 
## The Prisoner of Cimlye

### C. Litka

Smashwords Version 1 (April 2020)

©2020 Charles Litka

Thank you for downloading this ebook. You are welcome to share it with friends. This book may be reproduced, copied, and distributed for non-commercial purposes, provided the book remains in its complete original form.

If you should happen upon any mistakes, I'd be delighted to correct them. You can email me at cmlitka@gmail.com Thank you.

Information and news about my other and upcoming books can be found here:

https://clitkabooks.blogspot.com/

A map for The Prisoner of Cimlye can be found and downloaded on my blog here:

https://clitkabooks.blogspot.com/2020/03/sketch-map-for-prisoner-of-cimlye.html

Dedication

To All My Family and Friends. Thank You For Making My Life A Good One

Thank You

I would like to thank my wife and friends who spent many hours making this book better than I could have ever made it by myself – and far more fun. I am very grateful to Sally Litka, Hannes Bimbacher, Dale Shamp, Joe Saur, Hy D Tran, and Walt for their eagle eyes and all their helpful comments.

Dear Reader: The Prisoner of Cimlye is my second story set in the Tropic Seas. It is not a standalone story. It serves as an epilogue to my story entitled Sailing to Redoubt, and as such, it can not be fully enjoyed without first reading Sailing to Redoubt, which is available, as a free ebook, from this ebook store.

### Chapter 01 Lil Lon

01

'...And your packet of Can-Fi Savory Biscuits, 49 coras, brings your total to...' I pulled the lever on the adding machine, '279 coras.' I wrote the total on the sales slip, looked across the counter, smiled, and waited...

'I haven't time to haggle. I have dinner to make,' Mrs. Bin snapped, as she slipped the packet of biscuits into her shopping bag. 'Let's just settle on a simple ten percent discount, which makes it 251 coras.' She was a wizard at math. She looked up at me, her black pearl eyes challenging me to dispute her claim.

'Our loyal customer discount is five percent,' I replied evenly, as she well knew.

'Seven percent.'

I shook my head sadly. 'Dad gave me strict instructions not to haggle while he was away. He feared that the Lang Mercantile would not survive should I to try to match wits with sharp customers, like you, Mrs. Bin.'

'None of your cheek, young man. Seven percent.'

I sighed. The game had to be played. 'Please, Mrs. Bin. The Mercantile is already teetering on the brink of bankruptcy after only six weeks with me at the helm. My only ray of hope is that I received a letter from my folks yesterday saying that they were on Merkara Island, visiting Grandpa Lang. You can take this up with Dad in a few days. Assuming that I can keep the Mercantile open a little longer.'

'I haven't time for your so-called wit, Young Lang. I've known you since you were dirtying diapers and sneaking candy from behind the counter, so let's just settle on seven percent and be done with it. That makes my bill 259 coras.'

'There is no need to get personal, Mrs. Bin,' I said in mock outrage. 'And the correct term is "shrinkage." Plus, I was out of diapers by the time I was shrinking our candy supply.'

'Who knows when you started? My point is that I've been a customer, and a good one, since your father first opened the doors...'

'Yes, you are a very old... Or, perhaps I should say, "very loyal," customer, Mrs. Bin. But it's still five percent. However, I'll tell you what I'll do, I'll throw in one of those Cocoa Peaks that I know you're very fond of, no charge,' I added, reaching to the shelf behind me to grab the small, paper-wrapped chuck of chocolate.

She had opened her mouth to take me to task about my "very old" quip, but decided not to risk the Cocoa Peak. 'Make it a Lava Peak, the one with the cherry on top,' she said instead, pointing across the counter to it.

'Lava it is,' I said with my best professional smile, placing the candy on the counter. 'I just hope I can still open these doors tomorrow. I've got to scrape together enough money to meet the week's payroll.'

'Five percent is a 14 coras discount, making it 265 coras total,' she said, all business now, as she swept the Lava Peak into her bag and took out her coin purse to count out 265 coras, in fives and single coins.

As she started stacking up her coins on the counter, I made a slow show of dividing 279 by ten and then by two, before saying, 'You're right. 14 coras it is, which... ah, yes, you're correct, 265 coras.' I wrote the discount and new total on the sales slip, along with a "Lava Peak n/c."

