetty, they headed toward the town, such as it was. Weimin stayed around with his two crewmembers to begin unloading their goods. The other two passengers, who hadn¡¯t said a word so far on the journey, remained behind on the boat.

    Once they were standing on the muddy shore, Tavian spoke up: ¡°So, what¡¯s the plan now? I thought we were pretending to be with Weimin¡¯s crew.¡±

    ¡°It doesn¡¯t much matter here,¡± said Ostara. ¡°Heishui Zhen is not a closed settlement. Even though there are convicts here, visitors are permitted to come and go as they please. We¡¯ll have to exercise more caution tomorrow, but today we shouldn¡¯t have any problems.¡±

    ¡°I see,¡± said Tavian. ¡°In that case, should we head for the nearest pub and ask the locals what the go is? How big¡¯s this place? Will people know all the convicts here?¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s a few thousand people living here, I believe,¡± said Ostara. ¡°Perhaps our best bet is to split up and ask around. Try to keep your questions indirect ¨C I doubt there is a great deal of surveillance taking place here, but we would still do best not to arouse undue suspicion. If we ask about new convicts, we can portray it as an interest in those who might still be in need of various basic items that we could trade for.¡±

    ¡°What exactly do the convicts have to trade with?¡± asked Nova.

    ¡°Those here at Heishui Zhen aren¡¯t actually prevented from earning an income,¡± said Ostara, ¡°They just can¡¯t leave Luanyuan. As I understand it, at some of the more remote settlements, some of the guards are actually themselves convicts with lighter sentences or whose behaviour has been good.¡±

    ¡°I kinda imagined them all just working in chain gangs,¡± said Nova.

    ¡°I think it¡¯s a little more complex than that,¡± remarked Mu.

    ¡°Guess so,¡± said Nova.

    After a little further discussion, they split up. Tavian ended up with Nova. After trudging up the muddy path, they got their first view of the town. Much like Heye it consisted of a jumble of low buildings separated by muddy streets. Some of these were prefab shelters, while others had clearly been cobbled together from locally available materials. The jungle looked like it was besieging the place, tendrils of greenery snaking into the town, the branches of the trees at its edge reaching out like clawed hands towards the buildings. The settlement stretched away from where they stood for quite some distance, its full extent not wholly clear from this limited vantage point.

    They continued on, the ground squelching beneath their feet. Various passers-by regarded them warily as they went, often staring openly. Never once were they greeted.

    The rain had further eased at this point, now more akin to a light mist than identifiable droplets. The clouds, however, had drawn closer to the surface, so much so, that at points whisps of cloud wafted along the streets. At times everything was whited out, then would reappear as the tendril of cloud continued along its course. The humidity was unrelenting, and now that he was moving again, Tavian could feel a steady rivulet of sweat pouring down his back and soaking his clothes.

    ¡°Looks like an even more rundown version of the last place,¡± observed Nova, looking about them as they walked.

    ¡°It has a certain vibe,¡± said Tavian.

    ¡°Yeah, I can see that,¡± said Nova. ¡°It definitely feels like we¡¯re on the frontier.¡±

    A woman walking past glared at them as they spoke.

    ¡°Friendly people, too,¡± said Nova, brightly.

    ¡°I¡¯ve seldom felt as welcome on a new world,¡± replied Tavian.

    ¡°I can¡¯t imagine actually living here,¡± said Nova. ¡°Like, I totally get what you¡¯re saying about it being vibey, but imagine this being your whole existence.¡±

    ¡°Wouldn¡¯t be my first choice for a permanent residence,¡± said Tavian.

    ¡°Has anywhere ever been your choice for a permanent residence?¡±

    He smiled and shook his head. ¡°Guess not. Left C¨¢erthand when I was a teenager and I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve spent a full year anywhere since.¡±

    ¡°I mean, it obviously hasn¡¯t been as long for me, but basically same.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t think I actually know where you come from,¡± said Tavian.

    ¡°Ferris is the name of the place,¡± said Nova. ¡°To be honest, I didn¡¯t hate it¡­ but life wasn¡¯t exactly going anywhere, not if I¡¯d stayed.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t need to justify wanting to move about to me,¡± said Tavian.

    ¡°Yeah, guess I don¡¯t. Do you ever get homesick?¡±

    ¡°Not really¡­ no.¡±

    ¡°I kinda do occasionally¡­ not often, but sometimes,¡± said Nova. ¡°If nothing else, Ferris was a good place for someone like me to grow up. It once housed the first Cosmos¡¯ Fair. Apparently, back in the day, Lysander wanted to make it the model society or whatever. That didn¡¯t really happen, but there is heaps of fancy old tech lying around everywhere which could be scavenged and salvaged. It wasn¡¯t a boring place.¡±

    ¡°Sounds pretty perfect for someone like you,¡± said Tavian.

    ¡°Yeah¡­ but I still couldn¡¯t help wondering what else was out there. I never could have imagined anywhere like this,¡± said Nova. ¡°I dunno if there were jungles anywhere on Ferris, but if there were, I never saw them. And as much as people always said Ferris had gone backwards since the Lysander days, it sure wasn¡¯t anything like this. We had all the normal tech, it¡¯s just a lot of it was repaired and cobbled together by locals. But in a way, that gave the machines on Ferris a more¡­ I dunno¡­ it gave them more character.¡±

    ¡°I can see that,¡± said Tavian.

    ¡°So, what was¡­ Cartand¡­ or whatever¡­ like?¡±

    ¡°It rained a lot,¡± said Tavian.

    ¡°Guess you feel right at home here, then.¡±

    ¡°It wasn¡¯t hot like this place. In winter the rain sometimes even turned to snow, though more often we¡¯d get sleet. One way or another, it was cloudy most of the time. Not many people. A few bigger cities, but where I lived was a small island off the coast of a slightly bigger island, way up in the north. No one ever visited, and for the most part, no one ever left. People didn¡¯t have much to do there. Most of the time they just got drunk, played music, fought each other, made up in the morning, started the cycle anew.¡±

    ¡°Sounds like an uplifting place,¡± said Nova.

    ¡°It had its positives. There were old abbeys and monasteries scattered around the island. As a kid I would go explore those by myself. I wrote little poems and songs about the places I¡¯d find. The cliffs by the sea were full of caves ¨C I¡¯d explore those too.¡±

    ¡°Well, they weren¡¯t monasteries or abbeys or whatever on Ferris, but the old exhibition halls and whatever they were, left over from the Cosmos¡¯ Fair, kinda had the vibe of ancient ruins. I guess they were ancient ¨C the Fair was about six hundred years ago or something. Anyway, I¡¯d go exploring those as a kid. I¡¯d find all sorts of old machines and machine parts. Sometimes me and my friends would find something particularly good. If another gang stumbled across the same thing, sometimes we¡¯d all have to fight for our find. It was rough at times, but it was all I knew, and it wasn¡¯t the worst. I learnt a lot from all that old junk.¡±

    Tavian smiled. ¡°I guess we¡¯ve had surprisingly similar lives.¡±

    Nova seemed pleased by this, ¡°Guess we have.¡±

    She paused a moment, then continued speaking. ¡°So, if you don¡¯t stay anywhere long term, what about the Amrita? You gonna stay with us, or go off to keep doing your own thing at some point?¡±

    Tavian simply shrugged. ¡°I¡¯ve no plans to leave for now. I still get to go from world to world like I used to, but it¡¯s nice to have some sort of place to come back to. I¡¯m growing quite fond of my room now.¡±

    ¡°Oh, that¡¯s good,¡± said Nova. ¡°How ¡®bout the crew?¡±

    ¡°They¡¯re alright. The mechanic¡¯s a bit of a pain in the arse, though,¡± he said with a laugh.

    ¡°Nah, I know you think she¡¯s adorable,¡± rebutted Nova, with a slightly nervous laugh.

    Tavian was about to say more on this matter, when something caught his eye. ¡°I reckon that¡¯s gotta be a pub,¡± he said, pointing to a building up ahead.¡±

    Nova seemed distracted and took a moment to refocus, finally turning the direction he was pointing. ¡°Oh, er, yeah, probably,¡± she said. ¡°I better not have to drink warm beer again. Or any beer, for that matter.¡±

    ¡°I ain¡¯t gonna force you,¡± said Tavian. ¡°Let¡¯s go find out what the locals have to say.¡±

    As it turned out the establishment was slightly larger and livelier than that which they had visited in Heye. Still, as they entered, a number of eyes tracked their movements. Tavian didn¡¯t pay them much heed, making directly for the bar.

    After they¡¯d ordered their drinks ¨C a beer for Tavian, a soft drink for Nova ¨C they took a seat and took in their surrounds.

    ¡°What now?¡± asked Nova. ¡°We just walk up and start chatting to someone?¡±

    Tavian glanced about. Despite their entrance having attracted some attention, no one was now paying them the slightest heed, having long since returned to their individual conversations. There didn¡¯t seem to be much mixing going on, either; each group simply stuck to their own. Approaching anyone out of the blue would definitely draw attention.

    ¡°I think the bartender might be our best bet,¡± said Tavian. ¡°We¡¯ll sit up there when we get the next round.¡±

    ¡°Alright,¡± said Nova. ¡°You reckon any of these guys are convicts?¡±

    ¡°Dunno. Not sure if the convicts get to sit around in pubs drinking.¡±

    ¡°Well, I didn¡¯t think so before, but now I don¡¯t know what to expect,¡± said Nova.

    ¡°What I¡¯m gathering is that not all convicts are equal,¡± said Tavian. ¡°Sadly, for our guy Toghrul, I suspect he¡¯s in a lower tier. I don¡¯t reckon we¡¯ll find him here.¡±

    ¡°Maybe since they had a truce on Yarkan his sentence might be made lighter,¡± said Nova.

    ¡°Maybe,¡± said Tavian, ¡°But I think his fate and events on Yarkan parted ways the moment he took flight.¡±

    ¡°Guess so,¡± said Nova, then changed the subject, ¡°What do you reckon¡¯s got Mu so worried?¡±

    ¡°Who knows,¡± said Tavian. ¡°But I¡¯ve known her long enough now to trust her foresight. Something bad awaits us here.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll be really pissed off if anyone gets eaten by a plant.¡±

    ¡°I think it¡¯s probably not that.¡±

    ¡°Better not be. It¡¯d be a sucky way to go.¡±

    ¡°No doubt,¡± said Tavian. As he was speaking, he continued to look out across the patrons of the bar. No obvious opportunities were presenting themselves to approach anyone. He turned back to Nova, downing the last of his drink.

    ¡°Need another drink?¡±

    She looked at her glass. ¡°No, I¡¯m fine.¡±

    ¡°No, you¡¯re not,¡± he said. He picked up her glass and poured its contents out the window adjacent the table they were sitting at.

    ¡°Hey!¡± she exclaimed.

    ¡°C¡¯mon,¡± he said, ¡°Let¡¯s go back up to the bar.¡±

    She frowned at him, hands on hips. ¡°Wasn¡¯t your drink being finished enough of a reason to go up?¡±

    He shrugged and headed towards the bar. She scurried after him. Upon reaching the bar they had to wait a few moments before being served. Eventually they were served and placed their orders. The woman behind the bar returned a moment later with their drinks. After Tavian paid, she went to walk away, but Tavian spoke up.

    ¡°Mind if I ask you something?¡±

    ¡°Sure, but make it quick, I have other customers.¡±

    Both Tavian and Nova looked up and down the bar. No one else was waiting to be served.

    ¡°Know anything about recent arrivals? Convicts, specifically.¡±

    ¡°Sure, I¡¯ll get my ledger out,¡± she said.

    ¡°Really? You have one of those?¡± exclaimed Nova.

    ¡°I think she¡¯s being sarcastic,¡± said Tavian.

    ¡°Oh. That makes sense. I see that now.¡±

    ¡°Who you lookin¡¯ for?¡±

    ¡°Man named Toghrul from a planet called Yarkan.¡±

    ¡°Never heard of either,¡± said the woman. ¡°What he get done for?¡±

    ¡°Murder,¡± said Tavian.

    ¡°He was innocent,¡± added Nova.

    ¡°That¡¯s what they all say,¡± said the woman.

    ¡°Do they though?¡± asked Tavian.

    ¡°A lot of ¡®em, yeah.¡±

    ¡°Right then. Well, I guess we¡¯ll let you get back to your other customers then,¡± said Tavian.

    ¡°I can tell you one thing,¡± said the woman.

    ¡°Oh?¡±

    ¡°If you really think he¡¯s innocent, I take it you reckon he got framed?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± said Nova.

    ¡°I¡¯m guessing that means someone powerful wanted him gone,¡± said the woman.

    ¡°You¡¯re good at this,¡± said Tavian.

    ¡°Well, in that case you won¡¯t find him round here. The one¡¯s that someone¡¯s got a grudge against get sent to the fringes. Upriver.¡±

    Tavian looked Nova¡¯s way. ¡°What¡¯d I say?¡±

    ¡°Thing is,¡± said the bartender, ¡°Upriver? The settlements are smaller. Fifty, sixty¡­ hundred tops. Not many new arrivals. You might need to make a few stops. But you find the one where your guy¡¯s at, they¡¯ll know him. Won¡¯t need no ledger.¡±

    ¡°Good to know,¡± said Tavian. ¡°Thank you.¡±

    ¡°Pleasure,¡± said the woman, and moved away.

    Tavian pivoted on his barstool to scan the room once more. Nothing new of interest.

    ¡°Does any of that help us?¡± asked Nova.

    ¡°I guess it confirms what we suspected,¡± said Tavian.

    ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s how I figured it.¡±

    Further conversation was cut short when a clang and a scream cut through the air. Tavian and Nova¡¯s heads shot around, as did those of just about everyone else in the bar. A balding man with a long beard was standing up, a stool lying on its side behind him. There was a wild look in his eyes, which turned one way, then another.

    ¡°They¡¯re closing in,¡± he said. ¡°They got Meng. We¡¯re next. We¡¯ve gotta get out of here.¡±

    Others were now surrounding him, trying to talk to him, but he wasn¡¯t hearing anything they were saying. Indeed, he was actively fighting against them, thrashing about. One of those around him copped a hard elbow to the jaw.

    Tavian had seen this before. He remembered seeing it on Ilion, a planet of the Eleftherian League. There the one yelling and thrashing about, wild-eyed, and fearful, had been a soldier, recently returned from the frontlines of the war against Xerxes.

    Tavian unslung his instrument case and pulled out his mandolin. On Ilion a priestess had been present. As the man had thrashed about, she had taken a lyre and plucked at its strings, gently singing a hymn to Letheion. Tavian did his best to recall that hymn as he began to pluck at the strings of his mandolin. He sung gently, reaching as he did so for the strands of the Starflow. Should he reach to Letheion? This man was unlikely to even know that Star¡¯s name. Yet it was to Letheion the hymn had been directed, so it was to Letheion Tavian now reached. Each small strand of the Starflow joined to a star, combining with many others, like the many channels of a river¡¯s delta. Tracing them back he eventually reached the great river, the Filaments that connected the Awakened Stars, spanning the Cosmos. He implored Great Letheion for a little of Its mystic rest, the divine calm.

    The answer came, wafting through his mind and his soul like a gathering mist in shades of pink and purple and the gentlest of blues. As he played, he wandered through the towering pillars of nebulae and the gleaming spirals of galaxies, while Letheion¡¯s eye gazed upon him, from beyond the realm of sleep, of dreams, even death.

    He strummed his final note.

    The man sat once more, his chest rising and falling with his rapid breaths, his eyes still wild. Yet he no longer thrashed madly about. Others around him released their grip upon him, cautiously, staying close by, watching him intently. Yet he remained seated, and mostly still.

    Tavian rose from the barstool, still carrying his mandolin. Many sets of eyes followed his movements as he crossed the bar, approaching the man. Uncertainly, Nova followed him.

    ¡°Who are you?¡± asked the man, gazing up at Tavian as he came close.

    ¡°Just a passing bard. What troubles you, my friend?¡±

    The man looked down a moment, then once again met Tavian¡¯s gaze. ¡°I felt something. Something brushed against me. I was back there, back upriver. Among the vines.¡±

    Another nearby man spoke up. ¡°Duan served his sentence at one of the outer colonies. They were overrun. He¡­ was the only survivor.¡±

    ¡°I was there¡­ back there¡­¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re here now. You¡¯re safe,¡± said Tavian, in a gentle tone.

    ¡°For now. They¡¯ll come here too. Always growing.¡±

    ¡°Maybe, maybe not. Nothing¡¯s certain till it happens. You want a drink, mate?¡±

    The man didn¡¯t respond for a moment.

    When at last he spoke up, it was with a question: ¡°That strange instrument of yours¡­ d¡¯you think you could play it some more?¡±

    ¡°Sure,¡± said Tavian, with a smile, ¡°You got any requests?¡±

    Mei Xuelan was worried.

    She should have been happy. Despite everything that had happened, they were alive. And they¡¯d made it to Luanyuan! The ship wasn¡¯t in great shape, it was true. But miraculously they had survived. The Wens would probably be sad about the ship being all broken up. But in truth, they didn¡¯t need the ship anymore. They had reached the world where they could be one with the Orchestra. Besides, working together, Xuelan was sure they would be able to fix the ship.

    She cast her eyes around.

    It is broken up pretty bad, though¡­ she thought, a note of scepticism about the prospects of repair entering her thoughts.

    But Father says anything is possible when Players work in Harmony.

    Still, sunlight was streaming in through holes in the ship that didn¡¯t used to be there. Bugs were coming in too. And if bugs and sunlight could come in through those holes, then space could too. And if you were flying between worlds, you really couldn¡¯t be letting space get inside. It had to stay outside.

    That was a little worrying.

    But it wasn¡¯t what really worried Xuelan ¨C the ship, after all, just wasn¡¯t that important anymore.

    No, there were other worrying things.

    For starters, the hive had gotten all broken up as well, and now the bees were nowhere to be seen. Where they had gone, she couldn¡¯t say, but sadly she had to accept to herself, that they probably wouldn¡¯t see them again. She hoped they were alright; that they¡¯d found themselves a new hive. All going well, though, they would be able to live happily on this world of Harmony.

    Presently, she did one more lap of the ship. Mother, Father, and the Wens were sleeping. That was alright. Everyone had gotten pretty badly hurt in the crash, and Mother had told Xuelan that sleep was the best medicine of all.

    But though Xuelan was still aching in various places, she didn¡¯t feel like sleeping anymore. She didn¡¯t know how long after the crash it had been when she woke up, but she knew it had been about a day since then, and in that time she had noticed that the vines surrounding the spot they had crashed had already started to reach inside the ship.

    That was a little worrying, but it wasn¡¯t the main thing that worried Xuelan.

    Mother had told her not to wander off on her own, but she decided she had to at least have a little look around. To calm her worries if nothing else.

    She completed her lap of the ship and once again concluded that her medication was nowhere to be seen.

    That was also worrying.

    But it wasn¡¯t the thing.

    Her stomach rumbled. There must be fruit in the jungle, surely. But which ones were nice? Which ones were safe? She knew some fruits could be poisonous, but she didn¡¯t know how to tell. One of the adults surely knew. Hungry, though she was, she¡¯d be fine for now.

    So, she stepped off the ship and onto the ground of Luanyuan. It had been raining. It was raining. Her foot immediately sank into the churned mud around the crash site, mud spilling into her shoe. Wrinkling her nose with disgust, she pulled her foot out with a loud squelch. She looked around.

    Mud, mud, mud ¨C all the way to the tree line, and probably beyond.

    Nothing for it.

    She put her second foot down with the same result. Slowly she began making her way from the ship towards the trees. Many trees and plants had been destroyed when the ship crashed. The result was that an unnatural clearing had been formed. Pieces of the ship were scattered quite widely, though it mostly remained intact. Some patches were blackened, but the rain had put out any fires that might have burned.

    That at least was good.

    It would not have been good if they had all been sleeping while fires burned around them.

    Rain pattered down on her head as she walked. There was little noise otherwise. A few insects. No birds. It was hotter here than Moyang. And¡­ stickier. She could feel her clothes clinging to her. And heavier. Moving wasn¡¯t as easy here as back home.

    It wasn¡¯t what she¡¯d imagined.

    But she guessed it was alright.

    As long as she could solve her big problem.

    Which was that she couldn¡¯t find Xixi.

    Not since the crash.

    Not since she¡¯d woken up.

    But she had to find Xixi. She¡¯d never been without them. Through every hardship, through every moment she¡¯d felt Discordance rise, she¡¯d always had Xixi with her to comfort her, to guide her. And now in this moment, the most confusing and unfamiliar of all, they were missing.

    Xixi had told her she wouldn¡¯t be lonely on Luanyuan. But without them, it felt lonelier than ever before.

    Yet she had faith that Xixi wasn¡¯t gone forever. They were around somewhere, somewhere nearby. She just had to find them.

    Reaching the tree-line, at the edge of the crash site, she came to appreciate how thick the jungle was. It was dark beneath its canopy. Tall mossy trees rose up towards the sky, their long branches spreading out over great distances, their foliage interweaving to create a ceiling. Water drizzle down from above, dripping from the leaves towards the forest floor below. Some of the trees had other plants growing out the sides of them. All surfaces were covered in moss. Everything was draped in vines. Ferns and other smaller plants proliferated across the floor, creating a thick tangle that was difficult to navigate.

    Something, however, compelled Xuelan to cross the threshold, to enter the tangle. Every step was difficult. While not thorny as such, the vines all had tiny claws that reached out to snag her skin, her hair, her clothing. Every move was thus a struggle to extricate herself from one vine, only to be snagged by the next, all the while pushing aside the ferns and navigating amongst the vast buttressing tree roots, her footfalls plunging into a slurry of decaying leaves, moss, and mud.

    How strange; how unlike Moyang.

    Soon she was soaked to the bone. Her dress was filthy and increasingly ripped. Every bit of exposed skin was covered in scratches. Her shoes were caked in mud. Mother and Father would not be happy.

    But for once, she didn¡¯t care.

    She needed to find Xixi.

    She pushed on, fighting all the way against the ubiquitous vines. If Luanyuan was truly a paradise, it was not one that immediately and easily gave up its rich rewards. Perhaps they were a thing to be earned. Earned through the harsh tribulation of every single step.

    How long she had been going and how far she had come were unclear, but at some point, she saw something very distinct. Amidst the million hues and shades and tones of green, a glint of something different caught her eye: a trail of golden dust, suspended, twinkling in the air.

    This seemed important.

    It must be.

    She followed it. Slowly. Arduously. She followed.

    The ground began to slope gradually downhill. At length she came to a little stream. Just a trickle of water, barely distinguishable from the general, pervasive damp of the rainforest. The golden dust beckoned she follow that little rivulet and so she did. She followed it until it joined others and became almost a small creek. The going was easier here. Though the ferns clustered closely around the water, the creek still made for a clearer route that she had previously had.

    Other creeks joined this one, all tumbling down the slope, the sound of water trickling over rocks was everywhere, soft, but inescapable. It was no longer even particularly clear which parts of the ground were creek and which were ¡°dry¡± land. She stepped across rocks rounded by the constant flow of the water, doing her best not to slip on their mossy surfaces.

    The sound of trickling became far louder. Somewhere up ahead, she was sure, was a waterfall, all this water tumbling some substantial distance. She could see the water that moved about her feet was moving faster now, was deeper too, rising up over her ankles, up her shins, drowning the hem of her dress.

    She reached a spot where she could see the point that the water went cascading over the edge. To her surprise, it tumbled into some sort of vast pit ¨C maybe thirty metres across. How deep, she could not tell, though the sound alone suggested the water fell a considerable distance.

    The golden trail did not lead her to the edge of the pit. It led across the series of rocky pools the flowing water traversed before making the plunge. Keeping the pit to her right she stepped or leapt from rock to rock, avoiding a plunge into the deep pools, that would no doubt see her immersed up to her waist, at least.

    As she went, she noticed something in the water. Colours. Not merely the reflection of the golden dust, which had its own subtle light. No, now she saw many colours. Something else had entered the stream, some viscous substance of myriad shifting colours, seeping along the innumerable rivulets, and gradually making its way toward the great pit.

    The golden dust, still hanging in the air led her on, farther, farther. As she went, the rainbow ooze became thicker in the water, until there was more of it than there was water itself. And up ahead, among the thick foliage on the far side of the many pools, something began to reveal itself. The source of that many-coloured flow.

    Her heart leapt as she drew closer.

    In a clearing by the pools, propped between the roots of an immense rainforest tree, sat Xixi. They were different now. Much larger. Now they had wings. Xixi had never been able to fly before. Yet it was unmistakably them. However, even as this recognition dawned upon Xuelan, her heart, having leapt a moment earlier, now sunk back down once again. Worry returned.

    For Xixi was hurt.

    And from their many wounds flowed blood of many colours.

 Chapter XXXVI - Heart of Darkness

    Chapter XXXVI ¨C Heart of Darkness

    Dawn broke across a broad sweep of the Cang Teng River, revealing a landscape that for the first time was not shrouded in rain. A little of the sun¡¯s weak light peaked through the clouds, though only a little. On either side of the river, towering limestone karsts rose up towards the sky, vegetation clinging to them wherever it could find even the most precarious place to take root. On the concave bank, a wider karst revealed a sizeable grotto in which were clearly visible objects of human design.

    Mu had been gazing wearily out upon the passing scenery with eyes both bloodshot and watery from lack of sleep. Yet as that grotto revealed itself, she felt her interest piqued, squinting as if it might show her more detail of the carvings within. She turned to the only wakeful member of Weimin¡¯s crew and asked him about the carvings.

    The crewman shrugged.

    ¡°Dunno, they¡¯ve been there as long as anyone remembers,¡± he said. ¡°I heard from someone that they¡¯re from long before terraforming.¡±

    Intrigued, Mu was staring intensely at the grotto as the boat drew closer, bringing the carvings into clearer view. Indeed, she was so fixated that she didn¡¯t even hear the footsteps behind her. The first sign that anyone had approached her was the sound of a voice.

    ¡°The Conductor,¡± it said.

    ¡°Sorry?¡± said Mu, turning away from the sights outside.

    She now saw that the one who had spoken was one of the two other passengers who had accompanied them on the journey, and who had hitherto remained silent.

    ¡°Before terraforming, this world was host to a cult that worshipped a being known as the Conductor,¡± said the passenger, adjusting his glasses.

    For the barest of moments, Mu had a fleeting hint of something to come. Something significant. It was gone before she could make full sense of it, but she was sure it somehow related to this man ¨C unremarkable though he appeared.

    ¡°The Conductor?¡± asked Mu, making a mental note to explore that hint of foresight later, ¡°Is that a Star?¡±

    The man shrugged, ¡°I couldn¡¯t tell you. No one seems to know much more than that. Apart from here and one or two other sites, there isn¡¯t much of a sign they were ever on the planet. Whether they left or met an unfortunate end during terraforming, they don¡¯t seem to be here anymore. They called themselves the Orchestra.¡±

    ¡°Strange,¡± murmured Mu, her gaze once more turning to the carvings. The boat kept moving, and they were now receding away once more.

    The Orchestra. There was a flicker of familiarity about that. But it wasn¡¯t foresight, it was memory. Where had she heard mention of that before? Try as she might though, she couldn¡¯t recall.

    Instead, as she watched the grottoes dwindle, she wondered what had become of those who had carved them.

    The sun was higher in the sky and patches of blue had even appeared by the time the boat glided slowly to a stop near a singular wooden jetty. They had left the Cang Teng proper and travelled about ten kilometres down a tributary that Weimin said had no formal name, like many of the features of Luanyuan.

    Despite the paucity of sleep she had endured over the past days, Mu felt energised just at the prospect of having a new location to explore. With any luck this would be the one serving as Toghrul¡¯s new home. Certainly, when she probed the future, the answer seemed nearer. She now strongly suspected that this or the next settlement would be the one they were looking for ¨C certainly the feeling she got now was quite distinct from that she had received at the other outlying settlements they had stopped at during the days since leaving Heishui Zhen.

    Apart from gleaning a seemingly universally shared sentiment that life was cruel and harsh in the outlying settlements, they had discovered little else about the possible location and fate of Toghrul over the course of their journey. Were it not for her foresight, Mu thought she might have been verging on giving up hope at this point.

    Unusually, two individuals waited for them at the base of the jetty as the crew threw the ropes to secure their mooring. They had grown accustomed to the life on the river these past days, and each of them expertly disembarked, making their way toward the bank. To Mu¡¯s surprise, she saw that for the first time the other two passengers ¨C including the man she had briefly spoken with that very morning ¨C now disembarked.

    A light breeze whispered among the trees and the sun shone, though the heat and humidity endured eternally.

    ¡°New faces, eh?¡± said one of the two people who waited to greet them. He was an athletic man, likely in his forties with a few hints of grey in his otherwise black hair. He wore a pair of glasses and had a soft face ¨C a feature which paired oddly with his otherwise well-developed physique.

    Next to him was a woman perhaps ten or fifteen years older than him. She was thin and tall with a kindly face that was nonetheless lined by years of living a hard life.

    Ostara approached the man and extended a hand. ¡°Weimin is giving me and my crew a tour of the settlements,¡± she said.

    ¡°Showing potential rivals around? How odd,¡± said the woman.

    ¡°Partners, or potential partners, more like,¡± said Ostara.

    ¡°I see,¡± said the woman. ¡°Well, I am Li Shulin.¡±

    ¡°And I am Zhang Jiwen,¡± said the man.

    ¡°Ostara. And these are my crew.¡±

    Mu led the others in introducing themselves.

    This done she listened in as the other two passengers introduced themselves.

    ¡°You can call me Doctor Zhao,¡± said the man who Mu had spoken to. ¡°This is my research assistant, Ms Lai. Please, pay us no heed. We are simply a couple of researchers passing through.¡±

    ¡°Ah, fellow scientists,¡± remarked Zhang, ¡°What is your specialisation?¡±

    ¡°Transformative planetary eco-dynamics,¡± replied Doctor Zhao.

    With a laugh, Zhang said to Li, ¡°That¡¯s terraforming to us layfolk.¡±

    He turned back to Doctor Zhao. ¡°Geology is my speciality,¡± he said, ¡°Though I¡¯ve been taking all sorts of observations. No doubt not up to your standards, but you¡¯re more than welcome to look over my notes, should you wish. I¡¯ve been here almost five years now.¡±

    ¡°Most gracious of you,¡± said Doctor Zhao, with a thin smile.

    Li turned to Zhang. ¡°Jiwen, why don¡¯t you show our guests to the settlement. I¡¯ll stay here and have a chat with Weimin about what he might have for us.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯d be my pleasure,¡± beamed Zhang, then said to the rest of them, ¡°Please, follow me. We¡¯ll find somewhere more comfortable for a chat and find out what we can all do for one another.¡±

    Behind her Mu heard Nova¡¯s voice. ¡°Is it just me, or do these people not seem like hardened convicts?¡±

    She heard Tavian replying: ¡°Hey, the Empire doesn¡¯t discriminate ¨C it sends all sorts of people to prison. Criminals, innocents, whatever.¡±

    ¡°Guess so.¡±

    With that Zhang headed off along a path away from the jetty. The rest of them followed him. As they walked, Mu probed the future. This place was definitely different. This must be the one.

    It wasn¡¯t a long walk from the jetty to the cleared area occupied by a small village. Apart from one of the two larger buildings, nothing here appeared to be prefab ¨C every other structure had the distinct hallmarks of having been hand-assembled from materials available locally. The cleared area in which the buildings sat had been fenced in ¨C the path they were currently on led to the only entrance Mu could see. Around the edges of the fence a trench had been dug.

    ¡°Who do they think¡¯s gonna lay siege to them?¡± asked Kal.

    ¡°I wonder,¡± said Mu, her eyes drinking in the details as they walked.

    Passing through the gate, Mu saw there was in fact one other on the far side of the village. No sooner had they entered the village than Doctor Zhao tapped Zhang on the shoulder. ¡°The guards will be expecting our arrival. I will meet with the commandant.¡±

    ¡°Of course,¡± said Zhang.

    Mu had almost forgotten this was a convict settlement. Despite the wall and ditch, the gates of the village had been wide open. If there were guards, as Doctor Zhao suggested, they were nowhere to be seen. Were Zhang and Li convicts? Free-settlers? As far as she knew, free-settlers weren¡¯t permitted at these upriver colonies. They must be convicts ¨C though very mild-mannered and polite ones, as Nova had observed.

    Zhang led them across the village grounds. Though the occasional fern or lone tree was present, for the most part grass was the only vegetation anywhere in the village, giving it an unusually empty appearance compared to just about everywhere else they had visited thus far on Luanyuan. They reached the largest of the wooden structures and Zhang took them inside.

    ¡°Feel free to leave your luggage over there,¡± he said, indicating a long table against one wall.

    The interior of the building seemed to consist of a singular large hall, which had surprisingly little furniture inside it for a room of its size. Two long tables sat at its centre in addition to the one Zhang had indicated as they entered. Two more were pushed up against a far wall. As instructed, they all dropped off their luggage.

    ¡°Please, have a seat,¡± said Zhang. Once everyone was settled in, he spoke again, ¡°Now, what can we do for you fine folk?¡±

    The crew exchanged a few glances, but once again Ostara spoke for them. ¡°We have a number of purposes in surveying the colonies, but you may be able to help us tick off one item, quite quickly. It¡¯s a long story ¨C which of course I am happy to tell you later if you¡¯re interested ¨C but we are currently attempting to locate a recently arrived convict.¡±

    If this aroused any particular suspicion in Zhang, his face did not show it. ¡°And what might this convict¡¯s name be?¡±

    ¡°Yarghunoghul Toghrul,¡± relied Ostara, giving Toghrul¡¯s name in the Shang order with family name first.

    ¡°Oh,¡± said Zhang. ¡°Well, yes, I can help you with that. Mr Yarghunoghul arrived here recently.¡±

    Mu¡¯s strong suspicion was confirmed.

    Ostara beamed. ¡°Excellent. Might he be available to speak with us?¡±

    Zhang shook his head. ¡°Unfortunately, Mr Yarghunoghul is currently away on a scouting and research assignment.¡±

    ¡°Scouting and research?¡± asked Mu. ¡°Scouting for what? Aren¡¯t the jungles around here dangerous.¡±

    ¡°They certainly are,¡± said Zhang, ¡°But that is why we always seek to expand our knowledge of the local area. Safer sites to relocate the settlement to are always desirable. Of course, anyone embarking on such an assignment does so on a strictly voluntary basis.¡±

    ¡°When do you expect him back?¡± asked Kal.

    ¡°If all goes well, we would hope to have him back with us by the day after tomorrow at the latest.¡±

    ¡°Does it, um, usually go well?¡± asked Nova.

    ¡°As you say, the jungles are dangerous, but every member of the party is experienced. Even Toghrul, who hasn¡¯t been with us very long, has made other journeys beyond our wall. He certainly returned from those unscathed.¡±

    ¡°Sounds encouraging,¡± remarked Harry.

    ¡°I must stress,¡± said Zhang, ¡°There are no guarantees out here. Inside or outside the wall, life is dangerous.¡±

    ¡°Of course,¡± said Ostara, ¡°We understand.¡±

    Zhang seemed to consider them collectively for a moment. Then he spoke again, ¡°In the meantime, I understand there were other matters we could help you with?¡±

    Mu looked Ostara¡¯s way.

    ¡°I guess you could say we are conducting some research of our own,¡± said Ostara. ¡°Though surely not of the high calibre that Doctor Zhao is no doubt involved in. Ours is of a more commercial nature. Our crew has been visiting a number of recently terraformed worlds and gaining a sense of the trade prospects there. I hope you don¡¯t find our presence in your lovely village an undue disruption.¡±

    Zhang gave her a look that Mu was certain was that of a man who was less than convinced. His words, however, had a different tone, ¡°I¡¯m afraid you won¡¯t find much of economic value here, beyond the small trade we do with Weimin and a few others. But of course, you¡¯re more than welcome to stay here and conduct your¡­ research. It would be our pleasure to host you. We can accommodate you without hassle ¨C after all, there are less of us than there once was.¡±

    ¡°People have finished their sentence?¡± asked Nova.

    ¡°Not exactly,¡± said Zhang, the momentarily grim tone in his voice making further explanation unnecessary. ¡°Of course, you will have to speak with the guards. While we are substantially given free rein to run the affairs of the colony by ourselves, it is them who are technically in charge. When the Commandant is finished with Doctor Zhao, I shall take you to meet him.¡±

    ¡°Are the guards likely to take issue with our presence?¡± asked Kal.

    Zhang looked around almost conspiratorially. ¡°The guards aren¡¯t that different to ourselves. They are just waiting out their time here. Don¡¯t cause them any trouble and they won¡¯t trouble you. Of course, they may expect a fee for their¡­ cooperation.¡±

    ¡°Figures,¡± said Kal.

    ¡°We will cooperate,¡± said Ostara. ¡°Thank you for your help, so far, Mr Zhang.¡±

    ¡°Please, call me Jiwen.¡±

    ¡°Of course, Jiwen,¡± said Ostara.

    There came a knock and the door to the hall opened. In walked a man of short stature, white hair, and grey-blue eyes. His face was lined, and his cheeks slightly sunken, but he had an aquiline nose and angular jawline. He walked with a slight limp and stoop. He used a cane to walk.

    ¡°Michael!¡± said Jiwen. ¡°I was about to come and find you.¡±

    ¡°I encountered Shulin and Weimin,¡± replied the man, Michael presumably. ¡°They told me you had some newcomers with you. And not sent by the grace of his Imperial Majesty, I hear?¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re not convicts¡­ no,¡± said Mu.

    ¡°Not yet, anyway,¡± said Tavian, brightly.

    ¡°Friends, this is Michael Arthur. He¡¯s the leader of our settlement here,¡± said Jiwen.

    ¡°A pleasure to meet you, sir,¡± said Ostara.

    They covered introductions as Michael took a seat. Jiwen also explained the rather thin rationale Ostara had given for their presence. Listening to him repeat it, Mu was struck that it probably didn¡¯t matter. It didn¡¯t sound like the camp guards here were likely to be in regular contact with the Resonance Bureau or any other Imperial authorities. Indeed, from what she¡¯d heard so far, it didn¡¯t seem like they cared about much at all. Frankly, she had expected a harsher regime on a penal world.

    ¡°You won¡¯t see it marked on any maps,¡± began Jiwen, ¡°But we have taken to calling our little settlement here Port Arthur, in Michael¡¯s honour.¡±

    Michael laughed. ¡°They honour me far too highly.¡±

    ¡°Not at all,¡± said Jiwen.

    ¡°So, you know our latest arrival, Toghrul?¡± said Michael.

    ¡°Yes,¡± said Ostara. ¡°He is an¡­ acquaintance of ours.¡±

    Michael squinted his eyes. ¡°You¡¯ve got your secrets, haven¡¯t you?¡± He shrugged. ¡°Doesn¡¯t bother me, as long as you intend us no harm. Most people that end up here have some things they don¡¯t want known.¡±

    Mu studied his face. There were nuanced layers to that face. Wisdom certainly. Mirth appeared ever present, though never wholly in control. There was kindness, too. But also, there was determination. She knew at a glance that this was a man who was willing to do what it took to achieve his goals.

    She gasped when the prescience hit her.

    One more thing became apparent about Michael Arthur: this was a man who had not long to live.

    ¡°Mukushen, are you alright?¡± said Jiwen, turning her way.

    Swallowing, she nodded slowly. ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡±

    ¡°Alright¡­ good,¡± said Jiwen, though his eyes lingered on her a few moments more, unconvinced. The others¡¯ eyes, too, she felt upon her. They would ask her, no doubt. What would she tell them? Nara Enduri, in Its great wisdom, had not seen fit to gift her any specific insights about the nature of the mortal threat to Michael Arthur. Was this something she could prevent?

    If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.

    She did not know.

    Yet, it seemed she should probably strive to find out more, before spreading concern.

    Calm, Mu.

    Michael himself continued, unperturbed. ¡°I expect you will be wanting to see the camp. I should warn you, though, not all our residents are as friendly as myself, or Jiwen here. Or Shulin, for that matter. The three of us and Gao Yunqi, who I am sure you will meet later, make up the leadership committee here. We try to keep things running and harmonious, though some here don¡¯t always see eye-to-eye with us on everything. Of course, everyone understands that we must cooperate to survive out here.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ll try not to be too offended if some of the others aren¡¯t as welcoming as yourselves,¡± said Harry, glancing around at the rest of the crew. ¡°Frankly, it wouldn¡¯t be the first time we¡¯ve arrived somewhere and folks haven¡¯t been all that happy to see us.¡±

    ¡°Our feelings might get hurt, but I¡¯m sure we¡¯ll endure,¡± said Tavian, jovially.

    With that they headed outside.

    ¡°Our stuff¡¯s fine?¡± asked Nova, indicating their luggage with a thumb.

    ¡°No one will touch it,¡± assured Jiwen.

    Outside Michael began the tour. ¡°This is our main hall. The Guard quarters are over there¡ª¡± here he indicated the prefab building they¡¯d seen earlier ¡°¡ªand our storehouse is behind the hall. Other than that, there¡¯s not much to see. Most of these buildings are dormitories. There¡¯s typically eight to a dorm, twelve dormitories in all. There are only seventy-eight convicts here at present, so we¡¯ve got two entire empty dormitories. Providing the Commandant approves, you¡¯re welcome to stay in one.¡±

    ¡°Thank you,¡± said Ostara, smiling graciously.

    As Michael was speaking a group of three men approached. One of the three clearly held some seniority over the others, who flanked him almost like bodyguards. He was a heavily built man, near as tall as Kal. His head was bald and he sported extensive tattoos across much of his body. He wore a singlet that showed off his muscled arms.

    ¡°Ah, Mr Ma,¡± said Michael, ¡°Allow me to introduce you to our visitors.¡±

    Before he could continue, Mr Ma, spoke. ¡°You with the government?¡±

    ¡°No, we are not,¡± said Kal, stepping toward him.

    Ma looked Kal up and down. ¡°Well, ain¡¯t you a big one? How long you staying?¡±

    ¡°Few days,¡± said Kal.

    ¡°You bring your own supplies?¡±

    ¡°We have brought some, yes,¡± said Ostara.

    Ma looked her way, giving her a distinctly different appraising look to the one he directed at Kal. ¡°Glad to hear it, m¡¯lady,¡± he said, his tone containing more than a little menace. He looked back Kal¡¯s way, ¡°Don¡¯t cause any trouble and stay out of our way. Do that, and we¡¯ll get on just fine.¡±

    Kal emitted a noise that to Mu sounded almost like a growl, but didn¡¯t say anything further. Ma and his lackeys observed them a moment longer, then headed on their way.

    ¡°They seemed nice,¡± said Nova.

    ¡°Delightful,¡± said Harry, watching as the three men walked away.

    ¡°I¡¯d be cautious around them,¡± said Jiwen.

    ¡°As long as they¡¯re cautious around me,¡± grumbled Kal.

    Jiwen glanced his way, but Kal¡¯s eyes remained fixed on the backs of Ma and the other two.

    ¡°Not digging their vibe, Big Guy?¡± said Nova.

    ¡°Men like that are looking for an excuse to start trouble. I¡¯ve met their sort before,¡± said Kal, ¡°And there¡¯s only one thing they understand if you¡¯re looking to bring them into line.¡±

    ¡°They contribute to the colony like everyone else,¡± replied Michael.

    ¡°As Michael said, not everyone is as welcoming as we are,¡± added Jiwen.

    ¡°Apparently not,¡± said Mu.

    What she didn¡¯t mention was that the sense of danger she drew from Ma and his men was not merely based on what she saw, but also yet another twinge of prescience. She had no doubts that Kal was right ¨C these men would be a source of trouble.

    They were not however the primary danger here at Port Arthur. There was something else, something they were yet to encounter.

    The tour was quite brief after that, largely as a result of the fact that most of what there was to see in the colony could be seen from the entrance to the hall. Each of the dormitories were constructed following a fairly uniform plan. Other than that, the only other building of particular note was that which housed the shower facilities.

    ¡°Do you guys ever go swimming in the river?¡± asked Nova. ¡°With this heat, there were a few times on the boat that I felt like jumping in myself.¡±

    Jiwen grinned. ¡°We don¡¯t. If we¡¯re down by the river sometime, I¡¯ll show you why. Actually, if you¡¯re staying here, it¡¯s probably worth seeing this. Everyone up for a walk back to the river?¡±

    No one objected, curiosity piqued, and they made their way back to the jetty at which they¡¯d arrived. Michael excused himself, the tour concluded.

    Weimin was at the jetty with his crew, unloading cargo. Jiwen had a look at what they had stacked. He found a tin of fish.

    ¡°These paid for?¡± he asked Weimin, holding up the tin.

    Weimin looked his way, distractedly. ¡°Sure.¡±

    Jiwen took the tin and pulled the tab, opening it up. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t normally waste any food, but I think losing a small amount is worth it for this demonstration. You do not want to end up like this fish.¡±

    Here he held up a small, pickled fish.

    ¡°Good thing the Cap¡¯s not here,¡± said Nova, ¡°He¡¯d be pretty sad that we¡¯re about to waste pickled fish.¡±

    Jiwen tossed the fish from the jetty. Not long had it touched the water when the surface suddenly erupted with frenzied motion, water splashing about as something writhed beneath.

    ¡°What are those?¡± exclaimed Harry.

    ¡°Snakes?¡± asked Nova, horror and fascination equally covering her face.

    But Mu knew. ¡°Vines,¡± she said.

    They looked at her.

    ¡°She¡¯s correct,¡± said Jiwen. ¡°The river¡¯s full of them. Here and just about everywhere else. Anything goes in that water ¨C it doesn¡¯t come out.¡±

    ¡°What about fish?¡± asked Tavian.

    ¡°Haven¡¯t been any fish in these waters in a long time. That¡¯s why everything we eat needs to be imported from off-world.¡±

    ¡°So, ah, yeah¡­ I¡¯m not going for a swim,¡± said Nova.

    ¡°Probably for the best,¡± agreed Tavian.

    ¡°It looked enticing,¡± said Nova.

    ¡°Probably what the vines are counting on,¡± said Tavian.

    ¡°Is it all like that?¡± asked Mu. ¡°The forests too?¡±

    Jiwen shook his head. ¡°The jungle isn¡¯t as full of carnivorous species as the river, but there¡¯s no shortage. And the carnivorous species are spreading. And near the pits¡­ new species are emerging.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯d you say about pits, there?¡± asked Harry.

    ¡°The Heavenly Pits,¡± said Jiwen, ¡°Places where the limestone has collapsed into caves, opening up quite sizable pits. There are plenty of them in this area, due to the extensive karst formations and heavy rain. For whatever reason, they seem to act as epicentres of mutation among the plant species.¡±

    ¡°They must have had some role in the early terraforming process,¡± said Mu.

    ¡°I can only assume so,¡± said Jiwen. ¡°They¡¯re phenomenal structures, though. The largest we¡¯ve found is over a kilometre wide and at least three hundred metres deep. But at their base¡­ it¡¯s like another world. Entirely new species of plant seem to emerge, sometimes in matters of weeks. And sometimes they find their way to the surface. That¡¯s how the carnivorous vines spread into the waterways, and how other species have entered the jungle.¡±

    ¡°Well, that¡¯s fucking terrifying,¡± said Nova.

    ¡°Do you think we could visit one?¡± said Ostara. ¡°I¡¯d be fascinated to see such things up close.¡±

    Jiwen seemed to consider. ¡°It isn¡¯t in any way safe to do so. But I have made the journey to the nearest pit myself many times to conduct research. As long as you¡¯re prepared to accept the risk, I¡¯d be willing to show you there. Though, I should clarify, we can¡¯t enter. There¡¯s no way back out.¡±

    ¡°That would be much appreciated,¡± said Ostara.

    ¡°Looking for new plants for your garden?¡± asked Harry.

    ¡°I¡¯m gonna be real with you: I¡¯m not gonna visit you in your garden anymore if there¡¯s a chance one of the flowers is gonna eat me,¡± said Nova.

    Ostara gave a small laugh. ¡°I won¡¯t be collecting samples, but I am always curious to see a world¡¯s unique flora.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s unique alright,¡± said Jiwen.

    The reprieve from the rain didn¡¯t look like it was going to last. The rumble of distant thunder was the first herald of the coming downpour. The crew had assisted the residents of Port Arthur in transporting the goods brought by Weimin to the hall. Li Shulin had taken the mantle of the settlement¡¯s cook, preparing meals for the others with the assistance of a small crew of volunteers. That night Ostara volunteered herself and Harry to assist. Mu had offered too.

    ¡°Oh, don¡¯t trouble yourself, we¡¯ll be fine,¡± said Harry.

    ¡°You just don¡¯t think I can do it,¡± said Mu.

    ¡°I mean, I don¡¯t, but I was trying to avoid having to say that,¡± said Harry.

    ¡°Well, I offered.¡±

    ¡°And your offer is appreciated.¡±

    Mu saw there was no point in arguing further.

    Later they were gathered in the hall, a curiosity for the assembled convicts. They could see Ma, surrounded by a coterie of lackeys at one table. What struck Mu, though, was that looking out across those assembled, it was clear that the convicts were very starkly divided into groups. The Commandant and the six guards sat at a small table, watching the others. A few convicts sat close to Michael Arthur, including Zhang Jiwen. Li Shulin also frequently spoke with them, in between readying the meals.

    Earlier that day, while Ostara had gone to meet with the Commandant (who had acceded to them staying), Jiwen had introduced them to more of the other convicts. This included Gao Yunqi, the fourth member of the Leadership Committee. Looking now, though, Mu could see that Gao must be an outsider on the Committee. Because while the other three members formed one of the distinct groups, Gao appeared to have his own.

    He was a thin man with an air of arrogance about him. He wore ill-fitting glasses that often slid down his nose, resulting in him continuously pushing them back up with the same movement, utilising two fingers, pressed together. Around him others gathered ¨C some of them having rather thuggish appearances not all that distinct from the lackeys Ma kept about.

    Sitting far removed from any of these other cliques, was a smaller group ¨C just three people. An elderly woman with kindly eyes, a young man ¨C barely more than a boy ¨C and a nervous-looking middle-aged woman. Mu hadn¡¯t been introduced to any of this trio yet, and found herself wondering what their story was.

    She also found herself wondering where Toghrul might fit into this scene? Had he found allies among the convicts, or was he isolated?

    For their part, the four Amrita crewmembers not assisting Li Shulin, sat nearby to Michael Arthur¡¯s group. Kal¡¯s eyes seemed to continuously scan the room, but always came to settle on Ma and his group. Tavian and Nova had struck up a conversation with a couple of the convicts. Mu simply sat in silence.

    Soon the food came out ¨C consisting of steamed rice and vegetables, salted fish, and cured bean curd. Each convict served themselves, and as Mu watched, their seemed to be a preordained order to the process, different groups getting their food at different times. Before all of this, Li Shulin brought a plate of food to Michael. The first group that went up was Ma¡¯s with Ma himself loading up his plate first of all.

    Once Mu had a plate of her own, she found Jiwen sitting next to her.

    ¡°Li feeds us well,¡± he remarked. ¡°It could certainly be a lot worse out here.¡±

    As he spoke a loud rumble of thunder sounded outside. A moment later the sound of a few droplets of rain on the roof was heard. A moment after that the few droplets became a torrential downpour.

    ¡°I¡¯ll be honest,¡± said Mu, ¡°Life doesn¡¯t seem as bad here as I had expected.¡±

    Jiwen regarded her with an inscrutable expression for a moment, then spoke. ¡°There¡¯s much you¡¯ve yet to see.¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to¡ª¡±

    Jiwen waved his hand. ¡°Please, I¡¯m not offended.¡±

    Mu decided to change the subject. ¡°What¡¯s the story with Gao?¡±

    ¡°Gao? Who knows for sure? He says he was a rebel leader. The authorities couldn¡¯t kill him because the outrage it would stir up, so they sent him here instead.¡±

    ¡°A rebel leader?¡± said Mu, ¡°He looks young.¡±

    ¡°Far as I know, he was a university student. Like I said, who knows what¡¯s true. There¡¯s no file ¨C at least not one we can see ¨C that says why everyone¡¯s here. One thing¡¯s for sure, though: he¡¯s got no shortage of political ideas, and he likes to talk about him. He¡¯s developed quite the little group of followers.¡±

    ¡°It definitely seems like there¡¯s a few cliques here,¡± said Mu.

    ¡°Oh, for sure,¡± said Jiwen, ¡°That¡¯s just human nature though. We¡¯re social creatures ¨C put us in a dangerous situation, and we seek strength in numbers. Add a few charismatic individuals into the mix, and this is what you get.¡±

    ¡°Ma¡¯s charismatic?¡±

    ¡°To a certain type of person.¡±

    ¡°I guess so,¡± said Mu, thoughtfully chewing on some fish. ¡°Do they ever fight? These cliques?¡±

    ¡°They argue plenty¡­ but it¡¯s only ever come to violence a couple of times, and it¡¯s never gotten completely out of control. Michael makes sure of that.¡±

    ¡°Guess he¡¯s tougher than he looks,¡± said Mu.

    ¡°He¡¯s respected,¡± said Jiwen, ¡°That goes a long way. Even Ma usually defers to him. Gao will sometimes disagree with him in our Committee meetings, but publicly he supports Michael. Everyone recognises the role he plays in keeping things peaceful and making life as easy as it can be out here. Not every settlement has someone like him, and more than a few have descended into violence. Certainly, the authorities will do nothing to stop it if it breaks out.¡±

    ¡°It seems like they just dump people here. Dump them and forget about them,¡± said Mu.

    ¡°More or less,¡± said Jiwen. ¡°The people here¡­ they¡¯re people the governments of the Empire didn¡¯t want around, but for one reason or another didn¡¯t want to kill. As long as we¡¯re out of the way, they don¡¯t much care what we do.¡±

    ¡°I see that now. This place isn¡¯t really what I expected,¡± said Mu. ¡°But then again, I didn¡¯t really know what to expect: there¡¯s so little publicly available information.¡±

    Jiwen smiled. ¡°Oh, you¡¯re not wrong about that. I¡¯ve been trying to figure out this place¡¯s story for years, and I still don¡¯t know much more than what I¡¯ve been able to see with my own eyes.¡±

    Mu considered her words carefully, before speaking. ¡°Do you mind me asking why you were sent here?¡±

    Jiwen shrugged. ¡°Sure, I don¡¯t mind. I was working in minerals exploration for a mining company. I highlighted some major safety and legal concerns with a particular project I was involved with and my superiors seemed unconcerned. I figured there was nothing more for it, so I went to the authorities. Unfortunately for me, it seems my bosses had got to them first, because instead of shutting it all down they went right ahead and sent me here to get me outta the way.¡±

    Mu remembered Jiwen¡¯s own words in relation to Gao. Still, it seemed like a plausible enough story. That was just the way things went, right across the Empire.

    ¡°How about Michael?¡±

    ¡°No one knows. He¡¯s never said, and to my knowledge, no one¡¯s ever asked.¡±

    No doubt it was much the same as Jiwen¡¯s ¨C he¡¯d become a problem for people with power and wealth.

    As she was thinking, Jiwen¡¯s voice interrupted her thoughts her. ¡°Are you tired?¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡± she said.

    ¡°Are you tired? Do you need to get to bed early tonight?¡± said Jiwen.

    She shook her head. ¡°Not really,¡± she lied.

    ¡°Good,¡± said Jiwen. ¡°I¡¯ll show you what life is like out here after dinner.¡±

    It was several hours later and the night was very dark, when Jiwen arrived at the dormitory being used by the Amrita crew. Tavian, Ostara, Harry, and Nova were sitting around chatting. Mu was reading a book on her bed. Kal was nowhere to be seen.

