IceFlight Read online

Free followed on the heels of Clear’s guards, drawn in their wake by helpless concern. He’d been neatly diverted at Court while his newest officer was plucked and roasted. The trap was obviously set with Sharpeye’s connivance, which didn’t bode well for Clear.

  Free reached the end of the link and balanced on the lip of the main hatch while his gut chewed on raw anger. He was going to stop this, even if he had to use every asset he had.

  Free gave a piercing whistle that joined with a mental pulse to summon his private float. A simple, silver disk slipped across the ground and then rose to meet him. It hung in the air beyond the link and he stepped out onto it with easy familiarity. The float powered up around him and a support field flowed from the base to enclose its sole occupant. He disappeared behind an outwardly opaque energy sheath that shaped itself to fit its owner. He sighed and collapsed against its pulsing comfort while the float hurtled into the darkening sky.

  It rose quickly above the evening frost, which was already settling across the city. Pools of shadow between the buildings below were starting to glisten with an icy sheen that would spread once the sun sank.

  However, Free was oblivious to such ordinary beauty. He reached the upper layers of the atmosphere, far above normal traffic, and sent a priority call to a BGP satellite, but was still surprised to receive an instant response. A wispy image of Lady Grace appeared in the air ahead when his float slowed to a hover. The leader of the Bureau for Genome Protection inclined her head gravely and Free managed the requisite bow in return, although it was brusque to the point of rudeness. He may have his anger under control, but only just. He preferred honesty anyway and his question to Grace was typically blunt.

  “What grip do you have on the Arck? It’s common knowledge that he treats you leniently, because you have some hold on him.”

  Lady Amber Grace raised a single, seamed eyebrow in stately surprise. “Tsk, boy, such language. No one has a grip on the Arck. I simply beg. Since the Ageing, that works surprisingly well. I’m too pathetic to be refused in my doddering last days.”

  The young leader’s anger cooled further at the sorrow in her shaking voice.

  “I’m sorry, Lady.”

  Grace sniffed. “Hmm. I think you truly are. I hope you’re grateful too. You’ll find your new ship has had a full refit. I’ve made certain-sure it’s spaceworthy and has all the best new teks.”

  Free’s face relaxed and tension left his shoulders for the first time since being called to Court. Complete modernisation of his ship was more than he had expected from Grace. It was also a dangerous defiance of the Arck and Free knew there could be only one reason for such a risk.

  “You need me,” he stated softly, playing his single card openly, convinced now that he was right. “You need me, because you’ve lost Wing.”

  Grace flicked a finger in admission. It seemed she saw no point in denying the obvious. “The BGP put eons into breeding you, boy. You have no idea how vital you are. Now, instead of two, I have just one. Nightwing is gone and that is a stellar disaster. In truth he was needed by all kres. He was more dynamic than you, more brilliant, more confident, more creative-”

  “I know,” Free interrupted softly. “That was all-times obvious. He was more what you wished for. Your first choice.”

  “Nonsense,” the old lady snapped, while her jaw quivered harder than ever. “Although your modesty can be a plus, it can also be drakking annoying. I was going to state that Wing was also more arrogant, more reckless, more thoughtless and more ulcer-inducing stubborn than you. I concentrated on him solely because it was needed. It’s time to cross the lines of your family. More than time, it’s vital. He was simply more likely to succumb to Goldown’s attractions than you.”

  “For sure,” Free agreed heatedly, “that ditch tried to kill me-”

  “Unfortunate,” Grace said, with a look of such cold calculation that something in Free’s chest froze.

  “Unfortunate?”

  “Ye,” the old lady agreed. “Unfortunate because Gold is the only remaining female from the FarFlight line and your best genetic mate.”

  Free tried to back away from the image before him, but was stopped by his float field. He was so furious that he was beyond words. He shook a finger that was stiff with outrage in an unequivocal ‘no’.

  “Yes,” Grace hissed, and he abandoned speech, knowing his voice would shake as much as his finger.

  I will never bed Goldown.

  Grace’s fronds quivered with amazement. “Of course not. How can you think I would ask such? The enmity between you is clear and I surely don’t blame you for it, boy. I would never-times expect you to touch the princess. The mating has no need to be done in person. I’m ready to facilitate. I can convey the necessary for procreation.”

  “The necessary?” Freefall choked. “Gods, call it what it is, Grace. You’re pimping for sperm. My sperm.”