'Tff!' was her only comment.

I took my time counting her piles of coins as well, but I think that, given her attention to coras, she appreciated my thoroughness.

'Thank you, Mrs. Bin,' I beamed at her as I swept the coins into the cash drawer.

'Good afternoon, Young Lang,' she said with a nod, and headed for the door.

'And a good afternoon to you, Mrs. Bin. Please come again, soon.'

She just "Tffed," again, as she pushed through the screen door and out into the hot Lil Lon afternoon sun slanting under the canvas awning.

I smiled. We had been playing that game, off and on, for more than a decade. It was all in good fun.

Next, I turned my attention to the slim figure who I'd seen slip through the doorway, out of the corner of my eye, while I was attending to Mrs. Bin. She was well worth my full attention, from her elegant sandals, to a knee length, continental style, skirt in the cool blues and greens of an island style fabric, topped by a crisp white blouse and a scarf in colors to match her skirt. She wore a trim blue dyed straw hat, with a colorful band, daringly raked on the side of her head. Her black hair was neatly cut and curved in to just brush against the top of her collar. Large blue tinted spectacles hid her eyes. A wealthy continental tourist at first glance. Very continental. And yet...

I knew that taunting smile.

'Well, well, if it isn't young Taef Lang, boy storekeeper,' she said taking off her tinted spectacles and sadly shaking her head. 'Who would have thought such a hardened candy thief would've risen so far?'

'Sella!' I exclaimed, nearly leaping over the counter to reach her and giver her a hearty hug, with a peck on the cheek, to boot. I stepped back, and taking hold of her hands in mine, took her in. 'It is wonderful to see you! We – the Meys and I – had begun to worry about you... and Lessie... when we didn't hear anything more from you after your arrival on Casea Island. It's been nearly six months. My, you look dashing!' I added in my exuberance.

'Worried? About us? Really?' She asked archly.

'Well... We were worried about how your grandfather would treat you upon your return.'

'Really? Since when have we been unable to handle him?'

'I stand corrected. So how did it go?'

'Oh, about as as well as we expected. I'm here, aren't I?' She smiled.

'And Lessie?' I had to ask, just to be polite, while dreading the answer.

'Worried about her, are you?' she said with a teasing smile.

'Ah, yes. Of course....' I lied. Well, sort of. I was far more worried about the prospect of meeting Lessie Raah than not. That inexplicable sense of impending doom, which her ever-so-tentative wave on our parting had sent through me, had never quite left me. It still haunted me whenever I thought of our future meeting.

'Oh, she's doing quite well, all things considered. Her letters sound quite cheerful.'

'Letters?'

'Ah... You have another customer waiting on us,' she said with a nod.

I glanced aside to see Mrs. Trou at the counter, glaring at us impatiently.

'All set, are we, Mrs. Trou?' I asked, as I slipped back around the counter.

'And have been for some time.'

'Sorry. A surprise visit from... an old university friend.'

'So I see. I've got eyes,' she hissed, giving Sella a sharp look, which she returned with a sweet smile.

I wrapped up and wrote down her purchase of a roll of fabric on her tab, and sent her on her way, glancing up at the clock over the door as she stalked out. It was nearly 5:40.

'She didn't seem to approve of me,' laughed Sella, as she disappeared beyond the store window.

'Don't take it to heart. She disapproves of everyone. She's one of the island's preeminent sourpusses. Give me a second, and we can talk,' I said, stepping into the aisle and calling for Ella. She guiltily peeked out from the end of the shelving in the dim depths of the Lang Mercantile. 'Would you look after the front counter, Ella? I'm going to step out for a few minutes. An old friend has just shown up out of the blue sea,' I added, lamely.

Ella smiled and told me to 'Run along.'

'Let's not step out,' said Sella softly. 'I only stopped by to get your address from your father. I hadn't expected to meet you in the flesh. And while I took precautions, it would be better if I wasn't seen with you.'

'Oh? On the run from grandfather, are we?'

'I'm not on the run. I'm out to see the wide world. It's you I'm worried about. I don't believe that he knows your name, or your full connections here. But he does know that a naval officer from Lil Lon sailed with us to Redoubt Island. I wouldn't want to give you away, should he have sent agents here to wait for me or look for you.'