    ¡°I¡¯m going out,¡± he had said, and that was that.

    Mu rose from her bunk when the knock came and went to open the door. Jiwen stood there, clad in a bright orange raincoat. A cone of light spilt from the inside of the dorm, illuminating the raindrops in its path.

    ¡°You¡¯ll need this,¡± said Jiwen, handing Mu a bundle the same orange as his raincoat. ¡°Are you ready?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll just get my shoes on,¡± she said. ¡°Please, come in.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t want to get your dormitory all wet,¡± he said. ¡°I¡¯ll wait here.¡±

    She nodded and scurried back inside. She rummaged in her pack and found some fresh socks and put them on, then slid her feet into her boots before lacing them up. She unfurled the bundle Jiwen had handed her and draped the raincoat over herself, inserting her arms into its sleeves and pulling up the hood. Buttoning it up, she glanced down at herself before heading to the door.

    ¡°Anything else I should bring?¡± she asked.

    ¡°No, that¡¯s fine,¡± said Jiwen.

    ¡°Nice night for a date,¡± called out Tavian.

    ¡°It¡¯s not¡ª¡± protested Mu, but decided she wouldn¡¯t give him the satisfaction. ¡°I¡¯m heading out.¡±

    ¡°Have fun!¡± called Nova, brightly.

    Mu stepped out, closing the door behind her. Everything became very dark. But only for a moment.

    A flash of lightning lit everything up for a few instants.

    Then the darkness returned.

    Jiwen flicked on a bright torch.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± he said.

    They traipsed down the somewhat uneven wooden steps out front of the dormitory building and then headed across the settlement. Mu followed Jiwen wordlessly. Ahead of them moved the small circle of light.

    They reached the edge of the village. ¡°Our job is checking the eastern perimeter,¡± said Jiwen. ¡°Gao will check the western side.¡±

    ¡°What exactly are we looking out for?¡± said Mu.

    ¡°Anything growing from the outside in. The plants inside, we know they¡¯re safe, but anything penetrating the wall from outside, that could be dangerous. And it means it has grown there in the last few hours, because we destroy anything we find on these patrols,¡± said Jiwen.

    ¡°How often do you find anything?¡± asked Mu.

    ¡°Well, I¡¯ve been tracking it. When we started the patrols about a year ago, we were encountering an incursion roughly once every two nights or so. Now it¡¯s more like eight or so a night.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s changed that fast?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯ll only keep getting worse,¡± said Jiwen.

    ¡°But¡­ that¡¯s not sustainable,¡± said Mu.

    ¡°No,¡± said Jiwen, ¡°It¡¯s not.¡±

    ¡°What made you start? Doing the patrols, I mean.¡±

    ¡°It was the morning a resident named Gu Yan didn¡¯t show up for her breakfast duties. Shulin sent someone to look for her. They found her still in bed. There was a crack between the wall and ceiling of her dorm. A vine had come through, crept down the wall. Her mouth was open, she was lying on her back. The vine had grown right down her throat. All over her body little shoots were poking through her skin. In some places they were yet to break through, but you could see the green spots and the little bumps where they were coming. The autopsy showed the vine had introduced certain enzymes into her body that liquefied her organs. It was digesting her from the inside out.¡±

    Mu shook her head in horror, disbelieving.

    ¡°Do the authorities know?¡±

    ¡°The Commandant files reports. But the LPDC doesn¡¯t care. The Imperial Government sure doesn¡¯t.¡±

    He paused and turned to face her, holding the torch between them. ¡°For now, we do what we can. It¡¯s either that, or die out here. But once the jungle is like the river¡ª¡± he paused and shrugged, ¡°I guess that¡¯ll be the end for us.¡±

    ¡°But they can¡¯t¡ª¡±

    ¡°They wanted most of us dead anyway. But it was a problem to have us executed. If the plants do it for them¡­ simple. Solves a problem.¡±

    Mu felt a deep frustration with herself. How did she keep getting surprised by the injustices of the Imperial system?

    You can¡¯t be that na?ve, Mukushen, she admonished herself.

    ¡°We call the patrols ¡°vine warden duty¡±,¡± said Jiwen. ¡°It¡¯s worse for those who go on scouting assignments. At least in here we have a wall. And a ditch.¡±

    ¡°What is the ditch for?¡±

    ¡°If there¡¯s a mass incursion, it¡¯s filled with flammable substances. We light it up. With any luck, it¡¯ll slow them,¡± said Jiwen.

    ¡°But the village might catch fire.¡±

    ¡°It might. But if the vines get in ¨C en masse ¨C we will die. Fire? It rains a lot here. We might have a chance.¡±

    ¡°And when scouting? Like Toghrul is now?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s tiring,¡± said Jiwen, ¡°At times two party members need to be continually hacking or burning the vines to maintain the camp clearing. The others try to sleep.¡±

    ¡°That sounds hellish.¡±

    ¡°It isn¡¯t pleasant,¡± said Jiwen.

    Everything was illuminated by the storm. Darkness returned, shortly after came the rumble of thunder.

    ¡°The pits,¡± she said, ¡°You said they were the epicentres of the accelerated evolution?¡±

    ¡°They appear to be. No scouting parties ever camp near one. The incursions are too intense.¡±

    ¡°Has anyone ever gone inside one?¡± asked Mu.

    ¡°No,¡± said Jiwen. ¡°I considered it early on. But¡­ there¡¯s no way you¡¯d make it out alive.¡±

    ¡°I just wonder if there aren¡¯t answers there,¡± said Mu.

    ¡°Maybe, but answers aren¡¯t solutions,¡± said Jiwen. ¡°I suspect whatever has happened here, it is beyond the power of the LPDC or even the Empire to reverse now. Luanyuan is a failed experiment ¨C I have no doubts about it. And¡­ I think the era of human inhabitation of its surface is almost done. Whether the vines overrun Heye or the atmosphere becomes toxic first, I don¡¯t know. But this isn¡¯t somewhere that welcomes humankind.¡±

    Overhead the heavens roared and the rains of Luanyuan kept falling over its jungles.

    The thunder was rumbling over the canopy as Mei Xuelan made her way back towards the ship.

    She was still worried. Xixi wouldn¡¯t come with her, instead just sitting there, propped against the tree, the blood of many colours flowing continuously from their wounds, their eyes staring blankly ahead.

    Why were they being so stubborn?

    It would be easier if they were all together on the ship. Yet though they were hurt, Xuelan knew ¨C somehow ¨C that Xixi would be okay. Even having lost so much blood. So, she made her way back toward the ship, fighting all along against the vines.

    It was not just the thunder that rumbled, her stomach did too. She still hadn¡¯t eaten since they¡¯d been on Luayuan. She had thought that maybe there would be some nice fruit, but the only time she had tried to pick any fruit it had been filled with yucky things like teeth and bones, so she¡¯d thrown it away. Cruelly, the bees had not left any of their delicious honeycomb behind when they¡¯d left. Frankly, this seemed rude after all the effort Xuelan had put into looking after them. Maybe bees could be Discordant after all.

    It was quite dark and stormy by the time that Xuelan finally found her way back to the ship. Captain and Mrs Wen must have woken up, because they were no longer where they¡¯d been resting when she¡¯d left to go find Xixi. There was a flash of lightning and for a moment she thought she saw a long smear of blood where Mrs Wen had been, but then she reminded herself how silly she was being. Blood wasn¡¯t red. It was all the colours. Maybe it was sap from a plant? There were certainly many more plants around the ship now than there had been.

    She found Mother and Father. Mother must have woken up at some point, because she had covered herself in flowers. How like Mother. She had always loved flowers. Father must have fallen asleep while trying to see if some of the plants were edible, because he had a vine in his mouth. They looked peaceful though, so Xuelan didn¡¯t wake them.

    Instead, she went to the ruins of her bedroom and sat there in a spot where the gathering storm couldn¡¯t reach her. She sat and she gazed out on the wreckage and the jungle. She wished Xixi would have come with her.

    She felt hungry.

    She felt lonely.

    Eventually she fell asleep.

    Xixi was in her dream. They led her along a rainbow path through the sky. At its end was a star ¨C not like the stars in the night sky, but a great swirling mass of fire. Around it flew the bees. So many bees.

    ¡°In the Hive, no one is lonely,¡± said Xixi.

    She looked at them.

    ¡°Don¡¯t you mean the Orchestra?¡±

    Xixi¡¯s many eyes gazed back at her calmly, reassuringly. They stretched their many wings.

    ¡°You need only drink of my essence.¡±

 Chapter XXXVII - Angel in the Vines

    Chapter XXXVII ¨C Angel in the Vines

    Mu walked across the grounds of Port Arthur gingerly, picking her way among the pits of mud that had developed in the wake of the previous night¡¯s storm. Ostara, somehow, seemed to effortlessly avoid these pitfalls and retain her typical elegance as she walked ahead of Mu towards the main hall.

    The heat seemed especially oppressive today. The rain had stopped again, but the sky was covered by grey clouds. She put a hand to her face. Her cheeks felt like they were on fire. Compounding her discomfort, she was starting to get aches in her muscles ¨C something she put down to prolonged exposure to the planet¡¯s higher gravity.

    Inside the hall, they found a number of others waiting, sitting around one of the tables. Michael Arthur was there, flanked by Jiwen and Shulin. A few seats over sat Gao Yunqi, arms folded, expression unreadable. Also present was Doctor Zhao, though he sat on a seat away from the table. The sixth person in the room was someone Mu did not recognise, but judging by his pseudo-military uniform, she took him to be the Commandant. He had short greying hair and neatly trimmed facial hair. He sat with his chair pushed back and his arms folded in front of his chest. His expression was one of fixed disdain.

    ¡°Ostara, Mu, welcome,¡± said Michael, upon seeing them enter. They took seats off to the side near Doctor Zhao. Mu greeted the Doctor; he responded with little more than a curt nod.

    ¡°Since everyone is here, we can begin this meeting of the Leadership Committee,¡± said Michael. ¡°As you can plainly see, I have permitted some of our guests to join us this morning. Are there any objections to their presence?¡±

    Gao glared their way, but said nothing.

    ¡°Very well,¡± said Michael, ¡°Let¡¯s proceed. We will start with the vine warden report.¡±

    ¡°Eleven total intrusions observed last night, none far advanced when discovered,¡± said Jiwen.

    ¡°That¡¯s the most in a while¡­.¡± murmured Shulin.

    ¡°Second-highest on record after the thirteen we had one night a few weeks back,¡± confirmed Jiwen.

    ¡°Any new species identifications?¡± asked Michael.

    ¡°We were operating under difficult conditions due to the storm, but I do not believe so.¡±

    ¡°Anything else of note we should be aware of?¡±

    ¡°Not from my end. Madam Mukushen accompanied me for some of the night.¡±

    ¡°Mr Gao?¡±

    ¡°Nothing of particular note,¡± Gao said. He had the mannerisms of a man for whom everything was an undue burden.

    ¡°Perhaps we shall move onto the storm damage report,¡± said Michael. ¡°I¡¯ll take care of this one. It appears the jetty was damaged by fallen trees washed down the river. We¡¯ll get a repair crew there today to assess what can be done. Weimin and his crew had already departed at the time of the incident. As of last contact with them, they were fine and had rejoined the Cang Teng. Unfortunately, the only river-faring vessel we have met its end alongside the jetty. This does leave us somewhat isolated for the time being. I fear our guests may need to stay with us at least until the next trader visits.¡±

    The Commandant leant forward. ¡°I will contact Heye and see if they cannot send us a relief transport.¡±

    Gao Yunqi muttered something under his breath.

    ¡°What was that?¡± demanded the Commandant.

    ¡°I said there¡¯s not much chance of them ever helping,¡± said Gao.

    ¡°Watch your tone, you¡¯d have nothing without the Corporation,¡± said the Commandant.

    ¡°You¡¯re right, I should be grateful to be here instead of home with my people.¡±

    ¡°Gentlemen, please,¡± said Micheal. ¡°We shall await word from Heye. In the meantime, we¡¯ll make repairing the jetty a priority.¡±

    ¡°Think your guys could give us a hand with that?¡± Gao asked the Commandant, his tone steeped in sarcasm.

    ¡°Watch your fucking mouth, convict,¡± snarled the Commandant.

    ¡°Figured not,¡± said Gao. ¡°Just remember, as long as that jetty is broken, you¡¯re trapped here with us too.¡±

    The Commandant was about to snap back, but Michael spoke up, his voice firmer than Mu had heard it previously. ¡°Gentlemen!¡±

    He gazed around those assembled, as if daring anyone to speak. When he himself spoke again, his tone was as soft and genteel as ever, ¡°Regrettably, I must also report that our primary water filtration system is broken. Whether this is connected to the storm or not, I couldn¡¯t say with any certainty at this stage, but that is obviously another high priority repair job. Mrs Li, could I please get you to oversee the manual boiling and filtering of enough water to make up for any shortfall in the meantime?¡±

    ¡°Of course,¡± said Shulin. ¡°We¡¯ll do what we can. We have already got the word out that showers are suspended until further notice. Water is to be used for strictly essential purposes only.¡±

    ¡°Thank you, Mrs Li,¡± said Michael.

    Mu didn¡¯t very much fancy the idea of going without showers for any length of time in this climate. Normally she didn¡¯t sweat much, but Luanyuan had somehow managed to do it. Her clothes felt clammy and uncomfortable. But, she conceded, there probably wasn¡¯t much to be done about it for the time being. With any luck the repair crew would find the problem quickly.

    ¡°The other matter of concern is that a second case of fever has been reported,¡± said Michael.

    ¡°Lieutenant Liao and Cui are looking into it,¡± said the Commandant.

    ¡°Doctor Cui,¡± murmured Gao.

    The Commandant ignored him this time. ¡°In the meantime, they¡¯ve been isolated in the unused dorm.¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s hope that¡¯s the last case,¡± said Jiwen.

    ¡°With any luck,¡± said Michael.

    ¡°The only other matter I¡¯m aware of is with Yesugei¡¯s scouting party,¡± said Jiwen.

    ¡°Any word from them?¡± asked Michael.

    Jiwen shook his head. ¡°Not yet.¡±

    ¡°Should we be concerned about that?¡± asked Mu. If she was following correctly, Yesugei was the leader of the scouting party that included Toghrul.

    Jiwen looked over to her. ¡°I don¡¯t think there¡¯s reason for immediate alarm,¡± he said, ¡°Though last night¡¯s storm and the amount of activity we observed in the vines are somewhat concerning. But we¡¯ve been having sustained comms trouble for the best part of a month now, and we¡¯re not expecting them back until today at the earliest, anyway.¡±

    ¡°Okay,¡± said Mu. ¡°Sounds¡­ fine.¡±

    She hadn¡¯t encountered any foreboding around Toghrul¡¯s fate, so she felt reasonably reassured. There was certainly no rush ¨C even once Toghrul returned, they wouldn¡¯t be able to leave Port Arthur for a while anyway, by the sounds of things. Yet, she continued to feel uneasy. What was it that her and Apollo had sensed was here on Luanyuan? And what fate awaited Michael Arthur?

    ¡°I¡¯m hoping they will bring some good news on the edible fruits front,¡± said Shulin. ¡°Even with the latest deliveries from Weimin and the contributions of our visitors, our current stores are going to be difficult to sustain long term.¡±

    ¡°We are all hopeful for good news there,¡± said Michael.

    ¡°I appreciate that locating food sources is no doubt the most pressing matter,¡± said Jiwen, ¡°But I am very curious as to whether or not they reached the impact site.¡±

    ¡°Impact site?¡± asked Ostara, raising a questioning eyebrow.

    ¡°Shortly before you arrived an object impacted the surface from orbit. It wasn¡¯t clear what it was, but it appeared to be moving too slowly to be a meteorite. It¡¯s been theorised it may have been a ship crash. One of Yesugei¡¯s party¡¯s objectives was to reach the site of the impact and assess whether it was indeed a starship, and whether there were any survivors,¡± said Michael.

    ¡°I don¡¯t love their chances out there if Yesguei didn¡¯t get to them quickly,¡± said Jiwen. ¡°¡­if they survived the impact.¡±

    Mu thought he was probably right.

    ¡°When the party returns, I would like to discuss their findings with them,¡± said Doctor Zhao.

    ¡°That shouldn¡¯t be a problem,¡± said Jiwen.

    ¡°I would also like to request an escort to the nearest of the Heavenly Pits,¡± said Zhao.

    ¡°Madam Ostara has made a similar request,¡± said Jiwen. ¡°I think we should be able to accommodate it.¡±

    ¡°Right,¡± said Michael, ¡°Were there any more matters that require the Committee¡¯s attention?¡±

    ¡°I am loth to mention it, but we were to discuss Mrs Fu¡¯s application to join this Committee,¡± said Shulin.

    The Commandant let out a laugh. ¡°Look, ultimately I don¡¯t give a shit what you convicts do here as long as you don¡¯t cause me any issues, but I¡¯m just saying: if I were you, I wouldn¡¯t be letting that mad old bat anywhere near your little committee.¡±

    Gao looked sideways at the Commandant. ¡°He¡¯s right,¡± he said.

    ¡°Never thought I¡¯d see the day,¡± said Shulin.

    ¡°I¡¯m saying it as it is,¡± said Gao. ¡°Fu Yuanjing is a fanatic. She has no idea what¡¯s in the best interests of the colony and her presence here would be a danger to us all.¡±

    Jiwen sighed. ¡°I believe Mrs Fu means well, but I am inclined to agree that she is not temperamentally suited to sitting on this Committee.¡±

    ¡°No argument here,¡± said Shulin.

    Michael looked around. He too sighed. ¡°I am mostly inclined to agree with all of you. However, I am concerned whether she will cause us more trouble inside or outside the committee.¡±

    Jiwen nodded, conceding the point. ¡°She is unlikely to take the rejection well.¡±

    ¡°She is a Resonant,¡± said Shulin. ¡°Whether we like what she has to say or not, we¡¯d do well to take her seriously.¡±

    Gao scowled. ¡°I honestly believe taking her seriously is the last thing we should be doing. She¡¯s a crackpot.¡±

    ¡°But she could pose a serious danger if we get her too far off side,¡± said Michael. ¡°With the Committee¡¯s consent, I¡¯d like more time to think the matter over and explore options.¡±

    ¡°I can live with that,¡± said Gao, ¡°But I¡¯m not going to change my mind. If we let her in, we may as well just open it up to everyone. Let¡¯s get Ma Jinhai in here next!¡±

    ¡°Ma Jinhai hasn¡¯t asked,¡± said Jiwen.

    ¡°That¡¯s all that¡¯s stopping us letting him in?¡±

    ¡°Well, we¡¯d have to consider every course if he did apply, but that¡¯s not what we¡¯re dealing with right now, is it? Fu Yuanjing is the issue at hand,¡± said Jiwen.

    ¡°And if after this deferral is over, if it¡¯s decided to admit Fu Yuanjing, then I want to put forward other names to balance out the crazy,¡± said Gao.

    ¡°And we will consider such nominations in due time if you make them,¡± said Michael, ¡°But in the meantime, can I take it that the Committee is agreed to deferring the matter?¡±

    ¡°Aye,¡± said three voices in unison, Gao¡¯s slightly lagging the other two.

    ¡°Then I believe that concludes this meeting,¡± said Michael. ¡°I hope it was enlightening for our guests.¡±

    ¡°Very much so, thank you,¡± said Zhao, smiling thinly.

    ¡°Thank you for allowing us to observe,¡± said Ostara. ¡°It was very informative.¡±

    With that the assembled group rose and left the hall. As they were exiting an elderly woman ¨C older than Shulin and possibly around Michael¡¯s age ¨C stepped forward to block their path.

    ¡°Mr Arthur,¡± she said with a broad smile. Her eyes had a gentleness to them, but as Mu looked closer, she saw they had an oddly unfocused quality to them, giving the woman an eerily dissociative aura. Mu recognised her as the woman she¡¯d seen sitting away from most of the other convicts at dinner last night.

    The Commandant didn¡¯t stop, brushing past the others and pushing straight past the woman. She didn¡¯t even turn to look his way, though, keeping her face turned Michael¡¯s way.

    ¡°Mrs Fu,¡± replied Michael, ¡°How are you this morning?¡±

    Fu Yuanjing¡¯s smile grew even wider. ¡°I am well! After all, it is a glorious day. I am always thankful on such days.¡±

    ¡°Thankful for the storm?¡± asked Gao.

    ¡°The storm was cleansing,¡± said Fu, not looking his way.

    ¡°Not of our water supply. The filtration system¡¯s down,¡± said Gao.

    ¡°I trust you have discussed my matter, Mr Arthur?¡± she said, ignoring Gao.

    ¡°Ah, yes, of course, we have discussed it,¡± said Michael, ¡°Unfortunately there are some additional considerations we must take into account. As such, we can¡¯t give you a definitive answer just yet.¡±

    Fu tilted her head to one side, her smile never dimming. ¡°That is unfortunate, Mr Arthur. I believe it is a rather urgent matter that the voice of the Nine Suns be represented in the leadership of this colony. Otherwise, there is ever the risk that we shall fall into the Stars¡¯ disfavour.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ve got more pressing matters than the Stars¡¯ feelings,¡± said Gao.

    This time Fu did turn his way, her head shooting around in a motion so sudden it startled Mu. Her eyes were no longer far off and unfocused, becoming hawklike in their intensity. ¡°And tell me, young man, how goes it with the vines? More and more incursions, yes? That¡¯s what we hear out here, anyway.¡±

    ¡°We of course respect your views and value your perspective,¡± said Michael. ¡°We will let you know our decision as soon as possible.¡±

    Fu slowly turned back his way, her eyes tracking Gao until her head had fully turned back towards Michael. ¡°I pray for a quick and satisfactory resolution to your deliberations.¡±

    ¡°Thank you, Mrs Fu,¡± said Michael.

    With that, the Committee members awkwardly moved passed her, made difficult by the fact that she did not budge a single centimetre, continuing simply to stare straight ahead, smiling all along.

    Once they were all passed her, she called out, ¡°Only the Light of the Nine Suns can save us. Those who do not embrace it are doomed to perish in darkness.¡±

    Mu looked at the woman and shuddered despite the burgeoning heat of the day.

    Tavian had spent the morning assisting a group of convicts with moving several crates of goods in the stores. During the storm, part of the stores had become waterlogged and there was a concern it would soak through and ruin the rice contained in the crates. It was hard work and hot work. As he was walking back to the dorms, his shirt slung over his shoulder, he could already feel the faint ache in his muscles.

    I¡¯m gonna feel this tomorrow, he mused.

    Still, there was a satisfaction in the simplicity and sense of achievement that came from manual labour. Plus, there was no gym here, so this would have to be his training. Plus, he had scored an invite to come play cards and drink baijiu with the convicts later. If nothing else, it¡¯d no doubt be an opportunity to learn some convict songs.

    He had not halfway crossed the village when he heard the sound of sobbing. Glancing around, he couldn¡¯t immediately see its source, but after a few moments more he worked out where it was coming from. Ducking around a corner to a shadowy spot between two of the dormitory buildings he saw a skinny boy sitting on the ground, his knees scrunched up to his chest, his head buried between them.

    ¡°You alright there, mate?¡± asked Tavian.

    A tear-soaked face looked up at him. The boy shook his head slowly. Tavian took a deep breath and walked over to him, crouching down next to him. He had thought of sitting, but saw the ground was little more than churned mud.

    ¡°What¡¯s the problem?¡±

    ¡°They took my rocks.¡±

    This was not the answer Tavian expected. ¡°Your, ah, your rocks, huh?¡±

    The boy nodded.

    ¡°Why¡¯d they do that?¡± Tavian asked, doing his best to act as if the case of the stolen rocks was of the utmost seriousness.

    ¡°They say I¡¯m stupid,¡± said the boy. ¡°That the rocks are stupid.¡±

    Well, they are rocks.

    ¡°Well, that¡¯s, er¡­ not nice,¡± said Tavian.

    ¡°Do you think I¡¯m stupid?¡±

    ¡°Truth be told, I don¡¯t really know you, but from what I¡¯ve seen, you seem like a bright young man. Not stupid at all,¡± said Tavian. He was unsure how convincing he was being.

    ¡°Everyone else thinks I¡¯m stupid.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sure that¡¯s not true.¡±

    ¡°Well, maybe not Mr Zhang or Mrs Fu, but aside from them¡­¡±

    ¡°Mr Zhang, you mean Jiwen?¡±

    The boy nodded, wiping his eyes. ¡°But he¡¯s always busy, so he doesn¡¯t have much time for me.¡±

    ¡°What about Mrs Fu?¡±

    ¡°If she were around, they wouldn¡¯t have taken my rocks.¡±

    ¡°Who exactly is they?¡±

    ¡°The people who are always around Mr Ma,¡± said the boy. ¡°They like to hurt me and laugh at me.¡±

    Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit.

    ¡°Well, they sound like right cunts,¡± said Tavian. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t have to put up with that. Tell you what, next time anything happens, come and get me, then we¡¯ll put ¡®em in their place. I¡¯m staying in the dormitory over there.¡±

    ¡°They¡¯re bigger than you.¡±

    Tavian decided to let the insult slide. This wasn¡¯t about him. He did however instinctively puff out his chest. ¡°I¡¯m sure they¡¯re not as big as my friend,¡± he said. ¡°Plus, I¡¯ve got a few tricks of my own.¡±

    The boy smiled. ¡°Thank you, Mr,¡± he said. ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡±

    ¡°Tavian Locke at your service, young sir. And what is your name?¡±

    ¡°Chen Xiaoyu,¡± said the boy.

    Tavian extended a hand. After a moment of staring at it the boy took it and awkwardly shook.

    ¡°Pleasure to meet you, Mr Chen,¡± said Tavian.

    He paused a moment, considering what the appropriate next move was. After a momentary internal debate he asked, ¡°So, tell me about these rocks.¡±

    Xiaoyu shrugged. ¡°I dunno¡­ I¡¯ve just been collecting rocks I find interesting since I got here. I had a lot. Some were real smooth ¨C from the river, the water makes them smooth. Another one was like a cube, all straight sides. I don¡¯t know how it got that way. There was also this one¡­¡±

    Once he hit his stride, Xiaoyu was off, detailing the undeniably extensive former rock collection. Tavian was only half-listening, but that didn¡¯t seem to matter all that much; Xiaoyu was happy to just keep on talking. Meanwhile, Tavian¡¯s mind wandered. How old was this kid? How did he end up in a place like this?

    ¡°Most people said the rocks were stupid, but I liked them, and Mr Zhang said they were good and he knows, too, because he¡¯s a rock scientist, did you know that?¡±

    ¡°Wow,¡± said Tavian. ¡°Well, you¡¯re right. He would know.¡±

    At this point, Tavian felt like he¡¯d done his bit. Xiaoyu was no longer crying, at least. After his morning of moving crates, he was keen for some down time.

    ¡°Well, Mr Chen, why don¡¯t we go looking for some new rocks sometime?¡±

    ¡°Really!?¡±

    ¡°Sure. Why not?¡±

    ¡°Wow. Thanks, Mr. I feel better. But I better go. Mrs Fu says I can¡¯t forget to say my prayers or the Nine Suns won¡¯t shine on me¡­ then bad things will happen,¡± said Xiaoyu.

    ¡°Oh, well, that sounds important. I¡¯ll see you later.¡±

    Xiaoyu scurried off. Tavian shook his head and resumed his journey. He hadn¡¯t gotten far at all when Nova came running up to him.

    ¡°Tavian!¡± she yelled, then came to a halt. ¡°Oooh! Shirtless, huh? Looking¡­ sweaty.¡±

    ¡°Thanks, Nova, but my eyes are up here.¡±

    ¡°Your¡­ ah¡­¡± she waved her hand around the general area of his chest¡­ ¡°your¡­ muscles gotten bigger?¡±

    ¡°I do try,¡± he said. ¡°But¡­ you were going to tell me something?¡±

    ¡°Oh yeah,¡± she said, as he put his shirt back on. ¡°Ostara wanted to know whether you would come with her and that Jiwen guy to see some¡­ pit.¡±

    He had been thinking about lying around and not doing much of anything for at least a good portion of the afternoon, but, since it was Ostara asking, he guessed he could go. Could be interesting.

    ¡°Sure,¡± he said. ¡°Is she at the dorm? I¡¯m heading back there now.¡±

    ¡°She was off talking to someone, but she might be back,¡± said Nova. ¡°She said to meet her at the riverside entrance to the village.¡±

    ¡°Right,¡± said Tavian, ¡°Well, if you see her before I do, let her know that I¡¯ll be coming ¨C I just need to have a shower before I go.¡±

    Nova shook her head. ¡°Don¡¯t think so,¡± she said, ¡°Water filtration system¡¯s fucked at the moment and the folks in charge have said no showers till it¡¯s fixed to conserve water. I was just on my way to check out the system, see if I can¡¯t help get it working. Anyway, until then, you¡¯ll just need to stay all¡­ sweaty.¡±

    He glared at her. She turned away, blushing, and began attempting to whistle.

    ¡°Go on then,¡± he said, ¡°I¡¯m sure getting a water filter working shouldn¡¯t be too much hassle for you.¡±

    After Nova went on her way, Tavian continued on his. Reaching the dorm, he pushed open the door, stepping inside.

    ¡°I¡¯m home!¡± he called out, fully expecting nobody to be there. Instead, he was greeted with a groan. ¡°Hello?¡±

    ¡°Tav¡­ian?¡± came a weak voice.

    He rushed in. There, lying on one of the lower bunks, was Mu. Her skin was pallid, apart from her cheeks, which were flushed bright red. The sheets around her were damp, and her skin glistened with sweat. She was lying on the bed still fully dressed ¨C even her boots were still on.

    ¡°What¡¯s happening?¡± he asked.

    ¡°So hot¡­¡± she moaned.

    ¡°You¡¯re not wrong¡­ but there¡¯s more happening here than just the heat.¡±

    He leant down, placing his hand to her forehead. It was burning hot.

    ¡°You, m¡¯dear, have one hell of a fever,¡± he said.

    ¡°Fever¡­¡± she murmured, her glazed eyes not meeting his. ¡°They said other people¡­ too¡­¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re not making a whole lotta sense, but just hang in there. I¡¯m gonna go find a doctor,¡± he said. ¡°But first, here, have some water.¡±

    He opened up his water flask and helped prop her up so she could drink some of the water. Messily she drunk a little, but some spilled down the front of her. Gently he lowered her back down to the bed.

    ¡°I¡¯ll be back soon,¡± he said, placing the flask next to her.

    He headed out. Unsure of where else to go, he ran to the guards¡¯ building and knocked furiously on the door. After a short wait, the door opened and one of the guards looked at Tavian.

    ¡°Yes?¡±

    ¡°One of my colleagues. She has a high fever. Is there a doctor here?¡±

    ¡°A fever? Shit.¡±

    The guard vanished inside. Tavian could still hear his voice though: ¡°Boss, we got another one. She¡¯s one of the visitors.¡±

    ¡°Really? That makes seven now.¡±

    Moments later the door opened again. This time though it was the Commandant. ¡°She in your dorm?¡±

    Tavian nodded.

    ¡°Stay away from her. We¡¯ll transfer her to be with the others.¡±

    ¡°There are others?¡±

    ¡°Something¡¯s got into this settlement,¡± said the Commandant. ¡°If you notice any signs in yourself or others, report it immediately.¡±

    ¡°Will she be alright?¡±

    ¡°There are no guarantees out here. Our medical officer will do what she can.¡±

    These were inadequate answers for Tavian.

    ¡°There must be something I can do to help?¡±

    ¡°Stay away. Don¡¯t get sick yourself.¡±

    He clenched his fist in frustration. ¡°When will they get to her?¡±

    ¡°When they can.¡±

    ¡°Very well,¡± said Tavian. He turned and left.

    He didn¡¯t head for the gate to meet Ostara immediately. Instead, he made his way back to their dorm. When he reached it, no one had arrived yet. He entered and rushed to Mu¡¯s bedside.

    Her eyes were closed, but her skin was paler still and dripping with perspiration. Her chest was rising and falling with shallow breaths. The sheets on the bed were a tangled and sopping mess, muddied from her boots. His water flask lay on its side on the floor by the side of the bed, its contents forming a slowly expanding puddle.

    He picked up the flask and set it upright on the small table beside the bed. He then set about gently removing her boots, and straightening the sheets.

    No one else was in the dorm. He¡¯d send a message to ensure they checked on Mu. It was time to go meet Ostara.

    Before he left, he knelt beside her.

    ¡°Someone will be here to help soon,¡± he said.

    He brushed some lank strands of hair away from her eyes. She moved slightly, but those eyes remained closed. She looked uncharacteristically fragile, the defiance and independence she usually exuded, nowhere to be seen.

    He spoke some words softly as he knelt there, feeling the Starflow as he spoke:

    ¡°O Lady Anu, maiden of light,

    Shelter this one, struck by fell blight.

    Guard our hearts, our path, our song,

    From shadows deep, where fears belong.

    By your sweet grace, let no harm befall,

    Hear your loyal bard¡¯s humble call:

    Guide her from encroaching dark,

    Let her waken to morning lark.¡±

    He ran two fingers gently over her forehead, then stood. He lingered a moment, gazing down at her.

    ¡°Sleep well, help is on the way,¡± he said.

    He headed to meet Ostara. As Nova had said, he found Ostara standing by the river gate. She was accompanied by the geologist, Zhang Jiwen, as well as Dr Zhao, Zhao¡¯s assistant, Lai Leizu, and one of the guards.

    ¡°Have you heard?¡± he asked Ostara as he reached the group.

    She gave him a look that strongly implied that she had not in fact heard.

    ¡°Mu¡¯s got a high fever,¡± he explained. ¡°Something¡¯s spreading through the settlement.¡±

    ¡°Is she alright?¡± asked Ostara, a look of deep concern entering her amethyst eyes.

    ¡°She¡¯s not conscious, her breathing is shallow. The Commandant assured me someone would see to her,¡± said Tavian. ¡°I invoked a protective ward against disease I learned long ago, back on C¨¢erthand¡­ but I don¡¯t know how effective it¡¯s likely to be.¡±

    Ostara looked Jiwen¡¯s way.

    ¡°You can stay with your friend or come with us,¡± said Jiwen, ¡°But whatever you do, we need to go now.¡±

    ¡°Has something happened?¡± asked Tavian.

    ¡°Yesugei¡¯s party has activated their distress beacon. They aren¡¯t far ¨C near the pit we were headed to. But we have to get going. Now.¡±

    ¡°I messaged Nova, Harry, and Kal,¡± said Tavian. ¡°Told them to check on Mu.

    ¡°Then we should go,¡± said Ostara. ¡°Toghrul is with that party¡­¡±

    Tavian took a breath and nodded. ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± he said.

    They set out immediately. According to Jiwen, both the beacon¡¯s activation site, and the location of the pit they had been intending to visit were only about two hours from Port Arthur.

    The going was tough. Jiwen and the guard led the way. Each had a vibrating saw-like instrument that they used to clear a path through the thick vegetation, but even with these it was slow progress. It seemed to Tavian that two hours of travel time probably didn¡¯t equate to a very long distance.

    Now that he was amongst it, Tavian felt something from the jungle. It exuded an aura ¨C an aura of hunger. And something more¡­ it was almost as if the jungle bore them genuine ill-will, malice. Even as he looked around, everything was green and lush, all the usual assortment of tropical plants. Yet somehow it seemed like there was also a cruel will behind it all. Tavian couldn¡¯t quite pinpoint what it was that was giving him this impression, but he felt it strongly nonetheless.

    Jiwen¡¯s words tied into his feelings.

    ¡°Stay close together at all times,¡± said Jiwen. ¡°Sergeant Bo and I will lead the way, but everyone needs to be on the lookout. The first vine that snags you may not seem like a big problem, but before you¡¯ve removed it, another will come. It becomes a losing battle. You can be lost to the vines before you even realise it.¡±

    Tavian knew he should be concentrating on his immediate surroundings, but he found his mind kept wandering to Mu¡¯s pallid complexion as she lay there on that thin mattress.

    How did she go downhill so quickly?

    In his distracted state he wasn¡¯t taking close note of where he was going. He tripped over something and stumbled, but avoided face-planting by grabbing onto a nearby vine to steady himself. Even as he did so he felt a sharp stab of pain in his hand, pulling it away to see a little trickle of blood where his skin had been punctured by a small thorn.

    Waving his hand in irritation, he only now looked down and saw what it was he¡¯d tripped on.

    A bone.

    Looking around, he now realised there were plenty of them scattered among the underbrush.

    ¡°Ah, Jiwen?¡± he said.

    Jiwen and Sergeant Bo up ahead, stopped and turned to see what he was indicating.

    The bones weren¡¯t immediately obvious ¨C many were covered in decaying leaves or partially hidden by ferns and other vegetation, but once he saw the first one, his eyes continued to be drawn to ever more.

    ¡°We need to move, now,¡± said Jiwen.

    Tavian didn¡¯t need any urging. But it was easier said than done. Because a vine a wrapped itself around his ankle, tiny barbs ¨C like the thorn he¡¯d stabbed his hand with ¨C were now digging in through the fabric of his trousers and socks, poking into the flesh of his lower leg.

    ¡°Oh, fuck no,¡± said Sergeant Bo, running forward, the saw buzzing in his hand.

    ¡°Careful with that thing!¡± said Tavian.

    Bo didn¡¯t pause. In a quick movement he had severed the vine and stopped just a millimetre short of beginning to also sever Tavian¡¯s leg. Yet, no sooner had he done this, than a vine wrapped itself around the very arm with which he held the saw. Another lashed around his midsection. Even as Tavian watched, he felt the barbs of yet another vine digging into his chest.

    He heard a cry and looked over just in time to see Leizu go to ground, yanked from her feet. She let out another cry as she was dragged out of sight into the undergrowth. Even as more vines grabbed at him, Tavian looked around. Dr Zhao was nowhere to be seen.

    Jiwen came rushing over, but he didn¡¯t get far, a vine coming from above coiling around his body like a python and physically lifting him up off the ground, the saw tool tumbling from his hand as he was pulled upwards.

    More vines were now grabbing at Tavian and he could feel his ability to move decreasing as each new set of barbs snagged his flesh.

    Like meat hooks, he thought, darkly.

    He struggled with all his might, but it was no good. Anytime he managed to pull himself away from a vine, the result was merely a set of bloody gashes where its thorns had been. And more attached themselves with each passing moment, far faster than he could pull away from them.

    He couldn¡¯t even see Jiwen anymore, though his field of view was becoming limited. The vines were now on his head and face and he couldn¡¯t turn to look around. The jungle within his narrow field of view was alive. There were so many vines that it was impossible to focus on the movements of just one, everything was a seething mass of verdant green snakes, all converging relentlessly on their location.

    I wonder who the poor soul will be who trips on my bones? thought Tavian.

    Yet these dark and desperate musings were cut short. The hold of the vines began to slacken, until one by one they fell away. Suddenly, Tavian could move again. Could look around.

    Which was when he saw Ostara, walking serenely among the vines, which seemed to waver and bend away from her. There came a noise from above and Jiwen was half-lowered, half-fell to the forest floor, the vines releasing him. Nearby, Sergeant Bo unsteadily rose to his feet.

    Tavian looked down at himself. He was covered with countless cuts, some drizzling blood. His clothes were torn. But against his expectations of a few moments earlier, he was alive.

    ¡°What happened?¡± he asked.

    Ostara turned to him and smiled. ¡°I asked the Stars to intervene.¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t even realise you were a Resonant,¡± said Tavian.

    Ostara shrugged, continuing to smile.

    ¡°And what a Resonant¡­¡±

    ¡°We should hurry,¡± said Ostara. ¡°They are hungry and will not be stayed long. We should get out of here.¡±

    ¡°No arguments here,¡± said Jiwen, gazing at Ostara with wonderment.

    ¡°Anyone seen the other two?¡± asked Bo.

    Tavian looked around. Sure, enough there was no sign of Dr Zhao or Leizu. Jiwen let out a growl of frustration.

    ¡°Don¡¯t tell me we lost them.¡±

    ¡°Dr Zhao!¡± bellowed Sergeant Bo.

    There was no response.

    He called out again.

    Still no response.

    ¡°I should have been quicker,¡± said Ostara.

    ¡°You saved us all,¡± said Jiwen. ¡°Perhaps they just got separated. We¡¯ll keep an eye out for them.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t want to be insensitive,¡± said Tavian, ¡°But like Ostara says, we should probably get going.¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s move,¡± agreed Bo. ¡°They¡¯re on their own.¡±

    They resumed their journey, their spirits further darkened. As he thought once more of Mu in her sickbed, Zhao and Leizu vanishing into this hellish tangle, the bones scattered across the ground, the distress signal from Toghrul¡¯s party¡­ a thought appeared unbidden in his mind. Was it even possible to survive this world? Thanks to Ostara they had escaped the most recent encounter with the vines. But Luanyuan was hungry and relentless. Did anyone ever make it out of its grasp?

    He remembered the man in the bar in Heishui Zhen. If the crew made it back that far, Tavian wondered who would sing him a Hymn of Letheion when he was thrashing about, his mind bringing him back to the tangle of the vines, to his comrades being dragged away into the lush beds of ferns and twisted knots of roots.

    The rest of the journey passed largely in silence. Tavian¡¯s eyes continually scanned the ground for anymore bones. A few times he almost thought he saw some, but invariably it was just a fallen branch or some trick of the dim light that filtered down through the rainforest canopy.

    How much farther?

    With each step he felt Luanyuan¡¯s heightened gravity, its drowning humidity, and its infernal heat. His futile struggle against the vines had left him drained. A fly buzzed past him, but he didn¡¯t have the energy to swipe it away. It landed on his head. He didn¡¯t care.

    Jiwen had an answer to Tavian¡¯s question.

    ¡°We¡¯re close,¡± he declared. ¡°The beacon¡¯s signal isn¡¯t far off.¡±

    ¡°Look!¡± said Bo, pointing ahead of them, ¡°It looks like there might be some sort of clearing up ahead.¡±

    Motivated by any sign of a break in the jungle¡¯s monotony they raced ahead ¨C or at least did the best version of racing they could do.

    Sure enough, they soon emerged into a clearing. But not a natural one. At the centre of it was the wreckage of a small starship. Pieces of the ship were scattered about the clearing, some suspended by the vines that had presumably caught them as they had been flung away at the moment of impact. Surprisingly, though, overall, the ship was mostly intact.

    ¡°This must be the impact site,¡± said Jiwen.

    ¡°The vines have already got to it,¡± said Bo, pointing to the long vines that crept across the clearing and into the wreckage. ¡°Doubt we¡¯ll find any survivors.¡±

    ¡°Only one way to know for sure,¡± said Tavian.

    They walked across the clearing.

    ¡°Be alert for any movement,¡± said Jiwen.

    ¡°I don¡¯t think we¡¯re in any immediate danger here,¡± said Ostara.

    ¡°Still¡­¡± said Jiwen, his eyes scanning the clearing.

    They hadn¡¯t gone far when Sergeant Bo called out. The others approached. Lying on the ground was the bisected corpse of a man, each half now connected only by dozens of thin vines. In many places flowers bloomed out of the flesh, fresh buds poking up through the skin.

    ¡°What the fuck¡­¡± murmured Bo.

    Tavian felt slightly sick at the sight. He looked away.

    ¡°Do you have any idea who he might have been?¡± asked Ostara.

    Jiwen shook his head, seemingly unable to take his eyes away from the sight.

    ¡°He¡¯s no one I recognise. Judging by his clothes, he¡¯s neither convict nor guard.¡±

    ¡°Whoever he was,¡± said Ostara. ¡°He met with a cruel fate.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s the same we would have been met with without your intervention earlier,¡± said Jiwen.

    Wanting to be away from the sight, but also feeling trepidation about what was to come, Tavian spoke up, ¡°I¡¯m going to go look inside the ship.¡±

    He bounded over to the ship and clambered up onto it. Its hull was punctured in numerous places, so whilst its main boarding hatch was closed, there were numerous points of ingress. Just as he was about to jump through one of the holes, he heard a rustling in the bushes. He looked around, but saw nothing.

    ¡°You guys hear that?¡± he shouted back to the others.

    ¡°Yeah,¡± said Bo. ¡°I¡¯ll go take a look.¡±

    ¡°Didn¡¯t sound like the plants,¡± said Tavian.

    ¡°There¡¯s no large animals left around here,¡± said Jiwen. ¡°Everything¡¯s been eaten by the jungle.¡±

    ¡°Well, it was something,¡± said Tavian, before he leapt into the ship and the others vanished from sight.

    The inside was darker than outside, but not drastically so. Plenty of light still made it inside, though there was no sign of artificial light. It was a far smaller vessel than the Amrita, and had none of the finishing touches that made the Amrita¡¯s interior feel so homely and welcoming. By contrast this was undeniably a starship ¨C cold metal and exposed machinery everywhere.

    As he walked along the corridor he stepped carefully over a vine, watching it suspiciously. It didn¡¯t move. Beside him, a control panel on the wall was sprouting bright pink flowers. More vines crept out of a ceiling vent.

    He entered a room. It was a bedroom. Specifically, judging by the decorations and stuffed toys, a child¡¯s room. It was in a surprisingly neat state. Looking around, Tavian could see nothing out of place. Even the bed was made. Exhaling slowly as he examined it one last time, then left.

    Across the corridor was a door that led into another bedroom. In it were two corpses. A man and a woman, lying on the bed. Or what was left of them. The man¡¯s body was mostly torn apart by vines, which had created such a thick tangle that there was more vine than human flesh now. The woman¡¯s body was better preserved, covered in a variety of brightly coloured flowers, blooming with a lethal serenity across her reposed body.

    Judging by the state of the bodies ¨C what hadn¡¯t been consumed yet ¨C they were relatively fresh. He couldn¡¯t imagine in conditions like those of Luanyuan any such flesh would remain long.

    The other thing that struck him was that they didn¡¯t look to be the bodies of people who had died in a crash. Nor did they look like the bodies of people who had fought for their lives against the encroaching vines. Rather, they looked almost like someone had posed them there, in the bed.

    He left the room. On the opposite side of the central corridor the single largest hole in the ship¡¯s hull had been opened up. A long trail of dried blood led across the floor, up the wall, and out through the breach. Of the person to whom the blood had once belonged, there was no sign.

    He heard footsteps behind him and spun around, but saw it was just Ostara.

    ¡°Found anyone?¡± she asked.

    ¡°No one alive,¡± he replied.

    He could see she was looking at the great smear of blood. She didn¡¯t say anything, and he didn¡¯t feel the need to either. Wordlessly, he left and walked towards the front of the vessel.

    The doors to the cockpit were jammed, but slightly ajar. He squeezed inside. The front viewing port was completely smashed and rain and leaves had been blown in, pooling about in various places. In a few spots there were splashes of dark, old blood, but there were no bodies to be found her.

    Ostara came in behind him.

    ¡°What do you make of it?¡± she asked.

    ¡°At least four people on board,¡± he said. ¡°Maybe more. None of the bodies we¡¯ve seen looked like they were killed in the crash itself.¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s a fair bit of blood in here,¡± observed Ostara.

    ¡°Yeah¡­ could be that they were injured and didn¡¯t have much hope of escaping the vines,¡± said Tavian. ¡°If they didn¡¯t know what they were getting into, they would have been like a buffet to the jungle. Also¡­ did you see the bedrooms?¡±

    Ostara shook her head.

    ¡°There was a kid on board,¡± said Tavian.

    ¡°They¡¯re dead?¡±

    ¡°I haven¡¯t seen a body,¡± said Tavian with a sigh, ¡°But if they¡¯re alive, I¡¯d say they¡¯re an orphan.¡±

    Tavian only now noticed that Ostara was carrying something.

    ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± he asked.

    She held it up for him to see better. It appeared to be the figure of a man holding a baton. It was carved from jade.

    ¡°It appears to be some sort of religious idol,¡± she said.

    Tavian looked more closely at it. For some reason it made him feel vaguely uneasy ¨C an unease that sat adjacent, but separate to the abundant well he already felt.

    ¡°What sort of religion?¡± he asked.

    ¡°Interestingly enough, I believe one that used to be practiced here on Luanyuan,¡± said Ostara.

    ¡°Oh?¡± said Tavian.

    ¡°Did Mu tell you about the grottoes on the river on the way here?¡± asked Ostara.

    He shook his head, ¡°Mu doesn¡¯t tend to make much small talk with me.¡±

    ¡°Before we got to Port Arthur, Mu says she saw grottoes with religious carvings in the karsts by the river. Dr Zhao told her they depicted a local deity from before terraforming, known as the Conductor,¡± explained Ostara.

    Before they got to Port Arthur, thought Tavian. That¡¯d only been yesterday morning. Yet now Dr Zhao was probably dead and Mu¡­ he didn¡¯t finish the thought.

    ¡°Go on,¡± he prompted Ostara.

    ¡°Well, I did some reading after Mu told me this, and I¡¯m now struck by how much this little fellow here looks like the carvings in the grottoes.¡±

    ¡°So, the people on this ship meant to come here?¡± asked Tavian.

    ¡°It seems likely,¡± said Ostara.

    ¡°Probably didn¡¯t intend to get here like this,¡± remarked Tavian, indicating the general devastation of the ship with a sweep of his arm.

    ¡°Probably not,¡± agreed Ostara.

    ¡°Do you know anything about this Conductor?¡± asked Tavian.

    She shook her head. ¡°Not much. There are very few records indicating the existence of the religion. If pre-terraforming Luanyuan was an epicentre of the faith, then perhaps a lot of the information has been wiped.¡±

    ¡°It does seem like someone¡¯s gone to a great deal of effort to bury this planet¡¯s past,¡± said Tavian.

    ¡°It certainly does.¡±

    Tavian nodded in the direction of the ship¡¯s computers. ¡°Perhaps the ship has some more info to offer.¡±

    ¡°Do you think these systems look workable?¡¯ asked Ostara.

    ¡°You¡¯re the first mate on a starship,¡± he replied, ¡°My expertise is in story-telling, poetry, music¡­ alcoholism¡­ I¡¯m not sure I have much of an opinion to offer on the state of these computers.¡±

    Ostara gave a small laugh. ¡°Maybe we can get Nova here, and see if she can salvage anything.¡±

    ¡°If anyone could do it, it¡¯d be her,¡± agreed Tavian. ¡°But maybe get Kal along next time. He might actually frighten the vines.¡±

    She laughed again. ¡°Perhaps you should play them some of your music?¡±

    ¡°No need to mock me,¡± said Tavian.

    ¡°What makes you think I was mocking you, Tavian?¡±

    There was the sound of rapid footsteps. They turned to see Jiwen coming towards them.

    ¡°You¡¯ll want to see this,¡± he said.

    Tavian picked his way across the slippery rocks, leading across the overflowing pools of water. As Jiwen led them closer, he could see that more and more of the pools were filled not with water, but with a mutli-coloured, viscous liquid.

    A few moments later he saw the source. Sergeant Bo was standing next to it. Jiwen stepped to one side to give Ostara and Tavian a clear view.

    A being, quite unlike anything he had seen before, sat stooped against the tree. It had three sets of feathered wings and skin that was mostly a soft, luminescent blue, streaked with silver, green, and gold. On its head were many, many eyes ¨C eyes which had a deep, yet alien intelligence to them, following their every movement. Two moth-like antennae sat atop its head. It had four arms, which hung limply at its sides. Its entire body was covered in gaping wounds, and from these wounds the viscous liquid Tavian had seen was flowing continuously, oozing out like honey on a cold morning.

    Looking upon this thing Tavian was struck with an indescribable feeling. A sense that he was looking at something boundless, unfathomable. That what he was seeing here was only the tip of an ice-burg, the bulk of which was hidden from the material Cosmos. In this thing¡¯s presence he felt at once small, and yet personally acknowledged by the Cosmos itself. His worries seemed less acute in this being¡¯s presence, and yet he was unsettled in other ways, ways he could not, even with all his bardic eloquence, describe.

    Ostara stepped forward and Tavian saw the being¡¯s eyes all focus simultaneously on her. She regarded it a few moments, each of them staring at the other. Then she crouched down, reaching out her hand, and from a wound on the creature¡¯s chest she wiped away a little of the many-coloured ooze. She lifted her fingers close to inspect them, inspect the iridescence that dripped from them.

    Then she stood, flicking it away.

    ¡°What is it?¡± asked Tavian.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± said Ostara, ¡°But it seems strangely familiar.¡±

    Behind them, came a rustling. Like Tavian had heard before, back at the ship.

    ¡°There you are!¡± exclaimed Bo, spinning around.

    This time Tavian saw the source of the noise. A teenage girl in a filthy dress was standing a short distance away, only partially obscured by the jungle. Her eyes were wide with fear. But most notably, from her mouth liquid of many colours drizzled down her chin.

    ¡°Stop right there!¡± shouted Bo.

    ¡°We won¡¯t hurt you,¡± added Ostara.

    But the girl fled into the dark of the jungle.

 Chapter XXXVIII - Blood of Many Colours

    Chapter XXXVIII ¨C Blood of Many Colours

    Kal stormed up the steps of the guard quarters, Nova in tow. He pounded the door.

    ¡°Who¡¯s there?¡± came a voice from inside.

    ¡°Where¡¯s the Commandant?¡± demanded Kal.

    ¡°Not here.¡±

    ¡°Where?¡±

    He had no patience for such ambiguity right now.

    There was a pause, the voice within replied: ¡°He was meeting Mr Arthur and the leadership committee.¡±

    Kal grunted and turned around.

    ¡°The hall?¡± suggested Nova.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±

    Moments later Kal was charging through the door of the main hall. Inside were sitting the Commandant, Michael, Shulin, and three people Kal didn¡¯t recognise: an elderly woman, a younger woman in a guard uniform, and a young man with glasses, presumably a convict.

    ¡°Who¡¯s with the sick?¡± he demanded.

    ¡°Excuse me?¡± said the Commandant, turning Kal¡¯s way.

    ¡°You heard me,¡± he said. ¡°Who is looking after the sick? Is anyone with them?¡±

    ¡°Doctor Cui just went to check on them. I was with them earlier,¡± said the woman in guard uniform.

    ¡°And who are you?¡±

    ¡°Lieutenant Liao Yuxi,¡± said the woman, ¡°I¡¯m the medical officer here.¡±

    ¡°Well, no one was there when I went,¡± said Kal.

    ¡°No one should be going,¡± said Lieutenant Liao. ¡°We are trying to contain the spread. Especially since we don¡¯t yet understand what are dealing with or the vector of transmission.¡±

    Kal was about to retort that they were being left to die, but Michael Arthur spoke.

    ¡°Mr Nyx, we can appreciate your concern for your friend, but I can assure you, we are taking every measure to both contain the spread and assist those who have already fallen sick.¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s dying,¡± snarled Kal. ¡°She¡¯s dying and no one¡¯s there with her. She was fine this morning. You saw her, didn¡¯t you? And now she¡¯s unconscious. Barely breathing. It took her hours to get to that point. How many d¡¯you reckon she¡¯s got left? Huh? What about you, Lieutenant? Want to hazard a guess?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s true, symptoms are progressing very quickly¡ª¡± Liao began.

    ¡°Not very fucking many,¡± said Kal. ¡°So, we gotta be doing something now. I don¡¯t care about your fucking committee.¡±

    ¡°Mr Nyx, please calm down,¡± said Michael.

    ¡°It is not in my nature to stand by while my friends and companions die,¡± said Kal, feeling the frustration welling up inside him. Unfortunately, a virus wasn¡¯t something you could punch or shoot. A rather frustrating quality.

    He felt Nova¡¯s hand on his arm. ¡°Hey, Kal, maybe we should just leave them to¡ª¡±

    ¡°No,¡± he said, shaking her hand off.