  “Most perceptive. Now you know what I need from you. I refitted your ship to keep you alive. A new favor will cost more. How urgent do you want it?”

  Free could only frown in reply, caught by the very openness he was seeking. He finally knew what Grace wanted from him and it wasn’t good. Not good in the slightest. He swallowed hard against revulsion and the old lady watched intently, stroking the amber jewel at her throat in apparent unconcern. She kept her expression blank while he struggled and settled back in her seat, to presumably wait patiently for his answer. However, Free met her eye and raised a finger in agreement.

  “Ye, you’ve a deal.”

  “So fast?” she snapped, but Free refused to flinch.

  “Ye, to children. If you can fix my part of the deal first.”

  Grace rearranged the wrinkles of her face in a smile. “Certain-sure the Arck hates you, chick, but still he’ll bend to me. Join your new ship and your Sub-plus will follow.”

  Free grew very still, while the night frost seemed to reach up from the darkening planet and into his float. He shivered, but held Grace’s insubstantial gaze. “You knew about Clearwing’s arrest,” he accused, and she lifted a finger in happy assent.

  “Indeed,” she admitted, and grimaced when his expression hardened. “I heard, Freefall. I didn’t plot. This deed wasn’t mine. To set a Harvester free…” She shuddered at such a suggestion. “You think I would do such? An act so blatant and unsubtle?”

  A sharp bark of laughter escaped Free. “No,” he agreed harshly. “Your attempts to influence are mostly more subtle.”

  Grace’s lips creased in another sly grin. “Mostly.”

  “You can save Sub-Plus Pinion?”

  “Truly. Find your ship, boy, and she’ll find you. Do we seal?”

  Once again, Free answered without hesitation. “We seal. Send Clearwing to my ship, safe and free, in future exchange for one measure of ‘the necessary’.”

  Grace allowed herself a single wheeze of amusement at his caustic use of her own words, before snapping, “Sealed.” Her mind sent a more explicit description of the deal to her com and it linked with Free’s in formal acceptance of the bargain. The transaction was registered and Grace’s image instantly disappeared.

  Freefall collapsed against the support of his float field, but made no further concessions to exhaustion. He had a new ship and a new urgency to launching it. Clan BackBeak would move against Clear as soon as they realized she was free. That vindictive family would not let the humiliation of one of their own go unpunished. He ordered his com to release adrenaline, despite its muted protest, and his vision cleared. He looked down at the port and his float obediently dove in that direction.

  It plummeted through the atmosphere, disrupting the progress of numerous floats that belonged to less noble families. Its protective field was glowing red by the time Free scorched past the public transport links. His new ship was easy to identify amongst the orderly rows of hulls. It was more than twice the size of its nearest neighbours, which were already frosted in its shadow. He skidded to a halt before a main hatch as large as t
he entrance to the supplicants’ hall.

  Free’s float powered down and settled gently on the stained terramac of a much-used dock, but he stepped onto that soiled surface without a glance. His attention was on the hull that curved above him. Its violet sweep seemed to disappear overhead, merging with the purple sky. It may have been an ancient ship, its fluted diamond shape rounder than the modern fashion, but it was still impressive. It had presence and, as Grace had promised, it was in pristine condition.

  Free sniffed, then looked higher and higher again. Drak, but the old beast was impressive. She wasn’t the sleek new ship of his dreams, but still… he realized he was smiling. That was odd. Certainly since Wing left. Free’s face slipped into a more familiar frown and he took a final look at the darkening sky of his home world, before stepping into his new ship.

  He entered a marble-lined link large enough to load pachyderm birds. It stretched ahead of its young commander, and brightly lit openings edged with gold spiralled around its glowing length.

  Free frowned at that opulent expanse. It was not only fully lit, it was also weightless. He hesitated at such unexpected signs of full power, but only briefly. He shrugged a hand and then pulsed himself sedately along the luminous passage. Corridor openings swept past in an ordered curve, all large and welcoming, but he resisted the temptation to explore. Instead, he pulsed his com again and moved more rapidly to the heart of the leviathan.

  Several minutes passed and Free’s awe returned as the plush passage continued to pass in blurred splendour. He increased his speed until the link was nothing more than a vague impression of black and gold that abruptly vanished when he finally shot into the nest. The marble walls disappeared into darkness on either side, despite the fact that the central consoles were all fully powered. Their gentle light barely touched the distant curve of the massive nest’s bulkheads. However, it did illuminate a familiar figure floating above the leader’s chair.