'The office, then. I have to make up the pay envelopes before we close, anyway. So if you will follow me...' I said with sweep of my arm to usher her down the long aisle lined with tall, dark wooden shelves filled mostly with products imported from the continents and major islands.

'So this is the famous Lang Mercantile...'

'It is indeed. One of the wonders of the islands. A treasure cave of sweets and treats. Your source of the finest spices, caf nuts, and cha leaves. Plus we offer the finest tinned foods and delicacies from kitchens of the continents, as well as your continental staples like wheat flour, fresh and dried fruits, and berries,' I said, pointing each out as we walked down the aisle with a counter and shelves on the right and tall, dark wood shelves on the left.

'And in the next aisle over,' I continued as we neared the door to the back room, 'you'll find the finest tools, nails, screws, hardware, and fittings. Plus toys, and trinkets, plates, and cookware, modern stoves, and lamps – all from the finest factories of the southern continents.

'But it is the third aisle that you must certainly visit while you're here. For in that aisle you'll find the most modern and up-to-date fashions from the fashion capitals of the world. And if you care to sew your own clothes, the finest fabrics from the islands and continents. All of which, I assure you, can be had for far less than a prince's treasure cave.'

'I am in awe. I'm beginning to believe that your true calling may, indeed, be storekeeper. The world may be poorer if you become an archaeologist,' she said as I ushered her though the swinging half doors to the back storeroom, and then on to the small office in the corner.

'Well, I know that my father would be greatly impoverished, if I stayed on as a storekeeper,' I laughed. 'Let me get the cash box out of the safe, and we can talk while I see if I have enough money to meet the payroll.'

Sella settled herself down on a corner of the old desk and waited while I unlocked the safe and placed the tin cash box on the desk. I then took out six envelopes and wrote the name of one of our employees' names on each.

I then glanced up to her. 'First off, let me put your mind to rest. I don't think we need worry too much about Vente agents. Both the Fey Lon special constabulary and the political officers of the Aerlonian Navy keep a very close watch on who comes and goes in Fey Lon. These islands may be a backwater in the island wars, but intrigue runs deep in all the islands. All strangers are watched. And that especially goes for ones who don't seem to have any business to conduct here. I'm sure that my former colleague, Lieutenant Kartha Vine, would've tipped me off if anyone had noted the arrival of a Vente boat. We're rather familiar with Vente yachts these days.'

'It could be only a single agent, and my concern is that if they identify you, they might also want to silence you.'

'You told your grandfather I would keep your secrets, didn't you?'

'I'm sure Lessie did. However, Grandfather desperately wants to keep our secrets, well, secret. He doesn't like the idea that those secrets are on the loose in the world, promises or not. He simply can't, or won't, trust us to keep them. So, I'd not be surprised if he has devoted significant resources to pull me in, and discover who you are, in order to do the same. And, well, I don't know to what extent he would go to keep you quiet...'

I glanced up to her. 'Really?'

She nodded. 'As long as he's just looking for a naval officer who was stationed here, you should be safe. But if an agent finds out just who you are, well... I don't think you want to live constantly looking over your shoulder.'

'No... But then, look how easily you found me...'

'Which is why I had hoped that you'd be far away. So, why are you still here? I booked my passage through to Kanadara because I expected to find you there. Why aren't you in Kanadara helping usher in a new age?'

I sighed. 'It's a long story. The short version is that we may have been a little too optimistic. Let me finish counting out the money and I'll tell you my whole sad story. In the meanwhile, where's Lessie and why are you only exchanging letters with her?' I asked warily. Forewarned is forearmed.

'I'm touched by your concern for her. First, let me just say that we decided to live our lives a little more independently of each other... Not a falling out, mind you. Just the realization that we were all grown up, and that we should be pursuing our own lives, independently of each other. And I must tell you that I made a solemn promise to stay completely out of her, ah, shall we say, relationships? So if I seem to be unwilling to tell you much about Lessie, it is because of that promise... '

I just shook my head, and sighed.