    The elderly woman Kal didn¡¯t recognise spoke up. She had a knowing smile on her face. ¡°Mr Nyx, you are welcome to join me in praying for the sick. I intend to go to them now, as I agree the efforts of some leave much to be desired.¡±

    Kal stared at her with a mix of irritation and incomprehension.

    ¡°Pray for them?¡± he said, incredulous.

    ¡°Kal¡­¡± warned Nova, behind him.

    ¡°I can see by your appearance that you likely did not grow up under the light of the Nine Suns,¡± said the woman, ¡°But I believe their power shines across the Cosmos through the Starflow. You need only let in that light.¡±

    ¡°Kal!¡± said Nova more urgently, tugging at his arm once more.

    ¡°Lady, I don¡¯t know what the fuck you¡¯re on about, but what they need is medical treatment. So, let¡¯s get that to them.¡±

    ¡°Kal. Be Nice,¡± said Nova in a frantic stage whisper.

    Kal gave a grumble. ¡°And I guess you can say your prayers if you want.¡±

    The woman simply smiled back. ¡°I see you¡¯re a sceptic, Mr Nyx. That¡¯s alright. Sometimes it can take us time to see the light. But if your heart is true, I have faith it will shine on you eventually.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve seen many sick and dying in my time,¡± said Kal, ¡°And in my experience, the Stars don¡¯t give a shit about their suffering. Never once saw any of them miraculously get better.¡±

    ¡°I like this one,¡± said the young man with glasses.

    ¡°You need to place your faith in the correct Stars, Mr Nyx,¡± said the woman.

    Kal resisted the urge to respond. It took all of his severely depleted reserves of restraint.

    When Lieutenant Liao spoke again, it was in an exasperated tone. ¡°We are running tests to determine what we¡¯re dealing with. We ¨C unfortunately ¨C have limited technological resources here. The diagnostics will take a while. When we have those answers, I assure everyone we will move with the utmost speed to deliver the most effective treatment possible.¡±

    Kal took a deep breath. He knew that there was little to be achieved through yelling, but also knew that yelling sure as shit felt better than sitting around passively, waiting for Mu to die. Tavian had asked him to look after Mu, and even if it was hopeless, he was going to do something.

    ¡°And Mrs Fu,¡± said Lieutenant Liao, ¡°While I¡¯m sure everyone appreciates the gesture of your prayers. We have been very clear: no one is to enter that dormitory without proper PPE. We now have seventeen infected ¨C we do not need this thing spreading any further.¡±

    Mrs Fu ¨C the elder woman ¨C looked at the Lieutenant. ¡°My dear, I assure you ¨C the light of the Nine Suns is all the protection I need. Those who have fallen ill must witness firsthand the power of the armour of faith.¡±

    They¡¯ll witness a mad old coot get herself killed, thought Kal.

    ¡°Mrs Fu, we are not saying you cannot enter the dormitory, we only ask you follow proper precautions,¡± said Shulin.

    ¡°Well, I¡¯m not asking,¡± said the Commandant, finally speaking up, ¡°This is an order. No one is to enter without PPE. And if people can¡¯t follow that order, I¡¯ll make it simpler: no one can enter.¡±

    Mrs Fu didn¡¯t say anything more, she merely gazed at the Commandant with an enigmatic smile.

    Michael spoke up. ¡°Mr Nyx, if you would like to participate in this discussion, you are welcome to do so. I previously extended an invitation to Madam Ostara, and we are more than happy to include yourself in that invitation, especially as one of your crew is among those who have fallen ill.¡±

    Kal didn¡¯t respond immediately.

    ¡°We would of course ask that you remain civil during these discussions,¡± added Michael.

    ¡°Fine,¡± said Kal. He turned to Nova and quietly said, ¡°Never thought a bunch of convicts would be such delicate snowflakes.¡±

    ¡°You did kinda give ¡®em hell,¡± said Nova with a grin.

    Kal gave a small laugh. ¡°Guess I did.¡±

    Kal walked towards the table and slumped into a chair, his arms folding across his immense chest. Nova followed him, but before she sat, she asked, ¡°D¡¯you need me here? Maybe I should go back to helping with getting the filtration system working.¡±

    ¡°Alright,¡± he said. ¡°Go do that.¡±

    She headed out. The door had not yet shut behind her, when someone burst in. It was another of the guards. ¡°Commandant!¡± he yelled.

    The conversation in the room ceased, and the Commandant turned to the man. ¡°What is it, Qin?¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s been a break-in. At the stores. Someone has stolen several crates of food.¡±

    A storm of questions and exclamations erupted simultaneously from those gathered, not a few of which were accusations of would-be suspects.

    The Commandant leapt to his feet. ¡°Lieutenant, handle this situation. I¡¯m going to go find out what the fuck¡¯s going on with this.¡±

    It never stopped around here, thought Kal.

    Mei Xuelan moved as quickly as she could through the undergrowth. Which wasn¡¯t very fast, but she figured it would be even harder for people significantly larger than herself.

    As she moved, she wiped away Xixi¡¯s blood from her chin. She had felt bad drinking it ¨C surely Xixi needed it. But she had been hungry and tired and weak. Xixi had said it would save her. Thus, with trembling hands she had stooped to the pool and lifted it up to her mouth.

    It had been sweet, unexpectedly so. And cool.

    And after she drunk it, she felt whole again. Better even. Empowered. It was nothing like taking her medicine. No, Xixi¡¯s blood made her feel¡­ wonderful.

    Yet still she was worried about these newcomers. They didn¡¯t seem like Players of the Orchestra. She didn¡¯t know how she knew that, but the feeling was strong. So, she decided to run. To hide.

    But would Xixi be alright?

    They were all alone. What would these new people do? Would they harm them?

    She didn¡¯t know. And that was worrying, but with Xixi¡¯s blood now inside her, she felt more able than ever to deal with that worry.

    ¡°You won¡¯t be scared anymore,¡± Xixi had told her. ¡°And soon, you will never be alone again. Not long now.¡±

    As she ducked and weaved, tunnelling through the vines and bushes, she thought about those people. The lady with the strange purple eyes ¨C she intrigued Xuelan. There was something about her, almost like she knew Xixi. Was she maybe a Player? The others were not, but there was definitely something special about that lady, Xuelan was sure.

    As Xuelan moved, she was so focused on these thoughts and on the simple act of pushing forward through the forest, she missed the sounds. Not the sounds of the strange vines that moved like animals. No, these were definitely the sounds of a person.

    But she missed them.

    Until it was too late.

    She barrelled right into a man.

    He was not one of the men that had been pursuing her. He had messy black hair ¨C hair that almost looked like the head of a mop. He had a similarly messy beard and moustache, but she noticed immediately that he also had the most intensely blue eyes she had ever seen.

    For his part, the man seemed near as startled as she was by the collision out here in the middle of the jungle. He took a moment to recognise what had happened, by which point Xuelan had leapt back and was just about ready to start running again. In her mind she was considering which direction to go. She wanted to go back to the spaceship or maybe to Xixi, but she knew the newcomers would be waiting for her there. They¡¯d find her. She couldn¡¯t go to either of those places, not yet.

    But before she could dart off again, the man spoke.

    ¡°Hello,¡± he said.

    Still wary, she assessed him. She did not think he was part of the Orchestra. And his clothes looked like those worn by some of the newcomers she¡¯d encountered before. Yet, he was in a bad state. His clothes were ripped and torn in many places, and he was covered in mud. When he moved, it was with a pronounced limp.

    And he was covered in blood.

    Or was he?

    Blood wasn¡¯t red, remember? Blood was a rainbow.

    She remembered something she had seen on the ship.

    She dismissed it.

    Blood wasn¡¯t red.

    ¡°Hello,¡± she said cautiously, even as she backed away a little farther.

    ¡°Are you from Port Arthur?¡± he asked. ¡°Surely, you¡¯re too young. Maybe not though. They have no decency.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sixteen,¡± declared Xuelan.

    ¡°Truly?¡± said the man.

    ¡°Yes,¡± she declared.

    The man glanced about; she thought maybe to see if there was anyone else with her. Then he looked back at her.

    ¡°My name¡¯s Toghrul,¡± he said. ¡°What¡¯s yours?¡±

    ¡°Mei Xuelan.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s a nice name.¡±

    ¡°Thank you.¡±

    ¡°How did you get out here? It isn¡¯t safe¡­¡±

    ¡°I came from our ship. It crashed.¡±

    ¡°You came from the crash site?¡± he exclaimed. ¡°We never managed to reach it¡­ the vines, they forced us back.¡±

    She looked around him. ¡°What other people?¡±

    He looked down a moment. ¡°The others didn¡¯t make it¡­ it¡¯s just me now.¡±

    ¡°There were people wearing clothes like you,¡± said Xuelan. ¡°At the ship. And they came and looked at Xixi.¡±

    ¡°Xixi?¡±

    ¡°Xixi¡¯s my friend,¡± said Xuelan. ¡°There was a pretty lady with them. With fancy eyes¡­ like yours.¡±

    ¡°Like mine? Blue?¡±

    Xuelan shook her head. ¡°No, not blue. Hers were¡­ purple.¡±

    ¡°Purple¡­¡± he said, then he seemed to realise something. He then shook his head: ¡°Madam Ostara? Surely not¡­¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know her name,¡± said Xuelan.

    ¡°Can you take me to them?¡± asked Toghrul.

    She shook her head vigorously. ¡°If I do, they¡¯ll take me away ¨C from Mother and Father and Xixi.¡±

    ¡°It isn¡¯t safe out here,¡± he said. ¡°What if all of you come back to our¡­ town?¡±

    She shook her head again. ¡°Mother and Father are very tired. They can¡¯t go anywhere. And Xixi, they won¡¯t move.¡±

    Toghrul seemed to consider this for a moment. ¡°I will make the others promise not to take you away, if you really don¡¯t want to go.¡±

    She was about to shake her head again, but she stopped to think about his words.

    ¡°Alright,¡± she said. ¡°As long as you promise. They were near Xixi. We can go there.¡±

    ¡°Thank you, Xuelan,¡± he said.

    She led the way.

    Mu¡¯s mind was full of strange images and thoughts, each melding into the next, obeying an indecipherable logic. She had little sense of the passing of time, or of her own self, existing instead in a realm where concepts and objects were un-delineated from the Cosmos as a whole. It was a fitful and unpleasant existence, her being gnawed by an indefinable anxiety without obvious origin.

    In just a few moments clear images would cohere form this protean chaos before dissolving again. An orchestral conductor, himself moved by strings manipulated by the colossal hand of an unseen puppeteer. All of it dissolved into a swarm of bees. From the swarm of bees leapt Apollo, before he dissipated into whisps of cloud. A beautiful woman stepped forward, dressed in Aixin court robes, her smile beatific, her arms spread wide in a messianic gesture. She walked forward slowly and with each footfall abundant flowers bloomed. Finally, her form unravelled into vines and everything returned to its formless state.

    The fever surged and all sense left her mind. Her perception slid into madness.

    Tavian¡¯s eyes lingered on the being; he struggled to look away. It was only when Ostara gently grabbed his arm that he was disturbed from a reverie that was taking him down strange rabbit holes of the mind.

    ¡°Come this way,¡± she said.

    He glanced around, uncomprehending for a moment. Sergeant Bo was nowhere to be seen. He must have chased after the girl. Jiwen was standing a short distance away.

    ¡°Are you okay?¡± asked Ostara.

    Tavian nodded, shaking his head as if to drive out the strange thoughts that filled it. In some sense they didn¡¯t feel like his thoughts. They were far away, distant. They had different ¡®voices¡¯.

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    ¡°Come this way,¡± Ostara repeated.

    She led him to where Jiwen was standing, slightly downhill. He was not careful this time where he placed his feet, and the blood of the being splashed up across his boots, multicoloured flecks making their way up his legs, some landing on Ostara.

    Jiwen stood just before the point where the streams plunged down into a great pit.

    Heavenly pit, thought Tavian. That was why we originally came.

    He gazed down into it. Its bottom was covered in shadows for the most part, but a single ray of sunlight penetrated the canopy above and fell upon another canopy at the pit¡¯s bottom, which Tavian guessed must have been over a hundred metres below. He realised that down there was an entirely separate jungle. And from what he saw, the plants of that jungle were entirely different from those at the surface. As his eyes adjusted to the dark, they began to detect the subtle signs of movement. Indeed, everything at the base of the pit seemed alive in a way plants should not be.

    ¡°These pits,¡± he said, ¡°They¡¯re where the carnivorous vines come from?¡±

    ¡°I believe so,¡± said Jiwen, not looking at Tavian, but continuing to stare into the pit himself. ¡°This is a small one. The largest ones we¡¯ve found have hundreds of times the volume of this one. And given the small size of the area we¡¯ve explored, there are probably even larger ones yet to be discovered.¡±

    ¡°What happens with all the water that flows into it?¡± asked Ostara.

    ¡°I believe the pits start their life as caves,¡± said Jiwen. ¡°The caves themselves are formed by underground rivers. However, water from above gradually wears through the fragile limestone and in places it collapses, creating these pits. It¡¯s likely many of them are connected by a singular subterranean water course, or at least a network of watercourses.¡±

    ¡°Why do you think they are such nexuses of mutation?¡± asked Ostara.

    Jiwen shook his head. ¡°I¡¯m no biologist or botanist, or anything like that, but I did do a unit on basic terraforming procedures at university. If a planet¡¯s atmosphere is hostile for one reason or another to the plant-life used to transform it, micro-atmospheres are easier to establish in confined spaces. From there, terraforming plants can slowly spread as they adapt.¡±

    ¡°These pits would serve that purpose,¡± said Ostara. ¡°Although I assume they would take time to form?¡±

    ¡°Typically, at least in the order of hundreds of thousands of years,¡± said Jiwen. ¡°Which either means there was a water-cycle on this planet long before terraforming, or something acted to accelerate these geological processes. Without any pre-terraforming records, it¡¯s impossible to tell which is the case.¡±

    Tavian looked at his feet. He only now realised that he had been standing mid-stream this whole time. Rainbow ooze parted around his feet before plunging down into the pit below.

    ¡°Reckon this stuff will have any effect on what¡¯s going on down there?¡± he asked, his eyes returning to the pit. Unsettlingly, it looked like the plants were trying to reach up from the darkness towards them.

    ¡°No idea,¡± said Jiwen. ¡°I¡¯ve never seen anything like this.¡±

    Tavian turned Ostara¡¯s way. ¡°But you have, haven¡¯t you?¡±

    Ostara responded with a look of surprise, a rare thing for her to display. ¡°I¡­¡± she began, the uncertainty in her voice equally unusual, ¡°I feel like I have¡­ but I cannot think where it might have been.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ve seen much of the Cosmos, haven¡¯t you?¡± said Jiwen.

    ¡°Yes,¡± said Ostara. ¡°Yet there¡¯s always something new.¡±

    ¡°I once travelled,¡± said Jiwen, ¡°Mostly for work, but I saw many worlds. I fear that part of my life is over now. I don¡¯t expect I¡¯ll see another world apart from Luanyuan ever again.¡±

    The conversation was interrupted at that point by a beeping. Jiwen pulled a device from his belt.

    ¡°Shit,¡± he exclaimed, ¡°Yesugei¡¯s group¡­. I¡­ after we saw that creature, I¡­ but the beacon, it¡¯s coming closer.¡±

    Tavian heard movement nearby and turned to see two figures emerging from the undergrowth. It took him a moment more to make out the nature of those figures. The first was a young girl ¨C the same girl they had seen before. The second was a grown man.

    The man looked to be in bad shape. Every part of his ripped and torn skin and clothes were covered in mud and blood. He walked with a limp, and though he attempted to conceal it, it was plain to Tavian from his expression that he was in a great deal of pain.

    Tavian didn¡¯t recognise the man.

    But he recognised Ostara, and she him.

    ¡°Toghrul?¡± she said.

    ¡°Madam Ostara,¡± he said, ¡°Xuelan¡­ she said she had seen a woman with purple eyes¡­ I didn¡¯t¡­ what brings you here¡­ I don¡¯t understand?¡±

    ¡°You,¡± said Ostara.

    ¡°Me¡­ I¡­ I am nobody now. My part is done¡­ Sayan! Erkegul¡­ you must know what happened!¡± he exclaimed, the realisation dawning on him.

    ¡°They are safe,¡± said Ostara. ¡°We can tell you everything afterwards. But you are injured.¡±

    ¡°The others¡­. Where are they?¡± asked Jiwen. ¡°Yesugei? Fan? Xu?¡±

    Toghrul shook his head.

    Jiwen let out a shuddering breath. ¡°The vines?¡± he said.

    Toghrul nodded.

    ¡°You know these people?¡± asked the girl of Toghrul.

    ¡°Yes,¡± said Toghrul.

    ¡°Are they good people?¡±

    ¡°They won¡¯t harm you.¡±

    Ostara walked over to the girl and cupped her cheek in her hand. ¡°Truly, we do not wish to hurt you. But please let us help you.¡±

    Tavian could see the moment calm filled the girl, flowing outwards from Ostara¡¯s touch. Slowly she nodded.

    ¡°Alright,¡± she said, ¡°You do not seem Discordant.¡±

    Ostara¡¯s expression subtly changed when the girl said ¡®Discordant¡¯, but it was only a momentary flicker. Then she was smiling once more.

    ¡°My name is Ostara. What¡¯s yours?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m Mei Xuelan,¡± the girl replied.

    ¡°A pleasure to meet you,¡± said Ostara. ¡°These are our friends, Jiwen and Tavian.¡±

    ¡°Hello,¡± said Xuelan.

    Then she turned back towards Toghrul.

    ¡°Mr Toghrul¡­ if you are hurt, you should drink some of Xixi¡¯s blood. They don¡¯t mind, and it will make you feel stronger.¡±

    ¡°Xixi¡¯s¡­ blood?¡± he said, looking at her with confusion.

    In response, Xuelan knelt, cupping her hands and lifted up the rainbow blood, strands of it dripping down between her fingers. She raised her cupped hands towards Toghrul.

    ¡°Please drink, Mr Toghrul.¡±

    Toghrul paused, but then he lowered his mouth and sipped of the liquid. He straightened up again, wiping the residue away from his chin.

    Then his eyes widened. The pain Tavian had observed before was gone in a moment.

    ¡°I¡­¡± he began. ¡°I feel¡­ healed.¡±

    ¡°It is Xixi¡¯s gift,¡± said Xuelan, beaming.

    ¡°That¡¯s incredible,¡± said Toghrul. ¡°It was¡­ instantaneous.¡±

    ¡°What is that thing¡­¡± said Tavian, looking back up the streams towards the entity, now just out of sight.

    ¡°It is my friend, Xixi,¡± said Xuelan. ¡°Though they are much bigger now. And they have wings.¡±

    ¡°Where did Xixi come from, Xuelan?¡± asked Ostara.

    ¡°Xixi¡¯s always been with me,¡± said Xuelan. ¡°They¡¯re my best friend.¡±

    ¡°But Xixi changed when you got to Luanyuan?¡± asked Ostara.

    Xuelan nodded. ¡°Xixi used to be small. They used to sit on my pillow. Now¡­ they¡¯re big. After the crash, Xixi left the ship to sit where they¡¯re sitting now. They don¡¯t want to move.¡±

    Xuelan paused a moment, seemingly considering the sequence of events.

    ¡°A monster attacked our ship,¡± she said. ¡°I think Xixi changed so they could protect us from the monster.¡±

    ¡°What sort of monster?¡± asked Ostara.

    ¡°It was long and it sort of fluttered, like a ribbon,¡± said Xuelan. ¡°But it was shiny and the light that came off it was all different colours. Like Xixi¡¯s blood. And it had wings, and feathers on its head.¡±

    Ostara looked at Tavian.

    ¡°Sounds kind of like that thing back there,¡± said Tavian.

    Xuelan obviously heard him. ¡°No!¡± she said. ¡°It wasn¡¯t like Xixi. It was mean. It attacked us. That¡¯s why the ship crashed. That¡¯s why Mother and Father were hurt. Xixi is protecting us. Ask Mr Toghrul ¨C you¡¯re feeling better aren¡¯t you, Mr Toghrul? That¡¯s all because of Xixi.¡±

    Everyone looked Toghrul¡¯s way.

    ¡°I am,¡± he said. ¡°Far better than before.¡±

    ¡°See?¡± insisted Xuelan. ¡°Xixi isn¡¯t a monster.¡±

    Ostara placed a hand on each of Xuelan¡¯s shoulders. ¡°We believe you, Xuelan, but there is still much that is unexplained. I think it is important for us to understand all of this. You should come with us. We can give you food, water, and shelter.¡±

    At these words, Xuelan recoiled. ¡°No!¡± she shouted. ¡°I¡¯m not leaving Mother and Father, or Xixi.¡±

    ¡°Your mother and father are¡­¡± began Tavian, but Ostara shot him a warning look.

    ¡°Where are your Mother and Father?¡± asked Ostara, instead.

    ¡°They¡¯re still on the ship,¡± said Xuelan. ¡°They¡¯re resting.¡±

    Ostara¡¯s face betrayed a moment of sorrow, but once again she quickly composed her expression. ¡°Perhaps your Mother and Father could come and rest with us?¡±

    ¡°No,¡± repeated Xuelan firmly. ¡°They will stay here. I will stay here.¡±

    ¡°It isn¡¯t safe,¡± said Jiwen.

    ¡°It is safer with Mother and Father and Xixi,¡± said Xuelan, a cold note entering her voice. Tavian could see the rising signs of distress in the girl.

    ¡°Please, Xuelan, think about what we are saying,¡± said Ostara.

    ¡°No, no, no, no,¡± said Xuelan, and she began rocking slightly back and forward. ¡°No, no, no, no,¡± she said again, then began murmuring something else: ¡°They¡¯re being Discordant. Don¡¯t be Discordant. Bad people are Discordant. Maybe they¡¯re bad people.¡±

    ¡°Truly, we only want to help you,¡± said Ostara.

    ¡°NO!¡± screamed Xuelan, her shrill cry piercing Tavian¡¯s ears.

    With that she turned and ran away, her feet splashing through the pools of many-coloured blood. Jiwen immediately went to give chase.

    But he didn¡¯t get far.

    For in a swift movement Toghrul struck him, sending him sprawling to the ground. He would have hit his head on the rocks, had Tavian not managed to catch him.

    ¡°She said no,¡± said Toghrul in a strangely cold voice.

    ¡°Toghrul!¡± exclaimed Ostara.

    For a moment Toghrul said nothing further, but Tavian saw his expression change. It softened, then changed to horror.

    ¡°I-I¡¯m sorry,¡± he said, ¡°I don¡¯t know what came over me.¡±

    Jiwen wiped blood away from his mouth with the back of his hand. ¡°It¡¯s okay,¡± he said, ¡°It was all just the heat of the moment.¡±

    Toghrul didn¡¯t seem convinced by that, looking down at his own hands.

    ¡°What should we do about that one?¡± asked Tavian, indicating the way Xuelan had run off.

    ¡°I did promise her we would not force her to come with us,¡± said Toghrul.

    ¡°Then we will honour that promise,¡± said Ostara. ¡°She should only come by her choosing.¡±

    ¡°She will die out here,¡± said Jiwen.

    ¡°She¡¯s survived this long already,¡± replied Tavian. ¡°Presumably on her own, since I¡¯m guessing those corpses back there were Ma and Pa. Maybe that thing ¨C Xixi, she called it ¨C is protecting her somehow.¡±

    ¡°Its blood certainly made me feel better,¡± said Toghrul.

    ¡°You were injured quite badly, right?¡± said Tavian.

    ¡°I was. I think my leg was broken,¡± said Toghrul. ¡°I could barely walk.¡±

    ¡°And you¡¯re fine now?¡±

    ¡°Better than fine.¡±

    Tavian turned Ostara¡¯s way. ¡°What do you think it might do for Mu and the sick back at Port Arthur?¡±

    ¡°It could help,¡± said Ostara, picking her words carefully, ¡°But we are dealing with the unknown here. I don¡¯t wish to alarm you, Toghrul ¨C and certainly it is not showing any harmful signs at present¡­ but I do think we should be cautious before administering it to many people.¡±

    ¡°Sick?¡± asked Toghrul.

    ¡°A bunch of people have fallen ill back at Port Arthur,¡± said Tavian. ¡°Including our colleague.¡±

    ¡°I see,¡± said Toghrul, nodding gravely.

    Jiwen had been listening in silence. ¡°Let¡¯s collect a sample and take it back to Port Arthur. We don¡¯t need to make a decision here and now about whether we use it.¡±

    ¡°I agree,¡± said Tavian. ¡°We may as well keep our options open.¡±

    ¡°I will let you know if I feel any side effects,¡± said Toghrul.

    ¡°Let us hope that there are not,¡± said Ostara.

    ¡°As for the girl,¡± said Tavian, ¡°I don¡¯t think there¡¯s much we can do for her if she doesn¡¯t want to come.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t feel good about leaving a child out here,¡± said Jiwen.

    ¡°She¡¯s older than you¡¯d think,¡± said Toghrul. ¡°She¡¯s sixteen. Girls are often married by that age on Yarkan.¡±

    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t want to leave anyone out here,¡± said Jiwen.

    ¡°I promised her we wouldn¡¯t force her to come with us,¡± Toghrul repeated.

    ¡°Alright then,¡± said Jiwen, disapproval evident, ¡°Let¡¯s collect a sample and return to Port Arthur.¡±

    The filtration system was proving a more difficult project than Nova had ever anticipated. The machinery was significantly corroded and there was little in the way of replacement parts, or even any scrap that could be rigged into even a temporary solution. There was also a serious dearth of tools, which forced her to get very creative in her approach. The convicts working with her had few suggestions to offer.

    It was not a situation she was used to. Usually, no solution eluded her for long. But she was used to the Amrita, and there she always had her trusty tools with her and a solid collection of spare parts and materials.

    Not to worry, she simply had to reconnect with the scavenging spirit of Ferris. Aboard the Amrita she was always well-supplied, but back on her homeworld some of the machines she was working on were six hundred years old, left unattended for all those centuries. And yet she had managed to restore many of these artifacts to working order. There was a solution to be found for this filter ¨C and she would find it. It was simply a matter of time.

    Stars, it was hot though. She wiped the sweat from her brow, but in doing so managed to leave behind a thick smear of grime from the filtration system. Not that it made much difference. From crawling around in the system¡¯s housing, she was now utterly filthy. What she wouldn¡¯t do for a shower.

    But that meant fixing the filtration system.

    Just some extra incentive.

    She was returning to the hall to report to the leadership committee on her progress when she happened on a commotion. As Ma Jinhai, accompanied as always by his lackeys, was crossing the village, two young men approached him. One was wearing glasses ¨C Nova recognised him as Gao Yunjing, from the committee.

    ¡°What are you playing at, Ma?¡± demanded Gao, stepping forward to directly impede Ma¡¯s route.

    Nova stopped in her tracks, watching from a distance.

    ¡°What the fuck are you talking about, Gao?¡± asked Ma.

    ¡°I know it was you who raided the stores,¡± said Gao. ¡°No one else around here is a big enough piece of shit to steal food out of the mouths of his comrades like that.¡±

    One of Ma¡¯s lackeys growled a threat, ¡°Watch who you¡¯re speaking to.¡±

    Gao rounded on him. ¡°Shut up, dog. I¡¯m speaking to your master.¡±

    ¡°Got any evidence for these accusations?¡± asked Ma, stepping closer to Gao, so as to emphasise his considerably greater height and bulk.

    Gao was unperturbed. ¡°Let us inspect your dorm then,¡± he said. ¡°Prove you¡¯re innocent.¡±

    Ma laughed at this. ¡°You really think that¡¯s going to happen? How about you let us inspect yours. How do we know you¡¯re not the thief?¡±

    ¡°Everyone knows about your criminal background,¡± said Gao.

    ¡°We¡¯re all criminals here, friend,¡± said Ma with a laugh.

    ¡°But not all of us were contract killers,¡± replied Gao.

    ¡°No, but I was,¡± said Ma, his grin widening. ¡°How about you? How many men have you killed, Gao?¡±

    ¡°None.¡±

    ¡°Really? Big tough guy like you? The great revolutionary? Never meted out any revolutionary justice? Huh, who¡¯d have thought?¡± said Ma. Then his voice became quieter, ¡°But I guess that¡¯s the difference between you and me, isn¡¯t it? You yap, yap, yap¡­ but me? I do. I kill when I have to. So, you know what that means?¡±

    Gao continued to glare back at Ma, but Nova could see he was slightly shaken.

    ¡°I think it means you should get the fuck out of my way. Come talk to me when you¡¯ve got some evidence.¡±

    Gao looked like he wanted to say more, but Ma and his men pushed passed him roughly and continued on their way.

    The man accompanying Gao spoke only now. ¡°What should we do?¡±

    Nova could see Gao shaking slightly, but when he spoke his voice was cold and calm. ¡°Gather the others. We need to be ready if Ma tries anything more.¡±

    ¡°What can we do?¡±

    ¡°Arm ourselves.¡±

    ¡°But only the guards have firearms.¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s plenty of wood. Let¡¯s make some spears. Bullet or spear, Ma will go down just the same.¡±

    He then turned around, looking Nova¡¯s way.

    ¡°Wanna come out and say hi?¡± he yelled.

    Nova stepped out, giving an awkward wave. ¡°I, um, I heard what you said,¡± she muttered, ¡°But, um, that¡¯s your business. I ain¡¯t tattling.¡±

    ¡°Best you don¡¯t,¡± said Gao. ¡°Got the filtration system working?¡±

    Nova was caught off guard by the abrupt change in topic.

    ¡°Ah, no¡­ not yet. I was heading to the hall to let the committee know what¡¯s happening.¡±

    ¡°Tell me. I¡¯ll let them know,¡± said Gao.

    ¡°Sure,¡± said Nova, and proceeded to explain the predicament.

    Tavian and the others returned to Port Arthur via a slightly altered route, having made an effort to avoid the site at which they were attacked on their outbound journey. The sun was lowering as they returned. A gentle rain fell.

    They entered the hall and Michael Arthur and Li Shulin were waiting.

    ¡°Toghrul, welcome back,¡± said Michael.

    ¡°Where¡¯s Yesugei?¡± asked Shulin.

    ¡°He didn¡¯t make it,¡± said Toghrul, matter-of-factly.

    Both Michael and Shulin looked like they had taken a heavy blow.

    ¡°And the others?¡± asked Shulin.

    Toghrul shook his head. ¡°It¡¯s only me. The vines are becoming more active. In many places they don¡¯t just threaten us when we sleep, but move in real time, like animals. Patches of the jungle have become death traps, near impossible to escape from. I only escaped through sheer luck.¡±

    ¡°Did you discover anything?¡± asked Michael.

    ¡°We found a grove of fruit trees, but when we opened the fruit, they were filled with scraps of bone. It was near the grove that we were attacked. Yesugei died fighting. All of them were brave to the end.¡±

    Li Shulin sighed deeply. ¡°Our situation grows more dire. The vines are becoming more active, we¡¯ve failed to locate any alternative food supplies, and our water supply is severely constrained. And the fever is spreading.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry I couldn¡¯t bring happier news,¡± said Toghrul.

    ¡°Do not be sorry,¡± said Michael. ¡°You risked your life for all of us.¡±

    ¡°We may have some positive news,¡± said Ostara. ¡°Though it is strange.¡±

    ¡°Strange? How?¡± asked Shulin.

    ¡°Quite by chance, we stumbled upon the crash site,¡± said Jiwen. ¡°Nearby¡­ we found something.¡±

    ¡°We do not know what it is,¡± said Ostara, ¡°A lifeform of some description, but unlike any other. It was bleeding¡­ or so it seemed. Yet its blood appears to have healing properties.¡±

    ¡°I can attest to that,¡± said Toghrul. ¡°My leg, I believe, was broken. Yet when I drunk the blood of this¡­ creature, I was healed instantly.¡±

    ¡°You drank it?¡± exclaimed Shulin.

    ¡°It was offered to me,¡± said Toghrul.

    ¡°There was a survivor of the crash,¡± Tavian explained, seeing the confusion on Michael and Shulin¡¯s faces. ¡°A young girl. She had some sort of affinity with whatever this thing was. She gave the blood to Toghrul and I saw it myself. He improved instantly.¡±

    ¡°We brought back a sample,¡± said Ostara.

    ¡°We should try it,¡± said Shulin. ¡°Just before you arrived¡­ we received word: the first of those who fell ill ¨C Wan Mingzhu¡­ she died.¡±

    ¡°When did she fall sick?¡± asked Tavian.

    ¡°The night before last,¡± said Shulin.

    ¡°Then we don¡¯t have long for the others,¡± said Tavian. ¡°We should give them the blood.¡±

    ¡°We don¡¯t know what else it might do,¡± pointed out Ostara.

    ¡°How are you feeling?¡± Tavian asked Toghrul.

    ¡°Excellent,¡± replied Toghrul.

    ¡°See? Let¡¯s do it. If we do nothing Mu and the others will die. No side effect could be as bad as that.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯d be surprised,¡± said Ostara. She appeared to consider the question for a moment her eyes turned down, gazing at her own hands. Then she straightened up with an almost imperceivable nod. ¡°Very well. Time is not in our favour. We will administer some to Mu. I shall leave it up to yourselves¡ª¡± here she indicated Michael Arthur and Li Shulin ¡°¡ªas to whether you give it to the other infected.¡±

    ¡°How much do we have?¡± asked Michael.

    Tavian lifted up the flask he had been carrying. ¡°Perhaps a litre?¡±

    ¡°A single sip was sufficient to instantaneously heal me,¡± said Toghrul.

    ¡°I fear we have no choice,¡± said Michael. ¡°There may be risks involved in resorting to such an unknown remedy, but we now know the grim alternative. Unless we arrive to discover Dr Cui and Lieutenant Liao have discovered a cure, we should give the blood to the sick.¡±

    The dormitory that had been seconded as a ward for the sick had a grim air to it, Tavian thought. It smelt of disease.

    It was quiet however. Few of the infected were conscious, and those who were conscious, were far too weak to offer much by way of protest at their ill-fated condition.

    Dr Cui and Lieutenant Liao had met the small group at the entrance, and neither woman had been overly keen to admit them. Nor were they very convinced at the prospect of a miracle cure. Yet they did not protest overmuch at Michael Arthur¡¯s insistence and so bowed aside and admitted them, insisting only they wear masks upon entering.

    Tavian found Mu about half-way along. She looked much as she had done when he left her. Once more he was struck by the frailty of her appearance.

    Poor thing, he thought.

    Her face bore a grim countenance, almost frowning even in her unconscious state. Her breathing was shallow and shuddering, her body now clearly struggling.

    Unbidden, he found himself wondering how long she would have left if this didn¡¯t work. Surely not long. The failing of her body was evident, even to his untrained eye.

    What a sad thing ¨C to flee the Imperial Court and marriage to the Prince-Imperial, to possess the gifts of Nara Enduri, only to die in meaningless suffering on this benighted world. What was wrought by the conspiracies of fate? Truly it could be a thing of magnificent cruelty.

    But Mu wasn¡¯t going to die.

    Not if Tavian could help it.

    He lifted the flask. Lieutenant Liao passed him a deep spoon, which he dipped into the flask. Putting it aside he knelt by Mu¡¯s bed, propping her limp form up, supported by his free arm. Carefully he lifted the spoon and gently brought it to her lips, nudging them apart.

    There was no response from her.

    ¡°Mu,¡± he said, gently shaking her with the arm behind her back.

    No response.

    ¡°Mu!¡± he said more loudly. ¡°You have to drink this.¡±

    Still no response.

    ¡°Oral medications are contraindicated in unconscious patients,¡± said the Lieutenant. ¡°We have no way of getting her to swallow it, if we can¡¯t wake her. And there have been no signs of consciousness from her in hours.¡±

    ¡°Can we inject it?¡± asked Jiwen.

    ¡°We have no idea what the active components are or what the substance¡¯s mode of action is. We have no way of knowing what a safe dose is¡­ injecting it could be extremely dangerous.¡±

    ¡°Doing nothing is going to be extremely dangerous for her,¡± said Tavian.

    He turned back to Mu, and shook her slightly more vigorously.

    ¡°C¡¯mon, Mu,¡± he said. ¡°You can¡¯t give up here.¡±

    Still nothing.

    He let out a growl of frustration, shaking her again.

    ¡°C¡¯mon!¡± he shouted at her. ¡°Wake. Up.¡±

    But despite his best actions, she remained stubbornly unconscious. He slipped his arm out from behind her, rising to his feet, scrunching his free hand in frustration.

    ¡°You just need to drink this!¡± he yelled. ¡°Why is that so hard?¡±

    Without his arm there, her body slumped down onto the bed. Tavian turned to the Lieutenant.

    ¡°There¡¯s gotta be something else we can do,¡± he said.

    But before the Lieutenant could reply, he heard something behind him.

    ¡°You dropped me, Mr Locke,¡± came a small, weak voice. ¡°You should be more careful.¡±

    He spun around. Mu¡¯s eyes were open barely more than a slit, but they were open.

    ¡°Oh, thank the Stars! Alright, drink up!¡± he said, lowering the spoon to her mouth.

    ¡°I don¡¯t wanna,¡± she protested petulantly.

    ¡°Well, too bad, princess,¡± he said, and shoved the spoon unceremoniously into her mouth.

    Her eyes actually widened, in a startled expression, before she swallowed. A moment later she closed her eyes again and slid back down the pillows.

    ¡°That was kind of nice¡­¡± she murmured, her voice trailing off. ¡°But I think I¡¯m going to sleep some more.¡±

    Tavian turned to the onlookers.

    ¡°Did it work?¡± he asked.

    ¡°Her breathing already looks like it is returning to normal,¡± said Lieutenant Liao, continuing to look Mu¡¯s way, her tone suggesting she didn¡¯t quite believe the evidence of her eyes.

    ¡°Well, that¡¯s a good sign, right?¡± said Tavian.

    ¡°Frankly, remarkable,¡± said the Lieutenant, ¡°For us to see a change this soon after administration.¡±

    ¡°In that case, let¡¯s start dosing the other patients,¡± said Michael Arthur. ¡°Perhaps we can have a win for once.¡±

    ¡°Go on ahead,¡± said Ostara. ¡°I¡¯ll stay with her.¡±

    Tavian looked her way. ¡°I¡¯ll stay too.¡±

    Ostara shook her head. ¡°You go on. Let¡¯s not crowd her.¡±

    There was something Ostara wasn¡¯t saying, but her tone had a firmness to it. Tavian nodded slowly, looking into those violet eyes. They revealed nothing of what thought processes might be occurring behind them.

    Mysterious as always, thought Tavian.

    With that he followed the others.

    Mu herself felt the change, even as she slept.

    The mad tempest of meaningless unreality that had dominated her fever dreams abated. Familiar things started entering her mind.

    Soon she found herself strolling along a path through the rainforest. The day was bright and sunny, the air pleasantly cool. The plants looked lush, verdant, and resplendent, not at all threatening.

    She rounded a corner on the path and a young girl came into view, walking the opposite direction. Behind her was an unfathomably strange creature, towering over the girl. Yet somehow, the girl seemed unconcerned by the presence of his strange being. Indeed, she smiled warmly at Mu.

    ¡°Hello, Princess Mukushen,¡± said the girl. Her voice had an otherworldly quality to it. It did not sound like the voice of a young girl. Every word she spoke, was accompanied by an echo a tiny fraction of a second later.

    Yet none of this perturbed Mu. She was watching the girl, then it seemed she was watching herself from the girl¡¯s eyes. From Mei Xuelan¡¯s eyes. She both spoke and listened to the words that followed.

    ¡°Now that we have both partaken of the Eutric Blood, we never have to be lonely again. When you awaken, Princess Mukushen, let others know of this gift. Let them adopt your desire for the Blood. In this way, our shared desire will unite us all.¡±

    Mu watched as she nodded. She watched as Mei Xuelan spoke the words. Both sets of eyes belonged to her. Both sets of eyes belonged to Mei Xuelan.

    ¡°I wish to partake again,¡± she said.

    She watched herself from other pairs of eyes too ¨C the eyes of all those who approached them through the forest. All those who had partaken of the Blood.

    ¡°The seed of Mimesis has been planted,¡± declared Mu/Xuelan/the Hive.

    The Eutria opened its mouth wide and let out a soaring, alien note; bells and choirs all at once.

    From above, the Blood of Many Colours rained down and the Hive rejoiced.

 Chapter XXXIX - Mimesis

    Chapter XXXIX ¨C Mimesis

    Seraphina sat suspended a metre above the floor of her room, her legs crossed, eyes closed. Around her flickered the light of dozens of candles, fragrant incense smoke wafted through the air. Before her, suspended in radiant purple illumination, was her great grimoire, a steady stream of light flowing from her forehead and inscribing fresh words upon its pages.

    Seraphina was aware of little of this. Her mind traced the paths of the Starflow, wandering from point to point across the Cosmos, pausing at moments to probe irregularities, strange eddies, and localised surges in energy. The picture became less clear, the farther away her perception wandered from her physical location, and this was where the challenge was. With every meditation session she built her understanding of the Starflow, allowing her to probe deeper and farther into the Cosmos.

    Always she probed for her Melusine Sisters, calling out across the fathomless void, asking the question: am I the only one left? Am I alone now in all the Cosmos? Of course, the temptation was always there to reach beyond the Witching Star, font of her power, to that dark world that orbited It: her home, Hecate. Yet there resided a terrible Shadow of Oblivion, the one against whom she erected fresh wards each night before she slept, the one who had driven her Coven to the brink of extinction. Surely, no Melusine Sister could survive there.

    Yet, ever the temptation remained. But she resisted. She explored elsewhere. She contemplated the myriads of myriad threads of the Starflow, the universal fabric of reality, and drifted, her mind merging ever more with that of the Stars. Elimination of the self, oneness with the Stars ¨C the perfection of Manda and the path to Theophany: that was the road all Resonants walked, whether they realised it or not. Few would ever reach the end of that road. Seraphina neither knew nor cared whether she would be one of the few.

    Something glimmered at the edge of her sublimated awareness, something strange, beckoning her back to consciousness. Her discipline was such, that initially the distraction did little to sway her from her Cosmic wanderings, yet it was persistent, and in its persistence, it began to drag her conscious mind back to the fore. It became louder, brighter. It was of the Starflow, but not far out into the Cosmos, across the gulf of light-years, not a trembling of the Filaments in the remote reaches, no it was proximate, it was immediate. She pulled back, her mind racing along the Filaments, tracing them back, all the way back to the lonely Starship Amrita high above the gas giant, to the fragile body suspended in meditative repose.

    Her red eyes flicked open.

    Something was happening on Luanyuan.

    The Starflow lived up to its name, drifting to and fro across the Cosmos, like the winds or the tides. Yet now, something akin to the breaking of a dam was occurring. A great flood of the Starflow was rushing toward isolated and sparsely populated Luanyuan.

    In the centuries of her long life, Seraphina had never before witnessed such a thing. Not on this scale. Not so suddenly as this.

    What mechanism could possibly drive such a flood?

    She could think of few indeed.

    She took in a deep breath. With a wave of her hand, the grimoire was dismissed, vanishing into thin air, the light around it evaporating into tiny sparks. She uncrossed her legs and her feet gently touched to the floor.

    It was time to find the Captain.

    ¡°Corvum voco,¡± she whispered and Matthias materialised, soaring once in a circle before settling upon her shoulder. Charlie came trotting over, his tail wagging.

    ¡°I have to go see the Captain,¡± she told him, ¡°We will play when I return.¡±

    He gave a little yap and watched as she adjusted her hat, his tail wagging the whole time. She set off through the empty corridors of the Amrita. The Common Room was empty, but for the housekeeping robots busying themselves cleaning he already gleaming room.

    ¡°Have you felt it, Captain?¡± she asked as she entered Apollo¡¯s quarters.

    ¡°I have,¡± he replied, springing lightly to the floor.

    ¡°What do you think is the cause?¡± she asked.

    He twitched his whiskers, his tail waving lazily. ¡°I do not know,¡± he said. ¡°But I feel it must be connected to what Princess Mukushen and I foresaw waited on Luanyuan.¡±

    ¡°You cannot say what that is?¡± asked Seraphina.

    ¡°I cannot,¡± said Apollo. ¡°But I suspect much will soon be revealed.¡±

    ¡°Should we contact the crew on the surface?¡± asked Seraphina.

    Apollo contemplated the question. Matthias ruffled his wings.

    ¡°No,¡± said the Captain, at length, ¡°I do not believe that is necessary at this stage. Mu¡¯s foresight is more acute than my own now. She will know when the time to act has come.¡±

    ¡°You have that much faith in her abilities?¡± asked Seraphina.

    ¡°I do,¡± said Apollo, ¡°Do you not?¡±

    ¡°If you have faith, Captain, I do too.¡±

    ¡°Good,¡± said Apollo.

    ¡°Then we wait,¡± she said.

    ¡°We wait,¡± he agreed. ¡°We wait, and we observe. But it is not yet time to act.¡±

    ¡°Very well,¡± said Seraphina. ¡°I will study my grimoires. There may be writings on this phenomenon.¡±

    ¡°That sounds like an excellent idea, Seraphina,¡± said the Captain.

    With that she turned and left.

    Mu¡¯s eyes fluttered open.

    She lay a few moments, gazing up at the wooden beams holding up the ceiling, not truly comprehending where she was. Rain pattered softly on the roof. The air was as thick and humid as ever.

    She was filled with a sense of calm. A calm she had not known in a long time.

    Ever?

    She stretched out down through her legs and then through her arms. She had been lying down for a long time. Too long.

    She rolled over.

    ¡°Oh, Mu,¡± said a cheerful voice, ¡°So nice of you to join us.¡±

    Sitting by her bed was Harry.

    ¡°I thought Tavian was here,¡± she said.

    ¡°He was. For a long time. Ostara for a while too. Disappointed to see me?¡±

    She shook her head vigorously. ¡°No,¡± she insisted.

    She looked around the room. Others were lying in beds around her, but the majority of the beds were empty. Many had bunched and messy sheets, indicating recent occupation.

    She pushed away the sheet on top of her, beginning to feel the cloying of the heat, despite its light fabric. She saw she was dressed in a simple white dress, loose-fitting and sleeveless.

    ¡°Who changed me?¡± she said.

    ¡°That was Ostara, I believe,¡± said Harry.

    ¡°What happened?¡± she asked.

    ¡°Well, you got one hell of fever,¡± said Harry. ¡°Honestly, I think we were all worried we¡¯d lose you, though no one was saying that. Well, except for Kal, but he always assumes the worst will come to pass.¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t die,¡± she said, matter-of-factly, blinking as she rose to a seated position.

    ¡°Evidently,¡± said Harry.

    ¡°What else happened?¡± she asked, stretching her arms over her head once more and yawning. Damp strands of hair hung over her face. She brushed them away.

    ¡°Where to start? Tavian and Ostara went into the jungle with that Jiwen guy to look at one of the ¡®Heavenly Pits¡¯. They found a crashed starship ¨C and Toghrul ¨C and¡ª¡±

    ¡°They found Toghrul? Is he alright?¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s fine, as far as I know,¡± said Harry. ¡°But the others with him weren¡¯t so lucky. That jungle is not messing around. Dr Zhao and his assistant were taken by the vines too, while they were with Tavian and Ostara.¡±

    ¡°They¡¯re dead?¡± asked Mu.

    ¡°As best we know,¡± said Harry. ¡°But Tavian and Ostara¡­ they found something near the crashed ship. Everyone¡¯s struggled to describe it, so I won¡¯t even bother, but whatever it was, it was bleeding. Rainbow blood. And¡­ well Toghrul had a broken leg when they found him, but he drunk some of the blood¡ª¡±

    ¡°He drunk the blood?¡± exclaimed Mu.

    ¡°Wait,¡± said Harry, ¡°You¡¯re going to want to hear the rest of this.¡±

    ¡°Alright¡­¡± said Mu, ¡°Go on.¡±

    ¡°Well, he drunk the blood and his leg was healed. Like, instantly. At this point you and about twenty others ¨C about a quarter of the settlement¡¯s population ¨C were bed-ridden with whatever this fever was. And, well, Tavian gave you some of the blood.¡±

    ¡°Gave me¡­ you mean I drunk it too!?¡± she exclaimed, suddenly alert.

    ¡°You sure did, Mu,¡± said Harry.

    ¡°He found some strange alien blood in the jungle and just gave it to me? Without asking?¡±

    ¡°You weren¡¯t really up to being asked,¡± said Harry, ¡°And, as I¡¯ve heard it, you were on death¡¯s door. How do you feel, by the way?¡±

    She considered. ¡°Great,¡± she admitted. ¡°Better¡­ better than before.¡±

    ¡°Guess the blood worked,¡± said Harry.

    ¡°Still¡­¡± she murmured.

    Something occurred to her in that moment, the hint of a memory, but it was something she couldn¡¯t quite grasp, dancing just out of the reach of her conscious mind. Was it a dream? The Blood¡­ when he had mentioned the Blood, it had come to her, but then gone as quickly.

    She could imagine it though ¨C the Blood. In her mind¡¯s eyes she saw it oozing over the smoothed rocks of a stream bed, its colours shifting constantly in the dappled light of the jungle.

    Did I see it? she wondered.

    ¡°The others ¨C the others with the fever¡­ they drunk the Blood too?¡±

    ¡°Far as I know,¡± said Harry.

    She swung her legs around so that she was sitting on the side of the bed, placing her feet on the floor.

    ¡°Where are my clothes?¡± she asked.

    ¡°Ostara left them here,¡± said Harry, bending down to pick up a bundle.

    ¡°She washed them?¡±

    Harry shook his head. ¡°The whole settlement is on water rations.¡±

    ¡°The filtration system is still broken?¡±

    ¡°Oh, you know about that? Yeah. So, um, these clothes are pretty filthy still.¡±

    ¡°My clothes weren¡¯t filthy,¡± said Mu, indignantly.

    ¡°Well, they¡¯re not pristine, anyway. But unless you want to walk around dressed like that, they¡¯re your only option. Although, in all honesty, that looks pretty comfortable.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not wearing this out there,¡± said Mu, suddenly feeling self-conscious.

    ¡°I¡¯d almost like to wear it. Seriously, looks crazy comfortable,¡± said Harry.

    ¡°You¡¯d never,¡± she said, with a smile.

    ¡°I¡¯m always willing to push the frontiers of fashion,¡± Harry replied, grinning.

    ¡°Sure,¡± said Mu. She stood up. ¡°Now, get out of here. I¡¯m getting changed. Maybe go find Ostara and the others. If we¡¯ve located Toghrul, we need to plan out what¡¯s next.¡±

    ¡°As you command, Your Imperial Highness,¡± said Harry.

    She rolled her eyes at him as he stood and headed out.

    Pu Mengqi was simultaneously confused and relieved. Only a day earlier she had been feeling the worst she could ever remember feeling. Death was holding open the door, beckoning her through, and she had been tempted to take the step. Yet now she was a new woman.

    Now she stood, hale and healthy, examining Port Arthur¡¯s meagre crops. Yet where once the gulf between what little they could grow and the scale of the colony¡¯s needs had brought her to the edge of despair, she now felt oddly optimistic.

    Her mentor aided in this newfound optimism.

    ¡°It is a gift,¡± said Fu Yuanjing. ¡°A reward for your faith.¡±

    Pu did not doubt her kind mentor¡¯s words, yet she still had questions.

    ¡°The others got better too,¡± she said.

    ¡°I prayed to the Nine for all of our comrades,¡± said Fu, ¡°They are all children of the Stars, whether they have embraced the light or not.¡±

    ¡°People are saying that it is some¡­ blood¡­ brought in from the jungle, discovered by Zhang Jiwen and the visitors,¡± said Pu.

    Fu smiled in response. ¡°Even the unwitting can still be agents of the Stars. The Starflow works through all of us, in accordance with Their divine plan. This Blood of Many Colours, do you not see what it is?¡±

    ¡°I¡­ I don¡¯t know¡­¡± said Pu. She often struggled with the questions that Fu asked. Pu had never been good in school. She considered it fortunate that one as wise as Fu had taken her under her wing.

    ¡°It is a gift from the Nine Suns in our time of need,¡± said Fu. ¡°I believe this being ¨C that shed its Blood so that we may live ¨C it is a Eutria of Gong Sheng Xing, the Flourishing Star.¡±

    ¡°A Eutria?¡± asked Pu. The word was unfamiliar to her, sounding strange, even as she spoke it with her own mouth.

    ¡°A messenger of the Stars,¡± said Fu. ¡°And in time our Comrades will recognise what has been done for them and they will have faith. Then they can be truly saved. But I fear¡­ many trials are yet to come before that moment of Enlightenment. But through hardship, they will come to faith.¡±

    Hardship, thought Pu, Yes, that was the one thing they were never short of here at Port Arthur.

    But that was alright.

    Everything would be alright.

    It was like Fu said: they needed only faith to sustain them.

    There was the sound of running footsteps. Young Cheng Xiaoyu came running towards the two women.

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    ¡°The guards found a dead person near the wall,¡± said Cheng.

    Fu turned to him. Pu saw no sign of shock or surprise on her face. But then, little surprised wise Master Fu.

    ¡°Who?¡±

    ¡°Lin Yunxiang,¡± said Cheng.

    Fu¡¯s smiled broadened. ¡°He is one of Ma Jinhai¡¯s supporters, is he not?¡±

    Cheng was quiet, a moment, his eyes downcast. He seemed nervous. ¡°He was one of the men who took my rocks,¡± he said at length.

    ¡°In time the unrighteous always bear the fruits of their cruelty,¡± said Fu.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t like him,¡± said Cheng, ¡°He scared me. But¡­ but did he deserve to die?¡±

    Fu walked over to the boy and placed a gentle hand upon his shoulder. ¡°Do not trouble yourself over his fate, my child. All is as it should be.¡±

    Pu saw the boy look up into the Master¡¯s eyes. ¡°Alright,¡± he said. ¡°I¡¯ll be strong.¡±

    ¡°You are far stronger than most give you credit for,¡± said Fu. She turned Pu¡¯s way, ¡°As are you, my dear. Both of you have remained faithful in the face of such mockery and doubt. Yet the bounty of your faith will soon be overflowing.¡±

    Tavian was making his way across the settlement when he heard the commotion. A crowd had gathered outside the hall. Angry voices rose above the general hubbub.

    As he neared, he could see that two distinct groups were clearly delineated within the larger crowd. And at the centre were two men.

    Ma Jinhai and Gao Yunqi.

    ¡°I know it was one of your people that did it, coward,¡± growled Ma.

    ¡°What are you talking about, Ma? The vines got him. He was out there wandering about like a drunken fool,¡± responded Gao.

    ¡°The vines don¡¯t take a strong man when he¡¯s awake,¡± responded one of the men behind Ma.

    ¡°Oh really? Tell Yesugei that,¡± snapped back Gao.

    Several onlookers were beginning to gather alongside Tavian, though they were cautiously hanging back from the two opposing groups. A light rain was falling, but no one seemed much bothered by that.

    ¡°Yesugei was out in the jungle, playing the hero,¡± said Ma. ¡°It¡¯s not like that here and you know it.¡±

    ¡°You would think that,¡± said a woman behind Gao. ¡°Your lot always shirk vine warden duty.¡±

    ¡°We do far more for this place than you lot,¡± said Ma. ¡°When¡¯s the revolution coming, huh? You think you¡¯re so fucking clever, but you won¡¯t dare go and confront the Commandant, will you?¡±

    Before Gao could respond, another voice rose over it all. Tavian saw the Commandant, flanked by four guards striding briskly towards the group. Following him were the Leadership Committee.

    ¡°Who¡¯s confronting me?¡±

    ¡°This little shit thinks he can run this place,¡± said Ma.

