Chapter 3
Chapter Three
FIONN
The Tidebound was sleek, fast and far too posh for the likes of us.
I’d never been on a proper space cruiser before.
The ship that had carried my clutch-brothers and me to the training grounds on the other side of the world all those mooncrossings ago had skimmed orbit for a moment, but it hadn’t been built for long-distance travel.
This one was an entirely different beast.
It was new and this would be its maiden voyage.
The ship still smelled of paint and polish.
The faint tang of metal and recycled air clung to every corridor.
I didn’t want to imagine how many credits Kelon had burned through to charter it.
I’d known he was rich, but not this rich.
It made me regret agreeing to work my passage.
He could have afforded to hire a dozen more crew and let us travel as passengers.
We'd gone to the same clutch school. Yet here he was, dressed to impressed and giving orders to the crew, while my brothers and me were busy carrying luggage into the cargo hold.
"How big is this thing?" Cerban whispered, as if he didn't want to draw attention from the other crew members mulling about the place.
I stacked my crate on another, flexed my shoulders.
"I'm not sure. It's a long journey and Kelon is used to certain luxuries.
He will have made sure he's got access to everything he wants.
Plus, it's a hybrid ship, designed both for water-people and air-walkers.
If what we found in the Archives is true, the females will not be used to living in water.
They will need dry areas to be comfortable. "
"I still don't know how we're supposed to be compatible with a species of air-walkers," Rainse muttered for the hundredth time.
He'd been the most sceptical of my clutch-brothers, only agreeing to go on this trip because - in his words - he needed to keep an eye on us.
He was the oldest of our clutch by less than a day, but he never let us forget that.
"You read the story. Finfolk lived on their planet for hundreds of mooncrossings until they were finally rescued. The mated couple in the Archives' record is only one example of many unions that happened during that time. Some even resulted in offspring."
We'd had that conversation before, the first time when I'd barged into our small home, shouting for my brothers in excitement, my heart still pumping with adrenaline.
When the alarm had gone off in the Archives, I'd panicked.
For a moment, I'd forgotten that I was a guard, not an intruder.
But then training had kicked in and I'd calmly contacted Commander Myke, asking him to turn off the alarms, reassuring him that everything was under control.
He'd believed me. Kelon had disappeared through a hidden side entrance with the promise that he'd be in touch soon.
And he'd kept his promise. It had been two spans since our first encounter and within that short timeframe, he'd chartered a ship, bought supplies and hired a crew.
I didn't know what he'd told his family about his upcoming absence.
Rainse, Cerban and I had applied for a week's holiday, our entire allowance this mooncrossing.
Cerban's had been refused. He didn't care.
If we found mates among the stars, we might never come back.
A new life was waiting for us, far away, on a planet so very different from our own.
We'd done some research by digging through the Intergalactic University's database.
After some dead ends, we'd identified the planet from the story as Peritus, home to a species called Peritans.
It would be a long journey, much longer than a week.
If we returned, we'd be without jobs. There were no laws against quitting your assigned vocation, but it was not something finfolk did.
There weren't enough jobs. We might end up unemployed and homeless upon our return.
If we came back.
I loved Finfolkaheem with all my heart. The deep ocean valleys, the sparkling caves, the gentle currents, the kelp forests and long, sandy beaches, the waves that rose like mountains when storms hit.
I loved surfing on the water’s surface or swimming through narrow rock passages created by the volcanoes of old.
But if I stayed, I'd be lonely for the rest of my life. No mate. No female. Not ever.
Other finmen my age had come to terms with that future. They focused on their jobs, on their passions, but not me, not my clutch-brothers. We couldn't give up on the hope of finding love. Even if it meant leaving our home and travelling across the galaxy.
"Fionn!"
Kelon's deep voice ripped me from my thoughts. The leader of our expedition strolled through the cargo hold like he owned it - which he did, in a way. He was dressed as if he was about to enter a boardroom, not go on a long journey through space. He smiled at me, but his eyes were cold.
"Have you settled into your cabin yet?" he asked.
"No, we've been busy loading crates." I tried not to let bitterness swing in my voice.
