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Clearwing watched Freefall’s hasty departure with a frown. His unguarded emotions were easy to read and she was disturbed by his lack of satisfaction in their victory. He projected more than unhappiness. Instead, he was consumed by a sense of failure. The nest cleared and then started to refill as rostered crew arrived, but Clearwing floated beside her station without noticing. She was so preoccupied by concern for the Leader that she missed the greeting from Mid-Plus Plover, who was relieving her.

  “Hey,” the Mid-Plus repeated loudly with a delighted grin. “I said congratulations, duckling. I’ve never heard of anyone being promoted during their first shift before.”

  “Oh.” Clearwing’s blonde hair stirred and she silently cursed as more floated free. “Thanks. I guess I’m just lucky. Good shift.” She pushed herself quickly away from any more praise and entered the link so fast she almost pulsed herself into Senior Snowbeak.

  He was floating just past the entrance and his mind admitted that he had been waiting for her. He raised his com to send a moderate surge that Clearwing copied and they wafted along the link together.

  Gull nodded coldly to the two BackBeaks as the couple floated past, but Clearwing ignored them. She felt a breath of malice, like a cold breeze passing, before the pair were left behind. Most of her attention was on her Senior, floating at her side. They continued in silence, while she wondered what she’d done wrong.

  “First blood,” Gull snapped and Clear flinched. “The first you’ve seen, yes?”

  “Apologies, sah, I’ll be tougher-”

  “Please, Sub-plus. Such would greatly concern me. Death is never pleasant and it never should be.”

  The young officer shifted her thoughts to consider this as they floated slowly along the link. “I know other species call kres too peaceful. They often times say that because we hate to fight we make terrible soldiers, but I just don’t believe it. We can defend ourselves if we must. Arck Sharpeye proved that.”

  “Certain-sure,” Gull agreed. “It’s all due to him that we hold more planets than any other sentients.”

  “Those are interesting words, sah. Is that how you judge this? That we have to hold our planets?”

  “Yes, young Clearwing Pinion, I do. That’s truly why I joined the fleet. Why did you join?”

  “I wanted to travel,” Pinion said in the same irritatingly fresh tone as the fleet recruiting visual.

  Gull laughed and she smiled in response. “Sah, I want to ask you somesuch.”

  “Ask.”

  “After we rammed that first Harvester, did you know I was distressed? I truly needed distracting when you told me to run data lock. How did you manage to be there at the perfect time?”

  Gull grunted. “That’s a senior’s job, but sad to state I can’t take full credit this time. I knew you were upset, but only because Freefall frond-passed your emotions.”

  “The leader noticed? In the middle of all else?”

  “That’s his job. And he’s good at it.”

  “He’s perfect,” Clearwing murmured, and Gull twisted sharply to study her, until her hair tugged against its braid again.

  “He’s a fine leader,” the Senior said softly, “with huge potential. The best in the fleet.” Gull’s mind underlined his respect for Freefall, while reminding Clearwing to keep her own admiration strictly professional.

  Her eyes re-focused amid a rustle of escaping curls. How utterly mortifying. She risked a glance, but it seemed the Senior hadn’t noticed her embarrassment. Well, he was old, already middle aged and possibly prone to sudden losses of hearing and sight.

  “Sah,” she said loudly, forcing herself to make eye contact. “If Freefall’s the best, why does he always work so hard to prove it? He doesn’t seem to have any give in him and, despite his control, he’s wound terribly tight. He’s super critical of himself. It’s like he all times has to do more. Achieve more. Why?”

  Gull winced then quickly scowled at Clear. “Interesting questions. You’re most dangerous when it comes to any data chase, Sub-Plus. That’s why the leader bartered for you, you know. He used his entire crew quota for three cycles, because you were the best graduate in your year.”

  “Me? The leader bartered for me? But I was only fifty-sixth in my year.”

  “Fifty-sixth in all, from twenty planets, but your data tests were far superior. Your console skills were the very best and Freefall needs a top data senior to match the rest of his crew.”

  Clearwing felt an unexpected glow and her questions about the Leader vanished. “Truly? Me? Data Senior one day? Are you certain-sure?”

  “I’m not noted for my random guesses.”

  “Of course not, sah.” Clearwing gripped her main plait and held it still. “I’d like to win further promotion. Please thank the Leader for his confidence.”

  They wafted on in silence, but only briefly. Clear ducked her head and tried to sound casual. “Does he always bid so high with his crew quota?”