    The Commandant stopped nearby, his eyes flicking back and forward between the two groups.

    ¡°All of you,¡± he yelled, ¡°Get back to fucking work. I don¡¯t have time for this shit. We will find out what happened to Lin and if anyone¡¯s to blame, we¡¯ll do what needs to be done. Until then, there are repairs to be done, crops to be tended to, food to be prepared. Mr Arthur?¡±

    Here the Commandant turned to Michael Arthur and the Leadership Committee.

    ¡°Control this fucking rabble or I will have to get a whole lot stricter, and none of you will enjoy that,¡± shouted the Commandant. ¡°I¡¯ve been very lenient on all you Star-forsaken criminals, but do not take my kindness for granted. The Empire has allowed you all to live in its great benevolence. Out here, I am the Empire. Do not test my limits. The next person I catch stirring up trouble will get the cane, and you will beg me for mercy. Do I make myself clear?¡±

    ¡°Crystal clear, Boss,¡± said Ma, through gritted teeth.

    ¡°And Mr Arthur? You may want to reconsider whether Mr Gao here really deserves his place on your committee.¡±

    ¡°I will have a word with Mr Gao,¡± said Michael.

    ¡°See that you do,¡± said the Commandant. Tavian noticed that all the time he had been speaking, his hand had been resting on his sidearm.

    ¡°Now, scram!¡± he bellowed.

    The crowd obediently began breaking up. Before he turned to stalk away, Ma gestured with two fingers to his eyes, then to Gao. Gao looked away, muttering something to the woman beside him.

    Tavian approached the leadership committee. ¡°I take it someone turned up dead?¡±

    ¡°Lin Yunxiang, one of Ma¡¯s¡­ thugs. He was found dead just outside the wall,¡± replied Jiwen. ¡°Ma thinks one of Gao¡¯s people did it.¡±

    ¡°What do you think?¡± asked Tavian.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know what to think,¡± said Jiwen.

    ¡°It would be a dark day indeed if one of our own were the culprit,¡± said Michael, ¡°We already face enough dangers out here.¡±

    ¡°They¡¯re getting heated,¡± said Tavian.

    ¡°They are,¡± said Michael. ¡°And on top of the theft from the stores, it is deeply concerning.¡±

    ¡°Best of luck to you,¡± said Tavian. ¡°I¡¯d best be going,¡± he added.

    With that he parted ways with them. Ostara had requested the crew meet up at the edge of the settlement, amongst the grove of plantain trees.

    Given he had paused to watch the commotion on his way over, Tavian was unsurprised to see the rest of the crew was already there. He was heartened to see Mu up and about.

    ¡°Nice of you to join us,¡± said Harry.

    ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s been great standing in the rain waiting for your lazy butt,¡± said Nova.

    ¡°Will you ever learn the courtesy of punctuality?¡± asked Mu.

    ¡°Hey,¡± said Tavian, ¡°We can¡¯t have showers or even go for a swim in the river. May as well stand in the rain. It¡¯s not that heavy anyway.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not the same,¡± said Nova. Her hair, never especially neat, was a wild mess, barely contained in her customary ponytail. Strands poked out in all directions, plainly showing the influence of the humidity.

    ¡°Well, I got caught up in a little fracas back near the hall,¡± said Tavian. ¡°Those Ma and Gao guys are at each other¡¯s throats. Someone turned up dead last night, apparently. One of Ma¡¯s people.¡±

    ¡°I had heard,¡± said Ostara. ¡°What¡¯s the situation?¡±

    Looking her way now, he noticed for the first time that she had a bandage around her arm. He didn¡¯t remember her getting injured out in the jungle. Perhaps he had just missed it in the chaos.

    At any rate, she wasn¡¯t making a big deal of it, so neither would he.

    ¡°Well, the Commandant broke it up,¡± said Tavian, ¡°But I¡¯d be pretty shocked if that were the end of it.¡±

    Kal laughed bitterly. ¡°You¡¯re not wrong. That won¡¯t be the last body that turns up. Not by a long shot. Place is a powder keg.¡±

    Nova spoke up, ¡°I saw a confrontation between them yesterday. Gao seemed to think Ma was behind the break in at the stores.¡±

    ¡°Wouldn¡¯t put it past him,¡± said Kal. ¡°When survival itself is in the mix, there¡¯s no surer path to power than controlling the food. That Ma ain¡¯t no scholar, but he¡¯s cunning, and he knows how to get people to follow him.¡±

    ¡°I suspect you may be right, Kal,¡± said Ostara.

    ¡°Way I see it,¡± Kal continued, ¡°There¡¯s about four groups here. The biggest is probably those who are committed to Michael Arthur. Then there¡¯s Ma and his thugs. There are fewer of them, but they¡¯re willing to do just about anything to get an advantage. Then there¡¯s Gao and his would-be revolutionaries. ''Course, if they were real Revolutionaries, the Imperial authorities would have shot them on sight. The fact that they¡¯re alive and here ¨C on top of their baby faces ¨C tells me they¡¯re probably just a bunch of students with big notions about themselves. More of a nuisance than a threat to the authorities. Anyhow, the last one¡¯s that old preacher woman, Fu Yuanjing. Hers is the smallest group, but she¡¯s still dangerous. People like her thrive when everything goes to shit. Desperate people will take a comforting lie over the hard truth any day. I reckon a lot of the convicts are staying out of things at the moment¡­ but if she can tap into that group, convince them she¡¯s got the solution to their hardships¡­ then things could change quickly.¡±

    ¡°They won¡¯t survive if they fight among themselves,¡± said Mu.

    ¡°No,¡± agreed Kal, ¡°But while that¡¯s often the case, I¡¯ve never known it to stop humans bickering. Each of them is sure they have the answer, the thing that will save the group. And none of them is willing to back down. Not until someone forces unity on the rest, anyway.¡±

    Harry cleared his throat loudly. ¡°Fascinating¡­ and depressing¡­ as all this is, I don¡¯t believe it¡¯s up to us to solve these problems. What we do need to do is work out how to get Toghrul¡­ and ourselves out.¡±

    ¡°Doesn¡¯t seem like the guards are gonna do much to stop us,¡± said Tavian.

    ¡°Maybe, maybe not,¡± said Kal. ¡°They let the convicts come and go, because they know the jungle¡¯s going to stop them getting very far. And they couldn¡¯t care less if a few of them die out there. But to actually escape from this place, the only real route out is the river.¡±

    ¡°And the jetty¡¯s all smashed up,¡± said Tavian. ¡°Plus, I dunno about the rest of you, but I don¡¯t much fancy wading or swimming out to a boat.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s a hard no from me,¡± concurred Nova.

    ¡°Putting that aside, there¡¯s no way of boarding a vessel without the guards noticing. They don¡¯t care about someone going into the jungle, but I¡¯m certain they¡¯ll stop them getting on a boat.¡±

    ¡°It seems to me,¡± said Ostara, ¡°That what is required, then, is to get Toghrul onto a boat outside Port Arthur. When we went to the Pit, we stuck close to the river for much of the journey. If we could board a boat out there, we¡¯d be away from the eyes of the Commandant and the guards.¡±

    ¡°But there¡¯s no jetty out there,¡± pointed out Nova.

    ¡°That doesn¡¯t seem insurmountable. Whether it¡¯s a matter of a boat getting closer to the shore, building a raft, using a fallen tree¡­ I¡¯m sure we can overcome that problem. But of course, we need a boat.¡±

    ¡°What about Captain Kang?¡± asked Nova.

    ¡°What about her?¡± asked Harry.

    ¡°Well, I¡¯ve still got the comms gear she gave me. And she should still be on-world, based on what she told us.¡±

    ¡°Does she have a boat?¡± asked Mu.

    Nova shrugged. ¡°I¡¯m sure for the right price, she¡¯d be willing to arrange one.¡±

    ¡°There is another issue,¡± said Kal.

    ¡°And what would that be?¡± asked Ostara.

    ¡°The prisoners are chipped. The Commandant will get an alert the moment one of them gets a certain distance from Port Arthur. Then he¡¯ll alert LPDC HQ in Heye. And they¡¯ll know as well as we do, that the river¡¯s the one way in or out.¡±

    ¡°Well, that¡¯s a pickle,¡± said Tavian.

    ¡°Do you think there¡¯s any way of disabling it, Nova?¡± asked Ostara.

    Nova shrugged. ¡°Could be¡­ hard to say without looking at one. Which could be tricky if it¡¯s¡­ inside Toghrul. Do we even know where they¡¯re implanted?¡±

    ¡°In the neck, from what I hear,¡± said Kal.

    ¡°I mean, I can take a look at Toghrul, but these things are likely microscopic. Without any advanced instruments, there¡¯s not likely to be anything I can work out. Maybe if we were back on the Amrita, I¡¯d be able to work something out, but if we were, the problem would be pretty much sorted, right?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯d like to you to think about the problem some more. See what you can come up with. Let us know if you need anything from any of us,¡± said Ostara.

    ¡°Okay,¡± said Nova, her tone dubious.

    ¡°It does raise another question,¡± said Tavian.

    ¡°Hrm?¡± said Ostara.

    ¡°When are we going to involve Toghrul in this little plan? Given that he¡¯s gonna be a key part of it and all.¡±

    ¡°I had been of the view we will inform him when we¡¯ve got at least the semblance of a plan,¡± said Ostara.

    ¡°Maybe he¡¯d have some insights on how to get out?¡± said Harry, ¡°Since he¡¯s been here longer than any of us.¡±

    ¡°Perhaps,¡± said Ostara. ¡°Let¡¯s see if we can¡¯t work out the two key problems first, as he is likely to be watched more closely than us. Specifically, that is transportation and dealing with the tracking chip.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re on the clock on transportation,¡± said Nova. ¡°At least if we want help from Kang.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m appreciative of that,¡± said Ostara. ¡°Kal, can you scout the river banks nearby for an appropriate extraction site? Nova, can you check in with Kang and see if we can¡¯t sort out the transport question.¡±

    ¡°Alright,¡± said Nova, ¡°That I can do.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ll reconvene early tomorrow afternoon. Everyone, keep your eyes and ears open. Keep your brains in gear. It¡¯s not going to be easy to get Toghrul out of here, but that¡¯s what we¡¯re here to do.¡±

    ¡°And be wary,¡± said Kal. ¡°This place is a powder keg.¡±

    ¡°All the more reason to be plotting our exit,¡± said Tavian.

    ¡°Oh, and Tavian?¡± said Ostara. ¡°You¡¯re a storyteller. Tell Toghrul a story about what he achieved. I doubt he gets much news from home here.¡±

    ¡°How much embellishment?¡± asked Tavian.

    ¡°The truth should suffice, I think,¡± said Ostara.

    ¡°Okay, if you say so.¡±

    Word was getting around Port Arthur. As Tavian entered the hall for dinner, dozens of individual conversations were going on around him.

    Questions were being asked: yesterday the colony had seemed to be on the verge of ruin, with the fever spreading rapidly among its population. Today, all those who had been bed-ridden seemed better than they had been before they fell ill. Rumours abounded. Some said the outsiders had brought some miracle cure. Some said the outsiders were here to liberate Luanyuan. But inevitably something resembling the truth also entered circulation. Many had seen the streak of light, the loud bang, several nights prior. The story was that something contained on a crashed starship would cure all ills.

    Yet even as word of miracles spread, so too did discontent. The rice ration that night was half what it usually was. Each convict received only a sliver of fresh fruit and a vitamin supplement to stave off scurvy. Other rumours were spreading: rumours that attributed blame for the shortages.

    As Tavian walked amongst the tables, he could string together the snippets he overheard into the competing narratives.

    Gao¡¯s clique argued that Ma had stolen the food: these gangsters, conmen, and contract killers were eating well, while everyone else teetered on the brink of starvation. The guards did nothing: they and Ma were part of the same system of oppression that sought to grind them all down.

    Ma¡¯s clique said that Gao¡¯s followers were elites from the university. These soft and pampered intellectuals were unused to hard work and deprivation, and had thus taken more than their fair share, thinking themselves above the conditions that everyone else had to endure.

    Fu brought the two stories together. A lack of faith had brought hardship, but salvation was there for those who would embrace the light.

    That¡¯s when he heard her words:

    ¡°Make the journey, enter the jungle, partake of the Eutric Blood. Then you will know salvation.¡±

    Eutric Blood? He¡¯d have to ask Ostara about that one.

    He noted, disconcertingly, that tonight Fu had more than her usual two or three hangers-on.

    Kal might be onto something.

    Toghrul was not sitting with any of the cliques. He had found himself a spot at the end of one of the long tables and was immersed in reading. Tavian, who had already fetched himself a rather diminutive dinner from one of Li Shulin¡¯s helpers, slid onto the bench next to the Yarkanese man.

    ¡°Mind if I join you?¡± he said.

    ¡°It doesn¡¯t bother me,¡± said Toghrul, only briefly glancing up from his reading.

    ¡°You¡¯re an impressive guy,¡± said Tavian. ¡°You sure shook things up on Yarkan.¡±

    ¡°You are one of Madam Ostara¡¯s companions, I take it?¡± said Toghrul.

    ¡°Yes,¡± said Tavian with a smile, extending a hand. ¡°I didn¡¯t properly introduce myself back in the jungle. Tavian Locke¡­ of the starship Amrita.¡±

    Toghrul belatedly took his hand, giving it a perfunctory shake. ¡°I assume you probably know a great deal about me, already,¡± he said.

    ¡°I¡¯ve heard a bit. But I¡¯m guessing you want to know what happened on Yarkan after you left.¡±

    ¡°Madam Ostara told me a little,¡± said Toghrul.

    ¡°Your girlfriend is the ruler of Yarkan now,¡± said Tavian, ¡°At least last we heard.¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s not¡­ never mind,¡± said Toghrul. ¡°Sayan didn¡¯t go to war with the Empire, I take it?¡±

    ¡°From what I hear she killed plenty of them in Karbaliq, but she took a more diplomatic approach after she got to Yengishahr. The latest we heard before coming here, Prince Abahai of the Onyx Tortoise Banner had agreed to the terms negotiated between the Governor and Sayan.¡±

    Toghrul took a deep breath. ¡°My daughter¡­ do you know anything of her?¡±

    ¡°Erkegul?¡± asked Tavian. ¡°I hear that she is well. From what I¡¯ve seen¡­ any kid growing up with Sayan as a mother is going to have one incredible protector.¡±

    Toghrul gave the faintest of smiles for the first time. ¡°That is good. I know that Sayan, as much as she may seem reckless, will never let any harm befall Erkegul. You met them?¡±

    ¡°I sure did,¡± said Tavian. ¡°I accompanied Sayan¡¯s little brother Chinor, Mu, and Buka Qam into the Sanctum at Karbaliq. We stayed with Sayan before that.¡±

    ¡°Then Yarkan owes you a great debt,¡± said Toghrul.

    Tavian shrugged. ¡°It was an adventure. I¡¯ve got some good stories to tell now.¡±

    Toghrul regarded him a moment. ¡°I¡¯m glad my people¡¯s struggle is so entertaining.¡±

    Tavian just smiled back. ¡°What you and Sayan ¨C and those that followed you, of course ¨C achieved¡­ it was the stuff of legends. The awakening of the Kulkana? Mythic. Songs and stories are not merely the stuff of entertainment, they are what will inspire future generations, keeping the great deeds of this one alive.¡±

    Toghrul looked his way a moment longer, before taking a bite of his dinner. When he next spoke, his tone was different. ¡°I don¡¯t think it is overly presumptuous of me to assume that your being here, in this small settlement, on this accursed world¡­ it is because of me, right?¡±

    ¡°Ulduz and Sayan asked that we come,¡± said Tavian.

    ¡°Why?¡± asked Toghrul. ¡°I cannot go back to Yarkan.¡±

    ¡°But those lovely ladies care about you, and do not want you to be here,¡± said Tavian.

    Toghrul sighed. ¡°Where else is there for me to go?¡±

    ¡°Anywhere,¡± said Tavian. ¡°It¡¯s a big Cosmos and pretty much any part of it has got to be better than here.¡±

    Toghrul shook his head. ¡°You don¡¯t understand. My life was on Yarkan. If I can¡¯t be there¡­ it doesn¡¯t matter where I am. At least here, life is simple. Building this settlement, attending to my daily jobs. My freedom would be worth nothing to me if I am not free to go home.¡±

    Tavian scoffed. ¡°I¡¯m gonna be real with you right now: we are not going back to Yarkan and telling Ulduz and Sayan that we found you, but left you here. Sayan looks like she knows how to use that spear of hers.¡±

    Toghrul visibly swallowed and looked away, gazing into space. After a few moments he turned back Tavian¡¯s way. ¡°Then what do you propose? Walking off into the jungle?¡±

    Tavian laughed. ¡°That bit¡¯s not quite so clear just yet.¡±

    ¡°Then it seems to me that this conversation we¡¯re having now is at best hypothetical.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ll find a way,¡± said Tavian.

    ¡°Perhaps,¡± said Toghrul. ¡°And when you do, we shall talk. If Sayan and Ulduz sent you, then I will consider any proposal you present to me.¡±

    He paused a moment. Tavian saw the light in his eyes. ¡°But tell me,¡± he began. ¡°You saw the Kulkana¡­ what was it like?¡±

    Tavian grinned and leant in. It was time to tell the full story.

    Later Tavian was leaving the hall, walking across the darkened settlement in the soft evening rain.

    Two convicts approached him

    ¡°You saw it, didn¡¯t you?¡± one said.

    ¡°Saw?¡±

    ¡°The source,¡± said the second man. ¡°Of the Blood.¡±

    Tavian nodded.

    ¡°I did,¡± he said.

    ¡°Can you take us there?¡± asked the first man.

    Tavian looked him over. ¡°Are you sick?¡±

    ¡°Wendao was,¡± the first man said, indicating the second.

    ¡°But I¡¯m not now,¡± said Wendao. ¡°And I feel better than I ever have.¡±

    ¡°I want to experience that,¡± said the first man. ¡°I want to drink the Blood.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re as likely as not to die, if you try to go,¡± said Tavian.

    ¡°Not if you come with us,¡± said Wendao. ¡°You¡¯ve been and you came back. You can show us the way.¡±

    ¡°Please,¡± said the first man, ¡°I know that sooner or later Ma Jinhai, or the guards ¨C someone ¨C is going to take control of it. Then we will never get to drink it. But if you take us tomorrow¡­ perhaps we can¡ª¡±

    Tavian shook his head. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but I have no interest in going back into that jungle.¡±

    He thought of the strange being sitting in those trickling streams, the Blood flowing continuously from its many wounds, its multiple eyes staring impassively forward, its drooping wings. The memory had taken on an increasingly eerie and foreboding dimension in his mind. For some reason, it was this image and not the seething, hungry vines that most repelled him from the idea of going back.

    Besides, he rationalised: they had a job to do. Find a way to get Toghrul out. Anything else was a distraction. And potentially putting himself in the midst of any disputes between the convicts was foolhardy.

    ¡°Please¡­¡± said Wendao. ¡°I must taste it again.¡±

    There was craving in his voice. Profound craving.

    The memory of delivering a dose of the blood to Mu flickered through his mind. A shadow of doubt and concern accompanied it.

    ¡°You must,¡± said the first man, and Tavian noticed something odd: though this man had never partaken of the Blood, the same profound craving was present in his voice.

    ¡°It¡¯s not my place,¡± said Tavian. ¡°Ask Zhang Jiwen if you must. He was there too.¡±

    ¡°The Leadership Committee won¡¯t take us,¡± said Wendao. ¡°You could.¡±

    ¡°No,¡¯ said Tavian, ¡°That¡¯s my final answer. I¡¯m sorry.¡±

    With that he resumed walking, suddenly having a great desire to check on Mu.

    I¡¯m sure she¡¯s fine, said Tavian.

    But he lied to himself.

    He was in fact a good deal less than sure.

    He hurried back to the dormitory. When he reached it, he found Mu sitting up on the side of Nova¡¯s bed. Nova was sitting cross-legged on the bed. They were chatting amicably. Mu, whose standard demeanour always tended towards being somewhat cold, looked to be in an oddly good mood.

    They both looked up as Tavian entered.

    ¡°Evening,¡± said Tavian.

    ¡°Hey,¡± said Nova.

    ¡°Good evening,¡± said Mu. ¡°Did you talk to Toghrul?¡±

    ¡°I did,¡± replied Tavian. ¡°He¡¯s not the sunniest of individuals. He didn¡¯t exactly seem like he was overly keen on escaping.¡±

    ¡°Really?¡± said Nova. ¡°Why?¡±

    ¡°He seems to think if he can¡¯t return to Yarkan, there¡¯s nothing for him out there.¡±

    ¡°I get it,¡± said Mu, ¡°His whole life¡¯s work was the cause of the Jaril. And that¡¯s where his daughter is. It must be hard for him.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, I think that¡¯s pretty much it,¡± said Tavian. ¡°So, what are you ladies chatting about?¡±

    Nova and Mu looked at each other, a silent exchange occurring between them. Then Nova spoke up.

    ¡°We, um¡­ well, Mu was telling me about¡­ the Blood,¡± she said.

    Tavian experienced a sinking feeling.

    ¡°The Blood?¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± said Mu, nodding. ¡°You¡­ it¡¯s amazing, Tavian. You should try it. I think I want to go and see the source.¡±

    ¡°I think I want to try it too,¡± said Nova. ¡°The Blood, I mean. I¡­ at first, I thought it sounded gross. Drinking some random alien¡¯s blood¡­ but now¡­ the way Mu describes it¡­ the way she says she¡¯s been feeling... I think I want to try it too. I want to feel like that.¡±

    Tavian¡¯s sinking feeling sunk further.

 Chapter XL - Epithymic Contagion

    Chapter XL ¨C Epithymic Contagion

    Seraphina stepped into Apollo¡¯s cabin.

    ¡°You summoned me, Captain?¡±

    Apollo¡¯s yellow eyes met hers, his tail flicking. He rose to his feet and stretched, then padded toward her.

    ¡°I did,¡± he said, ¡°Did you find anything in your Grimoires?¡±

    ¡°Perhaps,¡± said Seraphina. ¡°But I¡¯m not sure. Nothing definitive.¡±

    She sensed that Apollo was about to reveal something to her. She awaited his words in silent expectation.

    He began, however, by asking a question: ¡°You have theories?¡±

    ¡°Yes, Captain,¡± she said, ¡°Phenomena such as this are recorded at times. A Theophant, when summoning the Starflow to them, can cause such a flood of the Starflow to a single location.¡±

    ¡°Do you think a Theophant is present on Luanyuan?¡±

    ¡°I am not sure,¡± she said, carefully considering her words. ¡°I do not think so¡­ but I could not be certain. I believe there is something on the surface of the planet that is attracting the Starflow¡­ but it doesn¡¯t feel like a Theophant. At least, I do not believe so.¡±

    ¡°Have you ever been in a Theophant¡¯s presence?¡±

    ¡°No, Captain. I am guided to this conclusion solely through intuition. This is why I cannot be certain of my inductions.¡±

    ¡°Of course,¡± said Apollo.

    ¡°Can I ask, Captain: do you know what is happening? Have you¡­ foreseen this?¡±

    ¡°Perhaps I once did,¡± said Apollo. ¡°But I too am now operating mostly upon intuition ¨C alongside fragmentary memory. It does make producing any degree of certainty rather difficult.¡±

    ¡°Of course, Captain,¡± said Seraphina. ¡°I understand.¡±

    Even as she spoke the words though, she sensed there was more than Apollo was telling her. She told herself she had to have faith that he would tell her what she needed to know.

    If the Captain withholds information, he does it for good reason, she assured herself.

    ¡°Apart from the presence of a Theophant, did you have any other theories, Seraphina?¡±

    She considered a moment. ¡°I am not sure whether it fully explains what we have seen, but Captain, are you familiar with beings known as Eutrias?¡±

    ¡°I am,¡± replied the Captain, ¡°They are messengers of the Awakened Stars, an intermediary between the Stars and the people of the Cosmos.¡±

    ¡°According to my grimoires, the manifestation of a Eutria can have profound effects on the Starflow,¡± said Seraphina. ¡°Is it possible that a Eutria has appeared on the surface of Luanyuan?¡±

    Apollo seemed to consider this for a time. ¡°It is possible, I suppose. But it would certainly raise more questions. Eutrias appear for a purpose, mandated by the Stars. And each Eutria serves a specific Star. If indeed a Eutria has appeared on Luanyuan we must ask the question: by which Star was it sent? And for what purpose?¡±

    ¡°I could not say, Captain. I cannot even say whether this is the correct explanation for what we have observed.¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± said Apollo. ¡°It is quite the mystery. Perhaps it is now time to speak with those on the surface. They may have observed more than we can from out here.¡±

    ¡°I will contact Nova and see if any of the crew have observed anything which may indicate the presence of a Eutria,¡± said Seraphina.

    ¡°I think I shall contact her, Miss Seraphina,¡± said Apollo.

    ¡°Of course, Captain,¡± said Seraphina, somewhat surprised. ¡°I¡¯d be interested to know what they¡¯ve seen.¡±

    ¡°I will keep you informed.

    With that she turned and left.

    The feeling she had before was only getting stronger. She was certain there was more that the Captain was not telling her.

    Have faith, she reminded herself once more.

    Mu awoke the following day knowing more than she had when she had gone to sleep, so she was not surprised when Nova rushed over to her with news.

    ¡°Mu! You¡¯re awake!¡± she exclaimed.

    ¡°I am.¡±

    ¡°Shit¡¯s going down,¡± said Nova. ¡°Two of the guards disappeared overnight. The Commandant is raging. A big group¡¯s already gathered.¡±

    ¡°I know,¡± said Mu.

    ¡°You know?¡±

    Mu nodded.

    ¡°How? You foresaw it?¡±

    Had she foreseen it? No, it didn¡¯t feel like that. Besides, she couldn¡¯t foresee what did not involve her. But she knew, sure enough. And she knew more than what Nova had told her.

    ¡°They went to find the Blood,¡± said Mu.

    ¡°What? I don¡¯t und¡ª¡±

    Mu interrupted her, realising something else. ¡°Has anyone checked on Toghrul?¡±

    ¡°Toghrul? What¡¯s he got to do with it?¡±

    ¡°He went with them.¡±

    Mu kicked away her sheet and got out of bed.

    ¡°Let¡¯s get the others. Things are going to start happening faster now,¡± she said.

    She quickly dressed and then said to Nova, ¡°Come on, let¡¯s go.¡±

    They found Tavian heading their way.

    ¡°Oh,¡± he said, ¡°You¡¯re up, sleepyhead. Nova filled you in?¡±

    ¡°Toghrul¡¯s missing,¡± said Nova. ¡°Mu told me. I don¡¯t know how she knows, but she does, and he went with the missing guards, and I think¡ª¡±

    ¡°Toghrul¡¯s gone?¡± asked Tavian. ¡°How do you--?¡±

    ¡°We don¡¯t know, that¡¯s what¡ª¡±

    ¡°We have to go after him, then,¡± said Tavian.

    ¡°Where are the others?¡± asked Mu.

    ¡°Ostara, Kal and Harry are back that way,¡± said Tavian, pointing with his thumb over his shoulder. ¡°Shit is getting increasingly crazy over there. The Commandant thinks someone¡¯s done something to the missing guards.¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s go and see Kal and Ostara,¡± said Mu. ¡°I will tell the Commandant that the guards are alive.¡±

    ¡°Okay,¡± said Tavian, ¡°But two things: he¡¯s gonna wonder how you know and how you can be sure, so maybe get that answer straight in your head. And, um, things are pretty messy over there.¡±

    From where they were Mu could hear the sounds of a crowd and raised voices.

    ¡°Then let¡¯s hurry,¡± she said.

    They set off at a jog in the direction of the crowd. They arrived in the space outside the hall, where a large crowd had gathered. They spied the other crewmembers near the margins of the crowd and headed over quickly.

    Before the others could say anything, Mu told them what she knew.

    Ostara looked like she was about to ask more questions, but instead just nodded. ¡°Alright, then,¡± she said.

    ¡°You¡¯d better tell the Commandant,¡± said Kal. ¡°I don¡¯t think he¡¯s far off starting to shoot people.¡± He looked across the crowd. ¡°Come with me,¡± he said and began moving through the crowd.

    Mu followed.

    They reached the front of the crowd.

    ¡°Commandant!¡± yelled Kal in a voice that boomed across the general clamour.

    The Commandant¡¯s head snapped around to look to the source of the voice.

    ¡°This doesn¡¯t involve you,¡± he snarled. ¡°Someone has attacked my men.¡±

    ¡°No, they haven¡¯t!¡± yelled Kal. ¡°Just listen.¡±

    Mu stepped forward, feeling the eyes of the crowd on her and Kal. ¡°Your men went to the crash site,¡± she said. ¡°They went with Toghrul Yarghunoghul.¡±

    Ma Jinhai interjected, ¡°I told you, we didn¡¯t touch those bastards.¡±

    The Commandant frowned. ¡°How do you know this?¡±

    Mu still didn¡¯t know what to say. ¡°I just do. Check on Toghrul, if you must. You won¡¯t find him.¡±

    The Commandant¡¯s eyes narrowed. ¡°We saw your crewmembers talking to Yarghunoghul. What are you cooking up?¡±

    Mu shook her head. ¡°There¡¯s no conspiracy here. I¡¯m telling you the truth.¡±

    Kal intervened. ¡°Let us go to the crash site. We¡¯ll bring back your men, bring back Toghrul. Just simmer down till then.¡±

    ¡°And why should I believe you?¡± asked the Commandant. ¡°I¡¯ve turned a blind eye to your presence ever since you arrived, but I¡¯m starting to wonder whether I should be asking HQ to take a closer look at you.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯d advise you listen to them,¡± came another voice.

    Mu looked around for its source, and saw Michael Arthur approaching, accompanied by Zhang Jiwen and Ostara.

    The Commandant rounded on Michael. ¡°Mr Arthur, I let you play at your little committee games, but make no mistake. I am in charge here. You do not tell me what to do.¡±

    Michael shook his head. ¡°I am not telling you, Commandant. I am simply offering my advice. We are in a precarious position here, and the fate of this settlement depends on cooperation.¡±

    ¡°Are you done with us?¡± asked Ma Jinhai.

    ¡°Don¡¯t you move one fucking step,¡± growled the Commandant. ¡°So, I suppose you want me to send more of my people after the others. Then you lot take over the settlement?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not what I said,¡± said Kal. ¡°We will go. You and your remaining personnel can stay right here.¡±

    ¡°Please, sir,¡± said Mu, keeping her voice steady, despite the adrenaline she was feeling pumping through her. ¡°We can help. Just give us the chance. No one needs to get hurt here.¡±

    The Commandant¡¯s eyes were full of fire, but it seemed they might be getting through to him.

    Michael seemingly sensed the same. ¡°I will take personal accountability for the actions of the visitors,¡± he said. ¡°Let them go and do as they say, and if they are not true to their word, I will accept penal duty or any other consequences you deem fit, sir.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t need your permission to punish you,¡± said the Commandant. ¡°The entire leadership committee will be held accountable for the actions of the visitors. I will allow them to go to the crash site, but no convicts will accompany them.¡±

    Mu¡¯s mind raced as he spoke. What would befall the leadership committee when they followed through with their plan to free Toghrul?

    One step at a time, she told herself. Let¡¯s just get Toghrul back from the jungle in one piece.

    Another thought crossed her mind: if they were returning to the crash site¡­ the Blood was near there.

    She pushed the thought away.

    ¡°Thank you, sir,¡± she said.

    ¡°You¡¯re not all going. Where¡¯s that mechanic girl?¡±

    ¡°Here, sir!¡± came Nova¡¯s voice and she squeezed her way through the crowd.

    ¡°You stay here and keep working on the filtration unit.¡±

    ¡°Sure thing. Totally. Happy to help,¡± said Nova, though Mu could hear the nerves in her voice.

    Something else too¡­ was it disappointment?

    The image of many colours flowing over stones flickered through Mu¡¯s mind. She pushed the thought away once more.

    Kal leant in close to her. ¡°I don¡¯t want Nova alone with these wolves.¡±

    Mu knew he was right. Port Arthur was becoming a more dangerous place by the day. By the hour. At the rate things were going, there would be no one left here long before the vines broke through the perimeter.

    She whispered back to Kal. ¡°Let¡¯s talk to the others and work out what everyone else is doing.¡±

    Kal nodded. Then he spoke up. ¡°We will get organised and head out to find your men shortly.¡±

    The Commandant strode closer to them. When he stood just before them, he spoke in a low tone, laden with menace. ¡°Do not fuck with me, understood? You may not be convicts, but make no mistake: you are here by my grace. And remember: all these others? They were free once too. But they made mistakes. I hope for your sake, you don¡¯t also make such mistakes.¡±

    Kal grunted in acknowledgement, but didn¡¯t say anything.

    ¡°Understood, sir,¡± said Mu.

    The Commandant¡¯s eyes lingered on them a moment longer, then he walked back, raising his voice again. ¡°Until my men and Yarghunoghul are back in this settlement, no one else is to leave. I¡¯m imposing a curfew ¨C no one without essential duties is to leave their dormitory and all duties will be done under our supervision. Anyone violating these orders will be shot. Understood?¡±

    Michael and the crowd murmured their ascent.

    Ma was silent.

    The Commandant approached him. ¡°Understood?¡±

    Ma remained standing, meeting the Commandant¡¯s gaze without blinking. Mu could feel the tension as the passing seconds seemed to stretch out interminably. Finally, Ma spoke. ¡°Of course. After all, me and my friends aren¡¯t the problem here.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m watching you, Ma,¡± said the Commandant. ¡°I spared you this time. But just give me a reason¡­¡±

    This time Ma said nothing, simply giving a thin smile. He turned around.

    ¡°C¡¯mon,¡± he said to his goons and they left.

    ¡°Time for us to make our exit too,¡± said Mu.

    ¡°Mmmm¡­¡± said Kal, his eyes flicking between the Commandant and Ma¡¯s posse.

    ¡°What I don¡¯t understand,¡± said Tavian, ¡°Is why Toghrul went? Did the guards force him?¡±

    Mu sighed. ¡°I¡­ don¡¯t know¡­ but I think he wants the Blood.¡±

    ¡°The Blood?¡± said Tavian. ¡°He didn¡¯t even mention it when I spoke to him last night.¡±

    ¡°Aren¡¯t you curious?¡± asked Nova.

    ¡°Curious?¡± asked Tavian. ¡°About what?¡±

    ¡°The Blood¡­. Don¡¯t you want to try it?¡±

    ¡°No,¡± he said, emphatically. ¡°And I¡¯m beginning to worry about everyone else. Why are you so interested? You didn¡¯t even try it.¡±

    ¡°But Mu did¡­ and it sounds wonderful,¡± said Nova.

    ¡°It was¡­¡± said Mu, quietly, a glazed look in her eyes, like her mind was elsewhere.

    ¡°Mu¡­¡± said Tavian. ¡°We don¡¯t know anything about this Blood. I was the one that insisted on giving it to you, but¡­¡±

    ¡°Thank you for that,¡± said Mu. ¡°You¡­ you saved me.¡±

    ¡°But what¡¯s it doing to you?¡± he asked. ¡°You¡­ you¡¯re thinking about it all the time, aren¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°No,¡± said Mu, shaking her head. ¡°No¡­ I just¡­ it intrigues me.¡±

    Tavian was about to speak further when Ostara, Kal, and Harry joined them. Tavian saw a guard standing a short distance away, watching their group. The Commandant had left.

    ¡°What¡¯s the plan?¡± asked Tavian.

    ¡°Kal and Harry will stay here with Nova,¡± said Ostara. ¡°Tavian, you and Mu will come with me to the crash site to find Toghrul.¡±

    ¡°And once you¡¯re back,¡± said Kal, his voice quiet, ¡°We can¡¯t delay any further. We have to get out of here one way or another. This place is falling apart fast. That Commandant and his guards ¨C I¡¯ve seen what happens to soldiers far from civilisation, surrounded by the enemy. They get twitchy trigger fingers. It¡¯s only a matter of time before this place descends into a bloodbath.¡±

    Tavian glanced over at the guard, and looked away, realising he had made eye contact.

    ¡°Agreed,¡± he said. ¡°We better move,¡± he added. ¡°The guards are getting a lot more suspicious of us.¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± said Ostara. ¡°Nova, any word from Kang?¡±

    ¡°I was only able to send a message,¡± said Nova. ¡°I¡¯m still waiting for a reply.¡±

    ¡°Get something organised as soon as possible,¡± said Ostara. ¡°The three of you that are staying can work on what we do about getting Toghrul out while we¡¯re gone.¡±

    ¡°Okay,¡± said Nova.

    Tavian saw the guard walking towards them. ¡°Meeting¡¯s over, I think,¡± he said.

    As Nova was heading back towards the equipment plant that housed the filtration system, her tablet buzzed.

    ¡°The Cap?¡± she murmured out loud, seeing the caller. ¡°Go for, Nova!¡± she answered.

    The Captain¡¯s voice sounded like it was coming from the bottom of a well, distorted and echoing. Hisses of static interference occasionally shot through it.

    ¡°Miss Reilly. Seraphina and I have detected a strong surge in the Starflow, seemingly toward a location on the planet¡¯s surface,¡± said Apollo.

    ¡°There¡¯s definitely some strange stuff going on down here¡­ but if it¡¯s Starflow stuff you¡¯re interested in¡­ maybe Ostara¡­ or Tavian and Mu are better to talk to than me.¡±

    There was a pause at the other end.

    ¡°Can you tell me if you¡¯ve encountered an unusual being there¡­ something outside the natural order?¡±

    Nova knew immediately what he must be referring to. ¡°Well, I haven¡¯t seen it, but the others ¨C Ostara and Tavian, that is ¨C did find this¡­ thing in the jungle. They said it was very alien¡­ but how did you know, Cap?¡±

    ¡°An educated guess,¡± replied Apollo. ¡°Tell me¡­ was there a girl with this being?¡±

    Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more.

    ¡°Another educated guess?¡±

    ¡°Something of that ilk. I take it that¡¯s a yes?¡±

    ¡°Yeah ¨C but again, I wasn¡¯t there ¨C but Ostara and Tavian found a crashed ship near where they encountered the, er, thing. Apparently, there was a girl there as well, but she wouldn¡¯t leave the wreckage to come back to the settlement. I dunno, like I said, Cap, maybe you should talk to Ostara and the others. They¡¯re headed there now.¡±

    Apollo didn¡¯t directly respond to what she said. Instead, he asked a question. ¡°What is the situation in the settlement there?¡±

    ¡°Not great,¡± said Nova. ¡°Kal seems to think things are about to turn real ugly. And I don¡¯t think that¡¯s just Kal being paranoid or whatever. A lot of these people really don¡¯t like each other and everyone is getting super mad at everyone else.¡±

    ¡°What are they saying about the being? The one Ostara and Tavian found?¡±

    ¡°Um¡­ I dunno¡­ I guess people are pretty interested in it¡­ It¡­ has this Blood ¨C like rainbow Blood ¨C and Mu was sick and she drank it, and then she was cured. Like, completely cured. And we were starting to worry she might die before that. I¡ª¡±

    ¡°Princess Mukushen drank this Blood?¡± asked Apollo.

    ¡°Aha,¡± said Nova, ¡°And others too ¨C there were lots of sick¡ª¡±

    ¡°Has any other crewmember drunk it?¡±

    ¡°No,¡± said Nova. She didn¡¯t mention that she had been thinking more and more about it since Mu¡¯s recovery. Something about the enthusiasm Mu showed for it ¨C it made it seem so tempting.

    It must feel good, thought Nova.

    ¡°I want everyone else to stay away from the Blood,¡± said Apollo. ¡°No one else drink it. And everyone should keep a close watch on Mukushen. Please contact me if she begins to exhibit any unusual behaviours.¡±

    ¡°Okay, Cap¡­ but it really doesn¡¯t seem bad. No one¡¯s shown any side-effects, it just fixed all the sick people¡ª¡±

    ¡°No one is to drink it, understand?¡± said Apollo, his usually gentle voice taking on a harsh and urgent tone.

    ¡°Alright, Cap. You¡¯re the boss. No drinking it. And we¡¯ll keep an eye on Mu.¡±

    She thought she heard a deep sigh from the other end. ¡°And Nova? The girl that was at the crashed ship. She must be protected.¡±

    ¡°Okay, Cap¡­ but what about our mission? Getting Toghrul out and all that?¡±

    ¡°This is more important,¡± said Apollo.

    Nova felt uneasy. Surely a change this big to the mission, right in the midst of it¡­ surely this was something for Ostara or Kal.

    ¡°I understand, Cap,¡± she said, ¡°It¡¯s just that ¨C like I said ¨C Kal is pretty worried about everything going to shit here at any moment and I¡¯m just worried we may only have a narrow window to get out with Toghrul and if we stay¡ª¡±

    ¡°I appreciate the difficulties of what I am asking, Miss Reilly, however, this is of the utmost importance,¡± said Apollo.

    ¡°Did you want to maybe talk to Ostara or Kal?¡± asked Nova, trying once more.

    ¡°I will leave it with you to pass on this information,¡± said Apollo.

    ¡°Oh¡­ okay¡­ could I maybe tell them why it¡¯s so important?¡±

    A silence stretched out at the other end.

    When Apollo finally spoke, he sounded almost impatient. It was a tone Nova never really remembered hearing in his voice before. Usually, he sounded so calm and kind.

    ¡°There will be time for further explanations later. For now, this just needs to get done,¡± said Apollo.

    ¡°Should we try and get the girl out too?¡± asked Nova.

    ¡°There will come a point when she no longer requires protection. I will be back in contact with you when I have ascertained all I need to know to be sure of the next steps. For now, the crew¡¯s purpose needs to be keeping her safe. Events there at the colony are likely to soon pose a grave danger to her.¡±

    Nova¡¯s unease was not abating. ¡°I will try and tell the others. There have been all sorts of comms problems down here, but I will do my best to contact Ostara.¡±

    ¡°Excellent, thank you, Miss Reilly,¡± said Apollo.

    A thought occurred to Nova.

    ¡°Cap, if I could ask¡­ before we came to Luanyuan, you had me searching for a ship from Moyang¡­?¡±

    Apollo¡¯s reply was curt. ¡°Yes, I believe the crashed vessel in the jungle is that very same ship. I am pleased to hear that the girl is alive.¡±

    Nova couldn¡¯t help herself. ¡°Who is she?¡±

    ¡°Just a young girl,¡± said Apollo.

    ¡°But she¡¯s important?¡±

    ¡°I believe she will be.¡±

    Zhang Jiwen massaged his own shoulder blade, trying to excise the painful knot that had formed over the last day. The hall was dark and deserted around him. Somehow, the shadows and emptiness seemed to also possess the quality of amplifying the damp smell of decay that shrouded so much of Port Arthur.

    Has it grown stronger lately?

    He looked back towards the words on the screen in front of him, representing the latest in a tranche of files he¡¯d been going through from an old data leak.

    He¡¯d spent years churning through old documents, news stories ¨C anything he could find ¨C using a small tablet smuggled in by one of the visiting merchants. Half the time he couldn¡¯t even get a connection. But recently, he had discovered this file dump.

    Most of it was mind-numbingly dull; not at all illuminating.

    It took him a moment to focus, but when he did, the words resolved themselves with startling clarity, immediately seizing his attention:

    Classified A

    In all that time he¡¯d been scouring for information on Luanyuan, he¡¯d never come across a document of security classification A. He took in the seal the document bore:

    Office of the Chief Botanist and Director of the Bureau of Biological Sciences

    Imperial Ministry of Science and Technology

    Intriguing also was the individual to whom it was addressed:

    His Excellency Prince Aixin ?olontu

    Minister for Cultural Affairs

    Every aspect of this spoke to the fact that he had somehow stumbled upon a document of the utmost importance. How had such a document leaked? The risk any leaker would have had to have taken was astronomical.

    He read on:

    Your Excellency

    I hope this letter finds you well.

    I trust Your Excellency recalls my previous letter of the Eighth Month of the Imperial Year 388, in which I expressed a desire to proceed with enacting the Chaotic Garden Project on the candidate world of Nizamabad.

    I further trust Your Excellency is aware that my Chief of Staff, Dai Muchen, recently met with officials of your Ministry to discuss some outstanding issues regarding the selection of Nizamabad for this trial. I am now of the understanding that Your Excellency is amenable to my humble request for redesignation of the religious group calling itself the Orchestra as a proscribed religious cult. As I am sure Your Excellency is aware, the Orchestra¡¯s current designation as a Protected Religious Minority and presence on Nizamabad make proceeding with the Chaotic Garden Project there exceedingly difficult ¨C indeed, I have formed the view that in the absence of any such redesignation of the group, their presence would be entirely prohibitive.

    Prior to proceeding with preparatory actions for the Chaotic Garden Project, I humbly request confirmation of Your Excellency¡¯s intentions with regards to the Orchestra. I of course appreciate that redesignation may require some additional steps on behalf of your Ministry, particularly with respect to any other worlds on which followers of the Orchestra may be present. Please know that I am immensely appreciative of the effort this involves for Your Excellency and your Ministry.

    I believe that the Chaotic Garden Project will significantly advance key aspects of the science of biome alteration incorporating Starflow Resonance, and that this will significantly enhance the speed with which the Empire can terraform new worlds. I am further of the belief that Nizamabad represents the ideal candidate for this trial process, due to its particular Starflow Resonance and ecological properties. This belief has only been formed after exhaustive surveys of the candidate worlds.

    Regrettably, it appears that this unique Resonance has also attracted the dangerous subversives of the Orchestra to Nizamabad. For Your Excellency¡¯s information, I have attached reports forwarded from the Survey Division of the Bureau of Resonance, Ministry of Civil Administration, attesting to both the unique properties of Nizamabad, and the observed activities of the Orchestra which appear directed at harnessing this Resonance. My office has previously furnished copies of these reports to Your Excellency¡¯s officials.

    The Bureau of Resonance has also provided its expert opinion that the activities of the Orchestra on Nizamabad likely constitute a threat to the Civil Administration and harmony of the Empire. I believe that once Project Chaotic Garden is initiated, it will likely result in the termination of any unsanctioned communities on the planet. This will efficiently deliver on the policy objective of reducing the threat to harmony posed by the Orchestra, whilst simultaneously advancing the programme¡¯s key research objectives.

    I would like to humbly offer a suggestion to Your Excellency: your Ministry may wish to increase the promotion of Nizamabad as a sanctuary to members of the Orchestra, prior to the initiation of Project Chaotic Garden. This should effectively remove the threat that this cult poses from other worlds, whilst also providing additional data points for Project Chaotic Garden, arising from observation of independent settlement activity, and the resultant human-biome interactions. Of course, I understand that this recommendation exceeds my purview, and I provide it for Your Excellency¡¯s consideration in a spirit of open dialogue between the Ministries of His Imperial Majesty¡¯s Government.

    Should Your Excellency wish to discuss any of these matters further, I would be honoured to make myself available to Your Excellency¡¯s summons. I am profoundly grateful for Your Excellency¡¯s time and wisdom in these matters.

    Yours faithfully

    Countess Cai Wen

    Chief Botanist of the Imperial Court &

    Director of the Bureau of Biological Sciences

    Ministry of Science and Technology

    Jiwen sat back in his chair, considering what he had just read. The rain beat down on the roof of the hall.

    Nizamabad.

    He couldn¡¯t recall where, but he was certain he¡¯d encountered that name previously in his reading. Were Nizamabad and Luanyuan one and the same? It seemed highly likely. Certainly, there were no old records of Luanyuan. And there was no doubt that the Conductor had once been a figure of worship for whoever had been here previously.

    His mind turned to Lady Cai¡¯s suggestion at the end of the letter ¨C seemingly a proposal to lure followers of the Conductor to Nizamabad. Madam Ostara had found an idol depicting what appeared to be the Conductor on the crashed ship. Which strongly implied that Mei Xuelan and her family were members of this Orchestra cult, lured to Luanyuan. All seemingly in accordance with this Lady Cai Wen¡¯s suggestion to Prince ?olontu.

    And what then was Project Chaotic Garden?

    It obviously involved terraforming experimentation ¨C but what leapt out at Jiwen was the references to the importance of Nizamabad¡¯s ¡°unique Resonance¡±. Whatever this experimental technique was, it tapped into Starflow Resonance somehow.

    His contemplation was disturbed when he heard the door opening. He turned to see Gao Yunqi enter.

    ¡°Zhang,¡± said Gao.

    ¡°Hello,¡± replied Jiwen, absentmindedly.

    ¡°Still trying to solve the mysteries of Luanyuan?¡± said Gao.

    ¡°I think I¡¯ve found something.¡±

    ¡°Will it help us deal with the Commandant or Ma Jinhai?¡± asked Gao.

    ¡°Ever heard of Nizamabad?¡± asked Jiwen, ignoring the barb.

    Gao shook his head. ¡°Sounds Susanian.¡±

    ¡°I think it is the old name of this world,¡± said Jiwen.

    Gao slumped into the chair opposite him. The sounds of his every movement echoed in the near empty hall. Wordlessly, Jiwen slid the tablet around to face him. Gao understood the gesture, grabbing the tablet and pulling it towards him. A moment later he looked up.

    ¡°How did you find this?¡± he asked.

    ¡°It was part of a leak,¡± replied Jiwen.

    ¡°From where?¡± asked Gao.

    Jiwen shrugged.

    Gao resumed reading. After a while he muttered, ¡°Bastards¡­¡±

    ¡°What do you think?¡± asked Jiwen.

    ¡°I think it¡¯s further confirmation that the Imperial authorities have not the slightest decency,¡± replied Gao. He then added, ¡°Which is not news.¡±

    ¡°It tells us about how Luanyuan came to be,¡± said Jiwen.

    Gao shrugged. ¡°And how does that help us?¡±

    ¡°Information is power.¡±

    ¡°And what power does this information grant you?¡±

    Jiwen felt the familiar bubble of frustration that typified his interactions with Gao. ¡°Don¡¯t you like to consider yourself an intellectual?¡±

    ¡°There was a time for that,¡± said Gao, ¡°But right now we need to worry less about history, and more about how we plan on being alive a week from now.¡±

    ¡°Ma has really gotten to you, huh?¡±

    ¡°Right now, Ma¡¯s not the main concern,¡± said Gao, ¡°It¡¯s the Commandant I¡¯m more worried about. That¡¯s a man about to blow. And he¡¯s a man with all the guns.¡±

    Jiwen nodded. ¡°Right. He¡¯s a man with all the guns. So, you¡¯re not going to win any victories as a man of action. You need to be smart.¡±

    ¡°Being a man of action and being smart are not mutually exclusive.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ve got a big plan?¡±

    ¡°I might¡­ Look, I appreciate that I¡¯m not exactly surrounded by friends here, and as passive and na?vely trusting as you and Michael Arthur are, I understand you¡¯re better than most here¡­ but I¡¯m still not overly inclined to share with you.¡±

    Jiwen sighed. ¡°Michael said something to me the other day: this place only falls apart if we decide that it will. But we can decide otherwise.¡±

    Gao sneered. ¡°Wars only happen because people decide they will. Yet, they do happen.¡±

    ¡°You may be right. But it could be it¡¯s a self-fulfilling prophecy. And if you push us from a contest of words and ideas to one of force, I¡¯m not sure you¡¯ll like the results,¡± said Jiwen.

    ¡°You¡¯d have us wait passively by? We do nothing and sooner or later we¡¯ll be dead by the hand of either the Commandant or Ma.¡±

    ¡°It doesn¡¯t have to be that way.¡±

    Gao gave a cynical smirk. ¡°I wish I could believe that. I genuinely do.¡±

    Jiwen shook his head. ¡°I¡¯m not sure I believe you. I think you always fantasised about your big revolution and putting your oppressors against the wall, but I¡¯m not sure you¡¯re ready for the reality of that violence and lawlessness.¡±

    ¡°Violence and lawlessness are coming. Haven¡¯t you been around here? It¡¯s bigger than you or me or Michael Arthur. It¡¯s bigger than the Commandant and Ma Jinhai. Ever since that fucking Blood was brought here, people are acting mighty strange. It¡¯s building to a frenzy. Don¡¯t you see?¡±

    ¡°We know nothing about this Bloo¡ª¡±

    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s way past that. It doesn¡¯t matter what the Blood does. It¡¯s unique. The only unique thing in this fucking jungle. And that makes it desirable. But not just that. No one trusts anyone else, and whether they know why or not, the very fact any of them desire the Blood, means they all do.¡±

    ¡°We should study it, work togeth¡ª¡±

    ¡°Please. We should, we should, we should. Many things should be the case in this world. We should live in a Cosmos where each person is in command of their own destiny, with access to their basic needs, to happiness¡­ but we don¡¯t live in that Cosmos, and we¡¯ll never have anything like that unless we¡¯re willing to fight for it.¡±

    Jiwen was about to speak, but he could see Gao wasn¡¯t done yet.

    Better to let him get it all out.

    ¡°So, if I¡¯m not inclined to share my plans with you, it¡¯s because I see how passive you are. You and Arthur and Li Shulin. Wishing something will not make it so. And I think you¡¯ll just be a liability.¡±

    He paused just a moment, before a gloating note entered into his voice.

    ¡°Besides, I know you aren¡¯t the noble whistleblower you claim to be. You got sent here because something went wrong and your bosses needed a scapegoat. Word is, you were just fine with everything that was happening at your company until someone got killed, right?¡±

    Where was Gao getting his information from?

    ¡°I tried¡ª¡±

    Again, he was interrupted.

    ¡°Tried? Like you¡¯re trying now? Actions count. Not intentions, Mr Zhang,¡± said Gao. ¡°And I intend to take action.¡±

    Jiwen sighed once more. ¡°You and I don¡¯t need to be enemies.¡±

    Gao smiled. ¡°I don¡¯t consider you my enemy, Zhang. I just don¡¯t consider you to be a player in this drama. At worst, you¡¯re a liability, at best a non-entity.¡±

    ¡°If I agree to be discrete, will you share with me your intentions?¡± asked Jiwen.

    ¡°My course is set,¡± said Gao, ¡°When I do what must be done, you will have the opportunity to decide which side you take.¡±

    ¡°There don¡¯t need to be sides,¡± said Jiwen.

    ¡°But there do. There are. If peace was once a possibility, it hasn¡¯t been since you and the outsiders brought the Blood here.¡±

    ¡°Just give a peaceful solution a chance. The missing guards and Yarghunoghul will return.¡±

    ¡°Maybe,¡± said Gao, ¡°But they will probably bring more of the Blood. Don¡¯t you see how it enflames desire? One does not need to have tasted it to crave it. To need to possess it. Things will not become more peaceful. Whoever moves first will have the advantage. Ma and the Commandant are brutes. If we are to defeat them, we need to seize the initiative.¡±

    ¡°The outsiders will assist us in maintaining peace, I¡¯m sure of it,¡± said Jiwen.

    ¡°My hope is that they will support us in winning,¡± said Gao. ¡°Have you seen that big one? I¡¯ll warrant even the Commander and Ma are at least a little fearful of him.¡±

    ¡°They are not bent on violence like you.¡±

    ¡°They, like you, will have to make a decision when the moment arrives,¡± said Gao, ¡°But tell me: have you heard what people are saying? Those who tasted the Blood are no longer hungry. They are strong. Healthy. Vital. Control the Blood and you control Port Arthur.¡±

    ¡°We don¡¯t know what else it does.¡±

    Gao smiled a ghoulish smile. ¡°But we¡¯re finding out. Word is those who tasted the Blood are having shared dreams.¡±

    Jiwen couldn¡¯t help himself. He laughed.