'I'm sorry,' she said brightly, deliberately misinterpreting my reaction. 'That I can say so little to you about her. Still, from her letters, she seems to be doing just fine. I can read her true feelings between the lines, and I feel that she is, indeed, as happy and content as she says she is. That unhappy chapter of her life – the one you know – is now a closed book... But enough! I keep my promises.'

'Yes, keep them,' I said. 'I am happy that she has found contentment – without me,' I added sharply. I was also happy that she was, apparently, far away.

As I finished filling the envelopes with the paper cora bills, I sighed and leaned back in the creaky chair. 'Right. As to what happened to me – well it was mostly a lot of nothing.

'Right after you sailed out of sight, I headed up the hill, stopping only to sneak into my room, change into a uniform, and hide Captain Dar's recording thingy, since I did not know how I'd be received. I didn't want it taken from me, should I find myself in the brig.

'I then proceeded to wake up and make my report to Captain Char, telling her the whole story – or rather, as much as we agreed I could tell.'

'Did you give Captain Char my letter?' she broke in eagerly.

'Yes, I did, eventually.'

'And they didn't shoot you. Oh, I'm so glad I thought to write that letter.'

'Yes, Sella, it was thoughtful of you. Thank you,' I said with a sigh. I was doing that – sighing – a lot this afternoon, it seemed.

'Did they believe you? But of course they had to believe you about the Redoubt and the Founders.'

'Aye. The recording device didn't give them any option.'

'So what about Lessie and I? How did you explain getting involved with us?'

'Actually, it turned out to be rather simple. It seems that my involvement with you and Lessie did not come as any great surprise. As I said, we keep a close eye on arriving boats and ships. Lieutenant Vine, who works shipping intelligence, had noted the Starsea's arrival when you came to pick up Lessie and her crew. When I arrived, I noted the excitement of the Vente crew when they spied the Starsea, and so I took special note of it as well, even before I reported for duty. Indeed, I pointed it out to Captain Char as a possible Vente yacht as you sailed away.

'The Starsea's return was again noted when you came to collect the key, or me. However, since it only took you a few hours to identify and shanghai me...'

'Oh, I only had to bring up a Vente sorceress and your name popped up like a cork.'

'I was aboard the Starsea and on my way to Vente Island before Lieutenant Vine could report your arrival, on the following morning. Indeed, because of the Prince's Birthday Holiday, its significance was not noted until two days afterwards, when I failed to report for duty. It didn't take Katha, that is Lieutenant Vine, and Captain Char long to connect the appearance and subsequent disappearance of a suspected Vente yacht to one missing Lieutenant, LT, Lang. However, by that time, there was nothing to be done.

'Or nothing worth doing for a limited time lieutenant. Katha said that they decided that if they had come to kill me, my body would show up sooner or later. And when it didn't, they were willing to wait and see, what, if anything, would come of my disappearance. They even told my parents that I was on a confidential mission. I don't know if Captain Char ever expected me to return, but she didn't seem too surprised when I did. In any event, it made explaining everything that had happened a whole lot easier.

'I should add that they had also noted the appearance of your uncle's steam yacht, which made my explanation of how I came to, ah, voluntarily continue onboard the Night Song with you, a bit easier to explain, as well.

'In any event, I stoutly maintained that learning all I could of the Vente Islands, and then, whatever secret the Founders' key might reveal, was far more important than collecting island shipping gossip. And that, as a political officer, I had the freedom, indeed, the duty, to grasp any opportunity to further our greater goals within the islands. In short, I argued that I sailed with you for the navy and country.'

'And they bought that?'

'Well, you have to remember, they haven't seen you...and Lessie, so they reluctantly accepted my explanation that I did it solely out of duty.'

'So, what happened next?'

'As I said, a lot, and nothing at all. Over the following two months I must have told my story a hundred times...' I replied with a shrug, and continued to relate in detail my series of interrogations as I moved up through the islands and the chain of command with Captain Dar's recording device my only proof that I wasn't crazy.

'Eventually, I ended up on Florearta, an Aerlonian island just off the continent's coast, which serves as the Navy's command and supply depot for its mischief amongst the Tropic Islands. I told my story to the Admiral commanding Tropic Island operations and turned the recording over to him, as ordered. After that, I waited for several weeks without any further word, before being ordered back to Fey Lon to resume my work – without explanation.'