Without Kelon, we'd never get to Peritus.
And until the ship had launched, I didn't quite believe that he was really giving us the chance to come along.
He didn't have to do it. He was powerful enough to simply silence me one way or another.
Kelon waved his hand dismissively. "You can continue with that later. Follow me. I'll show you." He lowered his voice, making sure only I could hear him. "I need to talk to you in private."
We had to share a cabin. It was tucked away at the far end of the crew corridor, barely big enough for three bunks and a storage locker.
The air was thick with the sharp scent of fresh sealant and recycled oxygen, as if the room hadn’t been aired since it had been built.
One bunk was already pressed against the ceiling, leaving just enough space beneath it for the lower two.
Whoever ended up on top would need to climb like a crab.
Thin fluid cocoons lay on each bunk, looking decidedly too small for the three of us.
We were guards. We were paid to be brawny.
We’d not been asked if we wanted one of the water-filled cabins instead of an air room.
Some finfolk would have refused to sleep without the sweet taste and feel of water lulling them into the land of dreams, but for me, it was almost exciting.
I’d never slept in an air room before. It was good practice for whatever awaited us on Peritus.
If we’d been assigned a water-filled cabin, I would have been tempted to take the catfish with me.
It had visited our house every morning since that day in the Archives, as if to make sure we were proceeding with the plan.
And we were. Hope was a powerful motivator.
It was a pity to leave the catfish behind, but as soon as we were back, I would seek it out.
If I found my mate on Peritus, I would let the fish into my home and feed it only the best fish for the rest of its life.
A single round viewport looked out into the dockyard, but the glass was clouded and smeared, giving us only a blur of light. No decorative panels, no privacy screens, not even a chair. Just a strip of neon-blue light humming faintly overhead, painting everything in a cold glow.
Kelon waited until the door had slid shut behind us, blocking out the noise of twenty-odd finfolk getting ready to leave. He swept his gaze over my clutch-brothers as if evaluating their valour.
“They can be trusted,” I said firmly. “What did you want to talk about?”
He took another look at the door, then sighed deeply.
“There may be a mutiny. This is my mater’s ship, and half the crew are loyal to her.
Once they realise that we are not on the way to a pleasure planet and are instead headed into the unknown, they might rebel.
The captain is on my side, both through bribes and the promise of a female.
He will cut communications with Finfolkaheem shortly after departure, so the Matriarchs will be none the wiser.
But if crew members become upset that they will be travelling a whole lot longer than expected… I need to know you’ll be on my side.”
Rainse was about to say something, but I shot him a look. It was better if only one of us handled this situation. We’d all been in the same clutch-school, but Kelon had been closest to me – if an arrogant arse like him could be close to anyone.
“Why wouldn’t we be?” I asked. “You are getting us to where we want to be. Of course, we shall be taking your side. Do you expect violence to erupt or just voices of discontent?”
“It is hard to know. That’s why I want to keep our stay on Peritus as short as possible. Land, grab some females, test if we’re compatible, grab some more females, leave.”
I blinked, unsure if I’d heard him right. “Grab some females?” I echoed. “Is that your plan?”
Kelon ran a hand through his sleek hair.
“Peritans are not very advanced, they’re still inventing basic space travel.
Their planet is under the protection of the Intergalactic Authority, which makes interacting with this species a crime.
I did find a footnote about some kind of dating agency that has special permissions outside of the IA’s regulations, but we don’t have time for such nonsense.
No, we will abduct the females we need and then leave as fast as possible. Understood?”
I clenched my teeth but nodded.
As soon as he’d left the cabin, my clutch-brothers let out a collective groan.
“What an idiot,” Cerban growled. “How is a female supposed to fall in love with you if you kidnap her?”
I activated my holoband and the system interface appeared above my arm. “I’m going to search for this dating agency. I want a female with all my heart, but I will not go against what I believe is right.”
Rainse put my hand on my shoulder and squeezed in encouragement. “Let me know what you find. Cerban and I will continue to work and cover for you.”
“I will?” Cerban asked, his eyebrows raised, but then he grinned. “I will. For the greater good.”