    ¡°Well, that alone tells me the stuff is dangerous.¡±

    ¡°Dangerous or not, we have to deal with it now. And I¡¯d rather be the one controlling access to it, than have that be the Commandant or Ma.¡±

    ¡°Neither Ma nor us can do much about the Commandant as it stands. Need I remind you: he is the one with guns?¡±

    ¡°For now.¡±

    ¡°For now?¡±

    ¡°For now,¡± reiterated Gao, then changed his tone to one more cajoling. ¡°So, tell me, Mr Scientist, what principles of this Project Chaotic Garden have you ascertained?¡±

    Jiwen was wary of the mockery of Gao, but decided it simpler to take his words at face value. ¡°It is obviously a terraforming experiment.¡±

    ¡°Obviously.¡±

    ¡°The crashed ship. I believe they were followers of this Orchestra. Did you ever speak to Dr Zhao?¡±

    ¡°I never had the pleasure. At least not one-on-one.¡±

    ¡°He seemed to know a great deal about the Orchestra and the Conductor. What I never discovered was why he came here.¡±

    ¡°Well, I¡¯d say he was working for the Government.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s my assumption, too.¡±

    ¡°Mystery solved. Idiot got himself killed.¡±

    ¡°Yet, if he was working for the Government, he should have known about everything in this letter.¡±

    ¡°The Government is an ouroboros. It devours its own tail. This secret missive of yours is top secret. He was probably some grunt.¡±

    ¡°What use is there in sending some poor scientist to his death?¡±

    ¡°You assume the Imperial Government is logical. It¡¯s far too vast for any one part of it to know much about what another is doing. Half the time it fights itself. When I started out, I was na?ve too: I assumed the Government was some vast, evil cabal, ingeniously subverting human happiness, and dignity. It isn¡¯t. The Government¡¯s own operatives are victims just like us. Victims of an inhuman system that no one really controls anymore. It¡¯s why people like you ¨C people who think reform is possible ¨C are fools. For reforms to work, the system would have to make some kind of internal sense. It doesn¡¯t. It is a cruel force of nature at this point. Only through eradicating it can we live free. Interstellar civilisations like Aixingo are too vast for human minds to comprehend. For reform to be possible, controlling it would have to be possible, and it simply isn¡¯t. Do you know how many people live in the Empire?¡±

    Jiwen shook his head.

    ¡°No one does. Sure, the Empire conducts censuses, but they can never capture the reality. It is too large. Too inhuman. Maybe there are quintillions, maybe sextillions, maybe more ¨C we don¡¯t really even know the order of magnitude.¡±

    ¡°You discount Theophany,¡± said Jiwen.

    Gao laughed. ¡°Theophany¡­ ah¡­ who knows. The First Emperor had some great power, no doubt. But these inbred idiots that followed surely do not. They¡¯re mere figureheads.¡±

    ¡°How cynical.¡±

    ¡°I believe the Stars have power. But I¡¯m not a fool like that madwoman Fu Yuanjing. I know for a fact that They don¡¯t care about us.¡±

    ¡°How nihilistic.¡±

    ¡°You mistake me, Mr Zhang. I believe profoundly in a better future. But it is one built by humanity and not predicated on the whims of unknowable Gods. One in which men and women can rule themselves.¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t help but feel that it¡¯s now you who is being idealistic,¡± said Jiwen, with a smirk.

    Gao returned the smirk. ¡°The difference is I¡¯m willing to take a humble first step. So, Mr Zhang, sit back and watch the show. It¡¯s about to start.¡±

    With that he rose to his feet.

    Jiwen looked at him. ¡°I wish you the wisdom to do what is right.¡± He paused. ¡°And absent that, good fortune.¡±

    Gao just smiled, turned, and left.

    Du An, Commandant of LPDC Penal Settlement 682341, gazed out the window at the rain swathed settlement, better known to its residents as Port Arthur. Always with the rain. He was so sick of rain. Sick of everything being damp.

    Sick of that fucking rotting smell.

    He scowled.

    He hated it here. He hated the jungle, hated Port Arthur, hated Luanyuan. He hated it on the first day he came here, and hated it a little more with each passing day. If it weren¡¯t for the money he would never have come, never would have stayed. And now he was wondering increasingly whether it was even worth the money. There were always jobs in the Empire for someone who could keep others in line.

    His eyes wandered the scene beyond the window.

    The settlement was quiet. His curfew was in effect.

    But for how long?

    Including himself, there had been seven of them. Seven guards for a settlement that had started out with eighty-six convicts. Now there were seventy-four convicts, and five guards. The ratio was getting worse¡­ unless he could get those other two guards back quickly.

    What the hell were they doing?

    He¡¯d already contacted headquarters in Heye. They were noncommittal about providing additional resources. They always were. They didn¡¯t care. As long as the convicts weren¡¯t escaping the planet, nothing else mattered. The D in LPDC stood for ¡®development¡¯, but Luanyuan was going backward. He wasn¡¯t sure how obvious that was in Heye, but it was clear out here. Sooner or later, they were going to have to abandon Port Arthur. Abandon it or die.

    What to do?

    It was getting dark. He took a swig of baijiu and grimaced. He had no idea where this stuff on Luanyuan was even coming from. Still, it was better than nothing. He¡¯d been drinking more recently. Apart from yelling at the scum under his watch, there wasn¡¯t much more to do. He toyed with the idea of lighting up another cigarette. He had to ration them. His supplies were getting low, and no one could say when more would be available.

    That just made him more irritable.

    His chain of thought was interrupted by a distant rumble.

    Great, another fucking storm. What is going to get destroyed this time?

    The damage from the last storm still wasn¡¯t fixed. Sergeant Bo had reported to him this afternoon that the crew attempting to repair the filtration system had discovered that its interior was filled with small vines, which were constantly breaking its parts. The vines were getting closer. Everywhere.

    Closing in.

    Constricting.

    Du clenched his fists. He felt powerless. He didn¡¯t like feeling powerless. He liked to be in control. But nothing he could do would slow the advance of the vines. He couldn¡¯t yell at them, couldn¡¯t cow them.

    They just kept closing in. Each night the vine wardens were reporting upwards of twenty intrusions now.

    And this was the time the convicts had chosen to get rowdy?

    It¡¯s all because of that Blood. It made my men run off. It¡¯s getting the convicts excited.

    It had cured those sick people though. There was something to it. It wasn¡¯t just some nonsense like that madwoman Fu Yuanjing¡¯s rantings.

    He had tried to contact the missing men. Tell them that their unauthorised departure would be ignored if they secured control of the Blood. Perhaps that was the key to controlling these damned criminals. But it was to no avail. He got no response.

    Comms were down constantly around here. But he didn¡¯t think it was that.

    He was being ignored.

    More baijiu.

    Fuck it, he thought and lit another cigarette. If nothing else the smell of the smoke would hide the rotting odour.

    No sooner had he done so than Sergeant Bo appeared, flinging open the door.

    ¡°Sir!¡± he yelled.

    Du turned with a dark look.

    ¡°What is it?¡±

    ¡°The vine wardens are reporting a large-scale incursion on the eastern perimeter. They are requesting your assistance.¡±

    Du regarded Bo warily. ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll go,¡± said Du. ¡°But tell Lieutenant Liao to conduct a patrol with Lian and Qin. Make sure there¡¯s no funny business going on while we¡¯re distracted. Then come and join me. And bring the flamethrower.¡±

    With an aggravated sigh he put down his baijiu and stubbed out his cigarette.

    What a waste.

    He grabbed his sidearm and utility belt ¨C scabbard hanging from it ¨C and stormed from the building.

    The rain was coming heavier now and the thunder was nearer. The wind had picked up too. It meant the branches of the nearby jungle shook about. Writhing. Like the vines.

    Ignoring the downpour, he strode rapidly across the settlement, his boots squelching in the slurry of mud and moss that covered the ground. Even over the sounds of the coming storm, he could hear the sound of voices as he drew nearer.

    The perimeter fence was breached. The vines were slithering through, spreading out like the fingers of two great hands attempting to pull apart the sides of the breach, widening it. Other green tendrils snaked along the ground, the blades of the wardens frantically slicing at them. But more would come.

    Du had seen incursions before.

    But not like this.

    There were so many.

    And they¡¯d crossed the ditch, broken through the fence. They were inside Port Arthur.

    His pistol wouldn¡¯t do much here. That was for humans. He instead drew the large machete. As he got close, he recognised the wardens. Gao Yunqi and a member of his little clique, Deng Weiren, if Du remembered correctly.

    No loss if those two died, thought Du.

    Unfortunately, there were larger matters at stake. Keeping back these vines. He ran forward. Gao saw him and yelled out.

    ¡°Commandant! So nice of you to come,¡± he said, even as he swung his own machete. ¡°I thought you should see this one for yourself.¡±

    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you light the pit?¡± demanded Du.

    ¡°You seeing this fucking rain? There¡¯s no way we could get it started.¡±

    ¡°Are you stupid? That stuff will burn, rain or no rain.¡±

    Even as they spoke, the mass of vines was increasing, more and more reaching towards them.

    Hungrily.

    Where were the other wardens?

    Standard practice was to send out an alert and focus efforts at the breach site. Yet here there was just him and this one pair. Du could see they weren¡¯t going to succeed in keeping these damned things back.

    Bo better get here soon.

    He asked the question.

    Gao let out a bitter laugh. ¡°Commandant, there are incursions happening right along the perimeter.¡±

    Is this it?

    Even sooner than expected.

    The lightning flashed overhead and the thunder roared, immediate now. The rain was coming down in great, furious curtains, reducing visibility. Now there was little more filling Du¡¯s vision than the writhing mass in the dark. With each flash of lighting the full scale of what they confronted would briefly reveal itself, before everything was plunged once more into the dark of the jungle night.

    He hacked and hacked.

    The vines kept coming.

    And it was starting to enrage Du. Perhaps it was the baijiu. Perhaps it was the frustration of corralling these convicts. Perhaps it was because he finally had the opportunity to actually do something.

    Yes, that was it.

    He advanced, swinging one way and then another, severing vine after vine. Actually, driving them back. He let out a bestial yell, felt the adrenaline surge through him. Let the rage finally flood out.

    Advance, advance!

    More were coming. Always more. But he just kept hacking. That was all that mattered now. Just hack and hack and hack.

    What were the other two doing?

    He found out a moment later.

    A sharp pain erupted in his midsection. Sharp enough to snap him out of his frenzy. He looked down and a machete blade was protruding from his stomach, ruby droplets illuminated by the flicker of lightning, swiftly washed away by the rain.

    He¡¯d let himself be distracted.

    How foolish.

    He felt a hand at his waist. They were grabbing his pistol. Then a tug at his ankle. A vine had him.

    It was said it was over once the first latched on. More always came.

    The blade was tugged free. A torrent of blood erupted. A boot caught him square in the back. He lost his footing, and the vines pulled him sharply through the breach, down into the ditch beyond.

    He tried to turn, to see what happened. More vines had him now. Only a moment later he felt the first one begin to force its way into his mouth, felt it push open his oesophagus, and force its way deeper in. He gagged, unable to take in air. He felt it inside of him, even as his consciousness began to dim. Then there was another. This time he felt pressure on the surface of his eye. Then it was in, piercing his eye socket, worming its way toward his brain.

    In his final moments of consciousness, he witnessed a third figure appear above the pit.

    Sergeant Bo.

    He had the flamethrower.

    I¡¯m here, you idiot, thought Du. Can¡¯t you see me?

    But Bo couldn¡¯t see him. And a part of Du wanted the warm embrace of the flames to come, for he could feel his body being torn from the inside. Even with the steady fall of the rain, he could feel the ruin of his own eyeball sliding down one of his cheeks, like the most morbid of tears.

    A moment later and a torrent of flame ushered forth. Everything exploded.

 Chapter XLI - Ochlocracy

    Chapter XLI ¨C Ochlocracy

    ¡°Wake up!¡± came a gruff voice, and Nova felt strong hands on her shoulders. Blinking sleepily, she looked up into Kal¡¯s grizzled face, his eyes flaring with urgency.

    ¡°What is it?¡±

    ¡°I heard gunshots,¡± said Kal. ¡°The defensive ditch has been lit. We¡¯ve gotta be ready to flee.¡±

    Nova sat bolt upright, wiping away the sleep from her eyes. ¡°Well, shit, huh¡­?¡±

    ¡°Can you contact the Amrita?¡± asked Kal.

    ¡°The Cap was able to get through to me yesterday¡­¡± said Nova, her mind spinning, ¡°But that was probably because of the enhancements I did at that end. Not sure if we¡¯d achieve the same result from our end.¡±

    ¡°If it works one way, it¡¯ll work the other, won¡¯t it?¡± said Kal, his voice frustrated.

    ¡°It¡¯s complicated,¡± said Nova.

    Kal clearly knew better than to argue with her on such matters. ¡°I¡¯m gonna wake Harry. Get ready. We may need to leave on a moment¡¯s notice.¡±

    Nova nodded and Kal disappeared. Nova quickly changed out of her sleeping clothes into her regular outfit, grimacing as she put it on ¨C even by her standards it was now intolerably filthy.

    As she was putting her boots on, Kal returned, Harry in tow.

    ¡°Ready?¡± asked Kal, gruffly.

    ¡°Yeah,¡± said Nova. ¡°For what ¨C I don¡¯t know.¡±

    ¡°You two stay here. I¡¯m going to find out what¡¯s going on. Nova, try and get in touch with the Captain. We might need rapid extraction, subtlety be damned. If you can¡¯t get him, try Kang again. We need an exit fast.¡±

    Nova nodded and Kal headed out.

    She remembered what Apollo had said about protecting the girl. What had held her back, she didn¡¯t know, but she hadn¡¯t mentioned any of those details to Kal and Harry. It was the first time she¡¯d ever failed to obey Apollo¡¯s orders immediately. Somehow though, this whole situation made her uneasy. She¡¯d tell Kal when he got back. She had to.

    She turned her mind away from it. There was shouting outside, audible even over the rumbling of thunder. She turned to Harry, swallowing nervously.

    ¡°What do you think is happening?¡±

    ¡°One or both of two things,¡± said Harry, ¡°Either the vines are breaking in, or someone¡¯s making a move to take control of this place.¡±

    ¡°You think the Commandant might have started shooting people?¡± asked Nova.

    Harry shrugged. ¡°Who knows? But it definitely wouldn¡¯t surprise me. Kal¡¯s right: every moment we stay here, we are at increasing risk of copping a bullet.¡±

    Nova took a deep shuddering breath. ¡°This is not a good place.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯d go further,¡± said Harry. ¡°I¡¯d go so far as to say it is shit. Absolutely fucking awful. Just straight up hell.¡±

    Nova gave a little laugh. ¡°You¡¯re so right, Harry. I wish I¡¯d just hung out on the ship like Ser-bear.¡±

    The sound of two gunshots rang out outside. Nova flinched, her every muscle tensing. She looked at Harry. He raised his eyebrows and gave an attempt at a reassuring smile.

    ¡°Probably fine,¡± he said. ¡°It¡¯s probably all fine.¡±

    ¡°Oh, for sure. Sounds fine.¡±

    ¡°Kal will know what to do,¡± said Harry.

    ¡°Yeah¡­ yeah he will,¡± agreed Nova. ¡°I, um, I should try and contact the Captain, like he said.¡±

    ¡°Probably,¡± agreed Harry.

    ¡°And, um, Harry? I¡­ ah¡­ well, when I spoke with the Cap yesterday, he kind of told me something, that I was supposed to tell the rest of you.¡±

    Harry looked intrigued. ¡°And what might that be?¡±

    ¡°The girl ¨C the one Ostara and Tavian found at the crash site? He wants us to protect her. He says it¡¯s more important than rescuing Toghrul.¡±

    Harry didn¡¯t respond immediately. He just nodded slowly. When he did speak, all he said was, ¡°Right.¡±

    Nova pulled out her tablet. ¡°I¡¯m gonna try and contact him now. I just thought you should know. Since you¡¯ll probably hear our conversation.¡±

    ¡°Right.¡±

    She put in the call. She was using a device provided to her by Kang to bolster the signal, but she still wasn¡¯t sure whether she would be able to reach the Amrita, over a billion kilometres away. And she was relying on achieving FTL comms, which a standard personal tablet wasn¡¯t designed for. If Kang¡¯s device didn¡¯t work, it would be a about ninety minutes each way, sending signals between Luanyuan and the Amrita. Three hours for a reply. Which obviously meant no real time communication.

    She sighed. ¡°Nothing,¡± she said. She shot off a brief text message, having no idea whether it would reach the Amrita.

    ¡°What about trying Ostara and the others?¡± asked Harry. ¡°They should probably be told something¡¯s up. Plus, they¡¯re gonna be where that girl is soon.¡±

    Nova nodded and tried to make another call.

    Jiwen ran through the lashing rain, through the thick dark, periodically torn asunder by brilliant light. Voices. Gunshots. Thunder.

    Up ahead the dark was being driven back. Chemical flames rose in fierce defiance of the deluge.

    He had known this night was coming; witnessing it was something else. This was the big one. And it was all hands on deck.

    But why gunshots?

    He looked about him as he ran, even as he strove not to slip in the churned mud that now covered everything. Yet apart from the glow ahead, or the fleeting moments of lightning flashes, he could see little that revealed what was going on.

    Yet Gao¡¯s words echoed in his mind.

    ¡°It¡¯s about to start.¡±

    What have you done?

    He neared the perimeter and saw Jia Hongmei. One of Gao¡¯s people.

    In her hand she held a vibro-saw. And he could see that hand was trembling, but he did not think it was because of the vibrations of the saw.

    ¡°What¡¯s happening?¡± he demanded.

    ¡°What¡¯s it look like?¡± she yelled back, her eyes only casting a fleeting look his way. He heard exhaustion in her voice.

    Before Jiwen could answer, two tendrils appeared, each wreathed in flame, like the appendages of some fiery demon. She moved quickly, slicing through one, then the other.

    It didn¡¯t stop them.

    Jiwen activated his own vibro-saw, leaping forward with a cry of ¡°To your right!¡±

    He swung and another chunk of vine fell to the ground. But these weren¡¯t creatures. They were plants. They did not feel pain. They did not feel at all.

    Yet, still, somehow, they hungered.

    Jiwen was dimly aware that another had joined them, but he didn¡¯t see who it was, nor could he spare the attention to look and find out. He had to focus. Death was the alternative.

    The fire isn¡¯t stopping them.

    Was it slowing them?

    He slashed one way, then the other, his eyes darting about, searching for every sign of movement. One mistake could be his last. The moment one gets hold, that¡¯s the end.

    Somewhere another gunshot rung out.

    Who was shooting?

    Why?

    Bullets would do no good against these vines.

    More vines were emerging from the inferno of the pit. He felt despair welling up inside him. This felt different to that earlier time in the jungle. Perhaps it was the darkness, the confusion.

    And we don¡¯t have Madam Ostara with us. She was the only reason we survived that time.

    He did his best to push aside the rising panic.

    Think like a scientist. They cannot keep coming indefinitely. They need energy to sustain movement like any lifeform. They can¡¯t photosynthesise at night. As long as they don¡¯t eat, they¡¯ll run out of fuel.

    As long as no one dies.

    Endurance.

    That¡¯s what it came down to.

    He kept going. He had to. Zhang Jiwen was a fit man. But this effort was relentless. The vines constantly reaching towards him. Swinging this way, that way. And the saws were not meant to be used like this ¨C continually. The vibrations had the effect of numbing the hand over time.

    But there was no choice.

    To his side Jia Hongmei gave a shout of frustration as she hacked away. ¡°Just go back¡­ into¡­ the fucking¡­ jungle,¡± she growled as she hacked and hacked, chunks of vine littering the slush at her feet.

    And then they did.

    Whether they had succumbed to the fire, Jiwen didn¡¯t know. But for one reason or another, the tendrils began withdrawing, slithering back, giving an occasional writhing twitch, like a lizard¡¯s fallen tail.

    The defenders were silent a moment.

    The storm roared on overhead.

    Jiwen tried to steady his heavy breathing.

    Jia looked around, her eyes reflecting the flames as they searched the dark for more vines.

    ¡°Did we do it?¡± she asked.

    Jiwen shook his head, ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡±

    He wanted to believe they had. But he didn¡¯t, not yet.

    ¡°I think they¡¯ve stopped,¡± said the newcomer, who Jiwen only now turned to look at. Li Zichuan, a man Jiwen had never much spoken to.

    ¡°I hope so,¡± murmured Jia, though Jiwen could tell from her voice that she wasn¡¯t quite ready to believe it either.

    Jiwen continued to scan the flame-shrouded boundary. He saw nothing.

    He felt his heartbeat slowing.

    ¡°We should check elsewhere along the perimeter,¡± he said. ¡°Others might still be fighting.¡±

    Jia nodded.

    ¡°Okay,¡± she said, the fatigue thick in her voice.

    ¡°Everyone unhurt?¡± asked Jiwen.

    ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± said Li Zichuan.

    ¡°I¡¯m alright,¡± said Jia.

    The vine came at that moment, like a striking viper. It was so fast that Jiwen hadn¡¯t processed what he was seeing by the time he heard the snap of her neck. There was surprise in her eyes, too, even as her form crumpled to the ground, and more vines erupted, entangling her limp form.

    He didn¡¯t have time to process the shock, the horror. They were coming. His actions were almost automatic, his own mind barely processing them. He flicked the switch on the vibro-saw and swung it.

    Just in time.

    Pieces of vine fell at his feet. To his side, Jia¡¯s limp corpse went sliding off through the mud, dragged towards the flames. Where Li was, he didn¡¯t know.

    Hopes dashed make for especially potent despair. He felt the light fade from his soul. He kept fighting, but he knew then that he no longer believed he would live.

    It¡¯s like they planned it. Like they¡¯re coordinated.

    They¡¯re plants.

    He was desperately swinging the vibro-saw when he felt the heat. Heat far greater than Luanyuan¡¯s sweltering atmosphere. Burning heat.

    To his right an immense torrent of flame burst forward. The vines disappeared into the swirling inferno. Then it passed. He saw them, blackened, but still moving. But a second eruption of flame came, and when it too subsided the ashen remnants fell to the ground.

    He turned and saw two figures walking toward him.

    Gao Yunqi¡¯s glasses reflected the dancing light of the flames.

    Behind him was Deng Weiren.

    ¡°Where¡¯s Jia Hongmei?¡± yelled Gao.

    Swallowing, his skin still feeling the lingering sensation of the colossal heat of the flame thrower, Jiwen shook his head.

    ¡°The vines¡­¡± he managed, his mind still processing the cavalcade of events.

    Gao scowled.

    ¡°We were too slow,¡± he murmured to Deng.

    He paused only a moment, then said to Jiwen, ¡°That ought to hold them for now. Come with me. Deng, stay here with¡ª¡±

    He pointed at the other man who replied, ¡°Li Zichuan.¡±

    ¡°Stay here with Li. Make sure that¡¯s actually it.¡±

    Jiwen was even less ready to believe that that was it this time. But Gao spoke in a tone that made it clear he would brook no argument.

    ¡°C¡¯mon,¡± he demanded. ¡°A lot has happened.¡±

    It was only now that Jiwen saw that he was carrying a pistol.

    When Kal returned, he was not alone.

    Two convicts were with him. They were carrying what looked like simple spears. Kal¡¯s face was grim.

    ¡°Come,¡± he said to Nova and Harry.

    ¡°What¡¯s happening?¡± asked Nova.

    ¡°You¡¯ll see,¡± said Kal. There was clearly more he wanted to say.

    Nova looked between the two convicts with their spears. They had a grim determination on their faces, but she thought she could see nervousness there too.

    Questions swirled through her mind, disjointed and chaotic, the answers to each blurring into the next.

    She looked Harry¡¯s way. To the untrained eye he appeared calm, but Nova knew him well enough to know that it was a fa?ade.

    Are we too late? Did we miss our chance to escape? What¡¯s happening?

    There was nothing for it though. They followed Kal and the two armed convicts. She watched them from behind. She doubted they could beat Kal, even with him unarmed. If Kal wasn¡¯t resisting, there was a reason. She had to trust his judgement.

    As they walked, she noticed the glow of flames in multiple directions, in keen defiance of the steady falling of the rain.

    They reached the centre of the village and were led inside the hall. There was a crowd there.

    The Leadership Committee was there. So was Ma Jinhai. Fu Yuanjing too.

    Notably absent, though, was the Commandant.

    Lieutenant Liao was there though, along with another guard.

    A hazy picture began to form in Nova¡¯s mind. For the two guards were unarmed and bound, more spear-wielding convicts flanking them.

    And at the centre of the whole assembly, near to the bound guards, was Gao Yunqi. Only he wasn¡¯t carrying a spear ¨C he was carrying a pistol. And the two convicts flanking him were carrying assault rifles.  Off to one side was a third, with what Nova took to be a flamethrower.

    Michael Arthur, Zhang Jiwen, and Li Shulin stood before Gao, facing him. Everyone was soaked, filthy.

    ¡°I think everyone¡¯s here now,¡± said Gao, surveying the crowd. His expression was one of supreme self-satisfaction. The manner in which he carried himself conveyed a sense of being electrified by the moment.

    Nova glanced over at Kal and Harry. Harry¡¯s eyes were locked on Gao, but Kal¡¯s were darting about, taking in every detail of the assembled crowd.

    ¡°We have taken a necessary step to protect the people of this settlement,¡± announced Gao.

    Those assembled murmured.

    ¡°Quiet!¡± demanded Gao, holding up the pistol. ¡°Earlier tonight, a large-scale incursion by the jungle occurred along the length of our perimeter. The Commandant responded and was killed alongside Sergeant Bo Runchu and Guardsman Qin Huiping. Our comrades Li Mingze and Jia Hongmei were also killed during the incursion. With two guards still missing, Lieutenant Liao has recognised that the LPDC guards no longer have the necessary personnel to carry out their duties. Accordingly, I am announcing the formation of a Settlement Defence Committee, with myself as chair.¡±

    Nova heard a murmur go through the crowd.

    Gao continued.

    ¡°The weapons formerly in the possession of LPDC security have been distributed to the members of this Committee.¡±

    This elicited shouts of outrage from some of those assembled.

    Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.

    Ma Jinhai spoke over the others. ¡°You killed them. We see through your lies, Gao.¡±

    Gao rounded his gaze on the former gangster. ¡°You saw the fires burning, did you not? You saw the breaches in the perimeter? Don¡¯t forget Li Mingze and Jia Hongmei were close friends of mine. They lost their lives, too.¡±

    ¡°Probably when the guards resisted,¡± said Ma. ¡°Tell us, Lieutenant, what really happened?¡±

    Nova saw Lieutenant Liao nervously look from Gao to Ma. ¡°It is as Mr Gao describes,¡± she finally said.

    ¡°Fucking coward,¡± snarled Ma. ¡°Why are you bound then?¡±

    Lieutenant Liao said nothing.

    The crowd was getting more restless. Nova saw a flicker of uncertainty cross Gao¡¯s face. ¡°In the interests of our mutual survival, we ask that all here accept this new arrangement. Without unity, we will perish.¡±

    ¡°Convenient for you!¡± yelled someone in Ma¡¯s clique.

    Michael Arthur stepped forward. ¡°Please, everyone. I know these events are shocking, but Mr Gao is not wrong: it is vitally important that we work together. The settlement¡¯s defences have been severely damaged tonight and we must cooperate to restore them. The alternative is death.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re all going to die anyway!¡± came a yell. Nova couldn¡¯t see who had spoken.

    ¡°We are not doomed!¡± insisted Michael. ¡°We just need to work together. We have lasted this long. I suggest ¨C with Mr Gao¡¯s agreement of course ¨C that we assemble volunteer vine wardens to protect the perimeter for the rest of tonight while everyone else gets some rest. Once everyone is in a better headspace and the sun is up, we can survey the damage and plan our repairs.¡±

    Gao seemed slightly put out by someone else taking the lead, but he didn¡¯t seem inclined to contradict Michael¡¯s obviously logical statement.

    ¡°For tonight, we will do as Mr Arthur suggests. Tomorrow we will review arrangements going forward,¡± he declared.

    Nova turned to Harry and Kal. ¡°What do we do?¡± she whispered.

    Kal moved closer. His eyes remained fixed on Gao. His voice was quiet, but determined. ¡°We leave. Tonight. Nothing¡¯s keeping us here if the Commandant is dead. We¡¯ll talk once this theatre is over.¡±

    Tavian stepped into the clearing as the sun was lowering in the sky and a storm was brewing, rumbles of meteorological discontent sounding ominously in the distance.

    ¡°There are more flowers than I remember,¡± he remarked.

    Ostara gave a faint, almost imperceptible smile. ¡°All humanity¡¯s works and pride are undone by nature,¡± she said, pausing a moment before continuing, ¡°On Luanyuan, though the process is swifter.¡±

    Mu was behind them. ¡°People survived this?¡± she said, examining the wreckage.

    ¡°At least one did,¡± said Tavian.

    ¡°The girl,¡± said Mu.

    ¡°Aye, the girl,¡± said Tavian.

    Tavian studied Mu¡¯s face. Some internal struggle was going on.

    ¡°I think I¡¯ve seen this place,¡± she said.

    ¡°Foreseen?¡±

    She shook her head. ¡°I don¡¯t know. It¡¯s familiar though.¡±

    Ostara too seemed deep in thought. ¡°Have you¡­ can you hear anything? From this place?¡±

    ¡°Hear?¡± asked Mu, her expression at first appearing puzzled. Then she seemed to understand what it was Ostara was saying. She gave a little nod. ¡°Yes¡­ the girl is here. Toghrul, too.¡±

    Ostara¡¯s eyes were full of knowing as she observed Mu. After a moment, Tavian looked away, observing the wreckage.

    ¡°There¡¯s no welcoming committee,¡± he said.

    ¡°They¡¯re inside,¡± said Mu.

    ¡°Makes sense,¡± said Tavian. ¡°Should we be worried?¡±

    ¡°Not immediately,¡± said Mu.

    ¡°Good enough,¡± said Tavian, and he began striding toward the wreck.

    He hadn¡¯t been kidding about there being more flowers. Where once the ship had stood out from the ruin of the jungle like a scar in its verdant flesh, now it was almost integrated, coming to seem like a natural feature. Some of the hull was still visible, but its stark metallic sheen was dimmed by the mosses and lichens that already covered much of it, themselves peeping out from beneath a profusion of flowers in many colours and forms.

    When Mu spoke again from behind him, it was like she was giving voice to his thoughts. ¡°It is beautiful.¡±

    It was. If anything, there were was a far greater array of colour on display across the crashed starship than in the jungle more broadly ¨C in that tangled expanse innumerable shades of green held absolute dominion, pierced only occasionally by a radiant fungus or a smattering of flowers. But here the flowers grew in far greater variety and density. A rainbow.

    Blood of Many Colours.

    ¡°These, ah, these guys gonna chomp us?¡± asked Tavian as he came to a stop before the ship.

    ¡°No,¡± said Ostara. ¡°They won¡¯t harm us.¡±

    ¡°Alrighty,¡± said Tavian and leapt up onto a flat spot on the hull, from where he could see a crack that led inside.

    Mu and Ostara followed him, their movements nimble and graceful.

    Reaching the crack, Tavian yelled out. ¡°Hello?¡± he called out. ¡°Anyone home?¡±

    ¡°You can come in,¡± announced a small voice from within. It sounded like little more than a child¡¯s. ¡°We¡¯ve been waiting for you.¡±

    ¡°Ominous,¡± murmured Tavian, but assured by his companions¡¯ insistence that they faced no immediate danger, he proceeded into the shadowed interior.

    His mind played back the memories of their first visit, trying to recall the layout. But as his eyes adjusted to the dark, he didn¡¯t need the memories to guide him. A singular light emerged from one of the rooms across the corridor from that they had entered.

    Inside he found four figures sitting around a singular portable light. There was Mei Xuelan, appearing far more serene than when Tavian had last seen her. And whether it was a trick played on him by his eyes adapting once more to a change in illumination or not, he did not know, but she seemed to have her own, sheen, her own subtle luminous quality. Her skin too was clean, and her clothes and hair seemed neat, unblemished. She was a far cry from the wild child of the jungle they had once encountered. Her eyes reflected the light, her smile was slight, but had the quality of supreme contentment.

    With her were two of the guards and Toghrul. They too appeared contented, though their clothes bore the signs of the passage of the jungle and its many trials. There was something unfamiliar in Toghrul¡¯s demeanour, his posture, his expression ¨C the very aura he exuded into the world. He had been a troubled, no, broken man, when Tavian last set eyes upon him, someone bent to resignation by the cruelties and indignities of fate, yet now ¨C here sat a different man.

    He glanced at his companions as they came to the threshold of the room, and they too witnessed this scene. He felt a deep unease wash over him when he saw the slightest flicker of change in Mu¡¯s eyes, in her expression. It did not last, but for a moment he saw the same in her as he had seen in Toghrul.

    He was more alarmed though when he turned back and noticed the fifth occupant of the room. Had it been there before? Surely not. Had it simply appeared? Surely not. Something so large, so unnatural could not have escaped his notice though, not in such a small space, even half shrouded in the gloom of the far corner of the room. Even as unmoving as a stone monolith. It could not have escaped his notice.

    Its multiple sets of wings hung unused behind it, folded. Its many limbs ¨C more than he remembered ¨C were held up like the arms of a meditating monk, its legs crossed likewise. And far too many unblinking eyes stared forward, somehow both inanimate, yet deeply aware.

    Xuelan¡¯s smile broadened as she saw that he had noticed it.

    ¡°Xixi has joined us at last!¡± she announced. ¡°Isn¡¯t it wonderful?¡±

    It was not wonderful.

    Tavian felt a gentle touch at the small of his back. He heard Ostara¡¯s voice softly speak, ¡°It¡¯s alright.¡±

    ¡°Join us,¡± said Xuelan.

    ¡°Please,¡± said Toghrul, his voice unlike Tavian had so recently heard it. His accent was unchanged, but every ounce of distinct character that had once been audible in that voice, all the complex nuances of the reluctant revolutionary, the brave martyr, the grieving father ¨C none of that was present. Tavian reflected he had seldom heard someone speak in such a way that suggested there was absolutely no private thought nor meaning, nor subtext ¨C at least none apart from the implied, but unspoken ensuing words: ¡°Join us.¡±

    Tavian entered and he sat down on the floor, folding his legs. Ostara and Mu followed him, taking up spots between him and the guards, each sitting with their legs to one side.

    ¡°Would you like something to drink?¡± asked Xuelan. She grabbed a metallic jug before her and an unadorned metallic cup, lifting them up in offering.

    ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± said Tavian, tapping the flask at his waist.

    ¡°No thank you,¡± replied Ostara.

    Xuelan just smiled in response, and began pouring. Tavian caught a glimpse of what came out of the jug, flowing slow and viscous into the cup.

    It was not water.

    It shimmered with many colours, the light of the lantern gleaming off it like sunlight on an oil slick.

    Blood of Many Colours.

    ¡°I would like some,¡± said a voice.

    Tavian knew whose it was, but he didn¡¯t quite want to believe it.

    Yet when he turned, there she was: hand outstretched, ready to receive the iridescent, sanguinary offering.

    ¡°I know,¡± said Mei Xuelan.

    The crowd disbanded and were ushered back to their dormitories by Gao¡¯s armed clique ¨C all except the volunteers for vine warden duty.

    Back in the dorm, Harry glanced around upon their return to the dormitory.

    ¡°We¡¯re not getting a minder?¡± he asked.

    Kal grunted. ¡°There¡¯s not enough of them. We¡¯re the least of their problems.¡±

    ¡°Makes sense.¡±

    ¡°It won¡¯t last for them,¡± continued Kal. ¡°Between the vines and Ma, they¡¯ll slip up. But there¡¯s not going to be any winners.¡±

    ¡°So, what do we do?¡± asked Nova, her voice thick with a timidity Harry seldom heard. There was nothing boisterous and energetic about her right now.

    ¡°We pack. We get out. We go to the crash site. Find Toghrul and the others,¡± said Kal. ¡°With the Commandant dead, we probably don¡¯t need to worry much about Toghrul¡¯s chip being activated, so when we¡¯re with the others, we get off-world. Fast.¡±

    ¡°Sounds good, but while I¡¯m sure you¡¯ve thought of this, something stands out to me,¡± said Harry. ¡°It¡¯s a big jungle out there, and we have no idea where this crash site is.¡±

    ¡°Yeah,¡± agreed Nova, ¡°Tavian and Ostara were the only ones who went last time.¡±

    Kal seemed unconcerned. Harry was right. He had already thought about this.

    ¡°Zhang Jiwen, the scientist guy knows. We need to get him to be our guide.¡±

    ¡°Will he leave?¡± asked Harry, ¡°Seems to me he¡¯s part of the leadership committee, and everything here just went to shit. Isn¡¯t he gonna feel all duty-bound to stay?¡±

    ¡°Probably,¡± said Kal, ¡°Which is why we need to convince him that there¡¯s nothing left for him here anymore.¡±

    ¡°He seems pretty loyal to that Michael guy,¡± said Nova. ¡°I think Harry might have a point.¡±

    ¡°They can all come,¡± said Kal. ¡°We just need to make them face reality. Staying here means waiting to die.¡±

    ¡°But isn¡¯t Michael like, a hundred years old?¡± asked Nova. ¡°No way he¡¯s up to a big trek across a jungle, which, let¡¯s not forget, is trying to eat everyone.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t think he¡¯s a hundred, Nova,¡± said Harry.

    ¡°Super old¡¯s my point.¡±

    ¡°Die here, die out there. That¡¯s their choice. It¡¯s not one we¡¯re forcing on them, it¡¯s their reality,¡± said Kal.

    ¡°Sometimes captains want to go down with their ship,¡± said Harry, ¡°Or so I¡¯ve heard.¡±

    ¡°Then he can do that,¡± said Kal, ¡°But lieutenants don¡¯t need to.¡±

    ¡°I still think they¡¯re gonna feel pretty sketchy about leaving an old man with this pack of¡­ bastards,¡± said Nova, ¡°Like, I would be all for getting out. I am all for getting out¡­ but I¡¯m just not sure¡­¡±

    Kal cut her off. ¡°They don¡¯t have a choice. We don¡¯t have a choice. We convince Zhang. Arthur and the others come or don¡¯t come. But we have to get out. We have to get to the crash site. And that means ¨C hard or not ¨C we have to get through to Zhang.¡±

    ¡°I could try contacting the others again,¡± suggested Nova.

    Harry gave a little laugh. ¡°Oh yeah, I can see it now. ¡®So, guys, you head out the gate, and then turn left. Keep going till you see the vine winding clockwise around a tree. No! Not anti-clockwise. Then you¡¯ll see another tree, turn right there¡­¡¯¡±

    Nova glared at him. ¡°Point taken, Mr Sarcasm.¡±

    ¡°I like to really illustrate my points,¡± said Harry.

    ¡°Super helpful.¡±

    Kal ignored them. ¡°Harry, you go speak to Zhang. You¡¯re¡­ good with words.¡±

    ¡°Sure,¡± said Harry, a hand to his chest, ¡°I¡¯ll use my best words.¡±

    ¡°Oh, and maybe he¡¯s your cousin or something. You¡¯re both called Zhang,¡± said Nova.

    ¡°Zhang is¡­ one of the most common Shang surnames.¡±

    ¡°Ya never know,¡± said Nova.

    ¡°I don¡¯t think he¡¯s my cousin.¡±

    Nova shrugged.

    Harry took a deep breath. ¡°Oh, and Nova, do you think maybe you should tell Kal what you told me before?¡±

    Nova took a moment to understand what he meant. ¡°Oh,¡± she said, her expression once more darkening. Harry could see something about what Apollo had asked was troubling her. It was certainly abrupt, coming from the Captain, but she seemed unduly troubled by it.

    ¡°So,¡± she began, ¡°The Cap told me that we had to protect the girl at the crashed starship.¡±

    Kal took this in his stride. ¡°Fine,¡± he said simply.

    Harry guessed questioning orders wasn¡¯t his style.

    ¡°He said it was more important than getting Toghrul.¡±

    Kal just nodded. ¡°If that¡¯s what the Captain says. Either way, the crash site is our destination.¡±

    ¡°Okay¡­¡± said Harry, ¡°Well, I guess that is that. I¡¯ll go try and talk to Zhang. You two hang tight. My stuff¡¯s already good to go, once we are.¡±

    ¡°I want to leave tonight,¡± said Kal.

    ¡°Understood, Big Guy,¡± said Harry. ¡°I¡¯ll do my best. Work my magic.¡±

    Nova seemed to be about to say something more when, unannounced, a guard entered the dormitory, flinging open the door, sending raindrops cascading in from outside.

    ¡°Mechanic,¡± he said, ¡°Comrade Gao requires you. The secondary filtration system is down.¡±

    ¡°Oh, for fuck¡¯s sake!¡± exclaimed Nova. ¡°Can I ever escape this damn thing?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s your baby now,¡± said Harry.

    ¡°The Amrita¡¯s my baby,¡± said Nova, ¡°These things are just pains in my arse.¡±

    ¡°Come quickly,¡± said the guard.

    ¡°I¡¯m coming, I¡¯m coming,¡± said Nova, dallying as she walked across the dorm to where the guard stood among the intruding rain.

    This is gonna interfere with the plan, thought Harry, his mind rushing through options.

    But, as Nova passed him, she gave him the slightest of reassuring nods.

    Does she have a plan? he wondered.

    In a moment, both she and the guard were gone. The door closed behind them, the sound of the storm diminishing slightly once more.

    Harry turned back to Kal.

    ¡°That could be an issue, right?¡±

    Kal¡¯s brow was furrowed with focus. By way of reply, he offered only a noncommittal grunt.

    The rain pounded on the roof.

    ¡°Should I get going and leave it to you?¡± he asked.

    Kal was still deep in thought. Then he nodded.

    At that moment the sounds of the storm picked up once more. Harry felt a stray droplet of rain splattered against his cheek. Nova re-entered.

    ¡°Left my tools behind!¡± she declared in an unnecessarily loud voice.

    Harry saw the figure of the guard behind her for a moment before she shut the door. She walked with a hurried pace, and when she next spoke, her voice was more hushed.

    ¡°What do we do?¡±

    ¡°I thought that nod meant you had a plan,¡± said Harry.

    ¡°Yeah, I did: to come back in here without the guard present so I could hear what the plan was,¡± she snapped back.

    ¡°Right,¡± said Harry.

    ¡°Grab your tools, go with them. We don¡¯t want anyone getting suspicious of us and interfering. Harry, you go talk to Zhang. You tell me once he¡¯s on board. We will fetch Nova then, and get the fuck out of here.¡±

    Nova flashed a thumbs up, then grabbed a rucksack that made a clanking sound when she picked it up.

    ¡°Got ¡®em!¡± she said, once again speaking unnecessarily loudly. ¡°Just don¡¯t leave me hanging. These convicts are making me nervous,¡± she said, softly once more.

    ¡°It¡¯s all about speed now,¡± Kal reassured her.

    With that she was gone into the dark and stormy remnants of the night.

    The fear was palpable.

    Pu Mengqi could feel it all about her, as she looked about the faces of those huddled in the dormitory.

    The storm was passing now, the thunder receding into the distance, rolling away to some distant swathe of the endless jungles. The rain, though, descended from above ceaselessly, its drumming on the roof the soundtrack behind the words those huddled and fearful people now listened intently to.

    For fear did not have undisputed dominion here.

    There was hope too.

    Few present had slept much, and the night was drawing ever closer to the dawn, but instead of sleeping, they listened. Listened as Fu Yuanjing spoke.

    ¡°The Stars do not demand subservience,¡± said Fu. ¡°They offer us many paths forward, and trust that we will take the path into their Divine Light. This is why the Long Road of Nara Enduri, of which the Aixin speak, is false. No, the Nine Suns offer us many ways forward, and they aid us in making our choice. They show us what each path entails: thus does the jungle contain the horror of the vines, but also the blessing of the Eutric Blood.¡±

    The Blood. Pu¡¯s mind had dwelled on it more and more in recent days. She wondered what it tasted like. Wondered how it felt as it flooded through your body. In her dreams it drizzled from the heavens and emerged as sap from the trees and the vines, the nectar of the flowers, the water of the wide river.

    She longed for something she had never tasted.

    And she knew she wasn¡¯t alone.

    Eutric Blood.

    Blood of Many Colours.

    Please, she thought, Let it be mine.

    Master Fu was wise. She knew this. She knew many things that others did not.

    ¡°There are those who seek to divide us, fighting over this pitiful and cruel piece of jungle. The Commandant, through his obstinate refusal of the boons of Faith was rewarded. So, too shall be the reward for others, if they do not come to the Light. But all of you here do not need to suffer so cruelly. You do not need to suffer at all.¡±

    Pu saw the armed guard Gao had posted to the dormitory shuffle uneasily, listening to these words.

    Master Fu must have noticed, for she turned towards the guard. ¡°My friend, you too need not bear arms against your comrades. The Blood of the Eutria is plentiful. The Stars provide, they can nourish us all. We need only cast aside these petty conflicts, and take what is gifted to us by the Divine.¡±

    The guard said nothing, but his fingers moved nervously as they gripped the assault rifle in his hands.

    ¡°We need not live in fear and hunger,¡± said Fu, her beatific smile beaming out to each and every occupant of the dorm, her kind eyes seeming to address each person individually.

    The preacher closed her eyes, breathing in deeply. She took in a deep and satisfied breath. All waited upon her next words, the momentary silence stretching out.

    Her eyes fluttered open.

    ¡°I know many of you have long doubted me, I am not blind to that,¡± she said, ¡°Nor do I condemn you for it. There are many who seek to cloud our vision, to usher us onto the false paths. This Empire of Lies, beholden to the False God, Nara Enduri, strives with all its might to dim the light of the Nine, yet they shine on regardless, bearing as they do the indomitable Flame of the Unborn Emperor. Perhaps my words seem strange, perhaps they seem abstract. Perhaps they seem at odds with what your mothers and fathers, and schools, and government have told you. Yet I do not seek to speak in riddles, nor in the twisted fashion of the politicians, no, I wish to speak as plainly as I can about what the Stars offer us. I want to show you Their Light. If that opens me to ridicule, so be it. I am but a humble servant.¡±

    For Pu Mengqi, it didn¡¯t truthfully matter what it all meant. She was resigned to the fact she would always be a follower. But Master Fu offered something no other leader did: she offered a personal message of hope. No other authority had ever given that to Pu. None of them had ever cared what happened to her. And the Empire had sent her here. To the place farthest from hope in all the Cosmos, or at least that was how it seemed to Pu. She had tried to live a good life, yet she had ended up here.

    Master Fu, though ¨C she said things would be better. And all that was needed was to believe. She said the Cosmos itself was looking after each and every person, even people like Pu. And all that was needed was to believe.

    So, she believed.

    The door to the dorm opened and there stood the poor young boy. Cheng Xiaoyu. He looked distressed. And with dawning horror Pu saw that he was covered in blood.

    For a moment she thought she saw a note of concern flicker across Fu Yuanjing¡¯s face, but then it was gone. The Master rushed over, wrapping the boy in her arms, even as the guard seemed frozen by indecision about this sudden, bloody intrusion.

    Fu looked over her shoulder, ¡°This poor boy needs help. Mrs Pu, come with me. We shall tend to him.¡±

    The guard regained his voice, ¡°What has happened? I will need¡ª¡±

    Fu was not loud when she cut him off, but she flashed a rare look of anger his way. ¡°Please, have you no heart? He is in pain! Let us tend to him first, then perhaps, when he is rested, you can ask him your questions. It has been a cruel night for all.¡±

    With that she ushered the boy away to an empty bunk, hidden from the assembled group by a flimsy wooden divide. Pu followed.

    They sat young Xiaoyu down. Pu could see he was crying, wracked by sobs.

    ¡°How are you hurt?¡± she asked, her voice thick with concern.

    He shook his head.

    ¡°What do you--?¡±

    ¡°Shh,¡± said Fu, gently. ¡°Let him speak when he is ready. Be calm, my child.¡±

    The boy did his best. When he spoke, his voice was barely more than a trembling whisper. ¡°I¡¯m not hurt,¡± he said.

    ¡°But the blood¡­? Whose¡­?¡±

    The boy looked up at Fu Yuanjing¡¯s smiling, saintly face.

    ¡°I did what you told me to do, Master,¡± he said.

    As the storm raged overhead, Mu lay reading in a corner of the room. Her eyes were scanning the words on the tablet, but her mind was elsewhere.

    She replayed the events.

    Tavian and Ostara had stopped her.

    Stopped her drinking the Blood.

    Mei Xuelan had seemed unconcerned. ¡°Whenever you are ready, Xixi can provide.¡±

    She was at war with herself. She wanted to partake of the Blood. But she disliked that desire. And she knew Tavian and Ostara were not acting in cruelty.

    She was angry with them though.

    She could hear voices from elsewhere in the ship, only barely audible over the sounds of the storm. Vaguely she could distinguish those of Tavian and Ostara, though their words were unclear, their words softly spoken.

    Normally, she would have sat with them. Now, however, it felt as if a great gulf had opened. Did they not feel it too? Nova understood, even though she had not tasted the Blood. Did they think themselves superior, having not felt the desire?

    Mu knew she was being unreasonable. Yet, in truth, she didn¡¯t care. Her mind now dwelt on little aside from the Blood.

    She sighed deeply, casting her eyes about the room - a room in which she now realised she was not alone. Silent and unmoving in the shadows at the edge of the room loomed Xixi, countless eyes watching her.

    She turned back to her tablet.

    At some point she drifted away into sleep.

    When she awoke Ostara knelt by her side. She had a cup in her hands.

    ¡°Drink,¡± she said.

    Mu was confused, but she saw what was in the cup. Blood of Many Colours.

    ¡°I thought--?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s alright,¡± said Ostara, her tone kindly and reassuring.

    Mu sipped tentatively at first. Then she drunk the rest all in one gulp.

    It was different somehow to how she remembered it.

    ¡°Thank you,¡± she said.

    ¡°You should sleep,¡± said Ostara. ¡°You will need strength.¡±

    Mu did just as she was told. For once in her life sleep came easy to her at precisely the moment she sought it.

    Bees buzzed about her. She saw with the eyes of many, spoke with many voices.

    But she saw something ominous between the trees.

    An arrogant and cold figure.

    Her father.

    ¡°Remember your lessons,¡± he said.

    She awoke.

    It was morning.

    Nova wasn¡¯t even sure what to feel anymore. Afraid? Angry? Exhausted?

    She trudged through the dark and the mud. Oh, to be back aboard the Amrita. How she would treasure her bed, her shower¡­ Charlie¡­ videogames¡­

    She looked around and cursed the jungle.

    It did not reply.

    But she heard other voices. Human voices.

    She halted, eyes probing the dark, searching for the source. Gruff male voices, crude words.

    Unkind.

    ¡°Hurry up, idiots,¡± said one. ¡°The sun will be up soon. It¡¯s now or never. We¡¯ve got to catch them unawares.¡±

    The voices drew closer.

    There was nowhere for Nova to hide.

    They saw her, because of course they did. They had lights. She had a light. And she had frozen, too slow to shut it off.

    Where¡¯s that guard? she wondered. He had said he would be back to check on her progress soon.

    She wished he was still with her.

    The three men that now came toward her were carrying vibro-saws. By their demeanour, their tattoos, their bald heads, she knew they were Ma¡¯s men.

    ¡°What we got here?¡± said one, when first his eyes fell upon Nova.

    She glanced around. Was the guard close? Could she shout out?

    ¡°Don¡¯t do anything rash,¡± said the lead man. ¡°You armed?¡±

    Nova thought about lying, but there was no point. Wordlessly, feeling a pang of fear, she shook her head.

    ¡°Good,¡± said the man. ¡°Better for you that way.¡±

    ¡°Probably,¡± said another, with a cruel chuckle.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t hear much,¡± said Nova.

    That fucking filtration system. Twice I¡¯ve heard what I wasn¡¯t meant to going to or from it.

    ¡°But you probably heard enough,¡± said the first man. ¡°You must be a smart one, right? You know how to fix all these machines, right?¡±

    ¡°Er¡­¡± said Nova, wondering where this was leading.

    ¡°Smart enough to work out the rest from what you heard, I¡¯ll bet,¡± said the third man.

    ¡°Really, I didn¡¯t hear much. I don¡¯t care about any of this. I¡¯m just a visitor,¡± said Nova. ¡°We¡¯ll be gone soon.¡±

    ¡°You lot have been pretty close with the leadership committee and Gao, right?¡±

    ¡°Not really.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t lie. Won¡¯t do you any good.¡±

    The men drew closer, standing on three sides of her. They were much bigger than her, looking down on her from above. She glanced nervously at the vibro-saws each had.

    ¡°We don¡¯t have much time,¡± said one. ¡°So, we have to work out what to do with you.¡±

    Nova¡¯s mind raced. ¡°Tie me up,¡± she said, raising her hands in a gesture of surrender. ¡°Put me somewhere aside. Once you¡¯ve done what you have to, let me go. I can¡¯t interfere with your plans then.¡±

    The first man gave an exaggerated impression of considering her proposal. ¡°We could do that¡­¡±

    The second man now spoke up, ¡°She¡¯s a pretty one, ain¡¯t she?¡±

    A knot formed in Nova¡¯s stomach.

    ¡°We don¡¯t have time,¡± snapped the third man.

    ¡°Don¡¯t need much,¡± said the second, a lascivious grin forming on his face.

    ¡°Telling on yourself there,¡± said the first man, with a laugh.

    ¡°I can hurry things up when I need to,¡± replied the second.

    ¡°She is a looker¡­¡± murmured the first man.

    The third seemed to be coming around. ¡°Why don¡¯t we do as she said. Let¡¯s put her aside for now. There¡¯ll be plenty of time for fun when Ma¡¯s Boss.¡±

    The first man nodded slowly.

    Nova had little time to react. Rough, powerful arms grabbed her own, pinning them behind her.

    She went to scream.

    But a calloused hand was already covering her mouth.

 Chapter XLII - Shield of Light

    Chapter XLII ¨C Shield of Light

    Nova found herself gagged and restrained; her arms wrapped around a pole behind her back. At first, she had fought furiously, instinct as much as reason driving her struggles. Panic had filled her, a sick feeling in her stomach, a desperate need to be free. The men who had taken her had watched her and laughed, before departing to carry out Ma¡¯s orders.

    Now she was alone in the dark.

    Why?

    Why had it come to this?

    If only I¡¯d stayed on the Amrita. I could be playing videogames with Sera. I could be working on my machines¡­. I could be doing anything, but this.

    She felt a sob threaten to take her.

    I don¡¯t want it to end like this. I don¡¯t want all of my life to have led up to this. To dying and being¡­ No. No, no, no.

    She tried to focus her thoughts, breathing in deeply through her nose. And perhaps it helped a little. But that knot of panic, that sick feeling ¨C it wouldn¡¯t go away. And she knew why. Because it wasn¡¯t just blind, irrational panic. Both her emotions and her rational mind were aligned.

    I¡¯m done for.

    Some abstract part of her mind marvelled at how thin the boundary between life and death was. There was something strange about the fact that so recently she had been free to do as she liked, and just one quirk of timing had landed her here. How easily it could have been different.

    What accursed luck.

    And here she was. Alone in the dark. She knew she would probably die. She could almost accept that. But her mind refused to even contemplate what came before death, though the shadow of it dwelt ever at the margins of her thoughts, threatening to overwhelm her. It dwelt in that nauseating knot.

    But she was alone.

    And that surely provided a sliver of hope. Her captors weren¡¯t watching her. They had been hasty in their efforts to restrain her, needing to get on with the task at hand. They must have made a mistake. There must be some way to get free. And surely, she, Nova Reilly, had the wherewithal to discover the flaw in her restraints.