  “Gull,” Freefall called to his friend in relieved recognition. “Do you never rest, Sector Senior?” He braked hard, but realized he had plenty of space to slow to a sedate drift before reaching his console.

  Gull Snowbeak answered his leader’s grin with a precise bow of his head. “Welcome-on, sah. Also warm congratulations, Sector Leader.” He bowed again, this time more deeply.

  Free’s smile disappeared as he pulsed to a halt. “Full thanks, Gull, but this promotion is not all joy.” His fronds sent both warning and apology before he grimly admitted his failure to find true favor with the Arck. “We’ve a single ship for the whole sector.”

  His subordinate appeared unsurprised and unmoved. “No other attack-leader ships, sah?”

  “None.”

  “Hmmm… how many attack-senior and what level of sub-attack support?”

  “None.”

  This time, Gull did blanch and his fronds rose sharply in shocked protest. “Not one?”

  “Not,” Free confirmed grimly. “We’ve sole watch for all-sector with no support.”

  “Drakking gods,” Gull swore, with a blast of fury that hit his Leader hard. “What the hail did you do in Court?”

  Free paled at the emotional onslaught until the scars on his cheeks stood out in harsh contrast. He swallowed hard and then bowed his head while his left hand rose to his temple in apology. “I ask my crew to forgive. I should have been more politic.”

  “No doubt,” Gull snarled, and there was a moment of grim silence while Free stared at his Senior in shock. The old kres glared back until his face suddenly creased and his emotions flipped from anger to grief. His fronds bushed in apology and both hands rose to meet his bowed head. “My Lord… Leader, forgive please. I was in shock and spoke more than I should. I ask you to forget what was said and sent.”

  “Of course,” Free offered at once and Gull’s fronds sagged with relief.

  However, his head stayed up and his expression was as intense as his voice. “Take care,” he whispered hoarsely. “I beg you to hide your pride at Court. There’s no win with this defiance. I fear our Arck has come to hate you, Freefall.”

  A chill touched the young leader, but he managed a reassuring smile. “Have you only just noted such, Gull? You need to pass more time in gossip.”

  His Senior frowned in response and bowed once more, this time from the waist. “If you say, sah.” He straightened and they shared a smile, although Gull’s was clearly forced. “What priority? We’ve much to do before lift next week.”

  “Tomorrow,” Free corrected crisply. “We lift next day. Start the call up, because we lift in ten hours, even if crew light.”

  Gull’s fronds spasmed and his frown returned. “I need more time,” he protested. “We all do. Sar, our people need planet rest. They’ve earned such.”

  “I know,” his leader agreed bitterly. “I know full well, but there’s no time, Gull. Clan BackBeak are hunting and we need urgent planet-lift.”

  His Senior stiffened in affront. “They dare target you, sah?”

  “Myself and Sub-Plus Pinion. I’ll tell all once we lift, but for now we need total effort.” He paused briefly, giving Gull a chance to analyse their situation. “I’m sending all crew the option of tour-out for this one. There’s no disgrace to stay home.”

  Gull was silent, digesting the implications of such an offer. Free rested a hand on his senior’s shoulder, trying to read the emotions behind his now tightly curled fronds.

  “That means you too, Gull. You can tour down with no-”

  A hiss stopped the rest of his offer and the older kres pulled away from Free’s hand. “A Senior moves with his leader,” Gull barked, and his fronds quivered with suppressed emotion. “We lift together. Sah.”

  Free sighed, but managed a faint smile. “Good. Where would I get without you, Gull?”

  “Somewhere dull and second-rate. You’d be bored-as getting there and cetain-sure late too.”

  An amused snort escaped Free and even his unsettled Senior managed a brief, but genuine smile. However, they were quickly distracted. The whistle of an entry request trilled through the nest and several seconds later its echo returned from the walls.

  Free looked up to see which member of his crew was the first to respond to the call-up. He blinked at the image from the main hatch and leaned forward. “Is that Sub BackBeak?”

  Gull answered with a snarl. “You said they were hunting, sah, but this is beyond insult. To plant a spy so blatantly.”

  “Easy, Gull. I doubt he’s a traitor, but he’s too young for this trip anyway. Warn him off.”

