Chapter 36 #2
An ydouir, their wings outspread, materialised through the clouds, chased by a hideous beast with a wingspan half that of my ship.
I made out two necks, and if it had heads, I wasn’t spending time looking for them. The ydouir seemed to waste valuable time, pausing to reach out at the creature, but whenever they did, it dropped back, issuing a pained screech.
Dear skykking gods.
“We have to help them.” Garrison spoke with the certainty of command, and I pushed down rising irritation.
He was right. Of course. But could I not pick up any more stragglers on this trip? Certainly not one bigger and far more dangerous than me, for Kri’s sake. This is why nobody comes to Hydouis.
As the ydouir came closer, they arrowed their wings and body, voice projecting ahead of them. “Coming in! Get ready to take off.”
“You heard them.” My nerves sang with energy. “Both of you, get up top.” I hit my wrist-comm. “Paiata, be ready to leave on my mark, got a situation here.”
“Ready, Captain.” His voice was steady through the comm.
“Go.” I glared at Garrison, but he pinned me with a flat stare, his weapon drawn and ready, jaw clenching.
“I’m not leaving your side, Sho. I’ll deal with the bruises if it’s a bumpy take off. You can shout at me later.”
Stubborn skykking male. But there was no time to argue.
The ydouir skidded into the cargo bay on unsteady feet, her wings flying out to each side, wingtips brushing the crates on one side, the wall on the other.
“Go, go, go,” I shouted into my comm at the same time as hitting the door control, then, “Brace!”
The ramp rushed closed with a hiss, and I grabbed a cargo strap, bashing into Garrison and Daiytak as the Dorimisa lurched into flight.
“Get us out of the lower atmosphere,” I said into my comm.
“The goiza will pursue us past that.” The ydouir was breathless, but her low voice was clear and calm, even as we heard the screech and grating scrape of claws down the hull. “You must leave the atmosphere.”
I wanted to glare at her, but the creature—the goiza—banged against the Dorimisa again, making her lurch.
Fine, I’d trust the ydouir.
“Leave the atmosphere completely, Paiata, top speed. Let’s shake this visitor.”
“Aye, Cap.”
Turning to Garrison and Daiytak, I said, “We have about a minute to get to the bridge before it gets too bumpy. Move.” I glared at the newcomer. “You’re staying here. Don’t move until I come and get you. Don’t touch anything.” I had no way to restrain her and had to hope she wasn’t trouble.
“I understand, Captain Shohari. I will be here.”
As we staggered up to the bridge, the unsteady flight pitching us against the corridor walls as we went, I realised I’d not given her my name. The knot in my stomach eased slightly; if she was Anandri’s contact, that was at least something.
I crashed rather than sat in the captain’s chair. “Status!"
“Shields holding enough, Cap, but we might have a dent or two,” Paiata said. “You know, I could do with a copilot if you’re going to make a habit of this kind of run, though.” I didn’t miss his pointed look at Garrison, who sat in the navigator’s chair with confident ease.
I stared out of the window, watching the roiling clouds from above. The deep pink of the sky darkened into burgundy, then black, Hydouis a red orb dominating the screen as we achieved orbit.
Our guest sat on the cargo bay floor, cradling her left arm.
She rose to stand, bowing low in the ydouir way. “My thanks to you, Captain Shohari. I owe you a lifedebt.”
I blinked. It wasn’t often I was rendered speechless, but an ydouiran lifedebt? Though, I considered, perhaps their rarity was more due to the rather low likelihood of saving one’s life. Meeting an ydouir, after all, was not a usual occurrence.
I attempted a bow, not that my frame accommodated the movement nearly as well as hers, and almost thanked her before remembering it would be insulting. “I am glad we arrived when we did,” I opted for instead. “I take it you are our contact? You have me at a disadvantage as I do not have your name.”
“I am Coerril, third of the name, and yes, I have the shipment you came for.”
I lowered my brows. She didn’t seem to be carrying anything. “That is as well. These are Garrison and Daiytak, my… security.”
“My greetings to you, Garrison, Daiytak.”
“Where do you want dropping off?” I didn’t want to play jump the atmosphere, especially considering the battering the shields had taken from the goiza, but needs must.
“Are we not going to meet with Anandri?”
“We are. You’re not.”
“Forgive me, Captain Shohari, but I fear there has been a miscommunication. I am to transport the shipment to Anandri. I am under strict instructions.”
Kri give me strength. “I was not told I was picking up a passenger.”
“And yet here we are.” She rolled her shoulders and flexed her fingers, wicked claws glinting under the bay striplights.
Her thin, sinuous tail coiled around her leg, its needle-sharp tip almost brushing her red skin.
“I do not wish to cause you trouble, Captain, especially after your proficient and fortuitous rescue, but if you set me back down on Hydouis, our employer will be less than pleased. I will not need transport back from Anandri’s, if that is your concern. ”
Staring at her, I tried to find a competent answer, but all I could manage was, “Skykking Anandri.” I was going to kill that short, blue arsehole. The only small comfort was Paiata wasn’t here to gloat at me.
I gave an irritated snort. “Very well.” Garrison’s boot nudged me in the leg, and I nudged him back. “Welcome to the Dorimisa, Coerril.”
“My thanks. I promise not to cause you any trouble, though a trip to your medbay and a hot mug of neka tea wouldn’t go amiss.”
Skyk’s sake. This would be why Anandri paid the big creds. “What is the shipment, anyway?”
“Ah. I wondered if you would ask that.” She shrugged her shoulders, wings fluttering, then gave a gleaming smile. “I am, Captain.”
I cast my eyes to the gods. “I take it that means you are imbued?” Yet another sapient on board, and one who could break my ship. Maybe the gods were real, and I’d pissed them off.
“A little.”
“Sorry, you’ll have to explain for the human in the room.” Garrison wore a little frown, and my fingers itched to smooth it. I chewed my tongue as he said, “Imbued with what?”
“Power,” Coerril said.
“Like an energy source?”
“No. Abilities.” She brushed past me, the door sliding open for her a number of strides ahead just as the strip lights above her went dark.
Over Garrison’s gasp, I said, “You’d better not have broken those.”
She chuckled as she led us into my ship, away from the now fully-lit cargo bay and towards the galley.
Gods. I was going to have to make another supply stop if I was going to feed an ydouir.