    Just think of it as a mechanical fault: The system ¨C Nova Reilly ¨C is unable to exercise normal functions due to an obstruction. You just need to figure out how to remove the obstruction without damaging the system.

    So, she considered possibilities in systematic fashion. The pole was a no go. While the dorm buildings looked fairly flimsy in their construction, she had witnessed them withstand multiple severe storms. There was no way she was ever going to make the pole budge or break, and besides, she didn¡¯t fancy bringing the roof down on her head if she did.

    That left the ropes she had been bound with as the only conceivable solution. Having identified this there seemed to be two further possibilities: break them, or slip out of them.

    The problem with breaking them was that even if she had the strength under ordinary circumstances ¨C and she was fairly sure she did not ¨C she could get little leverage on them. The pole was quite thick and her arms were pulled back around them, such that her shoulders already felt an uncomfortable amount of strain. There wasn¡¯t really any capacity to yank hard on the restraints in any direction.

    That left slipping out. This seemed the most promising option, if she could just feel her way around the knot. Each of her hands had enough freedom of movement to reach the rope around the wrist of the other, though it was only with enormous strain that she could probe the restraints with more than her pinkie and ring finger. This made for a severe limitation of her ability to explore the intricacies of the knots, let alone untie them. Making matters worse, she always kept her nails short as they tended to break off when working otherwise. In that moment she found herself wishing she had Mu or Ostara¡¯s long nails. They would have provided both a little more reach, and a lot more precision.

    There was no ideal solution to her predicament, but probing the knots, trying to loosen them, seemed the only hope. Even if she could give just one of her hands a little more scope for movement, that would open up further possibilities.

    So, she probed the knots on each side, trying to wriggle a finger into a gap that might allow her to pull away a loop. She was used to working with small and sometimes delicate parts, and had both steady hands and abundant patience for such work, but now ¨C so constrained in movement, and lacking any tools ¨C she felt frustration well up in her.

    She willed herself to focus. Ignore everything, but the task at hand. She was only partially successful, but treating the situation as a system to be fixed definitely helped. Frustration, at any rate, was preferable to the terror and panic that had filled her before.

    She had a moment where she thought she might have attained some small purchase on the knot, but she quicky realised she had only pulled a strand of the rope, not the whole thing.

    But that might be an option. Maybe she could pick apart the rope, weaken it. How long would that take though? How long did she have?

    Still, there was nothing else for it, though she quickly realised she might have gotten lucky with that one strand she managed to pull out. Her lack of nails and severely limited dexterity meant that she could mostly do little more than to fumble with the bulky rope. But she persisted. The very fact she¡¯d managed to pull away that one strand gave her the faintest sliver of hope: the notion that whether or not she had time, the task was at least possible. And the faintest possibility of escape was infinitely superior to its alternative.

    The first, almost imperceptibly dim, morning light was beginning to filter into the dorm when the door swung open. Two of her captors entered, judging by the voices, though she was faced toward the wall and couldn¡¯t see them. They sounded like they were dragging something heavy. They spoke in a strong colloquial dialect that Nova wasn¡¯t particularly familiar with, so she struggled to catch all their words, but she understood enough.

    She understood what the two thuds she heard were. They were depositing bodies. And they knew they were running out of time with the light of dawn arriving. Soon the cover of darkness would be lost to them. Nova could only guess at what that meant for her own timeline, but it probably meant she didn¡¯t have long.

    She twisted her head around as best she could, trying to glean any more information. She glimpsed the black hair on the back of someone¡¯s head, sticking out from behind the divide between bunks, sprawled on the floor, one limp hand stretched out above that head. As she watched a little pool of blood slowly expanded across the floor.

    One of her captors approached, saw her turned head.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, sweetheart,¡± he said, a sickening grin on his face, as he squatted beside her, ¡°We won¡¯t keep you waiting much longer.¡±

    Nova did her best to scream obscenities at him, but little but muffled indignation emerged. With a chill down her spine, she felt a rough hand caress the side of her face. She tried to recoil, but there was little she could do.

    ¡°You¡¯re a feisty one, aren¡¯t you?¡± he sneered at her. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, we¡¯ll make you feel good soon.¡±

    Nova did her best to convey as much hatred as humanly possible through her eyes. The man just sniggered as he rose once more, looking down on her. She noticed now that in his other hand he held a pistol. They hadn¡¯t had guns before. He made a kissing gesture with his lips, then turned, and in a moment both men were gone, leaving Nova alone with a pair of fresh corpses.

    No sooner had they left, than she began redoubling her efforts to pick away at the rope that bound her hands. Yet, even as she did so, her mind kept returning to the feeling of the man¡¯s hand against the side of her face, the image of his lips puckered into a kissing gesture. She felt the knot inside her return, the rising panic. Her efforts at working on the rope became imprecise, fumbling.

    Focus, Nova, she urged herself.

    But the panic was too great. She couldn¡¯t regain the modicum of calm she had briefly attained before. Time was running out, and the horrendous fate she had tried to ignore kept occluding more and more of her other thoughts, seizing territory within her brain.

    And slowly another option occurred to her. The only other escape. She didn¡¯t even consciously process it; rather it simply wandered, uninvited, into her thoughts, a dark stranger on the doorstep of her mind. Before she fully comprehended it, she was considering the options.

    There were probably sharp objects around, but she had no way of reaching them. She couldn¡¯t willingly stop breathing, but was there anyway she could try and swallow the gag, so as to block her airways? Probably not. Could she bite down on her own tongue? Would blood loss accomplish her goal? A goal her mind had refused to formulate into words, yet one implicitly understood.

    Because she was sure of one thing: with whatever actions remained within her feeble powers, she would ensure that she would grant these monsters, these fucking evil bastards, no pleasure. If her life had led to this moment, led to a premature end, she would not let that end include her humiliation. She would die with pride. She would die spiting these disgusting brutes.

    Her mind toyed with the practicalities of it. Could she achieve it? Would it work? Would she simply injure herself and make everything worse?

    Her thoughts were interrupted by the sound of gunshots. Three isolated shots. Then a minute passed. Distant yelling. Then automatic weapons fire. More shots. Many more.

    There was more light about now. Her time was probably running out. She had made no progress on her bonds. She was uncertain whether her alternative escape plan was even possible.

    Somewhere outside, she heard a scream.

    There was silence. Then the distant sound of quiet, but urgent voices. Then more gunfire. Shouting.

    Her eyes turned to the nearby corpse. The blood was darkening now, appearing stickier and thicker than when it had first flowed freely. Now it soaked into the floorboards.

    Death was now abundant in Port Athur, distributed cheaply.

    As if to punctuate the thought, another scream sounded out.

    Moments passed. Then the door flung open. Her three captors re-entered, one of them now supported by the other two. They moved past her, the door gaping open behind them. They lowered the injured man down onto one of the beds. He let out a groan of pain. It was the man who had spoken third when they first captured her.

    There was a hurried exchange among them, then one crossed the dorm and looked in on Nova.

    ¡°Still with us?¡± he asked. His voice had less of the sneering arrogance she had heard when last they came.

    She gave no response, once more fixing him with a look of fury and hate.

    Her thoughts raced. Maybe they had tried to strike against Gao¡¯s men and failed. Maybe Gao¡¯s supporters would be here soon, and she would be rescued.

    She tried to listen into their conversation, but again they spoke in an unfamiliar dialect, far removed from Imperial Standard, which was itself only her second language. It sounded like neither side was now on top, at least from what she could glean.

    She was trying to process all this, as the man standing over her turned to his still uninjured companion.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± he said ¨C this was clear enough. ¡°Leave him. He¡¯ll live.¡±

    He turned back to Nova. ¡°Not long to wait now,¡± he said.

    Nova only noticed the hulking figure behind him at the last moment. Her captors were even slower to notice.

    In the next instant a metal fist erupted from the chest of the man standing over Nova. It struck with such force that she heard the sound of ribs snapping in two. A crimson slurry, laced with bone fragments spilt out across the floor, and across Nova herself, followed by a torrent of blood.

    The fist withdrew and Nova could see straight through the gaping hole in the man in the split second before his broken corpse fell to the ground.

    There was a gunshot, but the intruder seemed unperturbed, moving with shocking speed. A single punch from that metallic arm imploded the man¡¯s skull with remarkable ease.  The corpse was half-fused with the wall, a giant crater of splinters and mashed brain marking the point where it connected.

    The injured man called out in shock and fright, but his cries were cut short as a flurry of blows obliterated his body, smearing organs, bone, and blood across the bed, which itself caved in from the force of the blows.

    It happened so quickly that Nova¡¯s mind was racing to catch up. She was now dripping in the gory remnants of her captors, observing their annihilation with detachment. Her mind was simply unable to process what had just occurred.

    The intruder turned to her. A giant of a man, all rippling muscle and tattoos. One robotic arm, another natural one. His green singlet was sprayed with the blood and viscera of his victims.

    He was one of the people she knew best in all the Cosmos, but in that moment her mind resisted connecting this ferocious beast to that name. The two concepts were simply incompatible.

    ¡°Are you alright, Nova?¡± asked Kal, as he stopped to remove her restraints.

    Even once the gag was removed, she was unable to utter a reply.

    Jiwen¡¯s head was spinning from the news he¡¯d just received. The outsider ¨C Harry ¨C had told him they were leaving Luanyuan. They intended to take Toghrul Yarghunoghul with them. They wanted Jiwen himself to go with them.

    But that wasn¡¯t the big news.

    He had broken off his conversation with Harry upon receiving the news, meekly muttering that he had to tell Shulin. With that he¡¯d gone back inside the dorm. Like everybody, Shulin hadn¡¯t slept a wink that night. She was sitting in a chair reading.

    Shulin had always been a caring, empathetic, and insightful person ¨C more than anyone else at Port Arthur. Jiwen could tell she knew something was up the moment she saw him step back inside. Her eyes went wide, silently asking him what he knew.

    He struggled to say the words. After everything that had transpired that night, it was hard to imagine anything that would still shock Jiwen. Yet, this did. If Port Arthur was crumbling beforehand, this truly seemed like the colony¡¯s end.

    He must have been silent longer than he realised.

    ¡°What is it?¡± asked Shulin, her eyes imploring him to break his silence.

    ¡°It¡¯s Michael,¡± said Jiwen.

    Shulin was silent a moment, then she asked, ¡°What is it? Is he alright? He went to check on some of the other dorms¡­¡±

    This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.

    Jiwen swallowed.

    ¡°He¡¯s¡­ dead,¡± he said at last.

    ¡°Dead?¡± asked Shulin, incredulous.

    ¡°His body was found a short while ago¡­¡± the words kept catching in Jiwen¡¯s throat. ¡°Someone¡­ someone stabbed him.¡±

    Shulin shook her head, as if Jiwen was spouting complete nonsense. ¡°What¡­ what do you mean? Who would attack Michael? Gao¡­ Gao would never¡­¡±

    Jiwen shook his own head. ¡°I don¡¯t know¡­¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t understand.¡±

    ¡°Neither do I.¡±

    ¡°He¡­ he was just here. He talked to everyone when Gao announced the Commandant¡¯s death¡­¡±

    ¡°It doesn¡¯t make sense,¡± agreed Jiwen.

    He looked away from her, trying to gather his thoughts. He glanced back at the door. Harry was probably still out there.

    He returned his focus to Shulin.

    ¡°Shulin¡­ I think I¡¯m going to leave with the outsiders,¡± he said. ¡°They want me to lead them to the crash site.¡±

    ¡°Leave?¡± she said, in a voice that seemed to not quite comprehend what he was saying. ¡°Into the jungle?¡±

    ¡°To the crash site first,¡± said Jiwen. ¡°Then off-world. With the Commandant dead and all the chaos¡­ escape won¡¯t be a problem, and our visitors think they can find a way off-world. They intend to take Toghrul Yarghunoghul with them. They offered to take us. They offered to take Michael¡­¡±

    Shulin shook her head, her eyes glistening with tears. ¡°We can¡¯t leave everyone here behind. If Michael¡¯s gone¡­¡±

    ¡°If Michael¡¯s gone, there won¡¯t be a colony for much longer. You¡¯ve heard the gunshots out there. Between him and the Commandant, they were the only thing holding this place together. Most of our perimeter defences are gone now. Ma¡¯s probably fighting Gao by now¡­ with Michael gone¡­¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t abandon everyone. I don¡¯t care about Gao. Ma is a monster. But there are other people. Innocent people. People discarded by the Empire in this horrid place¡­ we can¡¯t just up and leave them to the jungle or Ma or even Gao.¡±

    Jiwen sighed deeply before responding. ¡°It¡¯s lost. Even before tonight. I think it was that Blood that doomed us. People aren¡¯t in their right minds anymore. Even I¡¯ve felt its pull ¨C I¡¯m sure you have too. But whatever the case, if we stay here, we will die. Everyone¡¯s too divided. Everything is falling apart ¨C order and trust, yes, but even the physical stuff ¨C the filters, the jetty, the perimeter fence. I doubt we can even go on a week now.¡±

    Shulin put down the book she had been reading and drummed her fingers on the arm of her chair. She looked away. He heard her take a shuddering breath.

    Her voice was soft when at last she spoke, ¡°You¡¯re right, Jiwen. Of course you are. We won¡¯t last. It was always an uphill struggle just to survive here, but this past week ¨C tonight, especially ¨C we¡¯ve fallen too far down to every make it back up again.¡±

    ¡°Does that mean you¡¯ll leave with me?¡± asked Jiwen.

    ¡°No,¡± she said, firmly. ¡°No, I have to stay. Some of the people here are innocent. Someone needs to watch out for them. What about that young boy? Chen Xiaoyu? He¡¯s nothing more than a poor lost child.¡±

    ¡°I think Fu Yuanjing has taken him under her wing,¡± said Jiwen.

    Shulin gave a bitter hint of a laugh. ¡°All the more reason to have someone look out for him. And what about Gong Junde? He¡¯s the same age as Michael. Who will look out for him?¡±

    ¡°But what can you even do for them?¡± said Jiwen, a hint of desperation slipping into his voice.

    ¡°Probably nothing,¡± said Shulin, ¡°But I¡¯m sorry: my mind¡¯s made up. I¡¯m staying till the end. I¡¯ve got to try and give these people a chance.¡±

    Jiwen sighed once more. ¡°You¡¯re a better person than I am, Li Shulin.¡±

    She smiled his way. ¡°You¡¯re a better person than you give yourself credit for, Zhang Jiwen.¡±

    He remembered Gao¡¯s remarks. They seemed an epoch ago, but had in truth been spoken barely more than twelve hours prior.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know about that,¡± said Jiwen.

    ¡°I do,¡± said Shulin. ¡°Now go. Show our visitors to the crash site. That in itself is a good deed.¡±

    Jiwen was struck by a thought. ¡°What if we led everyone out?¡±

    Shulin smiled once more. ¡°It¡¯s a nice thought, but it¡¯d never work. A small group, led by yourself ¨C that has a good chance of making it out. But a big group, with young and old, sick and well¡­ we¡¯ll get eaten alive out there. And that¡¯s if we could even get people organised between Gao and Ma and Fu¡¯s different schemes. Go. I will stay.¡±

    Jiwen knew she was right. He glanced back at the door.

    ¡°I kind of left them hanging with my answer,¡± he said, ¡°I should go tell them that I¡¯ll take them to the crash site.¡±

    ¡°You should,¡± agreed Shulin. ¡°And Jiwen? I want you to know ¨C really know ¨C that I don¡¯t hold it against you. I think it¡¯s the right thing for you to do. It¡¯s just not the right thing for me.¡±

    He tried to look sincere and reassuring when he answered her, ¡°I know. I¡­ thank you.¡±

    He saw tears forming in her eyes once more.

    ¡°You¡­ Li, you¡¯re the last person in the Cosmos who deserves to end up like this,¡± he said.

    ¡°No, Michael was,¡± she replied. ¡°But I guess luck was never on our side. This is not a place lucky people end up.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s unfair,¡± said Jiwen, feeling anger now. ¡°For someone like Michael to die in a place like this. How is that just?¡±

    ¡°Justice never had much to do with it.¡±

    ¡°I know¡­ I know¡­¡±

    ¡°You should go.¡±

    ¡°I know.¡±

    With that she stepped forward and wrapped him in a hug. ¡°Thank you for making this dark place just a little lighter. It was nice knowing you.¡±

    ¡°Thank you, Shulin¡­ for everything.¡± He pulled away. ¡°Goodbye,¡± he said.

    She nodded, her eyes still glistening. He could feel his own getting watery.

    ¡°Goodbye,¡± she said.

    He lingered a moment longer, then turned to head outside. Harry was still waiting there when he stepped out. He looked at Jiwen when he emerged, concern on his face.

    ¡°You alright there?¡± he asked.

    ¡°No,¡± said Jiwen. ¡°But we should get going. It¡¯ll be light soon.¡±

    Harry looked like he was about to ask further questions, but instead just said, ¡°Okay. Let¡¯s go.¡±

    Harry and Jiwen moved quickly, but cautiously.

    The sounds of gunshots were increasingly echoing out around the settlement as the glow of the ascendent sun spread across the horizon. They wove between the different buildings, pausing and changing routes several times to avoid the bands of armed convicts moving around the settlement in the diminishing shadows.

    When they reached the meeting place, Kal and Nova were nowhere to be seen.

    ¡°We can¡¯t wait long,¡± said Jiwen. ¡°Whoever wins between Gao and Ma is going to try and re-establish order once they have. Our window will close.¡±

    Harry nodded. ¡°I know. But if Kal says he¡¯ll be here, he¡¯ll be here.¡±

    Harry saw his convict companion was surveying their surroundings nervously. They were tucked between a supply shed and an intact portion of the perimeter, near the gate facing away from the river.

    ¡°Your faith in your companions¡­¡± began Jiwen.

    ¡°We look out for each other,¡± said Harry, ¡°And they¡¯ve never let me down. We¡¯ve been through a lot.¡±

    A guilty look crossed Jiwen¡¯s face.

    ¡°You are worried about leaving, aren¡¯t you?¡± said Harry.

    ¡°They killed Michael,¡± said Jiwen.

    ¡°They?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know who. I don¡¯t know if it was on purpose, or he got caught up in all this,¡± said Jiwen, ¡°But someone killed him. And Shulin¡¯s staying on. I guess she wants to try and restore peace.¡±

    Harry felt there was little chance of that, but he kept his feelings hidden.

    ¡°What¡¯s so important about Yarghunoghul?¡± asked Jiwen.

    ¡°I guess there¡¯s no harm in telling you everything now,¡± said Harry. ¡°He took a rap for a murder he didn¡¯t commit. He was a kind of revolutionary leader, I guess. On his homeworld ¨C Yarkan. We got caught up in it all and the new leader of Yarkan was his¡­ lover, I guess? She and his sister asked us to come get him out of here.¡±

    ¡°Was he innocent?¡± asked Jiwen. ¡°Actually?¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± said Harry. ¡°I know, because the person that sent us to retrieve him admitted to committing the crime herself.¡±

    ¡°I guess that¡¯s pretty definitive,¡± said Jiwen.

    ¡°Pretty much seals the deal, yeah,¡± said Harry.

    ¡°What about the crash?¡± asked Jiwen.

    ¡°What about it?¡±

    ¡°Has it got anything to do with why you¡¯re here? Seems like your companions are pretty interested in the crash site¡­ do you know what the Blood is?¡±

    Harry gave a little laugh. ¡°No idea. And I sure didn¡¯t know anything about it when we came. All I knew was that we were here to get Toghrul out. But it seems like our Captain knew something about it.¡±

    ¡°Does your captain keep a lot of secrets from you?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s complicated,¡± said Harry. ¡°Well, I guess, yeah, he does¡­ but he¡¯s never led us astray.¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s that faith of yours again.¡±

    ¡°Guess so.¡±

    Even though he kept up the conversation, Harry could see Jiwen was getting nervous. With every new gunshot he would glance around, as if trying to assess if they were in danger. Harry himself was getting mighty keen for Kal to show up, but he outwardly maintained his calm.

    He did have faith in his companions after all. Kal and Nova would be there.

    ¡°That Blood destroyed us,¡± said Jiwen.

    ¡°You think?¡±

    ¡°Gao¡­ Ma¡­ the Commandant¡­ they were all dangerous men. That didn¡¯t change,¡± said Jiwen, ¡°But the moment that Blood came into this place¡­ everyone started acting far more¡­ intense.¡±

    ¡°I guess you¡¯ve felt it?¡± asked Harry.

    ¡°Felt it?¡± asked Jiwen, but he hadn¡¯t even fully got the words out when the look spread across his face. ¡°Well, yes, of course. I presume everyone has at this point. There¡¯s a draw to it¡­ sometimes when I get distracted, I find myself thinking about drinking it.¡±

    ¡°Yeah,¡± said Harry. ¡°I dunno exactly when it started. I heard other people talking about it, and at first, I didn¡¯t know what they meant. But now¡­ it¡¯s like you say. It suddenly hits you in a quiet moment ¨C you realise you¡¯ve spent the last few minutes ¨C maybe longer, it¡¯s always hard to tell ¨C thinking about it. I found myself wondering how it would work in a cocktail.¡±

    ¡°A cocktail?¡± asked Jiwen.

    ¡°I¡¯m a bartender,¡± said Harry.

    ¡°Is breaking political prisoners out of Imperial prison colonies standard bartending work?¡±

    ¡°Other duties as required,¡± said Harry, with his best attempt at a grin.

    Something caught his eye.

    Kal and Nova were at last heading their way. Though it was getting lighter, that light had not reached their corner of the settlement. As such is took Harry¡¯s eyes a moment to pick up on it, but he felt a moment of shock ripple through him when he saw it. Both of them were drenched in blood.

    ¡°What happened?¡± he exclaimed.

    ¡°Those fucking gangsters,¡± growled Kal. ¡°I dealt with them.¡±

    As ever a man of few words.

    ¡°Are you okay?¡±

    ¡°No worse than usual,¡± replied Kal.

    ¡°Nova?¡±

    She looked at him with glazed eyes, utterly vacant. ¡°Mmm,¡± she muttered, then looked away into the distance.

    That was unusual.

    Harry pushed away his curiosity and concern. They appeared to be uninjured. Something had clearly happened, but there would be time enough to work that out later. Everyone was present.

    ¡°Shall we get going?¡± he said, glancing back Jiwen¡¯s way.

    ¡°We should move,¡± agreed Jiwen.

    Another round of gunfire punctuated his sentence, echoing out through the predawn.

    Having made up her mind not to run, Li Shulin felt a strange calm that she hadn¡¯t experienced in months ¨C years, perhaps. She stepped out into the morning air. In the wake of the storm and before the day¡¯s heat, it was as refreshing and cool as ever it felt on Luanyuan. She had long since stopped noticing the aberrant gravity of the world.

    And now there were no more doubts. She no longer had to worry about the things that could come to pass ¨C for the worst had come to pass. That was liberating, in a peculiar way. That made her feel lighter. The last real choice had been to decide upon staying when Jiwen had offered her a lifeline.

    She held little hope that Gao or Ma would see reason. They never had before, and now, based on the gunshots she was hearing, too much blood had surely been spilt for any return to normality.

    That was the one thing that still gave her pause, that gave her concern: she dreaded the fate of those not tied up in this power struggle over these half-rotted shambles in the jungle. Those who had no choice, but to be here and who had little capacity to defend themselves. She had not been lying when she told Jiwen that she was staying for them.

    As she walked, she looked up. A tiny spot of open sky had appeared. In the years she had been on Luanyuan, she¡¯d almost forgotten what the open sky looked like. Every time it made a rare appearance, it seemed almost a shocking thing. Like many aspects of the fifty-six years she¡¯d lived on Yuheng, the blue sky seemed like something from another life. It sometimes felt that she had truly died, and this was some cruel afterlife. Yet wasn¡¯t the afterlife supposed to be unchanging? Here everything was consumed by decay and rot on an accelerated schedule. The buildings of the settlement, the minds of the people. Perhaps, though, it was just a case of seeing it from another perspective: the jungle was unchanging, this settlement and all the others were the futile attempts to affect change.

    Ultimately, though, all was reclaimed by the vines.

    The hall was up ahead. It seemed quaint now ¨C all that time they had spent discussing every detail of colony life there. Playing at being some sort of responsible government. It seemed a child¡¯s game, an amusement for them to pass their time. She had once wondered at the logic of their wardens permitting them to organise in such a manner ¨C surely it made rebellion a greater risk. But of course, it was quite the opposite. By distracting them with the quotidian needs of the colony, they did not have time for rebellion. Nor would they escape ¨C they would feel responsibility to their fellow convicts.

    Well, I guess it worked, reflected Shulin, giving a small laugh. Here she was, even at the bitter end, still clinging to that responsibility, that mirage of purpose in the depths of this uncaring jungle.

    She flinched as a burst of automatic weapons fire sounded nearby. She glanced around, but didn¡¯t see the source.

    A moment later, though, she heard voices.

    A group of armed men rounded the corner of the hall. Another moment passed, and then the sound of more gunfire. The men dived for cover.

    Though she had flinched before, it was only through instinct. She felt little need to dive for cover now. Death simply didn¡¯t scare her.

    The two groups of combatants yelled insults and taunts at each other, though both were now unseen from Shulin¡¯s perspective.

    How strange that they should fight so fiercely over a sinking ship. Though Shulin now suspected her end would come via a bullet, it had in the past always been her assumption that the vines would claim them all one day. That they would go down fighting to the end. Yet it did not play out that way: here were Gao and Ma and their respective tribes fighting and killing each other for the chance to preside over that end.

    Humans were strange beasts.

    But something whispered at the back of her consciousness, a little voice that she had been ignoring, but which had become ever more insistent.

    They¡¯re not fighting over the settlement, it said. They¡¯re fighting over the Blood.

    She shook the thought from her head and resolved to do what she still could. She continued to walk forward, half expecting to feel the sting of a bullet at any moment. Yet, as long as that instant of terminal pain did not come, she would keep walking. Keep walking until she stood at what she judged to be the midpoint between the two groups.

    She came to a stop there.

    ¡°What are you doing, fool?¡± came a cry from one side. She could see them now ¨C both groups. Hidden from each other, but clear to her.

    ¡°Get out of the way!¡± yelled another.

    She ignored them. ¡°We need to stop this,¡± she said. Her voice was loud, but she did not yell. ¡°The vines are the enemy, not each other.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s too late for that!¡± yelled someone.

    Probably.

    ¡°It¡¯s isn¡¯t,¡± she insisted. ¡°Every new moment is a chance for a new choice. Whatever is in the past, the future is ours. If you want to live, put down your arms.¡±

    She flinched again when a shot rung out. It was not aimed at her though.

    ¡°Shut up, and get out of the way, bitch!¡±

    She shook her head, remaining resolutely in place. ¡°Don¡¯t be blinded by the emotion of the moment.¡±

    She clenched her hands into fists at her side, breathing in deeply. Whereas a moment ago she had viewed these fighters with detachment, bordering on amusement, she now felt the stir of emotion herself ¨C frustration. Surely, it was clear to them.

    They are blinded by desire, said the little voice.

    She looked from one group to the other. She could see the tension in the men¡¯s faces, the gritty determination, the resolve for victory. She could see fear and uncertainty too, though. Surely that bull-headed resolve could be broken if she could tap into that.

    Surely.

    ¡°Shoot me now!¡± she said, ¡°I will not move otherwise. I will stand between you until you realise that whoever emerges victor here has only won the chance to be digested by the jungle ¨C instead of the mercy of a bullet. Only united, can we survive.¡±

    No voice spoke.

    Not at first.

    Then one sounded out, ¡°You¡¯re wrong,¡± it said. ¡°When we win our prize will be the Blood.¡±

    The sun finally peaked up over the tree tops, for the first time that day, shining its light down onto Li Shulin, standing alone and defiant in front of the hall. It shone upon her in the moment the first bullet pierced her flesh, and she slumped to the ground.

    Perhaps she was spared from being shredded by the storm that followed by that first shot. Had she remained standing a moment longer, her body would have been torn asunder. That may, in fact, have been a kindness, for though she had spoken moments earlier of the mercy of a bullet, that one shot did not kill her. Instead, she fell to the ground, pain lancing through her whole being.

    Thus, she watched as a man on one side copped a barrage to the chest and tumbled backward in a crimson mist. She saw splinters fly as bullets ricocheted off the hall. She saw little sprays of mud and filthy water erupt from the multitude of tiny impact craters that now peppered the already uneven ground, churned as it was by the chaotic traversals of the night.

    And she watched as from the opposite side of the same clearing she now lay in, another figure emerged. Not an armed man, but a woman about Shulin¡¯s age, maybe a little older. She walked with slow, but purposeful steps, unbothered by the cacophony exploding about her, the percussive rhythm of gunfire, the bellows of masculine aggression, the screams of the dying.

    Mad to the end, Mrs Fu, thought Shulin.

    Or?

    A bright flash of light erupted by the side of Fu¡¯s head. She was close enough now that Shulin could see the smile on her face. She bent down and from the churned mud at her feet she picked something up between her thumb and forefinger. She held it up, so that the light of the rising sun glinted off it.

    A bullet.

    In a surprisingly powerful voice she called out, ¡°The Divine Light protects me.¡±

    The gunfire stuttered. Then it stopped.

    ¡°It can protect all of you as well,¡± she continued.

    She walked forward, till she stood close to Shulin. Her eyes gazed down. ¡°Such a pity, Li Shulin. Your heart was good, but you could never see the Light. Know, that it does not please me to see you this way. I had hoped you might be one day at my side. Yourself, Arthur Michael, and Zhang Jiwen¡­ but alas: it was thus ordained.¡±

    She raised her head again. ¡°You cannot hurt me. Only each other. But if you come to me, I will show you the Way of the Nine Suns. And thus armoured, we can together claim the Divine Boon of the Stars: the Eutric Blood.¡±

    No word was spoken by anyone else.

    ¡°You have been lied to. For many years, and by many deceivers. All of you. But most immediately, you have been lied to by Ma Jinhai and Gao Yunqi. They have told you that you must compete amongst each other. But the Stars have provided a magnificent abundance. So, I ask you this: bring me the deceivers, embrace the Light of the Nine Suns, and there shall be no further obstacles to us claiming the Blood. Will you join me? Will you surrender your fear and let hope enter into your hearts?¡±

    There was silence for a time. Then murmuring. Then a man walked forward into the open space. He bowed to Fu. ¡°I will follow you, my lady. Show me the way.¡±

    Others soon emerged. From both sides.

    As Shulin lay dying in the mud, she watched as the opposing fighters prostrated themselves before Fu Yuanjing. From elsewhere in the colony, other convicts, unarmed, also emerged, gathering outside the hall, surrounding her on all sides.

    The outcast madwoman had become prophetess of the damned.

    The last thing Shulin saw, before her consciousness ebbed away, was the victorious smile on Fu¡¯s face.

 Chapter XLIII - Scapegoat Mechanism

    Chapter XLIII ¨C Scapegoat Mechanism

    Some part of Nova¡¯s mind appreciated the peril of their journey. At any moment the forest around them could become a writhing hungry mass. Movement through the thick undergrowth was slow. Visibility was low. She had been told that on the first trip to the crash site, the group had only escaped when Ostara had intervened to somehow calm the vines.

    But she was not focused on this.

    That was not to say she felt calm.

    Far from it.

    Instead, her mind was constantly replaying images to her. Sensations too. She felt callused hands grabbing her. She kept having moments where she suddenly felt as if she was bound and gagged again. She would instinctively struggle, only to find herself free. A few times Harry clearly noticed, but for the time being he said nothing.

    What concerned her most of all, among these many cruel tricks her mind was playing on her, was that she kept conflating images of Kal killing her captors with images of the captors themselves. Sometimes she would imagine it was them doing the killing. Sometimes as they leered down at her, it was Kal¡¯s face, not theirs.

    He saved me, she told herself.

    But she felt that shower of blood and viscera descend on her time and time again. Her skin still felt sticky with it, mingling with all the accumulated grime. She remembered looking straight through a man¡¯s body.

    He did it to save me.

    He isn¡¯t one of them.

    A vine brushed against her as they walked. She startled, looking around wildly. Not because she thought it was trying to devour her. But because its woody surface felt like those hands that had been placed over her mouth, that had caressed her face.

    She squeezed her eyes shut, willing it all away, as if trying to awaken from a nightmare. But even before she opened her eyes, the images still played before her mind¡¯s eye, a continual loop of those horrible¡­ was it hours? She didn¡¯t know.

    It won¡¯t leave me.

    She opened her eyes. Kal was moving up ahead, vibro-saw in hand. At his waist was a weapon he had taken from her captors. Another was slung over his back.

    She shuddered involuntarily.

    She didn¡¯t want to look at him.

    No: she couldn¡¯t look at him.

    She turned her eyes elsewhere. Looked up through the canopy. The morning light poked through in a few places, but where they walked was still dark.

    ¡°Be careful where you step,¡± said Jiwen. ¡°If anyone notices bones, speak up immediately. The vines are messy feeders.¡±

    Bones.

    She remembered how the man¡¯s ribs had swung outwards with that one mighty blow.

    Leave me alone! she screamed internally.

    But the images continued.

    Harry felt a slackening of the tension when they stepped out of the jungle into the clearing. Flowers bloomed across the wreckage. He only fully realised how tense he had felt when he felt that slackening. He had been ready. Ready for the coiling of a hostile vine, the ricochet of a bullet off a tree. Something. Danger felt as if it loomed near, though he did not know what form he expected it to take.

    At a certain point the sounds of gunshots behind them had stopped. He wasn¡¯t entirely sure whether it was because the battle was over, or because they had journeyed too far from the settlement, but whatever the case, silence then reigned. Indeed, he was once again struck by how oddly quiet Luanyuan¡¯s jungles were: he expected jungles to resound with the cries of birds and insects and mammals, but not here, not on Luanyuan. The vines, he supposed, produced no sound. And everything that did, had long ago become their meal.

    The ship before them was not large. Harry had heard from the others that it was much smaller than the Amrita, but this was truly a tiny starship. It was surprisingly intact. There must have been some attempt to decelerate before the impact for it to be so preserved.

    ¡°Be careful,¡± announced Kal. ¡°We don¡¯t know what we¡¯ll find.¡±

    They didn¡¯t have long to wait, in order to find out. Tavian and Ostara emerged, standing atop the wreck. Tavian gave them a wave.

    ¡°Good to see you all alive,¡± he shouted down.

    They wasted little time making their way up. Harry saw the moments Tavian and Ostara each noticed Kal¡¯s and Nova¡¯s appearances. He was sure they would ask, but Harry himself didn¡¯t know what to tell them. Whatever had gone down, neither of them was offering any details.

    Ostara will know what to do, thought Harry, She always does.

    ¡°Everyone intact?¡± asked Tavian.

    ¡°More or less,¡± replied Harry.

    ¡°What happened back there?¡± asked Tavian. He directed the question at Harry, but his eyes were half on Kal and Nova. ¡°Things¡ª¡±

    ¡°Things went downhill,¡± said Jiwen.

    ¡°The Commandant became a vine snack,¡± explained Harry.

    ¡°And Michael was killed¡­¡± said Jiwen, quietly, his eyes downcast.

    ¡°What condition is the colony in?¡± asked Ostara. When he looked her way, Harry noticed that her lower arm had a bandage on it.

    He was about to speak, but another voice came from behind Tavian and Ostara. ¡°That religious woman. Mrs Fu. She now controls the colony. Or she will soon.¡±

    Harry only now saw that Mu had emerged. Yet there was something distinctly off about her. Ostensibly she looked the same as ever she had, but it was in the manner in which she carried herself, in her facial expression.

    ¡°When we left Gao and Ma were fighting for control,¡± said Jiwen.

    ¡°They won¡¯t win,¡± said Mu.

    ¡°How do you know?¡± asked Jiwen.

    ¡°Because she will lead them here,¡± said Mu. ¡°She has offered the Blood to the survivors.¡±

    ¡°I¡ª¡± began Jiwen, clearly not following.

    ¡°Mu¡¯s a Starseer,¡± said Harry. ¡°She¡¯s almost certainly correct.¡±

    ¡°A Starseer¡­¡± he murmured.

    ¡°She will bring them here. The mob. They will want to kill all of us. To claim the Blood,¡± said Mu.

    ¡°Then we don¡¯t have time to waste,¡± said Kal. ¡°Let¡¯s get everyone together and work out our next move.¡±

    ¡°Kal¡¯s right,¡± agreed Ostara.

    ¡°They do not want us to leave,¡± said Mu.

    ¡°Who is ¡®they¡¯?¡± asked Tavian.

    Mu herself looked puzzled for a moment. ¡°Mei Xuelan. Sh-she doesn¡¯t want us to leave.¡±

    ¡°The Cap said to protect her,¡± said Nova.

    Harry whipped his head around. It was the first time he had heard her speak a full sentence since they¡¯d reunited with her and Kal back at the colony.

    ¡°The Cap did?¡± asked Tavian.

    ¡°Apparently it¡¯s important,¡± offered Harry, after it became clear Nova wasn¡¯t going to say more.

    ¡°We don¡¯t have time to fuck around,¡± said Kal. ¡°You got any idea how soon they¡¯ll be here, Mu?¡±

    Mu shook her head.

    ¡°Then what I said before, stands. We don¡¯t have much time, so we should assume the bare minimum ¨C the amount of time it takes to get here from Port Arthur ¨C is all we have. And we need to work out an escape route. The Cap wants us to protect the girl ¨C well the only way we do that, is by getting her away from that mob.¡±

    ¡°We--she won¡¯t leave,¡± stated Mu. Her voice was quiet, but firm.

    ¡°Like hell she won¡¯t!¡± shouted Kal. ¡°We don¡¯t have time for this.¡±

    Harry saw it out of the corner of his eye. The way Nova recoiled the moment Kal raised his voice. He must have seen it too, because a moment later he took a deep breath and slackened his posture.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go inside. We will discuss this further,¡± he said. His frustration was clear, but he was working to contain it.

    ¡°I think that would be best,¡± said Ostara. Harry caught her gaze for a moment. Her eyes didn¡¯t convey specifics, but the look she gave said much of the predicament they now faced.

    They headed inside. As Harry passed Ostara she placed a gentle hand on his arm, giving it a reassuring squeeze. He looked back as he stepped into the starship¡¯s interior. Mu gave Nova a hug, the other girl¡¯s arms hanging limply at her side, her posture tense. He saw Mu whisper something into Nova¡¯s ear. She slowly nodded.

    Everyone else jumped in behind Harry, one by one.

    Beyond the room they now found themselves in, Toghrul appeared in the hallway.

    ¡°Welcome,¡± he said.

    Harry hadn¡¯t had much to do with the Yarkanese convict, but this was not the voice he remembered. No, if it reminded him of anyone, it was of Mu ¨C it was the same voice she had spoken with moments earlier. Sure, he spoke with a man¡¯s voice, with a Yarkanese accent, and she sounded distinctly like a young woman raised in the Imperial Court, but underneath those superficial aspects, there was an intonation, a cadence, an emotional emptiness that was eerily identical.

    The image of a torrent of viscous, many-coloured liquid flashed through Harry¡¯s mind.

    ¡°Hello,¡± he said, pushing the image aside.

    ¡°This way,¡± said Ostara, and she stepped past the rest of them, leading them to another room.

    As Harry stepped into the room, he felt something drip onto him. He looked up just in time to see another drop descend. This time the liquid wasn¡¯t in his imagination. From some crack overhead, it leaked. Like the ship itself was bleeding.

    The room they had entered had other occupants. The two guards. A young girl.

    And something huge. It was covered in some sort of chitinous substance. Feathery, moth-like protrusions came from its head, beneath them banks upon banks of opalescent eyes. Its head had the vaguest suggestion of human form, as did the rest of its body, but it was warped, its torso grotesquely elongated to allow for rows upon rows of limbs, each ending in distinctly human hands. From points along its back, other, decidedly inhuman, tendrils had extended, penetrating into the walls of the starship. They were semi-transparent and he could see the heartbeat pulse of many-coloured ooze, as it was injected into the metallic walls.

    He only now noticed that on certain spots the walls had what looked like pustules emerging, the many-coloured ooze threatening to burst forward from them.

    The young girl looked at the new arrivals with a beatific smile as Mu and Toghrul went to sit cross-legged on either side of her, paying no heed to the thing behind her.

    ¡°Hello, friends,¡± she said. ¡°I see you are admiring Xixi. They grow more magnificent by the day. It makes us so happy.¡±

    There was an unsettling quality to that voice. It did not sound like it should come from a young girl. And it didn¡¯t sound like one voice. It sounded like there was an echo to it.

    ¡°What¡¯s happening here?¡± said Kal.

    The girl looked to him now. ¡°Your desire brought you here. There are things we all want. Desires we all share. Drink Xixi¡¯s Blood and those desires need not be in conflict.¡±

    Kal scowled. ¡°I¡¯ll do no such thing!¡± he snapped, all the while eyeing the being.

    ¡°I think we should have a frank discussion,¡± said Ostara.

    ¡°We supposed to ignore that, then?¡± asked Kal, indicating the alien presence.

    ¡°Xixi will not harm us,¡± said Ostara.

    ¡°I¡¯d rather we speak as a crew,¡± said Kal, seemingly through gritted teeth. He was still restraining himself, Harry could plainly see.

    ¡°Very well,¡± said Ostara, with an obliging smile. ¡°Do you mind if myself and my crew have a private discussion?¡±

    The girl shook her head. It was a gesture that still had a degree of child-like innocence to it. ¡°That¡¯s okay,¡± she said. ¡°There are no secrets in the Hive.¡±

    The Hive?

    ¡°Of course,¡± said Ostara, an unreadable expression upon her face. ¡°Mu? Shall we?¡±

    Mu hesitated a moment, then nodded and silently followed. They went a short way down the corridor, then stepped into another room.

    ¡°So that thing is fucking terrifying,¡± remarked Harry, once they were inside. ¡°Is that really where this Blood that everyone¡¯s so keen on comes from?¡±

    Mu appeared almost offended. ¡°I think Xixi is beautiful.¡±

    ¡°Well, m¡¯dear, I can¡¯t say I¡¯m with you on that, but to each their own¡­ I guess.¡±

    Kal seemed keen as ever to press forward with the matter at hand. ¡°Do you know of any escape routes?¡± he asked. ¡°We have not been able to establish contact with either Kang or the Amrita yet.¡±

    Ostara shook her head. ¡°There are no maps of this area. We are hundreds of kilometres from Heye.¡±

    Harry smiled. ¡°So not to put too fine a point on it, but what you¡¯re saying is that we¡¯re fucked?¡±

    Tavian indicated Harry with his thumb. ¡°I think Harry might be onto something. We¡¯ve got some crazed mob of convicts on their way. We¡¯re surrounded by a jungle that wants to eat us, and that thing in there is getting larger and stranger by the day.¡±

    ¡°You can manipulate the vines?¡± said Kal, looking to Ostara.

    ¡°They listen to me to some extent¡­ but I doubt I can hold them off all the way to Heye.¡±

    ¡°We can¡¯t leave,¡± said Mu quietly.

    ¡°We will leave,¡± responded Kal.

    This was going in circles. Any relief that Harry had felt upon reaching the crash site and getting away from the settlement, was rapidly abating.

    ¡°Can that thing do anything apart from, y¡¯know, bleed?¡±

    Harry witnessed a flicker cross Mu¡¯s face. For a moment he saw something familiar there ¨C something of Mu. Then it was gone. She didn¡¯t respond to him. She fell silent.

    Kal seemed to be considering things. ¡°I don¡¯t want to rely on that thing, but perhaps ¨C perhaps ¨C there is some benefit in staying here. We will be outnumbered and we have only two firearms ¨C unless there are any onboard this vessel ¨C but the ship gives us a somewhat defendable position. Plus, we can assume that via the fighting last night, and the passage of the jungle, the enemy will suffer severe attrition.¡±

    ¡°You sure turned around there,¡± said Harry.

    ¡°I don¡¯t want to stay here,¡± said Kal. ¡°But if we head off into that jungle, with no clear route or destination in mind, sooner or later we will all die. At least if we stay here, we might have a little more time to try and contact the Amrita.¡±

    There came a knock. Jiwen was standing in the doorway. ¡°I know you wanted to discuss things among your crew, but I overheard some of what you said. It¡¯s not much, but I might have something useful to contribute.¡±

    ¡°By all means, Mr Zhang, join us,¡± said Ostara.

    Jiwen entered.

    ¡°What can you tell us?¡± asked Ostara.

    ¡°I have been doing research on Luanyuan for years. Looking through old news sources, any documents ¨C LPDC, Imperial Government, whatever ¨C that I can get my hands on,¡± he explained.

    ¡°And?¡± said Kal, impatiently.

    ¡°Well, I recently discovered a significant trove. They outlined much about the origins of Luanyuan and¡­¡± he looked Kal¡¯s way, ¡°¡­that¡¯s not important right now. But I also discovered that there may be an abandoned Imperial research facility somewhere in this area. I don¡¯t know where¡­¡±

    ¡°Well, what do you propose?¡± asked Kal. ¡°We head out into the jungle and hope we stumble upon it?¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s hear Mr Zhang out,¡± said Ostara.

    ¡°All I can offer is that I can keep looking, trying to find its location. I have my tablet here. There are more documents I haven¡¯t yet gone through yet. I only hit upon this particular tranche just before everything started falling apart back at Port Arthur. If Mr Nyx here wants to plan a defence, then that gives us two possible plans.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll definitely take two bullshit plans over just one,¡± said Tavian. ¡°No offence.¡±

    Something occurred to Harry. ¡°Do any of this ship¡¯s systems still function? Maybe Nova can take a look at them. Could be a way to get a signal out?¡±

    Nova barely reacted to the suggestion.

    Whatever¡¯s on her mind¡­ maybe a task will distract her.

    ¡°What do you think, Nova?¡± asked Ostara.

    ¡°I can try,¡± said Nova, her voice affectless.

    ¡°We¡¯d appreciate it,¡± said Ostara, her eyes lingering on Nova briefly, before she addressed the group more broadly. ¡°Kal, you¡¯re in charge. Tell the rest of us what you need. Mr Zhang ¨C not you, Harry; Jiwen ¨C see what you can find about this research facility. And Mu?¡±

    Mu¡¯s vacant eyes glanced Ostara¡¯s way. ¡°Perhaps you can talk to Miss Mei about our plan. She is our host, and she deserves to know what is happening.¡±

    ¡°I can talk to her,¡± said Mu, ¡°But she already knows.¡±

    Harry had suspected as much, but disliked hearing it spoken out loud.

    What are we going to do with you, Princess?

    ¡°Find out if there are any weapons on board,¡± said Kal.

    ¡°I will ask,¡± said Mu.

    Kal had lingered after everyone else had left. Ostara was the last out of the room apart from him. As she went to leave, he called out to her.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know if the ship itself is listening to us,¡± he said, ¡°But we should talk. Just the two of us.¡±

    Ostara stepped back into the room. ¡°What is it, Kal?¡±

    Kal paused a moment, considering his words. ¡°I doubt we can defend this place,¡± he said. ¡°But Mu doesn¡¯t want to leave. She¡¯s under the influence of that thing, or that girl¡­ maybe you know more than I do about that?¡±

    ¡°Not as much as I would like,¡± replied Ostara. ¡°For now, though, I don¡¯t think they mean us harm. At least not physical harm.¡±

    ¡°But they want us to join them ¨C like Mu and Toghrul have,¡± said Kal.

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°Well, I don¡¯t do cults,¡± replied Kal.

    ¡°I suspect this is more than just a cult,¡± said Ostara. ¡°That being ¨C Xixi ¨C is a nexus of the Starflow. It¡¯s almost like a miniature star descended from the heavens.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve noticed something else about this place. It¡¯s not overrun by the vines. Sure, there¡¯s plenty of them about, but there are no defences in place here. No vine wardens out each night. And yet while a whole colony has just about collapsed, this little girl has survived here.¡±

    ¡°I believe Xixi is resisting them,¡± said Ostara.

    ¡°Resisting, or controlling?¡± asked Kal.

    Ostara didn¡¯t respond with words, but her expression plainly conceded the validity of the question.

    ¡°Whatever it is, I don¡¯t want to spend anymore time around it than we need to,¡± said Kal, ¡°But Mu really doesn¡¯t want to leave. I don¡¯t want to put our hosts on alert.¡±

    ¡°I see,¡± said Ostara, ¡°So, you have no intention of actually defending the ship?¡±

    ¡°We will die if we try,¡± said Kal. ¡°Unless those convicts get slaughtered in the jungle, we don¡¯t have the numbers, the weapons, nor the defences to hold this position.¡±

    ¡°What do you propose?¡±

    ¡°We have saws. We cut down trees under the pretence of building defences. We assemble a raft. You calm the river plants, we float away.¡±

    Ostara considered. ¡°Do we have time?¡±

    ¡°Fucked if I know,¡± said Kal, ¡°But you got anything else?¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s Jiwen¡¯s idea.¡±

    ¡°Sounds like a shot in the dark to me.¡±

    ¡°Probably.¡±

    ¡°But we have other problems, one of which I was hoping you could shed light on: why does the Captain want us to protect that girl?¡±

    Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation.

    ¡°The Captain doesn¡¯t share everything with me.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯d make it a whole lot easier to plan if I knew what was at stake,¡± replied Kal. ¡°But if the Captain insists, then so be it. I follow orders. Which brings us to the last problem: we need to get that girl, Mu, and Toghrul out of here, and they do not want to go.¡±

    ¡°We need to kidnap them.¡±

    ¡°You can think of it that way. But none of them are in their right minds, as best I can tell. But, truth be told, I don¡¯t give a shit about the morality. I came here with a mission: get Toghrul out. Now the Cap tells us to protect that girl. And we don¡¯t abandon crew, so Mu comes too.¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s something reassuring about the way you think, Kal,¡± said Ostara, with a faintly sad smile. ¡°The world seems simpler.¡±

    ¡°Not much simple about the world right now. And we¡¯re in the dark about everything. We don¡¯t know what that thing is or what it¡¯s done to Mu and the others. We don¡¯t know what the Captain¡¯s goals are. We don¡¯t know how much time we have.¡±

    Ostara nodded.

    Kal continued, ¡°But I¡¯m gonna get to building a raft, unless you¡¯ve got anything better. If you don¡¯t, work out how we¡¯re going to get everyone out of here.¡±

    ¡°I will do what I can,¡± said Ostara. ¡°And Kal? I know time is of the essence¡­ but what happened to you and Nova back at the settlement?¡±

    ¡°Some of the convicts grabbed Nova. I freed her,¡± said Kal. He had neither the time nor the inclination to go into any more detail. Even answering Ostara¡¯s question, he was reminded once more of the way Nova had looked at him. He changed the topic instead, ¡°You wanna tell me what happened to your arm? Every time I¡¯ve seen you it has fresh bandages on it.¡±

    Ostara looked around the room before lifting up her arm. Taking a deep breath, she began unwinding the bandage. Before it was fully removed, Kal had already seen it. The inner layers of the bandage ¨C those that were touching the wound ¨C were stained. But not stained red.

    Stained with many colours.

    The vibro-saws used by the convicts of Luanyuan made quick work of the vines, but they were slower when used against the more substantial trees of the rainforest. They were small devices, held in a single hand, and their blades were not long enough to cut clean through a full trunk. This made Tavian¡¯s work frustratingly slow-going ¨C made even more frustrating by the most concerning aspect of the whole situation: they did not know how long they had until an armed and hostile mob descended on their location.

    Yet he hummed quietly as he worked, reaching out to the Starflow to gather its calming power, channelling it into his mind and body, strengthening both his physical endurance, and providing himself with a mental fortitude born of mystical calm. For the moment called not for reflection or questioning: it simply demanded work and hardened resolve.

    Without that calm, the situation may have been overwhelming. Kal and Nova had been drenched in blood, yet neither would speak more than a few words about what had happened. Mu was losing her mind, succumbing to the influence of the very Blood Tavian had given to her. Nor had it escaped his notice that Ostara bore an injury that she continually tended to, but refused to address. And beyond it all, their time was dwindling and they had only the slimmest of hopes of escape on a world profoundly hostile to humanity.

    Nor was it lost on Tavian that the Starflow was doing strange things here on Luanyuan. Not like the chaos of the Tempest on Yarkan ¨C no, here it was a single great current, pouring down to the surface like a mighty river. He had sensed it when he¡¯d reached out. And he was certain that creature with Mei Xuelan was the focus of it all.

    Presently, he completed his cut through the log he had been working on, the saw jerking free of the woody confines of the cut, having reached the far side. He switched it off.

    Something rustled in the bushes.

    He scanned the perimeter of the clearing, half expecting to see the writhing of the predatory vines. Instead, his eyes picked up on nothing. The jungle was dark, dense, unyielding of its secrets. Nothing emerged.

    He returned his attention to the log. They needed to make planks out of this. For a moment the task seemed impossibly large. Long ago, on misty C¨¢erthand, Tavian had done wood-working with his father. But that seemed another life. Now, their slender hopes of survival depended on completing this task in an impossibly short amount of time.

    He closed his eyes a moment, drawing more of the Starflow to him, letting that calm come back, channelling it through his quiet, but insistent humming.

    But he was interrupted.

    This time the noise was coming from the other direction. It was unmistakably footsteps. His eyes burst open and he turned to see Mu striding towards him. Quickly. She laid her hands on both his shoulders. Her eyes were frantic, her face alive with emotion.

    This was Mu. Truly Mu.

    ¡°You have to help me!¡± she said.

    ¡°I¡ª¡± began Tavian.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know how long I can keep fighting¡­ I don¡¯t think I have much time left.¡±

    ¡°The Blood?¡±

    ¡°The Hive. I can hear them. Xuelan. Toghrul. The convicts. I can¡¯t stop hearing them. And sometimes it¡¯s like I can see through their eyes¡­ it fills my dreams. It¡¯s all I can think of¡ª¡±

    ¡°You are strong,¡± said Tavian, allowing the vibro-saw to clatter to the ground by his side. ¡°You can do this.¡±

    She shook her head. Fear radiated from her eyes, wider than Tavian had ever seen them.

    ¡°Please¡­ Ostara¡¯s been doing something¡­ I don¡¯t¡ª¡± she interrupted herself, ¡°It¡¯s not enough. You must know something. A song. A ward¡­ I can¡¯t do this alone. There¡¯s so many of them. And just me to fight them. Just me. Please¡­¡±

    Her final word was spoken quietly, softly, plaintively. ¡°Please,¡± she repeated, even softer.

    He grabbed her shoulders, as she had his. ¡°Come with me,¡± he said. ¡°Just hold on.¡±

    He removed his hands and stepped past her, in the direction of the ship. Her own hands fell limply by her sides.

    ¡°Come on,¡± he demanded, and grabbed her hand in his, giving it a tug. Now she followed him.

    The planks could wait.

    Or maybe not.

    But they would, regardless.

    He knew this was urgent.

    The had barely re-entered the ship, when Toghrul and one of the guards appeared, blocking their path.

    ¡°Tavian. Mukushen,¡± said Toghrul. ¡°What are you doing?¡±

    ¡°This doesn¡¯t involve you,¡± said Tavian. His preternatural calm had left him. He felt a tingle of anger at this obstacle. ¡°Get out of the way.¡±

    ¡°It involves us,¡± said the guard.

    Even as the words were spoken, Tavian could feel, through Mu¡¯s hand, the slight tremor, the outward hints of an internal battle.

    ¡°We will talk to you after,¡± he said.

    ¡°It¡¯s fine,¡± said Mu. Someone who didn¡¯t know her might have thought she sounded calm. Tavian could hear that she was not.

    Neither Toghrul, nor the guard, looked like they were about to relent. Tavian reached out to the Starflow again.