  “Don’t mistake youth for innocence, sah. He’s still a BackBeak,” Gull growled, glowering at the image from the main hatch. The boy fidgeted, but had the good sense not to whistle again.

  “Send him off,” Free ordered and settled into the Leader’s chair.

  “Stand easy, Sub,” Gull said pointedly to the squirming youngster. “This mission is for bonded crew only, so you’re excused. It’s ranked as top risk, with no return date. Understood?”

  The young officer’s throat bobbed up and down, forcing him to pause before answering. “Understood, sah. I volunteer.”

  Free exchanged a frown with Gull, before gesturing to include himself in the video feed. “Why?”

  Sub BackBeak snapped into a bow. “Leader.” The youngster straightened to stare at them solemnly, his brown eyes wide and innocent. “Opportunity, sah. When my Uncle failed you and lost his rank, he not only dishonored himself, but also brought shame to the Clan.”

  “Your Tetrark is angered?”

  “Grandmai is most displeased. She’ll favor me instead, if I can redeem our position in the Fleet. A dangerous mission should offer me chances to advance.”

  “You’ll risk your life in the hope of a promotion that might make you First Heir?”

  “Of course, sah. Wouldn’t you?”

  A burst of laughter escaped Gull, followed by some throat clearing and a cough.

  Free gave him a warning look, but only in
passing. The Leader’s mind was busy with his unexpected volunteer. “You wish to do your family duty?”

  “I wish to fulfil all my responsibilities, starting with those to you and then the Fleet, sah.”

  Free felt that strange twitch of the lips again, as if his mouth was trying to smile. “I like the way you order your priorities. Welcome on, Sub.”

  A grin split the chick’s face and he sketched a quick bow, before falling through the hatch the second the security field relaxed.

  “He’s truly giving me no chance to re-think.” Free shared his amusement with Gull, but his Senior stared dourly at him. “What?”

  “That one will need close watching.”

  “I’m sure you’ll do an excellent job of that,” Free observed, making his friend sigh, but any reply was overwhelmed by an urgent entry whistle. It shrieked through the nest, demanding link access.

  “Who’s using emergency coms?” Gull yelled, before flicking a finger to cancel the alert.

  Free called up the main hatch scan and his heart faltered then jumped when he saw who was at the door.

  Gull’s reaction was much less welcoming. “Sub-Plus Pinion? I’ll bust her wings straight back to sub if she uses a top-level entry claim again.” Free catapulted from his seat, slapping his Senior heartily on the back when he blasted past. Gull was driven across the nest, twisting to look back at Free with his mouth wide.

  “We could do that, or we could promote her instead. Complete the DNA tag and then let her in. I wish full level security for everyone boarding. I’m off to meet Clearwing. I’ll manage her debrief.” He was gone before the order was finished, accelerating hard for the link while his last words hung in the air behind him.

  “I’m certain-sure you will,” his Senior called after him, but Free ignored the cry.

  He accelerated down the link instead and it flew past in a creamy blur, but his headlong progress was interrupted by a chirp from his com. He glanced down at the image relayed by Gull and cursed loudly. It wasn’t Clear imperiously demanding entry to the ship, but her companion Lady Grace. He relayed permission to the nest, even as his face set and his fronds curled tight.

  Not yet. She can’t collect from me yet. However, he suppressed all trace of his feelings while he made a final drive to close with the couple now approaching from the end of the link. He sensed Clear’s surprise when she helped Grace drift to a halt and realized he was still moving at speed. He hurtled past his Sub-plus and heard the older kres cluck in sharp disapproval, but instead of annoying him, her reproach brought a grin to his lips.

  Free flipped smoothly and com thrust straight after the somersault to start braking. He flew feet-first at the sculpted opening of a major passage and his heels hit its silk wrapped edge precisely. Gravity reclaimed his lower body and his legs bent to absorb the impact before flexing to push back. He had lost most of his speed and wafted to a halt beside the leader of the BGP.

  “Welcome on, Lady Grace,” he offered politely, with a full court bow despite the lack of leverage in the weightless link.

  The old lady merely sniffed in response. “Still addicted to flash entrances, Sector Leader?” she queried, and he inclined his head.

  “So it seems. Much thanks for escorting Sub-Plus Pinion.” He turned meaningfully toward the main hatch, but Grace refused to turn back with him. Instead, she broadcast amused surprise.