  Gull twisted sideways to stare hard at her and the furrows in his brow deepened. She pinched her hair tight and tried not to panic. Why did her questions always cause trouble?

  “You seem most curious about Freefall.”

  “Of course. He’s a fascinating puzzle. For example, he must have been the best graduate in his year?”

  Gull pursed his lips, but his frown eased. “He scored tens or high nines in every discipline. He was a most fine student and won the Honor Dagger.”

  Clearwing’s com surged and she curved in front of the Senior, then stopped so quickly he ran her down. They collided and hurtled together across the empty link. They rebounded from a curving wall and she felt the brief tug of gravity as her foot slipped into a corridor. Their momentum freed her and she twisted slowly back to mid-link. Gull was now glaring at her, but she truly didn’t care. “Honor Dagger? Not the Honor Sword? Are you claiming someone bettered him?”

  “Calm,” the Senior chided, and Clearwing’s hair stirred yet again.

  She ducked her head in belated apology and her fronds tucked submissively against her neck as she awkwardly pushed away from her superior.

  His cynically amused expression returned. “I’m afraid it’s true. Freefall got the Dagger. He was second in his year, not the leader. That seems to surprise you.”

  “Mmmm. Yes, because he’s so brilliant, but in other terms, no. I guess that’s the person he seems driven to beat? But I still don't understand the guilt I feel from him. He yearns to atone for... something.”

  And someone, Gull added, the bitter thought slipping past his mental control to make Clear draw a sharp breath.

  Who?

  This time it was Gull who slammed into Clearwing. She screeched when he grabbed her by the upper arms and held her hard while they collided with the wall, before spinning back to the centre of the link. His eyes held her’s, just as firmly as his hands gripped her biceps.

  “My turn to ask, Sub-plus. What do you call someone full of questions?”

  “A data tek,” Clear whispered, but he shook her by the shoulders.

  “Or a spy.” Gull’s fingers dug deeper and she bit back a whimper. “How did you trick such a thought from me? Did you go any deeper? Are you a spy? TELL ME.”

  His fronds flicked forward to wrap around one of Clear’s and she arched back. He shook her again until she floated limply, staring at her crazed Senior.

  Do you work for the Arck? Or another faction? Do you plan to harm Freefall? Why such interest in him?

  Clearwing felt her teeth lock and her mind closed just as tight. No-one rummaged through her head without permission. She heard Gull laugh, but all she could see were his eyes, as light as ash and filling her world. His voice filled her head too, but that touch was infinitely heavier. She gagged and tasted acid, along with panic. How could she fight such an experienced mind?

  Don’t the Senior warned. Tell me what you want with the Leader.

  It took less than a second for Clear to consider her options. “I admire him” she choked
and closed her eyes while her mind admitted how much she liked Freefall. It was the most embarrassing moment of her life, which was truly saying something.

  A minute passed before Clearwing noticed that her frond was free and the Senior was laughing again. “Apologies, chick” he finally managed and she opened her eyes. Gull looked rueful and offered her a deep bow. “I’m an old cynic and I’ve clearly lost all memory of being young. I regret scaring you and hope you can forgive me.”

  Clear rubbed her upper arms and bit her lip. “I hope so too. But that was against all Fleet rules, Senior.”

  “Regulations are just text, Sub-plus. This ship is real and it faces real dangers. I’m charged with its security, which means I will do absolutely anything to keep it safe. My job is paramount to me. Do you understand?”

  Clear sighed to herself, but had to admit that she did understand. Her job had always come first too, at least until recently. She pushed her lips upwards in a faint smile and Gull responded by slapping her on the shoulder.

  “My thanks, Clearwing. I see that we share a passion. For our work and I fear that trying to hide information from you is like trying to keep a wren from water. In apology for my earlier suspicion, I’m going to trust you, but you must show true discretion. This information was stripped from public record by Arck Sharpeye and must never be repeated. Understood?”

  “Understood, sah.”

  “Freefall drives himself fiercely in all ways, as you noted. He pushes himself so hard... because of treachery.”

  “Treachery?” Clearwing was shocked and fascinated, her anger at Gull forgotten.

  “That’s right, chick. A betrayal of the most total kind. Freefall was too trusting and aided the escape of a traitor who moved against his people, his family and his friends. He left Free behind, to carry the scars of a disHonor he never deserved.”

  “Who would do such?”

  Gull grimaced and his eyes, which were distant with anger, focused sharply again. “I’ve said more than should be spoken, but it was the top graduate in Freefall’s year who cut him so deep. That exile was once his most trusted family, but now fights for the other side.”

  7

  Violation