    ¡°Lady Anu: let intrusive gaze be swept aside by listless daze; let unbidden foe¡¯s eyes to elusive distraction rise.¡±

    The change that came over the two blocking their path was instantaneous. He tugged Mu past them, leading her down the corridor. He found a storage closet, opened it, and pulled her inside with him, closing the door behind them, so that they were shrouded in shadows.

    ¡°What did you do?¡± she asked.

    ¡°Sometimes Lady Anu will distract a foe so that they forget about you, even while they¡¯re looking right at you,¡± said Tavian. ¡°It won¡¯t last,¡± he added.

    She gave the slightest of nods. Even in the dark he saw her swallow.

    ¡°Listen to me,¡± he said. ¡°You are under attack. What you¡¯re feeling: it isn¡¯t part of you. It¡¯s something from outside. You are strong. That¡¯s how you managed to break free long enough to speak to me. It¡¯s how you¡¯ll win. I am going to help you, but you need to do exactly what I say.¡±

    As he spoke, he did everything in his power to sound reassuring and confident. In truth he had no idea what he was doing, but his instincts usually led him down the right path. Sometimes.

    He began singing, very quietly. Nervous dark eyes watched him. It was a song he¡¯d played once previously on Luanyuan. As he sung, he reached out through the Starflow, as he had in a distant bar, far down the mighty Cang Teng River. A hymn of calm in the face of horror.

    If you grant me this power a second time, Mighty One, I¡¯ll make an offering at your shrine when I¡¯m next in the League.

    He saw it ¨C Letheion ¨C burning in the void. He heard its timeless whispers from beyond. All became shrouded in nebulae of pink and blue and purple. Soon he and Mu were far from Luanyuan, drifting in the expanse of the Soma Spiral.

    ¡°Give this warrior rest,¡± he said, and it was as if he was listening to his own voice from far away.

    Mu¡¯s eyes closed.

    He ceased his singing and soon they were back in that dark storage closet. He caught her as her form slumped, propping her up with one arm. With two fingers of his other hand crossed over, he traced a bardic rune of fortitude on her forehead and whispered an invocation to Lady Anu.

    He pushed open the door, and peered out into the corridor. He could hear others somewhere in the wreck, but he could not see anyone. He picked up Mu¡¯s limp form in both arms, then stepped out into the corridor.

    The room where we met with the others.

    He headed that way. Mu was light in his arms. He reached the door and glanced once more about before stepping in.

    He had heard no movement, but now he saw it, gazing at them from the far end of the corridor. Many eyes. Coiling form.

    Xixi did not move. Did not make any sound. Only stared, unblinking, at Tavian.

    ¡°She¡¯s not yours,¡± he said defiantly and stepped into the empty room.

    Kal was a man of exceptional focus. Even in the war against Xerxes, where the agents of the enemy would do all in their power to sew discord, fear, and madness, he had always clung tightly to a singular truth: destroy the Host. Everything else was distraction. Everything else was a ploy by the enemy.

    Yet, now, even as he committed to carrying out his escape plan, his mind spun, returning time and again to what Ostara had shown him. What did it mean? She had not tried to hide it from him. She had freely shown him when he¡¯d asked. There was no reason to distrust her. Yet it was one more thing on this forsaken world that made no sense. What were they even fighting against?

    He shook his head. It didn¡¯t matter. None of that mattered. He knew the goal: he had to get the crew, Toghrul, and that damned girl to safety. The enemy was anyone who stood in the way of that goal.

    If he had been able to hold onto his singularity of purpose in the face of the shadowy tendrils of the Writhe even as they dragged all reason and order into the Void, he would do so now. Complete the mission. That was all there was for it. He carried on, working at the task at hand.

    Even as he worked, he noticed Tavian was nowhere to be seen. That concerned him. They had too little time as it was, they all needed to be doing everything possible with what little they had. But he would not be disheartened: he just had to work harder and faster still. They just needed the most rudimentary of rafts to get them across the river. From there they would have the time to work on something better to get downriver.

    As it turned out, events were conspiring contrary to his plans.

    He perceived the distant sound only at the fringes of his awareness, but his instincts kicked in. His eyes shot up, scanning the darkened jungle. There was nothing to be seen by the naked eye. But he didn¡¯t have to rely on the naked eye. He reached to his belt and pulled out the pair of multi-modal binoculars Nova had made for him. Switching them to thermal, he scanned the jungle again.

    What had been hidden a moment earlier, was obvious now. A large group of people. Moving their way.

    Well, shit.

    That wasn¡¯t enough time. Not enough time at all.

    No time to waste.

    He grabbed the log he¡¯d been working on and hoisted it up on his shoulder, then set off at a run back to the ship.

    The enemy wasn¡¯t moving swiftly, carving their way through the jungle, but they weren¡¯t far now.

    He hurled the log through the breached hull.

    Immediately, others came running.

    ¡°What¡¯s happening?¡± asked Harry.

    ¡°Our friends from the settlement are almost here,¡± said Kal.

    ¡°Shit,¡± murmured Harry.

    ¡°My thoughts, too,¡± said Kal. ¡°Help me gather up whatever timber we¡¯ve managed to cut. We might be able to rig up a barricade of some description.

    ¡°On it,¡± said Harry.

    Tavian appeared a moment later. ¡°What¡¯s happening?¡±

    ¡°Where the fuck were you?¡± demanded Kal.

    ¡°Something came up.¡±

    ¡°Something else has come up: enemy¡¯s here.¡±

    ¡°Shit.¡±

    ¡°Yeah. Come help us get the timber on board.¡±

    Tavian didn¡¯t need more urging. Kal bounded out. He assumed neither Tavian nor Harry had the strength to lift whole logs, so he ignored the smaller pieces that had already been cut away and grabbed the logs himself. After he¡¯d hauled a second on board, he scanned the jungle once more.

    Closer.

    Perhaps he could slow them down. He unslung the assault rifle from his back and took aim.

    This will give them something to think about.

    He launched off several bursts into the forest. Whether he hit anything or not was immaterial: what mattered is that they slow their advance.

    Distantly, he heard yelling.

    Good. They¡¯ve received the message.

    When he returned to the ship with the third log, Ostara was there, as were Toghrul and Xuelan.

    ¡°The enemy¡¯s arrived, I presume?¡± said Ostara.

    ¡°Just about.¡±

    ¡°We don¡¯t need to worry about them,¡± announced Xuelan.

    ¡°Sure about that, kid?¡±

    ¡°Certain.¡±

    ¡°Well, I ain¡¯t taking chances,¡± growled Kal.

    Tavian and Harry were returning, hauling more of the wood they¡¯d cut.

    ¡°That¡¯ll have to do,¡± announced Kal. ¡°Let¡¯s start blocking the entrances to the ship.¡±

    ¡°Alrighty,¡± said Harry.

    He paused.

    ¡°Actually, I say that, but you¡¯re gonna have to give me more direction, Big Guy. This really isn¡¯t my area of expertise.¡±

    Kal set to work, directing the other two on what to do. These would not be serious fortifications. But they would be better than nothing.

    Xuelan and Toghrul seemed to watch them with detached bemusement. Kal, however, didn¡¯t have time to be annoyed. He worked as quickly as possible, directing Tavian, Toghrul, and now Ostara as they worked on placing the wood in each of the hull breaches.

    He made his way into another room. There was a smaller breach here. It was a low priority, but the others had the larger breaches more or less covered now.

    He reasoned the enemy probably had the flame throwers they¡¯d used against the vines, but wouldn¡¯t risk using them here for fear of destroying the Blood. Hopefully, at least.

    The Blood, he thought.

    Was there any advantage in drinking it? Would it make them stronger?

    He banished the thought.

    But Xuelan seemed to sense it.

    He felt her presence behind him. He spared her only a single glance. She stood there ¨C small and serene ¨C smiling as if she had no cares in the world.

    ¡°Would you like to drink of Xixi¡¯s Blood?¡± she asked. ¡°A burden shared is always lighter.¡±

    Somewhere deep inside himself he felt a pang of desire for what she offered.

    Instead, when he spoke, he said, ¡°I will never drink it.¡±

    ¡°No? But your crewmates feel differently, don¡¯t they?¡±

    He paused just a moment at those words.

    Just a moment.

    ¡°The Princess has already drunk deeply,¡± said Xuelan. ¡°And what about the mechanic girl? She is afraid. But she doesn¡¯t have to be. She craves the Blood. It would bring her peace. Perhaps if you are not ready, I will speak with her.¡±

    This time Kal did not merely pause. He swung around. Something had changed about the child that now stood there. There was a profound malevolence to her smile. The innocence was gone.

    And behind her loomed that damned thing.

    He never saw it move.

    Yet it did.

    ¡°Do not go near her,¡± said Kal, his voice a low growl, loaded with threat.

    In response Xuelan merely smiled wider. ¡°But we can bring her peace. You only brought her fear.¡±

    The room seemed to darken around Kal. Despite that focus of his, his tools dropped from his hands.

    And Xixi finally moved. Row upon row of human-like hands were raised, palms facing upwards, cupped. And from its wrists the Blood flowed freely, spilling over its hands, and splattering across the floor.

    ¡°Why fight?¡± asked Xuelan. ¡°Within the Hive you will want for nothing.¡±

    Nova sat on the bridge of the ship. She had spent more of her time staring at the controls than working on them. She simply couldn¡¯t concentrate.

    Still, she had ascertained it wasn¡¯t a lost cause. The ship¡¯s main power source had failed, but the contingency power was functioning, at least intermittently. There wasn¡¯t much to work with in terms of boosting signal strength, but she had managed to broadcast a distress signal. It was unlikely to reach the distant Amrita, but at this stage anyone turning up would be better than their current situation.

    Since completing this simple task, though, she had barely made any further progress.

    She stunk of blood. Her clothes, previously sticky with it, now crackled and crunched when she moved. Every moment was a reminder of that dark dorm, of the events that had transpired there.

    She slumped forward, elbows on the console in front her, head in hands. She let out a shuddering breath.

    I want to forget, she thought.

    A droplet of Blood splashed across the controls in front of her.

    She lifted her head, and saw another drop fall. With a shaking hand she reached out, scooping a little up on the tips of her fingers. Tentatively she raised those fingers, till the glistening droplets were right in front of her eyes.

    I want to forget.

    The panel beeped. A small red light was flashing. She wiped the Blood away and reached out, tapping the screen. There was a text-based message.

    We have received your distress signal. Please be ready for departure. I will be at your location shortly. Travel to extraction point will be on foot.

    The message was signed off:

    Dr Zhao Yingtai.

    Tavian saw the moment that Fu Yuanjing stepped out of the jungle into the clearing. He watched her through the firing slit Kal had instructed them to leave between their wooden ¡®fortifications¡¯. She did not move like a woman who feared being fired upon by hidden observers.

    Behind her the other convicts began emerging, a middle-aged woman and a young boy coming to flank Fu herself. Tavian recognised the boy: Chen Xiaoyu. There was still a nervous energy to the boy, but he was far from the sobbing child Tavian had encountered not so many days prior.

    Now he stood at the place of honour.

    A companion of the prophet.

    Tavian heard a noise and turned. Harry was there.

    ¡°What now?¡±

    ¡°Where¡¯s Kal?¡±

    Harry shook his head. ¡°Don¡¯t know. He was finishing up blocking off some of the smaller gaps. Ostara?¡±

    ¡°Checking on Mu.¡±

    Harry moved over to stand by Tavian¡¯s side. ¡°May I?¡±

    He glanced through the gap. ¡°What happens if we shoot her?¡±

    ¡°I won¡¯t stop you if you want to try,¡± said Tavian. ¡°But she doesn¡¯t look like she¡¯s all that worried.¡±

    ¡°Isn¡¯t she mad?¡±

    ¡°Maybe. But she still managed to be the one in charge at the very end.¡±

    ¡°Not much of a prize now, is it?¡±

    ¡°Never was, if you ask me.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re not wrong,¡± said Harry.

    Tavian walked to the doorway and leant into the corridor: ¡°They¡¯re here!¡± he yelled.

    No sooner had he done so, than Nova came running down the corridor, emerging form the bridge. ¡°I got a message!¡± she yelled.

    Ostara appeared a moment later.

    ¡°Dr Zhao!¡± declared Nova breathlessly. ¡°He messaged me. He knows a way out.¡±

    ¡°Dr Zhao?¡± said Tavian. ¡°He died. The plants took him.¡±

    ¡°I dunno, man,¡± said Nova, ¡°But that¡¯s what the message said.¡±

    Harry had overheard and came up behind Tavian now. ¡°Could be a trap?¡±

    ¡°Could be,¡± said Tavian, ¡°But given we¡¯re already trapped¡­ eh?¡± he shrugged.

    ¡°Have you replied?¡± asked Ostara.

    ¡°Yep,¡± said Nova. ¡°He¡¯s on his way.¡±

    ¡°Doesn¡¯t that mean he¡¯s just going to arrive in the midst of this shit-show?¡± asked Tavian.

    ¡°I warned him we were about to be attacked,¡± said Nova. ¡°I, er¡­ they¡¯re already here, aren¡¯t they?¡±

    ¡°They are,¡± confirmed Tavian. He needn¡¯t have done so however ¨C the voices from outside were audible now.

    He glanced around. Kal still wasn¡¯t there.

    ¡°Where¡¯s Kal?¡± he asked.

    No one ventured an answer.

    That was wrong.

    There was no way Kal wouldn¡¯t be among them directing the action. There was no way he hadn¡¯t heard Tavian yell on a ship this small.

    Tavian knew where the other breach was. He darted down the hall.

    When he reached the doorway, he immediately saw Kal inside. He was on his knees, head bowed, like a penitent in prayer. And before him loomed Xixi, Blood flowing from its many wrists and drizzling over Kal¡¯s head.

    And watching over them, a wicked smile upon her face, was Mei Xuelan.

    ¡°Oh, fuck no!¡± yelled Tavian. He grabbed the pistol at his waist and fired it into the ceiling.

    Kal¡¯s head snapped around. As did Xixi¡¯s and Xuelan¡¯s. Many eyes were upon him. He felt a menace permeating the Starflow all about them.

    ¡°Ostara¡­¡± he said, taking a step backward.

    She was there in a second. It took her a fraction longer to assess the situation. Green light flared around her and vines detached themselves from the walls, lashing out towards Xixi. In response the alien being open its mouth and let out a high note, sounding like bells and choirs. Golden dust erupted from its great coiled form.

    Tavian felt a sharp pain surge through his head. He staggered. Forcing his eyes open as Xixi¡¯s alien cry abated, he saw Ostara standing steady, unbent.

    ¡°YOU HURT XIXI!¡± screamed Xuelan. She ran forward, a look of pure hate on her face.

    Ostara stepped deftly aside as green light flared once more about her. Xuelan staggered.

    Tavian ran forward and grabbed Kal¡¯s shoulders. ¡°C¡¯mon, Big Guy!¡±

    Kal seemed to snap out of it at that moment, springing to his feet. Tavian barely perceived the fleeting disorientation before it was gone, Kal having sized up the situation. A fraction of a second later the rifle was off his back and fired directly into Xixi.

    Once more the unworldly cry went up. Tavian clapped his hands to his ears as he staggered under the assault.

    Then with a great lunge, Xixi whipped its form about, striking Kal, sending him flying through the nearby wall with a deafening crash, metal twisting and breaking about his form.

    There was another green flash, and before Tavian knew what was happening Ostara grabbed his arm tugging on it as she ran past. He got her point and sprinted down the hall, away from the room. Kal came thundering after them. Tavian didn¡¯t look back, but the deafening clamour of automatic weapon fire assaulted his ears.

    ¡°What¡¯s happening?¡± demanded Nova. She was leaning on the wall, a little trickle of blood emerging from her nose.

    As if in answer to her question, Toghrul and two guards emerged from another room, leaping at Kal. One immediately copped the butt of a rifle to the face. Tavian didn¡¯t quite catch what happened, but he heard a crunch and a wet squelch.

    Down the other end of the corridor the wall erupted outwards in an explosion of golden dust. Tavian¡¯s eyes could make no sense of what he was seeing, a chitinous mass of hands and tentacles beginning to flood out into the corridor.

    He didn¡¯t pause to consider what was happening, instead flinging open the nearby doors and grabbing Mu¡¯s sleeping form.

    ¡°Which way out?¡± asked Harry, once more behind him.

    ¡°The cockpit,¡± suggested Nova. ¡°It faces away from the convicts.¡±

    ¡°Into the jungle!¡± yelled Kal, firing in the incomprehensible mass that was expanding into the corridor, even as the surviving guard and Toghrul tried to drag him down. They may as well have been flies trying to bring down an elephant.

    As Kal struggled, Jiwen emerged and darted up the corridor, glancing continuously over his shoulder at the monstrosity at the far end of the ship.

    ¡°We need Toghrul!¡± yelled Ostara. Looking back as he reached the cockpit door, Tavian saw her whole form once more shrouded in emerald light.

    Both sides of the corridor started cracking. Then a seething mass of vines exploded out, reaching towards the expanding abomination.

    Tavian pulled Mu through into the cockpit. He lifted his pistol and aimed it at the cracked glass.

    ¡°Think this will do it?¡± he asked Harry and Nova.

    ¡°Doubt it,¡± said Nova. ¡°That¡¯s made to withstand impacts at a decent portion of light¡ª¡±

    She didn¡¯t get to finish. Golden light flooded across everything. Rising and falling notes began to sound out, coming from every direction at once. Tavian tasted blood in his mouth. His strength left him and he felt Mu¡¯s unconscious form tumble from his arms, even as he collapsed to his knees.

    Something surged past. The cockpit exploded outwards. The golden light and sound abated.

    Kal stood outside, Toghrul in his arms.

    ¡°Come! Now!¡± he bellowed.

    ¡°Help me,¡± said Tavian to Harry, as he grabbed Mu. Nova went first, then Ostara. Jiwen followed. Finally, the two of them carefully lifted Mu through the shattered remnants of the cockpit, emerging into the daylight beyond.

    For good measure, Tavian held out his pistol and fired off several rounds into the ship behind them.

    Moments before he and Harry leapt from the ship, he saw her, against the backdrop of a pulsating mass of chitin and flesh: Mei Xuelan, standing and staring directly into his eyes.

    He and Harry leapt.

    Pu Mengqi had never known anything like the sound that came from the crashed starship. It rose and fell in volume and pitch. Soon it became impossible to tell where the sound was coming from.

    When finally it abated, her eyes were blurry, her sense of balance faltered. Yet when she looked about she saw Fu Yuanjing standing as resolute and unmoved as ever, gazing toward the ship.

    ¡°What was that?¡± asked a convict, once one of Ma¡¯s thugs.

    ¡°There are some it seems, who wish to withhold the Boon of the Stars from us,¡± replied Fu.

    She took several steps forward. When she spoke, she turned to the armed convicts at her side. Her voice was firm and cold.

    ¡°There is a girl inside,¡± she said. ¡°She is keeping the Eutric Blood for herself. She no doubt has other wicked tricks up her sleeve. But she is all that stands behind us and our desires. Once she is gone, there will be no need for further violence. We will live in abundance.¡±

    ¡°Do we¡­ do we kill her?¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± replied Fu. ¡°Storm the ship.¡±

    ¡°A young girl, you say?¡± asked another convict.

    ¡°This is no ordinary girl,¡± replied Fu. ¡°You witnessed that just now, did you not? Yet, even if she were, it is sadly at times the noble duty of the innocent to die in service to the many.¡±

    She paused, examining each of the convicts around her.

    ¡°We stand upon the final threshold. The deprivation we have long suffered on this world nears its end. We need only stay true to our faith a little longer.¡±

    The strange cry once again went up. Only Fu stood resolute against it as others bent and trembled.

    ¡°Stay strong!¡± she cried out to them, her gaze never wavering from the ship before them.

    The inhuman sound ceased once more.

    Pu Mengqi wiped a tear away, and only on inspecting her hands saw that it was blood. She saw others with bloodshot eyes, crimson trails extending down their cheeks, or flowing across their upper lip.

    There came a great cacophony from the far side of the wreck. Gunshots.

    Pu saw a small group run from the ship, into the dense jungle.

    ¡°Should we pursue them?¡± asked a convict.

    Fu shook her head. ¡°They are not important now. We have no need for those who reject the Light of the Nine. The jungle will eat its fill.¡±

    Pu glanced back the way they had come. At least twelve of those who had set out from Port Arthur had not made it here. The jungle¡¯s hunger was never satiated.

    Others never even made it out of Port Arthur.

    Pu had watched as it happened: Lieutenant Liao, Gao Yunqi, Ma Jinhai. They had been brought, hands bound, to the edge of the defensive ditch, even as it still smouldered.

    Fu had told them they had misled and brutalised the people of the settlement. That they had craved the Blood for themselves. She had asked them if they would embrace faith, disavow their previous ways.

    Gao and Ma were defiant. Liao was silent, trembling in fear.

    Pu remembered how she had flinched when the first shot was fired, how Ma¡¯s body had rolled down into the ditch.

    ¡°You¡¯re mad,¡± Gao had yelled. ¡°You will lead us to ruin.¡±

    The next shot rang out. Down went Gao¡¯s body.

    ¡°Please¡ª!¡± began Lieutenant Liao, at last finding her voice.

    The shot was fired.

    Lifeless, she fell.

    Fu had surveyed the scene, looking from face to face, taking in the reactions of all present. Then Pu had watched as the Master¡¯s countenance shifted. She smiled.

    ¡°There are no obstacles here,¡± she had said. ¡°Now it is time for us to claim the Boon of the Stars.¡±

    And with that, they had departed.

    And so here they were. What they all craved was before them.

    ¡°The time has come,¡± said Fu. ¡°Go forth. Claim the gift of the Nine Suns.¡±

    Those amongst them who were armed with the last of the firearms in Port Arthur began to walk towards the wreck. Pu could see even these armed convicts had a fear of what lurked within that ship. But fear would not stop them.

    Pu knew, because she had lived so much of her life in fear. And yet she had just crossed that all-devouring jungle to be here. Because her fear was no match for the desire that dragged her here. Was it even desire any longer?

    No.

    It was a need.

    A need for the Eutric Blood.

    The first of Fu¡¯s soldiers was nearly at the ship when the first crack appeared in the hull. Not from the crash, a fresh crack. A moment later, more appeared. Then came the tendrils. Not vines ¨C these were pulsating and translucent, and within them surged the Eutric Blood.

    One of the men stopped, staring at this strange sight until one of the tendrils swiftly struck, forcing its way into his mouth and down his throat. Another man suffered the same fate a moment later.

    Pu watched with morbid fascination. The Eutric Blood was being pumped down the throats of these two men. When at last the tendrils withdrew, they didn¡¯t leave corpses, as the vines did. Instead, both men rose to their feet and turned to face back towards Fu.

    There was an ear-splitting crack and a huge panel of the hull went flying off through the air, crashing into the jungle beyond the clearing.

    From the new, gaping entrance that had appeared a singular, diminutive figure emerged, stepping forward and jumping lightly to the ground, straightening up her dress as she rose once more.

    She looked from one of the two still men to the other, then towards Fu.

    ¡°This is what you wanted, isn¡¯t it?¡± she asked. ¡°You came for Xixi¡¯s Blood?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s her!¡± announced Fu. ¡°Seize her and the Blood is ours.¡±

    But her soldiers hesitated.

    Despite the great crowd gathered there, everything was silent now.

    ¡°I will not stand between you and the Blood,¡± said the girl, and Pu thought it sounded like many voices speaking, not one. ¡°The Mimesis brought you here. Nothing now stands before you and the embrace of the Hive.¡±

    Fu Yuanjing walked closer to where the girl stood. All eyes were on her.

    ¡°You lie. You speak of Mimesis, of the Hive. This Blood, it is a gift of the Nine Suns. A reward to the faithful who have so long suffered on this benighted world.¡±

    The girl smiled. ¡°Not the Nine. The One. This is a divine gift. This is a moment of joy for all here,¡± she said, her smile never faltering. ¡°But you, Fu Yuanjing, you misattribute its source. You look to lesser Stars. No¡ª¡± here the sound of many voices speaking at once became unmistakable¡ª¡°This is a gift of the Star of Desire¡¯s End. The Great Unifier. The Light that will outshine all of the Cosmos.¡±

    Fu did something that Pu had never seen her do before. She scowled. ¡°What is this nonsense?¡± she demanded. ¡°This heresy?¡±

    ¡°Everything you desire is here for the taking,¡± said the girl. ¡°No more sacrifice is needed. For in coming to this world, this young girl gave up all she had. She embraced the Hive and extended the Mimesis to all of you. So that this moment could happen. So that you could join us. You see? The sacrifice has been made: it was made by the na?ve girl who came here in hopes of a better life.¡±

    There was a shaking of the ship. Then at last it began to completely disintegrate, what was left of the wreck falling away to the moss and mud of that jungle clearing.

    A vast and utterly alien form arose from it, towering above all those assembled there, row upon row of arms and wings and tendrils extending out from it, as its colossal form endlessly uncoiled. And from it came a flood of many colours, the light dancing upon its surface as it flowed and rippled across the clearing.

    ¡°Drink of the freely given Blood of the Eutria,¡± said the girl. ¡°Drink of the Sweet Wine of Mimesis. Become one with the Hive and you will achieve peace.¡±

    Pu felt the majesty of the moment. She knew little of great matters, but she knew instinctively that the Cosmos was changing in that moment.

    Fu must have sensed it too. She now took a step back, her feet splashing through the Blood. Her head was shaking from one side to the other, her eyes wide with horror. ¡°No,¡± she muttered continuously.

    Then in one swift movement she yanked the weapon from the hands of one of the soldiers.

    ¡°Stars why have you forsaken us!?¡± she yelled, then shoved the barrel of the rifle into her mouth and squeezed the trigger.

    Her body crumpled, her blood soon just one more colour among the many.

    Pu Mengqi could contain herself no longer. Along with every other person there assembled, she dropped to her knees, and with her hands began scooping up as much of the Blood as possible, thirstily drinking of it.

    Ah, Sweet Wine, she thought as the calm radiated through her entire being. She felt her fears ebb away, a burden now bourn on the shoulders of that young girl.

    And even as she stared at Mei Xuelan, something changed. Not physically, but in her perception of the girl.

    No longer a girl.

    Hive Queen.

 Chapter XLIV - Things Hidden Since the Foundation of the World, Part One

    Chapter XLIV ¨C Things Hidden Since the Foundation of the World, Part One

    ¡°Remember your lessons,¡± demanded the cold and imperious voice.

    The darkness subsided.

    A young girl sat before her tutor; brush held delicately, each stroke made with supple wrist and a light, yet precise grip. Concentration was writ across the girl¡¯s face, contorted as it was into a near frown.

    Dappled light shone through the window outside, filtered through the bamboo as it swayed in the gentle summer breeze, leaves rustling.

    The girl completed the character, placing down the brush. Her expression slackened a little, but her frown did not entirely subside. She gazed at her creation, the ink drying on the paper before her eyes.

    ¡°Your brushwork is excellent, as always,¡± said her tutor, choosing her words carefully, ¡°Yet your composition: it says nothing of who you are. It is mechanical ¨C precise, yet it offers no insight, no commentary on virtue, no expression of your inner self.¡±

    The young girl shook her head. Mu took a step toward her. She knew the frustration the girl was feeling. Neither girl, nor tutor paid her any heed.

    ¡°I don¡¯t understand,¡± said the girl, ¡°If the stroke order is correct and the brushwork precise, what else matters?¡±

    The tutor took a deep breath. ¡°A computer can display a character. Precisely. Identically in every instance, without flaw, or the slightest variation. Perfect, every time.¡±

    The girl¡¯s frown intensified. ¡°So why do I need to sit here? I¡¯ll never be as good as the computer.¡±

    The tutor gave a small laugh. ¡°Because, young princess, when you hold the brush, you have a power unique to you, one no computer can replicate. The characters you create are each a unique expression of yourself, of your spirit, your individuality. This is what I want you to understand. We may have once practiced by replicating the works of past masters. That was to develop your technical skills. Now you must apply those skills to express yourself.¡±

    ¡°But I should also reflect the moral lessons of the classics?¡± said the girl. ¡°How is that expressing myself? I¡¯m not some crusty old sage.¡± She made a gesture of tugging at her chin and added, ¡°See? No beard.¡±

    The tutor laughed again. ¡°You are a lady of the Imperial Court. You should incorporate the divine virtues of the classics into your being. Yet learning and adhering to virtues does not preclude your individuality.¡±

    ¡°Feels like it does,¡± said the girl, crossing her arms. ¡°Besides, how is¡­ I don¡¯t know¡­ filial piety expressed in the way I make brushstrokes?¡±

    ¡°We have covered this, Princess. Not every expression must be literal. The essence of the classics, when truly understood, is something that flows from the heart to the hand of the calligrapher.¡±

    For a moment the room disappeared, replaced by lift doors sliding open to reveal a dimly lit corridor.

    The room returned.

    Startled, Mu glanced around. Everything appeared as it was. She wandered closer to the paper, inspecting it. Light and shadow danced across it. Yet the character itself proclaimed its stillness and serenity. The brushwork truly was precise. Not a droplet of ink out of place. It looked perfect.

    Perhaps I still don¡¯t understand, thought Mu.

    Absentmindedly, the young girl waved away a bee. The insect flew out the open window, disappearing amongst the rustling stand of bamboo.

    She turned to her tutor.

    ¡°Let me try again,¡± she said, her tone firm.

    ¡°Very well,¡± said her tutor, replacing the paper.

    ¡°I want to write something else,¡± said the girl.

    ¡°What would you like to write?¡±

    ¡°White peony,¡± replied the girl.

    ¡°That¡¯s three characters,¡± said the tutor. ¡°Let¡¯s stick to one character for now.¡±

    The girl looked indignant. ¡°Didn¡¯t you tell me to express myself?¡± she asked.

    ¡°Yes,¡± conceded the tutor, ¡°But the expression does not come from the choice of characters or words ¨C this is not a literary exercise. It is in the composition, in the boldness or softness of the strokes, in the unique qi you impart to each character.¡±

    The girl seemed to contemplate this for a moment. ¡°But I want to write white peony,¡± she said. Mu could tell she was thinking further, formulating an argument. ¡°Maybe¡­ if I do the characters I want to do, I¡¯ll be able to find my individual expression more easily¡­ then I can bring that to other characters.¡±

    The tutor laughed once more. ¡°You are both clever and stubborn, Princess,¡± she said. She smiled, ¡°Very well. White peony. But if you are working on multiple characters, you must think not only of your strokes, of the arrangement of your radicals, but also the spacing of the characters. Think about how each speaks to the other.¡±

    ¡°I will,¡± insisted the girl.

    ¡°And you will write in running style,¡± said the tutor.

    ¡°I want to do it in grass style,¡± said the girl.

    ¡°You can practice grass style once you are more accomplished,¡± said the tutor. ¡°For now, you can use running style.¡±

    The girl looked like she was about to protest, but she must have decided that she had already won the main battle. She did not push her luck. Instead, she set to work. Mu strolled over ¨C unseen by either girl or tutor ¨C and peered over the girl¡¯s shoulder.

    As she did so, she was overcome by a sense of vertigo. In a moment, she found herself tumbling over the precipice, down, down, down into the black ink.

    Darkness enveloped her.

    She opened her eyes. She was staring up into a bright light. She blinked as she adjusted to it. She heard voices nearby. Two men. One of the voices was much deeper than the other. She tried to get a glimpse of the speakers, but discovered she was restrained.

    ¡°Director,¡± came a woman¡¯s voice, ¡°She appears to be awake.¡±

    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter,¡± replied an almost boyish voice. ¡°She won¡¯t remember once we¡¯re finished. Not consciously, anyway.¡±

    A man stepped into her field of vision. He was extremely gaunt and she saw he hobbled as he walked, relying on a cane. His hair was greying, but his face looked youthful, almost childlike. He smiled down at her.

    ¡°You are confident this will work?¡± said the deeper voice, a voice she recognised.

    ¡°Of course, Your Excellency,¡± said the gaunt man, smiling down at her.

    ¡°The mind of a future empress must be an impregnable citadel,¡± said the deep voice.

    ¡°And hers will be,¡± said the gaunt man.

    ¡°Even if she remembers nothing, as you claim?¡±

    ¡°The battle for true control of the mind is in the subconscious. Trust me, Your Excellency, our techniques will not fail.¡±

    A woman approached behind the gaunt man and passed him a syringe.

    ¡°This will hurt a little,¡± he said, his smile growing wider, ¡°But it will ensure you don¡¯t feel what comes next.¡±

    Mu felt the surging pain, emanating outwards from the spot on her arm where the needle pierced skin. Darkness absorbed her.

    The girl who now stood before Mu was older than the girl who had sat in the calligraphy studio. The forest was overflowing with autumnal hues. The wind that shook the leaves from the oaks and maples, also stirred her hair, so that it fluttered out to one side of her, even from under the fur hat that sat atop her head. The girl fidgeted with the archer¡¯s thumb ring she wore, even as she listened to the woman before her speak. The difference in attitude to this teacher was plain to see: she was quiet, deferent, and even nervous. And the woman that stood before her was no Shang tutor: no, she wore Aixin Banner Dress, prepared for the hunt. She sported a robe with the classic horse-hoof cuffs at the end of the long sleeves, a high split on each side for ease of movement. Over this was a vest sporting a qilin design embroidered across the breast. Underneath the robe were trousers tucked into high riding boots. The ensemble was topped off with a fur cap.

    The girl, herself, was dressed similarly, though the design on her chest depicted not a qilin, but a rampant white mare.

    ¡°The hunt reminds us of who we are, of where we came from,¡± said the woman, ¡°From time immemorial it has been the way of our people: man and woman alike must learn its ways. We Aixin are a warrior people, a conquering people. A lesser people might become soft and pampered in the great palaces, but we are not a lesser people. We will never forget the way of the horse, the bow, the spear, and the sword. We will never forget what it is to ride free and to dominate all that we survey. The hunt is key to this, key to reminding us of where we came from.¡±

    The girl simply nodded; her eyes fixed on her teacher.

    ¡°So, Mukushen, can you prove to me that you are worthy? Do so, and you can ride with me during the Autumn Hunt, and present your prizes before his Imperial Majesty.¡±

    The girl nodded once more: she was nervous, but there was determination too in those deep brown eyes. ¡°Yes, Princess, I can.¡±

    ¡°Very well,¡± said the older woman. ¡°Show we what you are capable of. Strike the pheasant in flight.¡±

    The woman moved swiftly and fluidly, drawing a mighty feathered arrow and placing it upon her bow. Despite the size and draw-weight of the bow, she made easy work of it, pulling back the string, arrow held in place atop her thumb ring. A moment later she released in a practiced, smooth motion, the arrow darting forward. If it hit anything, Mu could not tell, but a fraction of a second later a startled pheasant rose from its hiding place.

    The girl was at the ready, her arrow in place. Her stance was wide, almost mirroring the positioning of the legs of a mounted archer. Her draw was quick, her index finger placed lightly over her thumb. The powerful horseback bow curved deeply back. Even as she drew back the string, she shifted the bow, adjusting for the pheasant¡¯s flight.

    As Mu watched, she knew one more thing was happening, something unseen, even to the wise teacher. Mu knew that in the girl¡¯s head, her mind was rapidly probing different futures, searching for that moment of release that would have the arrow fly true. It happened swiftly, almost automatically, but Mu could see it writ upon the profound focus of the girl¡¯s face as her eyes traced the path of the startled pheasant.

    Then came the moment. The arrow burst forward with speed and power ¨C almost surprising, coming ultimately as it did, from the slight and slender form of that teenage girl. But powerful it was.

    And in that moment Mu was pulled along with the arrow, viewing the world from the perspective of its tip. She rushed between the woodland boughs; the oranges, reds, yellows, and browns becoming a single blur of colour. The pheasant never stood a chance. The arrow struck true, piercing the feathered breast, giving the quarry only a moment to let loose a fleeting, anguished cry, before it fell to the forest floor.

    Mu¡¯s world, once more, became shrouded in darkness.

    When next her eyes fluttered open, she was standing in a lift as it descended. Once more a young girl, a mere child, stood before her. She was flanked by two men. One was tall and powerfully built. His jet-black hair was worn in the traditional queue style and he sported a thin moustache and goatee. His elaborate robes were adorned with the image of a white horse.

    Prince Aixin Ulu?un, Banner Lord of the White Horse.

    Or to Mu: father.

    Beside the Prince was a short and gaunt man, bent-backed and supported by a cane. His face was boyish and clean-shaven, though his hair was flecked with greys. His robes were far less elaborate than those of the Prince, though they were unmistakably Aixin in nature, not Shang. On his face he wore a smile that made Mu feel uneasy.

    ¡°Where are we going?¡± asked the young girl.

    Prince Ulu?un regarded the girl only briefly, but offered no explanation. Mu saw the nervousness on her face ¨C nervousness bordering on fear.

    I don¡¯t remember this, she thought.

    The lift doors slid open, revealing a dimly lit corridor beyond. The gaunt man stepped out first, extended one arm towards the shadowy depths of the corridor and bowed his head slightly as he said, ¡°If you would please follow me, Your Excellency.¡±

    ¡°Come,¡± said the Prince, grabbing the young girl roughly by the shoulder as he stepped out. She meekly followed.

    The gaunt man led them through a labyrinthine series of shadowy corridors. Each was lined with closed doors. There was no way to see what might be beyond those doors. From behind many, strange sounds emanated. Unpleasant sounds.

    If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

    Deeper and deeper they journeyed.

    At long last they turned a corner and entered a long hallway that expanded into a larger room at its end. On the far side of that room was a door. Unlike the other doors, this one had windows beside it, allowing one to see what lay beyond. For now, as best Mu could tell, that was not much.

    They reached the room before the door.

    The gaunt man walked over to a console. With a few taps, a light came on in the next room, shining out through the windows. Prince Ulu?un and the girl walked over, to see what was inside. Mu followed.

    The room was empty, but for a single object. It took Mu a moment longer to work out what it was. Finally, she distinguished its features: It was a wooden puppet, slumped in one corner of the room. And by its side sat a violin.

    ¡°What is this, Director?¡± asked the Prince.

    ¡°A test, Your Excellency,¡± replied the gaunt man, ¡°Or perhaps demonstration is the better word ¨C I am, after all, quite certain of the outcome.¡±

    ¡°Speak plainly,¡± growled the Prince.

    ¡°Of course, Your Excellency,¡± said the Director, with a smile, his tone obsequious. ¡°My apologies. I trust Your Excellency will recall that my agents briefed on an entity known as the Conductor?¡±

    ¡°Of course.¡±

    ¡°What you see before you is a node in the Conductor¡¯s network of control, otherwise known as the Orchestra. This node ¨C which, as Your Excellency may soon hear ¨C refers to itself as a Soloist. It endeavours to control any mind that is exposed to it via its music. This cell is of course sound-proofed, so as to permit the Bureau to study this creature safely.¡±

    ¡°What is the demonstration?¡±

    ¡°Your Excellency requested that we make the young Princess¡¯s mind a citadel,¡± said the Director. ¡°I will demonstrate that this is indeed what we have done.¡±

    He now turned to the young girl, hobbling towards her. With great effort he bent over, so that their faces were approximately level.

    ¡°If you would please proceed to the door, Princess,¡± he said, gesturing.

    The young girl looked to her father, who simply nodded. Mu watched on, unobserved, as the girl slowly walked to the door. She saw how she trembled.

    The Director now returned to the console. With a few more taps on the screen, the door slid open. The girl stepped through, into a smaller chamber, separating the two rooms, a second door before her. It was akin to an airlock.

    The Prince watched on, his face impassive.

    The Director made another tap, and the second door opened. He leant forward and spoke near to the panel. ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid, Princess ¨C you may enter.¡±

    The girl did as she was told. The door slid shut behind her. The puppet remained slumped and unmoving in the corner of the room.

    ¡°Please, Princess, go take a better look at it,¡± said the Director. There was levity in his voice. ¡°It is only a toy made of wood after all ¨C it cannot hurt you.¡±

    Tentatively the girl proceeded. She stopped, still a fair distance from the puppet.

    ¡°Closer,¡± instructed the Director.

    After a moment¡¯s pause, she again did as she was told. She halted once more, not much more than two metres from the puppet.

    At first, nothing happened.

    ¡°This is not the most scintillating display I have witnessed, Director,¡± remarked the Prince.

    ¡°I beg of you your patience, My Prince.¡±

    Mu watched too. She did not notice it at first, for her eyes were focused on the puppet. But the movement caught her eye. From the shadows high up in the room, something huge was moving. A hand, disembodied and looming from the dark, far larger than a grown man. Strings of light descended from each of its finger tips, reaching the puppet, looping around its appendages, and lifting it inelegantly to its feet. At first its head continued to hang low.

    It jerked upward. Eyes flickered open.

    The girl leapt backward.

    ¡°Do not be afraid, Princess,¡± said the Director, his voice soft.

    The puppet¡¯s movements were jerky. It took a faltering step. Then it bent, lowering itself in stages, before picking up the violin and the bow that sat at its side. With a jerking motion, it rose once more, now holding violin and bow.

    The Director turned to the Prince. ¡°What you are about to witness was the point at which most human test subjects succumbed to the Soloist. You will not be able to hear the music, but your daughter certainly will.¡±

    If the Prince was nervous about the outcome, his face bore no signs. He continued to stare directly ahead.

    ¡°It¡¯s a fascinating thing, truly,¡± continued the Director. ¡°Despite the Bureau¡¯s best efforts, the test subjects were so completely overcome by the Soloist¡¯s music, that their individual will was irretrievable. Naturally, we had no choice but to dispose of these subjects.¡±

    The puppet began to play.

    And Mu heard it.

    It was a mournful peace. It sounded of nostalgia, of regret. It was passionate though. And lush.

    And it was beautiful.

    Her heartbeat quickened.

    Why am I hearing it? she wondered.

    The Prince and the Director showed no such signs of hearing it. Then she realised: she was not hearing it at all ¨C she was remembering it. Remembering it vividly, though for so long it had been forgotten to her, buried in the deepest recesses of her mind.

    Of the citadel.

    The girl certainly heard it. Her eyes went wide at first, she backed away farther. But it didn¡¯t last. Soon a look of calm, of serenity began to spread. Her eyes grew dull. Then they closed.

    The first flicker of uncertainty crossed Prince Ulu?un¡¯s face.

    The girl sunk to her knees.

    Mu saw her father glance toward the Director. The gaunt man however remained fixated on the events unfolding on the other side of the glass, his smile unwavering the entire time.

    As Mu watched she heard her father, almost inaudibly murmur: ¡°Remember your training, Mukushen.¡±

    For a moment she thought she saw Ostara standing behind him, many-coloured blood drizzling from her arm, a smile upon her face. Only for a moment though.

    She was not there.

    The puppet continued, its jerky movements of earlier quite at odds with the delicacy and precision of its playing. Mu¡¯s eyes raised to that dark hand above, its fingers moving subtly, plucking upon the strings that hung from it.

    The girl¡¯s eyes opened.

    She rose to her feet. Her hands clenched into fists.

    The puppet continued to play.

    But only for a moment longer.

    The girl moved swiftly. She wrenched the violin from the puppet¡¯s grasp. She did not stop there. In her next movement she lifted up the violin and brought it down on the puppet¡¯s head forcefully. Then again. And again. She did not stop until puppet and violin alike lay in splinters.

    Panting, she let what remained of the violin¡¯s neck clatter to the ground. She turned to face the observers.

    ¡°Our processes have proved effective,¡± said the Director. ¡°The Soloist was unable to incorporate her into the Orchestra.¡±

    Something unusual happened. The faintest hint of a smile flickered across Prince Ulu?un¡¯s face. ¡°She is a Princess of the White Horse Banner. She is Aixin. We are not conquered. We conquer.¡±

    The doors opened and the girl was beckoned to come out. Neither she, nor the Prince, nor the Director was still looking at the ruins of the puppet and its violin.

    But Mu was.

    She observed as the swarm of bees rose from the ruin. She heard the buzzing, the droning, growing louder. Louder and louder.

    Until it was all she could hear, as black once more enclosed her.

    Tavian did not look back at the noise behind them. The screams of twisting and breaking metal, the yells of many voices, a single gunshot. He just kept moving forward, as fast as he could manage with Mu¡¯s unconscious form in his arms and their way barred by the endless tangle of vines and undergrowth. They dove straight into the jungle, away from the mob, away from the ship. Ostara led the way, Kal behind her, Toghrul¡¯s limp form slung over his shoulder. Jiwen, Harry, and Nova followed.

    Already, Tavian was wondering how long he could sustain this. Mu¡¯s slight form was not weighty, but everything was heavier on Luanyuan, and while not moving at a sprint by any means, he still found himself compelled to move swiftly over uneven terrain. The strain was taking it out of him, even as the humidity pressed in about him as ever it did, soaking his clothes and plastering them to his clammy skin.

    And at any moment these vines could once more reach out to grab them.

    How much control can Ostara truly exert?

    There was no point worrying about that which he couldn¡¯t fix. All that mattered right now, was putting some space between themselves and whatever was happening back at the crash site. The mob. That girl. The monster.

    So, against the better judgement of every muscle in his body, he pressed on. Because no alternative bore thinking about.

    There came a crunching sound ahead.

    ¡°Bones!¡± yelled Jiwen.

    Tavian looked about, searching for any sign of movement among the foliage. As he looked, he saw it: the tip of a vine twitched. But it didn¡¯t lunge for them. And the others stayed still, draped across the lichen-covered branches, coiled about the mossy tree trunks.

    ¡°I can sense their hunger,¡± said Ostara.

    ¡°You¡¯re holding them back?¡± asked Tavian.

    ¡°For now,¡± replied Ostara. ¡°But let¡¯s keep moving. It¡¯s not just hunger¡­ there¡¯s something else¡­ it almost feels like I¡¯m fighting some¡­ will.¡±

    ¡°Will?¡± asked Tavian, looking around once more as he contemplated her word choice. He didn¡¯t overthink it. ¡°Let¡¯s move.¡±

    A loud choral note sounded across the jungle. Bells and chimes. Tavian felt it again: the pressure in his skull. But it did not cripple him. They had space now. It no longer sounded like it was coming from everywhere at once. It was clearly now behind them.

    ¡°C¡¯mon,¡± said Kal.

    They started moving once more. Tavian noticed Nova raising her hands in front of her face. She squeezed her eyes shut before opening them again. A troubled look spread across a face that had hitherto mostly been merely impassive.

    Just hold it together, kid, he silently urged her.

    They had not travelled much farther when they were again stopped in their tracks. Not by the vines, and not by that alien call, but by a voice. A human voice.

    ¡°I understood we were to meet at the ship,¡± it said.

    Tavian saw who it was a moment later.

    ¡°Dr Zhao,¡± said Ostara. ¡°How nice to see you. We feared we would not have the pleasure again.¡±

    ¡°You will have to excuse my lengthy and unexplained absence,¡± replied the doctor, adjusting his glasses.

    ¡°You know of a way out?¡± asked Ostara.

    ¡°I do indeed,¡± said Dr Zhao.

    The alien cry went up in the distance once more. Tavian saw Zhao flinch.

    ¡°I assume that has something to do with the source of your distress?¡± he asked.

    ¡°It¡¯s certainly distressing, yes,¡± said Harry.

    ¡°They may come after us,¡± said Kal. ¡°So, if you know a way out, lead on.¡±

    Dr Zhao gave a thin smile. ¡°Of course. Follow me, please.¡±

    He had clearly travelled this way previously. There was a defined path amongst the undergrowth that Tavian was sure could not be natural. At any rate, it made for far swifter progress than they had been making hitherto.

    ¡°I imagine you have many questions,¡± said Zhao without looking back at them. ¡°I am at liberty to answer some, though I am certain you will have many more before this is over. We should wait, I think, for now.¡±

    ¡°Sure,¡± said Harry, ¡°Nothing has made sense for a while now. I¡¯m entirely happy to focus on staying alive for the time being.¡±

    They emerged at a place that looked familiar to Tavian. There was a clearing in the jungle, where many streams converged, trickling over rocks smoothed by the waters of time. Sunlight streamed in from the gaps in the canopy overhead.

    Across the streams a steep embankment loomed. Over it and through it snaked the roots of a mighty tree, great buttresses spreading out over a wide area.

    ¡°Watch your footing,¡± warned Zhao as he began crossing the stream, nimbly stepping from dry rock to dry rock with practiced precision.

    Tavian felt his muscles burning from the strain of carrying Mu. He pushed aside the sensation as he set out across the stream.

    Don¡¯t drop her here, he thought to himself, She¡¯ll never forgive you.

    Up ahead Nova stumbled, her foot slipping off one of the rocks and plunging down into the stream up to just below her knee. Harry, nearby, grabbed her arm to prevent the rest of her going down into the water.

    ¡°Fuck!¡± she snarled in uncharacteristically bitter frustration. She pulled her leg out, the lower portion of her pants now sopping wet.

    ¡°Might wash the blood out,¡± said Harry, brightly.

    She glared at him until he awkwardly murmured, ¡°Ah¡­ sorry¡­ that was¡­¡± he trailed off.

    They continued across the stream, Zhao watching their crossing with folded arms and an unreadable expression. When at last they stood upon the relatively dry shore, in the shadows of the root-riddled embankment, he broke his silence.

    ¡°Things will get a little stranger now,¡± he said, leaning forward and with one arm sweeping back a curtain of lichen that hung from one of the mighty buttresses. Before it was a hollow within the embankment, damp and redolent of the scent of organic decay. And at the very back of that hollow was an unmistakably metallic door.

    It was covered in moss and lichen, its colours faded, but Tavian could make out the characters on it clearly:

    Chaotic Garden.

    From within his coat, Zhao withdrew a small device and tapped it. The door rolled aside with an unobliging screech of metallic reluctance.

    ¡°Please,¡± said Zhao, his thin smile once more upon his face, ¡°Come in.¡±

    Before anyone could do anything else, Nova¡¯s voice sounded.

    ¡°We should hurry,¡± she said, her eyes vacant and far away, ¡°She¡¯s coming for us.¡±

    ¡°She?¡± asked Harry.

    ¡°The Hive Queen,¡± replied Nova.

    ¡°The Hive¡ªhow do you know?¡±

    ¡°I can hear their voices. They¡¯ve been getting louder¡­ they want me to drink the Blood. They want me to return¡­ but if I don¡¯t, they¡­¡±

    ¡°No need to explain,¡± Kal interrupted. ¡°Let¡¯s move.¡±

    With one more glance back into the jungle, Tavian made his way through the door. The passage beyond immediately commenced a steep descent. It wasn¡¯t wholly artificial like the door, as he¡¯d expected, rather earthworks were supported by steel beams. Everything within was still damp, indeed the smell of rot was almost overwhelming, the dense humidity of the dark feeling like a smothering blanket. Only a few dim lights shone at sparse intervals, providing the minimum illumination by which to find one¡¯s way during the descent. Eventually, everything before him vanished into impenetrable shadow, deep below the jungle.

    ¡°This is the research station?¡± questioned Jiwen, pausing on the threshold, now just behind Tavian.

    ¡°It will lead us there,¡± said Zhao.

    The group filed in.

    ¡°We will show her the way,¡± said Nova. She paused, glancing back the way they had come. ¡°I¡¯m not sure if she can see through my eyes, or she can sense Mu and Toghrul, but she knows where we are.¡±

    She paused again.

    ¡°You¡¯re guiding her to the station,¡± she added.

    Zhao sighed. ¡°So be it. Our work here is done.¡±

    ¡°Are you abandoning Luanyuan?¡± asked Jiwen. Zhao didn¡¯t immediately respond, so Jiwen continued, ¡°You¡¯re one of them, right? An Imperial scientist? Working on Chaotic Garden?¡±

    ¡°You know a lot for a convict,¡± said Zhao. He tapped on the device he held again, and the door rolled back into position. The passage became darker still. ¡°Come,¡± said Zhao and he set off ahead of the others.

    They descended for what felt like an interminable amount of time, the corridor winding about as they progressed, but always leading down. The air was utterly putrid, breathing felt like a chore. Tavian¡¯s arms ached more and more. He wondered how Kal could possibly be carrying the much heavier Toghrul with no sign of difficulty.

    They moved in silence, save for the sound of their footfalls. Tavian had the sensation that the air was as thick with reverie as it was with humidity, each mind there present processing what had happened, what was happening, what might yet happen.

    There was a liminality to the dark, to that passage into the earth. Above the jungle had seemed ubiquitous, yet now they were leaving it behind. This place was other ¨C other than a place, somewhere that only existed between. Between what?

    The research station of course. He knew that. Zhao had already told them. Yet, he couldn¡¯t shake the impression that there was more to it than that.

    At length, the passage levelled out. Ahead of them was another door, illuminated by a dull circle of light, cast from the ceiling above.

    Zhao clicked his device. Light ¨C natural light ¨C flooded in.

    ¡°Don¡¯t be alarmed,¡± said Zhao as he stepped out, his form becoming a mere silhouette to Tavian¡¯s eyes, accustomed as they were to the shadows of the passage.

    Alarmed?

    Tavian stepped into the light.

    It was not so bright, he now realised, as his vision adjusted. There was sunlight, but it filtered down from far above, a mere patchwork among the shadows. Yet light came from elsewhere, too. It was not at first apparent, but it came from the walls, from the ground, from the streamers of lichen that hung from above, from the vines and flowers he now saw about them in abundant profusion, and from the fungi in all conceivable shapes that grew in layer, upon layer, wherever he cast his eyes.

    They had stepped into a steep-sided defile. Craning his head back to the utmost, he could see the light of the sun far, far, far above. A short distance ahead of them, the defile opened up, revealing an incredible explosion of plant life in an incredible array of shapes and colours. Lush ¨C lush was not a sufficient word.

    As Tavian¡¯s mind struggled to come to terms with what he saw, Jiwen had already realised where they were.

    ¡°The Heavenly Pit¡­¡± he said, awe and fear dripping from his words in equal measure. ¡°We¡­ we can¡¯t survive down here.¡±

    But others of their party had different ideas. She was behind Tavian, so he did not see her speak, but he knew her voice, even though he heard in it a tone he had never before known from her.

    ¡°It¡¯s¡­ beautiful,¡± said Ostara, her voice trembling in the presence of the sublime.

    Tavian strolled forward slowly, temporarily forgetting the burden on his arms. The smell of damp and rot was still there, but joining it were many other scents. Many were sweet, others sour. The scents so abounded that it was the olfactory equivalent of the chorus of bird calls one might hear in an ordinary rainforest. Each of those odours competed with every other to stand out above the cacophony of aroma.

    Another thing became apparent as Tavian walked forward. Everything moved. Not swaying in the wind, for there was little of that down here. No, it moved of its own initiative. Not mere vines, and not in the writhing manner he had observed above. Vines slowly crept along branches like snakes. Flowers shifted about to capture the dancing rays of the sun above like satellite dishes. A plant covered in orange and yellow bulbs pulsated, opening and closing as it did so, as if breathing. Yet it was difficult to focus on any one of these aspects, for the whole was such an intense, overwhelming confusion of movement and colour, that it was an assault on the brain¡¯s very capacity to process visual stimuli.

    ¡°Behold, the true heart of our Chaotic Garden,¡± remarked Zhao, indicating the maddening vista with a sweep of his arm, pride swelling in his usually clipped and officious voice.

    ¡°I saw it from above¡­¡± remarked Jiwen, ¡°But I never¡­¡±

    As Tavian stepped forward, he felt something brush against his leg. Looking down he saw he had brushed against a fern. A rain of glowing spores drifted in the air, settling against the fabric of his trousers and upon his boots.