  “I’ve no time to play nursemaid. Any-all, the Sub-Plus is quite capable of escorting herself.”

  “Of course-”

  Grace continued without the slightest regard for Free’s response. “I came with Pinion because it suited me. I wish to close-see my investment.” She looked innocently around the impressive vessel, but Free knew her real interest.

  “Why do I suspect you don’t mean the ship?” he asked dryly, and was rewarded by the conspiratorial flicker of a seamed eyelid.

  “Better, boy, better. I trust I’m welcome-on for the full tour.” She turned away from Free without waiting for his consent. “You, Pinion. You may escort me to my quarters.”

  However, the young officer turned first to her Leader. “Sah?” she asked calmly and waited for Free’s permission.

  He had to breathe deeply first, but the old lady was right. His confirmation was merely a formality. “Please.”

  “Yesah,” she answered smartly, but then hesitated before turning away. “And thank you, sah. I needs must say a total thanks. You held faith in me, despite all appearances. So heartfelt thanks. Thanks for all times. Thanks forever. I owe you so much. There’s no way to expres my gratitude. I don’t know how to say-”

  “Truly?” Grace asked drily, interrupting the flow of words, and Clear’s mouth snapped shut.

  “You’re most welcome,” Free said quickly, forestalling further comments from the old lady. “But my motives were self-serving. I’d no wish to lift without my DS.”

  Clear offered an automatic salute and started to turn away again before her fronds bushed in shock. She spun back wide-eyed to face her grinning leader. “DS, sah?” she croaked. “Data Senior? Senior? Really?”

  “Truly,” he assured her with genuine delight, although Clear was still solemn with shock.

  “Oh,” she managed in response. “Oh. Thank you, sah. True, utmost thanks. Absolute, full thanks.”

  Grace groaned and muttered, “Not again,” but her protest was ignored.

  “I won’t let you down,” Clear promised, and Free reached out to squeeze her shoulder in quick congratulations.

  “I know you won’t. I’ve complete faith.”

  “Good, sah, because I’ve the same in you-”

  “Oh pity an old lady’s digestion,” Grace moaned, throwing a hand to her brow, before moaning again.

  Free abruptly remembered his unwelcome guest and pushed away from his new DS before flicking a finger in dismissal.

  “Please place Lady Grace somewhere peaceful and too quiet to aggravate stomach acid.”

  “Sah,” Clear agreed, lifting the tip of a frond to acknowledge his hint to stow the old kres far from the nest and far from Free’s quarters.

  Grace obviously understood the order too, but cackled happily in response. “I’ll be well enough if I can’t hear you two tweeting at each other. I’ll take some rest now and join you pre-lift, Leader.”

  Free bowed to the inevitable and to Lady Grace. “As you wish. I’ll inform you when we’re ready. Do you have a preference in attendants-?”

  “My own will board soon-as,” she informed Free sweetly and his fronds tucked tight in an effort to hide his annoyance at the presence of more civilians.

  “Of course. If you need any-all just ask my Supply Senior. And again, welcome onto the Grace, My Lady.” He gestured at the ship surrounding them and the elderly kres blinked twice in quick succession, but that was her only response to the vessel’s new name.

  “Hmmpf. Trust it flies smooth,” she quavered doubtfully, and Clear stiffened beside her.

  “I’m sure it shall,” the DS stated with youthful certainty. “It has the very best leader in the universe.”

  “And the best crew. A leader only ranks with his crew,” Free quickly amended, making Grace scowl and clutch her chest.

  “Stop,” she ordered dourly. “I’m sweet intolerant and you two paired are sickly. Enough. Take me, girl.” She offered a withered hand, which Clear carefully clasped. “Haste, child. Before one of you feels compelled to speak and the other forced to answer.”

  The younger kres used minimal thrust to turn them both and drifted back to the large opening that Free had used earlier to stop his headlong dash. She looked over her shoulder while she ushered Grace carefully into its gravity and smiled at Free over her wizened charge’s head. He felt elated, despite the danger, and watched Grace’s departure with smug satisfaction. However, his happiness was plucked by her final words. They wavered back into the link and his kres hearing was hit hard by each one.

  “I get so sick of sweet. Where’s Nightwing when
I need his selfish cynicism?”

  Free’s smile melted away, along with his contentment. He turned back toward the nest and toward a familiar sorrow. He doubted he would ever see his cousin again.

  23

  The Auction House