    ¡°We must cross,¡± said Zhao. ¡°Follow me carefully. If you are lost, you will never emerge.¡±

 Chapter XLV - Things Hidden Since the Foundation of the World, Part Two

    Chapter XLV ¨C Things Hidden Since the Foundation of the World, Part Two

    Barely had they begun to move when there was a rustling. A diminutive and bespectacled young woman emerged, a large bag slung over her shoulder. Tavian recognised her ¨C though he had last seen her being dragged away by the vines into the undergrowth. Lai Leizu, Dr Zhao¡¯s research assistant.

    ¡°Chief,¡± she said. ¡°They are growing restless. We should hurry.¡±

    ¡°Thank you, Lai. Have the PSD at the ready should we require it,¡± replied Dr Zhao.

    ¡°PSD?¡± asked Ostara.

    ¡°Pseudo-Synaptic Disruptor,¡± replied Zhao. ¡°The plants here¡­ they have begun to evolve what appears to be a rudimentary nervous system. When they become excessively hostile, we have found that interrupting the electric signalling through the cellular apparatuses we have dubbed pseudo-synapses temporarily disables them.¡±

    ¡°They¡¯re becoming animals?¡± asked Jiwen.

    ¡°They are still very much plants,¡± said Zhao, as they began to walk into the tangle, following Lai. ¡°They continue to photosynthesise and acquire nutrients through their root system in the soil, yet they now supplement this through carnivory. And the drive to optimise for prey-acquisition has driven further evolutionary leaps ¨C some of which emerge in a manner of weeks. If you observe many of the surface-level vines closely, you will notice they are actually covered in tiny, hair-like fibres. While naturally occurring carnivorous plants have similar adaptations to trigger the closing of an insect trap, these are far more sensitive, picking up on vibrations in the air to sense prey, even at a distance from the plant.¡±

    Tavian said nothing, but listened in, glancing about him as they progressed. Lai led them along a narrow path through that truly strange jungle. Narrow as it was, he constantly felt the foliage of the plants around them brushing against him as they proceeded. His mind kept darting back to the moment they had been attacked by the vines.

    ¡°So, they listen?¡± he asked.

    ¡°You could say that,¡± replied Zhao.

    ¡°That¡¯s how the vines actively target people,¡± said Jiwen.

    ¡°It would appear so,¡± said Zhao.

    Tavian had heard many people speak of the vines since he had arrived on Luanyuan. Most spoke with voices filled with horror and revulsion. It was not like that with Zhao. There was something quite different in his voice: admiration. Excitement. Pride.

    ¡°Are they¡­ intelligent?¡± asked Ostara.

    ¡°Intelligent? Not in any meaningful sense. They still only move and target prey on instinct,¡± replied Zhao.

    ¡°When we were fighting them at Port Arthur¡­¡± began Jiwen, ¡°It felt like they were¡­ using tactics.¡±

    At this, Tavian saw Lai and Zhao exchange glances, before she turned back to the path ahead.

    ¡°And what is it I¡¯m sensing?¡± asked Ostara, her voice quiet, more as if she were talking to herself than any of them.

    ¡°With time,¡± said Zhao, and now the pride was abundantly evident in his voice, ¡°Anything is possible. This Chaotic Garden is the cradle of new innovations in life. Mutation is now proceeding with incredible rapidity.¡±

    He tapped Lai on the shoulder. ¡°One moment,¡± he said, holding up a finger. Then he turned to the rest of them: ¡°Look at this,¡± he said.

    He gently pushed aside a broad purple frond, beckoning for the others to follow him. Jiwen and Ostara went first.

    Tavian looked to Lai. ¡°Is it safe to put her down?¡± he asked, indicating Mu.

    She just nodded.

    Gently he lay her down. ¡°Keep watch,¡± he said to Harry and Nova.

    He followed Ostara and Jiwen, relishing the relief to his arms.

    They were standing near a large plant with fronds several metres across. These fronds appeared to have unfurled from a core, where smaller fronds were still growing, these were bunched up tightly. And at the centre of this cluster was some sort of pinkish-purple bud, covered in what looked like veins.

    ¡°This one is not mature yet,¡± said Zhao, ¡°But I think it will still do.¡±

    Gently he reached out and quickly tapped the side of the bud. It wriggled in place, then it opened. Inside, in a pool of sticky, viscous liquid, was what looked like the foetus of some sort of mammalian species. And as the bud opened a sound began. Like the crying of a baby.

    ¡°We can only speculate,¡± said Zhao, ¡°But we believe it is meant to either lure in predators or to trigger protective instincts ¨C we¡¯re not sure which. Either way, any creature that responds will get seized by the plant and then slowly digested.¡±

    Tavian shivered.

    ¡°We should keep going,¡± said Zhao and strode past them, back to where the others waited.

    ¡°But what prey is there?¡± asked Jiwen. ¡°I don¡¯t think we¡¯ve ever encountered mammalian species around here.¡±

    Zhao smiled. ¡°Well, the cry sounds distinctly like a human infant, does it not? And that is perhaps the one mammalian prey species that is still relatively abundant.¡±

    Tavian did not like the sound of that.

    ¡°Not down here, though?¡± questioned Jiwen.

    ¡°No,¡± said Zhao, ¡°That¡¯s true. Not down here. But we believe the evolution here is being guided by some of the more¡­ novel techniques involved in our research.¡±

    ¡°In the Chaotic Garden Project?¡± said Jiwen, a steely note entering his voice.

    ¡°Well, yes,¡± said Zhao. ¡°Tell me, convict, how is it you are aware of Chaotic Garden?¡±

    Jiwen seemed to consider his response. ¡°I read about it,¡± he answered simply, ¡°I suspect you have a leaker.¡±

    Zhao looked the convict over for a moment, but said nothing more on the matter. They reached the path where the others were waiting.

    ¡°There a¡­ baby over there?¡± asked Harry, his tone one of confusion and concern.

    ¡°Not exactly,¡± said Tavian. He stretched his arms, cracked his neck, then bent to pick up Mu once more.

    They continued deeper in. All around them the jungle of the deep continued its ceaseless movement. Strange sounds filled Tavian¡¯s ears; from what they came, he could barely imagine. The more he looked about, the more bizarre shapes and forms he observed, things beyond reason or description. His brain struggled to process what he was looking at.

    The floor of the Heavenly Pit was not flat, rather it sloped gently downwards, seemingly in the direction of the centre of the pit. And to Tavian it seemed these plants grew ever stranger, the further they went into this mutagenic cradle.

    Ostara walked close behind him. ¡°The Starflow is Resonating with these plants,¡± she said, quietly. ¡°All living things interact with it¡­ but this is different. I can almost hear them speaking through the Starflow.¡±

    ¡°Plants don¡¯t typically speak,¡± said Tavian.

    ¡°There are many things that plants don¡¯t typically do,¡± said Ostara. He cast his eye around.

    Point taken.

    In the distance there came the sound of an explosion, echoing about the walls of the great pit.

    ¡°What was that?¡± asked Harry.

    ¡°They¡¯ve reached the entrance to the passage,¡± said Nova.

    No one had to ask who ¡®they¡¯ were.

    ¡°How far to the research station?¡± asked Ostara.

    ¡°Not too much farther,¡± said Zhao.

    They came to a clearing and soon stood at the brink of a cliff. Below them, in the greater deep, water flowed quickly. Lai led them along the line of the cliff to a place where a small metal bridge spanned the gap.

    ¡°The underground river system links many of the pits via a network of caves,¡± said Zhao as he led them across the bridge.

    ¡°I always assumed subterranean watercourses created the pits,¡± said Jiwen.

    ¡°Mostly accurate,¡± replied Zhao, but didn¡¯t elaborate.

    ¡°I have a question,¡± said Kal, who had been largely silent.

    ¡°Of course,¡± said Zhao.

    ¡°Why are you assisting us?¡±

    Zhao stopped and looked Kal¡¯s way. ¡°You would die if we didn¡¯t.¡±

    ¡°And that would trouble you?¡± asked Kal.

    Before anymore could be said, Lai, who was up ahead spoke. ¡°I appear to have been snagged,¡± she said, quietly.

    Tavian saw a broad, rubbery, and diamond-shaped appendage in green and red had attached itself to her front.

    ¡°Time for the PSD, I think,¡± said Zhao.

    Lai nodded and calmly reached into her bag. She withdrew a device similar in appearance to the one Zhao himself had used to open the door to the passage that led them here.

    A moment later Tavian had the sensation of suddenly awakening from an unplanned nap. He looked around in confusion, then in a panic fumbled with Mu¡¯s form before he dropped her.

    ¡°What was that?¡± he asked.

    Up ahead Lai was, with some effort, pulling the plant away from herself, long, glistening trails of some sticky substance dangling between her and it.

    ¡°The PSD,¡± she said, vainly attempting to wipe her hands on her clothes ¨C a course of action that only seemed to result in her hands sticking to the material. ¡°It completely disrupts the neural-like activity of the plants, but it does also cause minor disorientation to animal brains when activated.¡±

    ¡°Nice of you to warn us,¡± muttered Tavian. ¡°I almost dropped Mu.¡±

    Neither Lai nor Zhao responded to his grumbling. At length Lai had separated her hands from the material of her clothes, and the group began moving again.

    Tavian noticed that the plants were now oddly still. However, as they continued, he saw that movement slowly, but surely resumed. With each passing moment the activity among the plants became more pronounced once again, until in not too much time, it appeared as it had before.

    Back to normal seems like the wrong expression, mused Tavian.

    ¡°The underground rivers,¡± said Jiwen, who had moved to catch up with Zhao. ¡°Do plants grow around them¡­ in them?¡±

    ¡°They do¡­ we do not yet understand how deep they have penetrated, but they have certainly spread through the cave systems. Though the species in there have wholly given up on photosynthesis. Some trophic transfer appears to occur through phytophagy ¨C that is to say the cave-growing species eat other plant species in order to obtain an energy source. We unofficially term these Nightblooms, as they extend from the caves into the broader pits at night to prey on other species, before retracting to the caverns. Deeper in, however, our probes have detected species that have no obvious connection to surface-level trophic webs. There is some indication that they might be drawing energy directly from the Starflow.¡±

    The author''s content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

    ¡°Directly from the Starflow¡­ I never could have imagined,¡± murmured Jiwen.

    ¡°We have sent probes deep into the cave network and we have found completely white plants growing into human shapes,¡± said Zhao. ¡°We believe this is an outcome of their Starflow consumption ¨C memories and thoughts can drift on the Starflow, and these are being incorporated into the growth patterns of the plants.¡±

    Tavian glanced back in the direction of the dark crevasse that led to the subterranean river. He shuddered.

    ¡°Samples at extreme depth also reveal that the planetary crust is riddled with microscopic, algae-like non-photosynthesising plants. The accelerated evolution has produced a truly remarkable capacity for the plants to colonise every conceivable environmental niche. New species are constantly discovering ways to subsume even inorganic materials into their biomass, utilising every conceivable energy source.¡±

    Tavian was only partially paying attention to Zhao¡¯s enthusiastic dissertations, his eyes instead continuously scanning their surrounds. Everywhere he looked, things waved and weaved and pulsated with life. Strange sounds, unlike anything he had ever heard before occasionally emanated from some unseen part of the pit.

    ¡°We must be close now?¡± he queried their guides.

    ¡°Yes, not far,¡± said Zhao.

    ¡°Good, because my arms are going to die soon,¡± said Tavian.

    He adjusted his hold on Mu. Kal still showed no signs of struggling with Toghrul, who remained draped across his shoulder.

    Their progress now took them slowly uphill once more, away from the crevasse of the underground river.

    They had not gone far when Lai raised her hand for them to stop again.

    ¡°The tunnel up ahead tends to have high concentrations of airborne spores. I recommend the use of breathing apparatuses.¡±

    She opened her bag and began handing out masks. Tavian took two, fitting one to Mu¡¯s face before donning one himself. Once everyone was ready, they continued.

    They soon stood before another wall of the Heavenly Pit, though glancing about, he saw they had only traversed a chord of the giant circular pit, not its full diameter. There was a door in the cliffside, but it was ajar and cracked in many places, riddled with vines.

    ¡°It can get loud in here,¡± said Zhao, as he led them in.

    When at first he stepped through, Tavian was unsure what had been meant by that. The tunnel was dark and sparsely lit, not dissimilar to that which had led them into the pit in the first instance, though in the little light available, Tavian could see this once was more overgrown. Soon after, though, he heard it: sobbing.

    ¡°What is that?¡± he asked.

    ¡°A quirk of the flora here,¡± replied Zhao. They continued a short distance, before he stopped and pointed to the side of the passage.

    Tavian looked the way he indicated and saw a plant that looked like a cabbage sprouting a coconut sized fruit. Yet the ¡®fruit¡¯ had an unsettling, fleshy colour to it, and small white protrusions emerging from it, sometimes in small groups. There were also many slits across it that opened and closed at irregular intervals.

    ¡°Here,¡± said Zhao, bending down, and pushing back the ¡®fruit¡¯.

    Now Tavian realised what the white protrusions were: teeth. They were shaped exactly like human teeth. And when Zhao pushed back the fruit a larger slit was revealed. This one had lips. It was almost a fully formed human mouth. It was from here that the sobbing sound was coming.

    ¡°We don¡¯t know why they do this,¡± said Zhao, matter-of-factly, as he stood once more.

    The sobbing had become louder after he had touched the plant.

    ¡°Sometimes they scream,¡± said Lai. ¡°We should hurry,¡± she added, turning around to once more continue their journey.

    ¡°We should,¡± agreed Nova. ¡°They¡¯re catching up.¡±

    This tunnel proved shorter than the previous one. Soon after they reached another door. Zhao opened it and they stepped through. He closed the door behind them.

    Lights flickered on.

    They stood in a sleek modern laboratory. It looked remarkably sterile. Jarringly so, after what they had just journeyed through.

    A sign on the wall labelled this as Chaotic Garden Project Advanced Observation Post 44.

    ¡°Safe to remove these?¡± Tavian asked, indicating the breathing mask.

    Lai nodded.

    Tavian¡¯s eyes took in their surrounds. Banks of monitors and consoles lined one wall. Several glass cases appeared to be incubating growing things. Opposite the wall of monitors was a wall entirely of frosted glass. Beyond it everything appeared to be white, though he could almost convince himself that dark shapes occasionally appeared and disappeared in there.

    ¡°ARCs,¡± remarked Nova.

    He turned and saw her pointing at a bank of machines against the far wall.

    ¡°Artificial Resonance Cores,¡± she clarified.

    He heard a groan behind him. He turned to see Ostara grimacing, her eyes squeezed shut. He delicately laid Mu down in a nearby chair and went over to her. Harry followed suit.

    ¡°You alright?¡± asked Harry.

    ¡°There¡¯s something¡­ wrong with this place,¡± said Ostara.

    ¡°Wrong?¡± asked Harry.

    But Tavian felt it too. The Starflow felt more intense here. More intense than he¡¯d felt it since they¡¯d been at the crash site. More than that, though: there was something malevolent in the Starflow itself.

    He turned back to Zhao.

    ¡°What is this place?¡± he asked.

    Zhao indicated the sign on the wall with his hand. ¡°It is as it says.¡±

    ¡°What have you been doing here?¡± he asked, more insistently.

    ¡°They¡¯re almost here,¡± said Nova.

    Kal laid down Toghrul. ¡°Let¡¯s cover history later. You have a way out?¡±

    ¡°We can signal a ship,¡± said Lai. ¡°There is a landing site not far from here.¡±

    ¡°Do it,¡± said Kal. ¡°We¡¯re running out of time.¡±

    Lai looked at Zhao. He nodded.

    ¡°Follow me, please,¡± said Lai to Nova and Kal. She led them into an adjacent room. After a moment¡¯s pause, Jiwen followed.

    At Tavian¡¯s side, Ostara took a deep breath. She put a hand to her forehead.

    ¡°How far to the landing site? We should get going as soon as we¡¯ve signalled the ship,¡± she said.

    ¡°It¡¯s not far,¡± said Zhao. ¡°It is safer I think to wait here until the ship has almost arrived. Besides,¡± he added, ¡°There¡¯s someone else we need to wait for.¡±

    ¡°Wait? Who? I don¡¯t think we have time,¡± snapped Harry. ¡°You never said anything about waiting.¡±

    Zhao smiled thinly, ¡°Don¡¯t worry. It won¡¯t be long.¡±

    Before more could be said, Tavian heard noises: groaning ¨C whimpering almost. It didn¡¯t come from Ostara. He looked over at Mu. She was squirming about, her face contorted into a look of deep concern.

    ¡°This is not a good place,¡± said Ostara.

    Something struck loudly against the frosted glass.

    Mu wandered along a hexagonal corridor. Many more corridors branched off this one, infinitely more. The floor was sticky: each time she took a step, long golden strands clung to her feet. The droning was constant.

    She felt like she was being watched.

    Watched by many eyes.

    Where am I going?

    She heard a child¡¯s laughter, then quick steps as they ran away before Mu could catch more than a fleeting glance of them.

    The droning continued.

    More laughter ¨C from a different direction this time. This time Mu saw more of her.

    Mei Xuelan.

    ¡°I¡¯m not yours!¡± she yelled out.

    Giggling was her only answer.

    A few notes of a violin sounded from a different direction.

    ¡°I am no one¡¯s!¡±

    She walked further until she came to a junction. The droning grew louder. The ground became stickier, making it harder to lift her feet. Indeed, even as she tried to keep walking along the corridor, she found each step found her sinking deeper into the syrupy quagmire. She looked down at her feet, moving futilely, propelling her nowhere. The substance that covered the floor was no longer golden. It was many colours.

    She felt an anger stir in her. She tried to run. But it was no use. No matter how fast she moved her legs, she could not leave that intersection of corridors.

    Mei Xuelan appeared before her.

    ¡°There¡¯s no point in running,¡± she said, her voice sweet and innocent. ¡°Wherever you are, I already am.¡±

    From behind her came the sound of a violin. She looked back and saw it: a wooden puppet awkwardly staggering towards her.

    ¡°I destroyed you,¡± she said.

    ¡°The Orchestra is vast,¡± said the puppet in a voice that creaked like old wood. ¡°There are always more.¡±

    ¡°Remember your training.¡±

    She turned to one side. There stood her father and the gaunt man.

    ¡°No!¡± she shouted. ¡°I belong to no one.¡±

    When she turned back, Mei Xuelan was much closer to her, hands upheld in a cupped gesture, Eutric Blood spilling liberally over the sides.

    ¡°Why fight?¡± asked the girl. ¡°You want to be free of your burdens. Let me shoulder them. Let me shoulder all the burdens of the Cosmos.¡±

    Behind her a chitinous mass began to fill the hexagonal chamber. Bees began to swarm.

    She gazed into Mei Xuelan¡¯s hands, seeing her reflection amongst the dancing colours of the Blood. Was it truly freedom she desired? Or peace?

    She felt the tiny legs of bees across her skin. More and more landed on her. Remember her training? Fight the Mimesis for the Empire¡¯s sake? The Hive would unburden her. Maybe that was the true freedom.

    ¡°It¡¯d be insulting if you gave up that easily,¡± came a voice.

    She looked up. There stood a musician. Not a puppet. A man.

    Tavian.

    Behind him stood Ostara, clutching an arm that bled in many colours. She smiled warmly. Tavian grinned.

    ¡°You¡¯re right,¡± said Mu.

    ¡°Of course, I am,¡± said Tavian.

    The bees began to sting her. She was aware it was happening, but she felt no pain. More gathered, more landed upon her.

    ¡°Don¡¯t make Xixi angry,¡± said Mei Xuelan.

    But Mu could move once more.

    And so, she moved quickly.

    She drew the sword and with a quick thrust plunged it through the face of Mei Xuelan.

    ¡°I belong to nobody but myself.¡±

    Her surroundings dissolved into darkness yet again. Until she noticed the pinpricks of light.

    She looked around. She floated freely in the void of space, gazing down at a world of greenery and clouds.

    As she watched, though, an enormous dark hand reached out across the void till its spreading fingers cast a shadow across the whole of the planet.

    Once again, she heard buzzing.

    Time to fight, she told herself, closing her eyes to the spectacle.

    Consciousness returned.

    Lai led them along a corridor and into a small office, its walls lined with more consoles and monitors.      They stepped through and the door closed behind them.

    Nova felt her hand trembling. It kept doing that. She stilled it by grasping it with her other hand. She took a deep breath, pushing away the images that kept cycling through her mind. Pushing away the voices she was increasingly hearing.

    Just¡­ just a little longer.

    ¡°We can contact a ship from here?¡± asked Kal.

    ¡°Yes,¡± said Lai, and walked over to a console.

    Nova cast her eyes across the consoles. Nothing visually distinguished these from those in the room they had first stepped into.

    ¡°Couldn¡¯t we have sent a message from back there?¡± she asked.

    Lai tapped a button on the console ahead of her, before looking Nova¡¯s way. There was a click from the door behind Nova.

    ¡°Those terminals aren¡¯t networked,¡± replied Lai. ¡°A¡­ security measure.¡±

    Nova saw Kal was looking back at the door.

    ¡°I see,¡± said Nova. She stepped toward Lai. ¡°Could¡­ could we send a message to our ship? We¡¯ve been unable to contact them for a while.¡±

    Lai gazed at her a moment before replying. ¡°I have called for a STOC. Once we are aboard, you can signal your vessel from there.¡±

    ¡°We would rather do it now,¡± said Kal.

    Lai seemed to hesitate a moment, but then nodded and stepped aside. Kal walked over to the console and looked down at it.

    ¡°How does this work?¡±

    Nova walked over to get a better look. Jiwen stood on Kal¡¯s other side.

    It was a strange design. Not like any interface she had seen on an Imperial system before. Still, nothing she couldn¡¯t work out.

    ¡°Is it locked?¡± she asked Lai, not turning around.

    There was no reply.

    But there was a squelching sound.

    Ripping and squelching.

    Nova felt a wave of nausea and fear come over her as she slowly turned around.

    Something was tapping against the frosted glass.

    ¡°What¡¯s in there?¡± asked Tavian.

    ¡°Experimental subjects,¡± replied Zhao.

    ¡°Subjects¡­ humans?¡±

    Zhao gave a little laugh. ¡°Plants,¡± he said. ¡°Just plants.¡±

    Harry was crouched down at Ostara¡¯s side, his arm around her shoulder. She looked troubled in a way Tavian had never seen her before. She was usually the one source of perpetual calm.

    Mu stirred again. Tavian glanced her way.

    She still did not wake.

    ¡°You are Resonants?¡± remarked Zhao, addressing the question to Tavian.

    ¡°I am,¡± said Tavian. ¡°So are Ostara and Mu.¡±

    ¡°Good, good,¡± said Zhao.

    ¡°Good?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s probably why you managed to survive the Hive,¡± said Zhao. ¡°The big fellow ¨C Mr Nyx, was it? ¨C is he a Resonant?¡±

    ¡°No,¡± replied Harry, ¡°But he¡¯s the toughest one of the lot of us.¡±

    ¡°And the girl?¡±

    ¡°Nova? No.¡±

    ¡°I see,¡± said Zhao.

    ¡°Do you know what the Hive is?¡± asked Tavian.

    Zhao regarded him with a contemplative expression. ¡°We know a little. It came to this world only when that ship crashed.¡±

    ¡°You weren¡¯t here when that happened, though,¡± said Tavian, ¡°You only arrived at the same time as us.¡±

    ¡°The Project has had researchers here on Luanyuan for a long time,¡± said Zhao.

    ¡°Where are the other researchers?¡± asked Harry.

    ¡°Well,¡± said Zhao, ¡°That is what Miss Lai and myself were sent to find out.¡±

    ¡°And?¡±

    Zhao clasped his hands together. He looked to the door the others had left via. Then back at the main entrance. After a few moments he nodded.

    ¡°You want to see?¡± he asked.

    With a growing sense of unease, Tavian said, ¡°Yes.¡±

    Zhao smiled thinly and walked over to a console.

    The glass ceased to be opaque.

    ¡°Oh, Stars no,¡± said Harry.

    A tangle of waving vines revealed itself. They extended outwards from the far wall. There perhaps a dozen human shapes were arrayed, though counting them was difficult. They were bound by the vines and roots that wove in and out of their flesh. In places vines seemed to be in the act of merging two bodies into each other. Pieces of bodies that had been discarded by the vines lay about the ground in varying states of decay.

    But the bodies weren¡¯t dead.

    Tavian could tell from the horrified look in their eyes. And from the quiet moaning they began to admit when the glass became transparent.

    As Tavian looked on, one figure reached out their arm, their fingers extending as small vines, their mouth opening wide in a desperate, pleading gesture.

    ¡°What have we walked into?¡± muttered Tavian, taking a step back.

    Zhao looked at them. He began to laugh.

    ¡°You will be great Players in the Orchestra,¡± he said. ¡°With Resonants, we will be able to fight the Hive infestation on this world. Nizamabad is not for them. The Conductor has already claimed it.¡±

    ¡°What are you?¡± asked Tavian.

    ¡°Don¡¯t you work for the Empire?¡± asked Harry.

    ¡°I did once. Now, I am a humble servant of the Master of the Cosmic Music. Like those who came before me,¡± said Zhao, indicating the tangled horror beyond the glass, ¡°But you will understand more once the Soloist arrives. Until then, I will hold you here.¡±

    With that there was a tearing sound. A split appeared, down the entire length of Zhao¡¯s body. Before Tavian¡¯s eyes, his body opened up and a wriggling mass of bloody vines emerged from within as organs slid out and fell to the floor with a wet splat.

 Chapter XLVI - Things Hidden Since the Foundation of the World, Part Three

    Chapter XLVI ¨C Things Hidden Since the Foundation of the World, Part Three

    ¡°No more,¡± murmured Nova as she turned. ¡°Please. No more.¡±

    A tear had opened up across Lai¡¯s lower throat, her head hinging to the side, almost inverted, attached only by a little skin and sinew. From the gaping hole of her neck vines were uncoiling.

    She was smiling.

    ¡°The Soloist will be here soon,¡± she said, her voice now sounding wet. ¡°They will decide whether you are worthy of becoming Players in the Orchestra.¡±

    Kal wasted no time. He unslung his rifle and fired off several rounds directly into Lai¡¯s chest, sending up a spray of blood. Yet she did not fall. Instead, more vines erupted from the holes where the bullets had struck.

    Kal just shook his head from side to side. ¡°What is this bullshit?¡± he growled.

    Even as he did so, the vines latched onto his limbs. Lai¡¯s body now seemed to be pulled by the vines, jerking about like a puppet on strings.

    There was a buzzing sound, and Nova turned to see that Jiwen had drawn his vibro-saw. He sprung into action, but he hadn¡¯t gotten far when he was batted aside with incredible force. Nova herself was forced to duck under a whip-like tendril before diving for cover beneath a console.

    Kal roared in rage and frustration as more and more vines wrapped about him. The more Lai moved, the more her blood sprayed about the room; every surface was now flecked with it, the floor was increasingly slicked with it.

    Nova could feel the terror threatening to overwhelm her, to paralyse her. She could feel her mantra collapsing. Her strength of will was almost gone. ¡°Just a little longer¡± was no longer enough. At every turn Luanyuan threw fresh horrors at her.

    There is strength in numbers, whispered a voice. Let us fight this battle.

    No, no, no! she cried internally, Don¡¯t give in.

    But it was so much easier to imagine the soothing sweetness of the Eutric Blood than this ever-magnifying horror in the depths.

    She wormed her way deeper under the console as the vines reached for her.

    Kal was like a man wading against a fast-flowing river, his immense form struggling against the vines, his arms poised to dismember the enemy, if he could just get close enough.

    Jiwen leapt back to his feet and ran towards Lai. This time he ducked the blow from the vines and drove upwards with the vibro-saw, severing a length, which fell twitching to the floor.

    We have to get out, thought Nova. Maybe I can unlock the door, reach the others.

    Having a goal focused her mind.

    Kal gave the roar of a cornered beast and unleashed a fresh burst of strength and fury, surging forward through the thrashing tangle. A little further away, fresh lengths of vine fell away as Jiwen wielded his vibro-saw with desperate speed.

    This was it.

    She darted from her hiding place toward the door. Lai¡¯s semi-detached head saw her and a moment later the vines were reaching her way. But Kal was not having it.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about her!¡± he yelled. ¡°You¡¯ve got me to deal with.¡±

    In that moment he reached the abomination of flesh and vine. His hands began ripping and tearing indiscriminately.

    Nova reached the door. There was a control panel there. Could she override whatever Lai had done from the console? She exerted all her effort to focus, pushing the horrific sounds behind her from her mind.

    The control panel, like the consoles, was bizarre.

    Who designed this fucking place?

    With shaking, unsteady hands, she tapped at the panel, flinching at every squelch and rip; anticipating the moment she would feel her limbs or midsection being ensnared.

    Even as she stared at the panel, a fresh spray of blood ¨C a fine mist ¨C spread across it. She tried to wipe it away, but her hands and gloves were so filthy already that they did little, but create a reddish-brown smear.

    ¡°Aaaahhh!¡± she screamed out and slammed her fist against the panel.

    ¡°Invalid command. Please input authorisation code or use biometrics.¡±

    ¡°Just. Fucking. Work!¡± she yelled.

    But she could barely see the panel now and her hands were shaking uncontrollably.

    Let us in. Let us fight for you.

    Nova slowly sagged to her knees, now clutching the sides of her head.

    ¡°Go away. Go away. Go away.¡±

    Zhao¡¯s body had begun turning inside out as it split, the vines wrapping around it and forming something akin to a new ribcage, others extending out and weaving together to create new legs, lifting the growing monstrosity up to the maximum height permitted by the lab¡¯s ceiling. Yet all along, Zhao¡¯s very human head gazed at them through his round glasses, the thin smile never vacating his face.

    ¡°Got any ideas?¡± asked Harry, he and Tavian backing away.

    Tavian slowly shook his head.

    The creature that had until recently been Dr Zhao now stood upon many gnarled and woody legs over a slurry of trampled gore that had once been the doctor¡¯s internal organs. On the far side of it were the prostrate forms of Mu and Toghrul. Behind him, Tavian could hear an increasing frenzy of tapping upon the glass.

    Tavian murmured an invocation to Lady Anu for protection. Then he drew a pistol and took aim, right at the doctor¡¯s face.

    What happened next, happened very fast. So fast that he didn¡¯t follow the full order of events. The vines lashed out; he squeezed the trigger. There was the sound of a ricochet. Then there was a flash of light and the woody tendrils bounced away from Tavian, moments before they struck.

    Thank you, m¡¯lady.

    ¡°Your Resonance is strong,¡± proclaimed Zhao, ¡°You will be a mighty weapon against the Hive. You shall sound such exquisite notes when the bow is drawn across your soul.¡±

    ¡°Like hell I will,¡± said Tavian.

    He fired again.

    This time the bullet went through Zhao¡¯s cheek and burst out the back of his neck. Tiny sprouts appeared and stitched together to cover the hole in his face.

    ¡°Wish we had more guns,¡± said Harry.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know how much guns are gonna¡ª¡±

    Tavian didn¡¯t finish.

    Bright green light flared around the abomination. The vines went limp, then the whole form, with a hint of struggle, collapsed to the ground. Only when it did so, was Ostara¡¯s figure revealed, standing resolute behind it, wreathed in emerald light.

    For the first time, Zhao¡¯s expression lost its calm.

    ¡°How are you doing this?¡± he snarled. ¡°I carry with me the power of the Conductor.¡±

    ¡°The Conductor is far away. I am here,¡± said Ostara, stepping closer.

    Zhao let out an inhuman scream. His face contorted. The vines twitched, but could do no more.

    ¡°Argh, it doesn¡¯t matter,¡± he said. ¡°You are no match for the Soloist. You will all be Players soon when you hear the Music.¡±

    Once again, events moved quick.

    ¡°No,¡± said a new voice, ¡°The Soloist is no match for me.¡±

    A sword drove swiftly through Zhao¡¯s head, the tip of the blade erupting from his mouth. In another motion it was withdrawn and came down on his neck, severing the head entirely.

    ¡°Thank you, Mr Locke,¡± said Mu, ¡°That was a good sleep. My head¡¯s a lot clearer now.¡±

    ¡°Glad I could help,¡± said Tavian.

    ¡°You helped more than you could know,¡± said Mu.

    ¡°You¡¯re looking better,¡± said Harry.

    Mu¡¯s eyes scanned the scene. ¡°That was Dr Zhao?¡± she said, with a look of revulsion. ¡°Wasn¡¯t he killed?¡±

    Tavian shrugged. ¡°Maybe? I don¡¯t think this was the original Dr Zhao.¡±

    ¡°The Orchestra?¡± asked Mu.

    ¡°Apparently,¡± said Harry.

    ¡°He talked about them when we were first arriving at Port Arthur¡­ I wonder when he fell?¡±

    ¡°Who knows? Though if I had to guess it was after he and his¡­ assist¡ª¡± Tavian interupted himself, ¡°We should check on the others.¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s not dead,¡± said Ostara.

    Tavian glanced down. The severed head was sprouting more vines. Ostara continued to pin down the body, but the head now began scuttling away.

    ¡°Harry, Mu: You go check on the others. Ostara and I will deal with this bastard,¡± said Tavian.

    Harry gave a thumbs up. He led Mu through the door the others had departed through earlier.

    Ostara extended a hand toward the head and a moment later it was frozen in place.

    ¡°You have a plan, I take it, Tavian?¡± she asked.

    ¡°Well, he likes music, doesn¡¯t he?¡± said Tavian. He holstered his pistol and unslung his mandolin. ¡°I¡¯ve got some songs for him.¡±

    Out of the corner of his eye, Kal saw Jiwen go flying away. He didn¡¯t see what became of him, but saw a flash of sparks as the still running vibro-saw scraped against metal.

    He himself had been driven back, the damage he had managed to inflict only minimal, easily repaired by the rapidly altering form of Lai.

    With all his might he pushed forward, trying to close the distance between himself and Lai once more. The vines were uncannily strong. He could feel them not just holding him back, but pulling on his limbs, attempting to dismember him. Any ordinary person would have been dead by now.

    But Kal was not ordinary.

    He was a Pyrphoros.

    And he could feel the Flame stirring.

    Don¡¯t let it ignite.

    Yet with each fresh surge forward, with each yell, the wrath of a distant Star stirred within him. Every new reserve of strength he accessed seemed to be fed from that well of divine fury, his accursed birthright. He knew that if it awoke, Lai would be destroyed, surely enough. But in such a small space, there was little hope for his companions to survive his rampage. Even if they survived, it would hopelessly delay their escape from this place and from that which was coming.

    I must resist, he told himself, his eyes spying Nova on the far side of the room. I cannot let her hurt any more.

    The abomination meanwhile recognised his body¡¯s uncanny reserves of strength. He felt a new vine begin to wrap around his throat. Against the vines already grabbing his arms he pulled upwards hard, reaching the constricting tendril and wrapping his fingers around it. Even as it coiled tighter, seeking to strangulate or perhaps decapitate him, he pulled it away, keeping it just loose enough. Yet even with his enormous strength, he was straining, the muscles of his arm bulging, the veins pressed tight against his skin.

    Ahead of him, there was little sign his opponent was struggling. Lai was continuing to disfigure and mutilate her own body. There came the sound of ripping tendons and cracking bone and then her right arm shot off in a shower of blood, now being swung around at the ends of a length of vine.

    It reached.

    For Nova.

    ¡°No, you don¡¯t!¡± he attempted to yell, though his increasingly constricted throat meant it was no mighty war cry.

    With all his might, accessing the last reserves of strength that didn¡¯t come from the Flame, he grabbed hold of the vines ahead of him with his mechanical hand, and pulled.

    Lai stumbled slightly. Only slightly. But it gave Kal a window. He stopped that severed hand reaching Nova. And in the fractions of a second that Lai was put off balance, he managed to push forward, closing the gap. She was almost in reach.

    Her inverted, partially severed head, dangled in front of his face. Its hair hung down low and was matted with the blood that drizzled from the gaping hole at the end of the neck. Likewise, the face was stained red. Lai¡¯s glasses had long since fallen off, but the whites of her eyes stood out brightly from the crimson of everything else. Several vertebrae stuck out of the stump of the neck, ending at the point where her spine had been snapped during her initial transformation.

    ¡°You will be a mighty gift to the Orchestra,¡± it leered at him, ¡°And you will struggle no longer, once you hear the Soloist¡¯s music.¡±

    Kal bared his teeth at her, emitting a bestial growl. He felt a warmth inside him, like his blood was beginning to heat up. Sparks of Cosmic power erupted in his straining muscles, bringing with them fresh reserves of might.

    The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

    ¡°I may¡­ not have¡­ all those fucking¡­ vines,¡± he said, pulling hard at the vine around his throat, ¡°But¡­ I have¡­ these two arms¡­ and when I reach you¡­ they will be¡­ more than enough¡­ to rip you¡­ to fucking shreds.¡±

    In response, a fresh vine wrapped itself around his throat. They began constricting even tighter. Kal felt it getting harder to draw breath.

    The dangling head spat blood in his face and burst out into manic laughter.

    But Kal could see what was behind it.

    It continued to laugh, even as the sound of a vibro-saw activating filled the air. Even as the vines that connected it to Lai¡¯s body were rapidly severed. It only stopped laughing when it fell to the floor.

    ¡°Who¡¯s laughing now, bitch?¡± yelled Nova, trembling.

    She paused only a moment, before plunging the vibro-saw into Lai¡¯s body. Again and again and again, she hacked and slashed and stabbed and screamed with utterly unbridled, cathartic rage.

    ¡°Fuck you! Fuck your Orchestra! Fuck this planet!¡± she shouted.

    The vines slackened and Kal wrenched the one constricting his throat away. Next, he freed his hands and now grabbed a bunch of vines together. He swung, with all the strength he had, then let go of the vines. The mangled corpse of Lai went flying across the room and smashed into the wall, the vines falling limply about her.

    Nova was left standing before him, vibro-saw still whirring. Like Lai before her, only the whites of her eyes now stood out from the sanguinary drenching. Every part of her was soaked in blood, old and new.

    As she stood there, her shoulders heaving, she spat out a pink globule.

    ¡°Is it over?¡± she said at last, panting.

    ¡°Not yet,¡± said Kal. As the now severed head of Lai began scuttling away, Kal directed one mighty blow from his robotic arm into it. The skull exploded and the vines fell limp.

    Kal felt the fire receding. In its place he felt the exhaustion begin to spread through his body.

    But it was still far from over.

    ¡°Is Jiwen alive?¡± he asked, his eyes scouring the trashed room.

    He saw Jiwen lying against a wall, slumped.

    Nova ran over. She put a hand to his wrist.

    ¡°He¡¯s alive,¡± she said.

    She gave him a gentle shake. There was a groan.

    ¡°You doing alright, man?¡± asked Nova.

    ¡°Urgh,¡± replied Jiwen.

    His eyes opened. His hand went up to his eyes. One of the lenses of his glasses was gone. The other was cracked.

    ¡°I¡¯m¡­ alive,¡± he said.

    Nova looked up at the ceiling as she spoke, ¡°That¡¯s about the best we can hope for at the moment.¡±

    ¡°Can you walk?¡± asked Kal, kneeling beside him.

    ¡°I think so¡ª¡± said Jiwen, but his words caught in his mouth, ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± he asked, pointing.

    They turned around.

    ¡°Oh, just stay down!¡± yelled Kal.

    The body of Lai was beginning to move again. The remaining flesh sloughed off onto the floor, so that all that was left was a seething mass of vines. Bloody flowers were blooming across it.

    ¡°I am so sick of this planet,¡± snarled Nova, rising to her feet and activating the vibro-saw again.

    ¡°Give me the saw, Nova,¡± said Kal.

    Nova shook her head. ¡°No,¡± she said, ¡°I¡¯ve got some stuff I need to work through.¡±

    With that she advanced on what had once been Lai Leizu.

    Mu and Harry raced down the corridor.

    ¡°You really do seem a lot better,¡± remarked Harry.

    ¡°A few things have become a lot clearer for me,¡± said Mu.

    ¡°Could be a new tourism campaign,¡± said Harry, ¡°Find yourself, on lush, beautiful Luanyuan.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not sure I¡¯d recommend it,¡± said Mu. ¡°Is this it?¡±

    Harry shrugged as they came to a stop before a closed door.

    ¡°I just saw them head this way, I don¡¯t know where they went.¡±

    Sounds emanated from behind the door.

    ¡°Something¡¯s happening in there,¡± said Harry. ¡°Sounds¡­ not great.¡±

    ¡°They¡¯re fine,¡± said Mu. ¡°They¡¯ve just got to open the door.¡±

    Harry pressed the panel beside the door. It made an unobliging sound.

    She took a deep breath, released it slowly, and closed her eyes. Doing her best to calm her mind, she probed the immediate future. Horrific things danced in and out of her foresight, threatening to break her concentration, but she pushed them aside.

    The door. What is the future of the door?

    Nova. A terminal.

    The sounds inside stopped.

    ¡°Hello?¡± yelled Mu. ¡°Can you her us?¡±

    A muffled voice called out. ¡°Mu?¡± it said in a surprised tone.

    ¡°It¡¯s me,¡± Mu confirmed. ¡°Is that you, Nova?¡±

    ¡°Yeah. How--?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll explain later. You need to open the door.¡±

    Unbidden, Mu felt a dark future pressing in on her awareness.

    ¡°Quickly,¡± she added.

    ¡°I¡ªOkay, I¡¯ll try,¡± said Nova.

    ¡°Do you¡ª¡± began Harry, but Mu lifted a hand to silence him.

    She closed her eyes again.

    ¡°Okay then¡­ I¡¯ll just wait and stay out of the way,¡± said Harry.

    Her foresight was becoming clouded. Puppets. Puppets and bees. She tried to direct her gaze away from them, probing their current course of action. She pushed back the veil of the future. There would be a crash. They would rush back to the front room. The door would be caved in. The mob¡ªno, the Hive¡ªwould arrive. There would be too many.

    She tried a different path. There had to be one that led to escape. They searched the facility. As the door broke in, they found it: a rear entrance, leading to a stairway. Things got vague beyond there, but it was something. She pushed further.

    Please be a way out.

    And there it was. The Soloist.

    And there would be no ship waiting for them¡­

    Unless.

    ¡°Nova, can you send a message to the Amrita from in there?¡±

    Another voice replied, ¡°She can¡¯t hear you. I¡¯ll ask.¡±

    Jiwen?

    A moment passed.

    Quickly.

    There came some loud noises, wet splatting noises and loud bangs.

    Then another voice spoke.

    Kal.

    ¡°She¡¯s trying now.¡±

    ¡°That you, Big Guy?¡± asked Harry. ¡°All, um, all going well in there?¡±

    ¡°All good. Just had to kill this thing again.¡±

    Harry swallowed and nodded. ¡°Yeah, they¡¯re stubborn.¡±

    There came another loud noise, but not from the room, from behind them.

    They¡¯re here.

    ¡°Hurry!¡± yelled Mu. She knew it was unhelpful, but she couldn¡¯t stop herself. She felt the nerves begin to fill her once again.

    Will she come?

    Will the Hive Queen come?

    ¡°We¡¯re coming,¡± announced Kal from inside.

    The next moment there was a much louder bang. The door bulged outwards, causing both Mu and Harry to jump backward.

    A second strike and a metallic fist came straight through the door.

    ¡°Hey, there¡¯s our guy!¡± said Harry. ¡°I¡¯d shake your hand, but it looks disgusting right now.¡±

    Several more blows followed, then Kal¡¯s hands tore the hole open wider.

    He stepped out into the corridor.

    ¡°They here?¡± he asked, looking back down the corridor.

    ¡°Yes,¡± said Mu. ¡°How¡¯s Nova doing?¡±

    ¡°Tip top,¡± replied Nova, stepping through the wreckage of the door.

    Mu took a moment to recognise her. When she did, she was no less startled. She looked like someone had spilled a bucket of red paint on her.

    ¡°I look that bad, huh?¡± said Nova.

    ¡°It¡¯s not a great look,¡± said Harry, a dubious expression upon his face.

    Jiwen stepped out.

    Another loud noise sounded from the front of the lab.

    ¡°You signal the Amrita?¡± asked Mu, though she had already turned her mind to the future once more, and before Nova had replied, she was probing their options once again. There was hope.

    ¡°There¡¯s a stairway further along this corridor,¡± she said. It will take us to a landing pad above.

    ¡°Will the Amrita be able to find us?¡± asked Harry.

    ¡°I set the comms equipment Kang gave us to broadcast on a specific frequency and gave Sera instructions on how to upload a brief code to lock the lander¡¯s nav program onto the frequency source,¡± said Nova. ¡°Once the Amrita deploys it, it should auto-pilot to our location.¡±

    Harry gave a thumbs up. ¡°Let¡¯s hope that makes more sense to our witchy friend than to me.¡±

    ¡°We have to be at the landing pad by the time the lander gets here,¡± said Nova. ¡°Otherwise, it might try and pilot straight into the ground.¡±

    ¡°Then we¡¯d be screwed,¡± remarked Harry.

    ¡°Correct,¡± said Nova.

    At that moment Ostara appeared. She glanced around. ¡°It appears everyone is alive,¡± she said, ¡°That is excellent news. However, our convict friends are presently in the process of breaking down the front door.¡±

    ¡°Nova¡¯s contacted the Amrita,¡± said Harry, ¡°And according to Mu, there¡¯s a stairway to a landing pad back there.¡±

    ¡°Great,¡± said Ostara. ¡°Kal, would you mind grabbing Toghrul?¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s been out for a while,¡± said Harry, ¡°Are we sure Kal didn¡¯t just kill him when we were escaping the ship?¡±

    ¡°Tavian was able to sedate him anew,¡± said Ostara. ¡°He will probably not feel wonderful when he eventually comes to, but he shouldn¡¯t have any permanent damage.¡±

    ¡°Good,¡± said Harry, ¡°Because if we killed him, I¡¯m not sure how I¡¯d deal with having gone through all this for nothing.¡±

    ¡°Well, there¡¯s still time for him to get killed, so we should hurry up,¡± said Mu.

    Kal dashed back to the front room. He soon returned, Toghrul in his arms, Tavian at his side.

    Tavian had no sooner seen them, smiling in greeting, when he paused.

    ¡°Wait,¡± he said. ¡°I have an idea. It¡¯s¡­ probably a good one. Kal, I need that rifle.¡±

    Kal didn¡¯t seem to have any problem with his, shrugging his shoulder to allow the rifle to slide off. Tavian took it.

    Mu and Ostara exchanged glances.

    Moments later they heard a burst of gunshots, then smashing glass. Screams echoed out through the facility.

    Tavian came running back.

    ¡°What did you do?¡± asked Mu.

    Tavian grinned. ¡°Set up a welcoming committee for the Hive.¡±

    Mu tilted her head to one side, giving him a confused look.

    ¡°Let¡¯s them fight each other ¨C Orchestra and Hive,¡± said Tavian.

    Kal did something unusual in that moment. He smiled.

    ¡°Nice,¡± he said.

    Tavian gave a small nod that was some combination of surprised and self-satisfied. He handed back the rifle to Kal, assisting in supporting Toghrul as Kal slung the rifle once more over his shoulder.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± said Kal, his tone returning to normal. ¡°You know the way, Mu?¡±

    ¡°Sort of?¡± said Mu, and set off down the corridor.

    It didn¡¯t take them long to reach the door.

    Mu stopped.

    ¡°Um, how do we open it?¡± she asked.

    ¡°Oh, shit,¡± said Nova.

    ¡°Can¡¯t you hack it open or something?¡± asked Tavian.

    Nova just shook her head.

    ¡°Here,¡± said Kal, handing off Toghrul to Tavian.

    Mu watched as he walked toward the door, pulled back his cybernetic arm and smashed it into the door. It made a dint, but it was not nearly as effective as it had been on the last door.

    ¡°It¡¯s much thicker,¡± remarked Kal, examining his underwhelming results.

    ¡°Probably why our friends out front haven¡¯t broken through yet,¡± said Harry.

    Then, with a dark note in her voice, Nova spoke, her words coming out slowly.

    ¡°I think it accepts biometrics.¡±

    ¡°Bio¡ª¡±

    ¡°Would Lai¡¯s fingerprint work?¡± asked Kal.

    ¡°Sure¡­¡± said Nova. ¡°But her body¡­¡±

    ¡°Not all of it,¡± said Kal, ¡°Give me that,¡± he said, grabbing the vibro-saw from Jiwen who had once again been carrying it.

    With that he set off back down the corridor at a sprint.

    When he returned, Mu grimaced and felt her stomach wretch at the grizzly trophy he was carrying. She¡¯d managed to mostly avoid looking at the previous carnage after the initial adrenaline of battle had worn off. This had caught her unprepared.

    And it was twitching, grasping.

    Kal put it against the biometric scanner.

    ¡°Goodbye, Researcher Lai,¡± announced a cheery voice as the door slid open.

    Mu shivered.

    They headed through into the dark beyond.

    ¡°Better not leave the key behind,¡± said Harry.

    Kal nodded. As Mu watched on in fascination and horror he snapped the wrist. The fingers stopped moving. He tucked it away in his pocket and went to grab Toghrul. The door closed behind them once he had stepped through into the tunnel. There came a loud crash almost at the same moment.

    ¡°Sounds like good timing,¡± said Harry.

    And with that they began to climb.

    It was hard work. Mu prided herself on her fitness, but it was a supreme struggle. The stairs were steep, and Luanyuan¡¯s unusually strong gravity made progress even more challenging.

    She tried to distract herself by searching the future again. The different outcomes were difficult to distinguish. The difference between each was on a knife edge. And the puppet constantly loitered at the fringes of each realm of possibility.

    She was disturbed from her thoughts by a loud crash behind them.

    ¡°Guess my welcoming committee didn¡¯t last long,¡± said Tavian.

    ¡°Hopefully the door lasts longer,¡± said Harry.

    ¡°It won¡¯t last long,¡± said Mu.

    ¡°Thank you for that cheery insight, Princess,¡± said Tavian.

    She glared at him, but he wasn¡¯t looking.

    They hadn¡¯t gone far when Nova stopped. She was leant against the wall, bracing herself with her palm. She was panting heavily.

    ¡°I can¡¯t do this,¡± she said, between heaving breaths.

    ¡°You can,¡± said Mu, rushing to her side. ¡°Not too much further.¡±

    ¡°You¡­ didn¡¯t see¡­ how far we came down,¡± replied Nova.

    There was another loud bang below.

    ¡°But I can see ahead.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m tired. So tired.¡±

    ¡°And you can rest soon,¡± said Mu. She glanced behind them, but she couldn¡¯t see anything but the shadows. ¡°You just gotta go a little further.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s too much.¡±

    ¡°We don¡¯t have time,¡± grumbled Kal. Mu looked up at him. He adjusted Toghrul so that he was slung over one shoulder, then with his other arm, scooped up Nova who emitted a surprised shriek.

    ¡°No!¡± she protested.

    ¡°Just go with it, kid,¡± said Tavian.

    Mu could see the resignation flow across Nova¡¯s face.

    ¡°C¡¯mon,¡± said Kal as he set off.

    The others followed him.

    Mu understood a little of what Nova was feeling. Her every muscle was screaming in agony as she climbed, each step ascended a small victory in itself.

    ¡°Why don¡¯t they have an elevator?¡± asked Harry, his breathing heavy.

    Do they have an elevator? thought Mu.

    She hadn¡¯t really looked.

    Don¡¯t say anything.

    The ascent continued. On and on, up and up. The tunnel was dark, the lighting dim. Each corner they rounded revealed more of the same. And it was hot and foetid, the humidity itself feeling like a blanket of filth.

    Everyone talked less and less as they went up, saving their breath for the endless stair.  The nervous energy was palpable. And it was about to get worse. Before the moment came, Mu had heard it already. The great crash down below. Their pursuers were through the door. Despite all her exhaustion, she quickened her pace. The sound of many feet came from behind her.

    Will they even feel exhaustion?

    At last, they reached the top. Kal put Nova down and withdrew the horrifying key, opening the door. Each of them staggered out onto the flat ground beyond. Mu¡¯s legs were like jelly, her muscles offering up a chorus of protest.

    Harry was bent double, his hands on his thighs. ¡°What¡­¡± he began between breaths, ¡°Is¡­ that other door?¡±

    Mu now finally examined their surroundings. They were on a flat metal platform, circular in shape. It seemingly sat elevated above the surrounding jungle¡¯s canopy, giving a sweeping view of the Cang Teng Valley, of the tributaries, undulating green of the jungle, and the towering limestone karsts. Around the platform were high fences, flickering light of a reddish hue spanning the gaps in the fences. And across the platform was another door.

    ¡°Probably not a lift¡­¡± murmured Mu.

    She turned her eyes to the sky. She had half hoped the Amrita¡¯s lander would be there waiting for them. She knew it wouldn¡¯t be. But she had hoped.

    ¡°They¡¯re almost here,¡± she remarked, now turning back towards the door, taking a few steps backwards.

    Kal put Nova down, who promptly took a seat on the platform, her legs straight out, her arms behind her, propping her up.

    Mu grimaced as she willed the exhaustion away. Unless the lander arrived in the next minute or two, they would have to fight. She had to be ready.

    There was a screaming sound from above, then an almighty thud. Everyone spun around. A smoking crater had appeared in the platform.

    ¡°What is that?¡± asked Jiwen.

    ¡°A gift from our friends,¡± said Kal. He placed down Toghrul and his rifle, then strolled over to the crater. He bent down and lifted up a metal cube.

    Mu was puzzled a moment. She hadn¡¯t seen this.

    But glancing around, she caught sight of something else strange. Nova was grinning.

    In a moment, she understood.

    It¡¯d been a while since she¡¯d seen it. But last time, it had left an impression.

    Kal pressed a button and in mere seconds his body was encased in metal, a helmet unfolding about his head. Lights flared up. Spider-like appendages unfurled from his back. And his feet lifted off the ground, a shimmer of heat haze below them.

    Nova squeezed her hands into fists. ¡°Sera and the Cap are on their way.¡±

    Mu turned back towards the door. She drew her sword. Harry stepped forward at her side, Kal¡¯s rifle now in his hands. She heard the whirring of Jiwen¡¯s vibro-saw activating. And then Nova was beside her, holding a pistol, her exhaustion hidden beneath renewed determination.

    She glanced at Nova, then behind them. Tavian no longer had a pistol. Instead, he was holding his mandolin.

    He winked her way. ¡°Allow me to play us out,¡± he said. With that he began strumming. ¡°I call this one Vines.¡±

    Mu turned back towards the door as a great thud sounded against it. It crumpled outwards. Another thud and another bulge appeared in it. As she watched, Tavian¡¯s voice began to sing, and she could feel the Starflow gathering in strength around them. She drew it to her. She felt her exhausted muscles draw new reserves of strength from it, felt her mind sharpening and focusing.

    So it was, that when the shadow spread over them, she knew she wouldn¡¯t look up to see the lander. She turned as Ostara took several steps in that direction, green light shimmering around her. Ostara¡¯s gaze was directed up.

    From the jungle beyond the platform, thousands of vines were rising up into the air and weaving together. More and more endlessly reached up from below the canopy. And soon it was apparent what they were forming into: an immense hand, looming over the landing pad.

    ¡°The Soloist,¡± said Ostara as strings of light began to descend from the fingertips.

    There came a screeching and snapping of metal. Mu spun to see the door rupturing. A young girl stepped forward with a calm smile, as convicts poured out behind her.

    And behind them was the face with innumerable eyes and feathered antennae. The chitinous monstrosity began to emerge from the dark.

    ¡°Form a circle!¡± yelled Ostara, light flaring brighter around her. ¡°Defend Toghrul. The Amrita is almost here.¡±

    From up above Mu heard Kal¡¯s artificially modulated voice, deep and powerful. ¡°I am done with this fucking place. I hope all you freaks are ready to burn.¡±

    She returned her attention to Mei Xuelan and raised her sword.