'They didn't say anything about their plans going forward?'

'Nope. They kept the recording. No doubt it, and transcripts of all my interviews, went further up the chain of command to the Admiralty and likely the Government Office in Kanadara. But apparently I was no longer needed for what they were planning to do, or not to do.'

She shrugged. 'I guess that we were too naive about how our news would be accepted. We saw the Founders and their knowledge as a great opportunity, while those in power seem to see them as a challenge to their authority, their legitimacy, and the set order of things. I know that was Grandfather's reaction.'

'I gather that it was the same in Feldara. I wrote to the Meys after my return, outlining my experiences, and six weeks later, I received a letter from them in return. Even though they were much further up the chain of command than a mere Lieutenant, LT, they too, quickly reached the same dead end that I had experienced. Indeed, they were so frustrated that they have decided to retire from the navy to take up academic posts in the National University of Feldara.

'I have to believe that the continental rulers will eventually have to accept the new reality that the Redoubt and the Founders exist. But when? And will they need us?' I shook my head. 'I don't know. But I don't see any point in waiting on them to decide on how to deal with the Founders. We need to get on with our lives. Someday we may be able to do something on our own. The good thing is that there is no hurry. The Founders have been sleeping for 5,000 years. A few more years or even decades won't matter to them.'

'Still, they'll have to come to us, eventually, if they want to meet the Founders.'

'Will they? Have you forgotten our encounter with Captain Nevis of the Harrier in the Five Island Sea? The Aerlonian Navy knows where and when a certain Lieutenant, LT, Lang was sailing on a yacht with two, ah, attractive young ladies. Even from the vague information I provided in my interrogations about Redoubt Island, they can probably work out that the island must be in the Five Island Sea, and from that, they could probably eliminate all but a few candidates. Of course, reaching that volcanic crater without a map might be next to impossible. But, as I said, I don't think they're in any hurry to find the Redoubt.'

Sella shrugged. 'And if they do it on their own, I am certain that Captain Dar will be able to deal with them without us.' She paused and then added, 'So how did you end up here, minding the store?'

'Well, as I said, I was sent back here, and returned to duty collecting shipping gossip. They seemed to have nothing better to do with me. But that didn't last much more than a month. One morning, about two months ago now, Captain Char called me into her office when I reported in, and waved me to the chair before her desk. She slid a thin stack of papers across to me. The top one was my discharge paper.

'"Sign it on the back," she ordered, as I stared at it, with surprise, and a sinking feeling.

'I looked up at her and asked, "Why? I still have six months left in my commission."

'She just shrugged. "The whys are above my pay scale. It appears that our superiors feel that you've earned your full citizenship," she said, reaching over to flip the sheet over and tap her finger on the checked box on the form which affirmed that I had completed my full civil obligations.

'''Can I object to this? I believe I'm owed at least an explanation" I asked.

'She shook her head no. "I don't know much more about this than you do. It comes down from high enough in the Admiralty that I'm not in a position to insist on knowing why. And I don't care to speculate. I've been given my orders, and now you have yours. Please carefully read the other pages as well. You are required to keep all the work you did for the navy's political office top secret, which is the standard naval policy for an officer in your department. I trust that you will abide by that policy, as I believe that it will be very strictly enforced in your case," she added grimly. And she could look remarkably grim when she wanted to. "I need your signatures where I have checked."

'As I stared at the papers, I considered my options, but they seemed to chiefly consist of only signing at the check marks and turning over my tinplate. And when it came right down to it, why should I object? If I wasn't going to play a part in bringing the Founders back into their world, what was the point of staying in the navy longer than necessary? I had planned on a much different life for myself after I was discharged. Now it appeared that I could, at least, make a start on it, and a little earlier than I had expected. All to the good. As for keeping silent about what we had discovered, well, that was in line with what Captain Dar had requested as well, so I couldn't object to that. At least in the short run. So I signed at the check marks and turned over my tinplate. Captain Char wished me well, and I left a free man with time on his hands to plan for his future.

'I started my new life by writing letters. I wrote to the Meys, updating them as to my situation, and plans for the future. I wrote to my old university to get my credentials and to various universities, mostly island ones. And since mail takes its time traveling through the islands, I told my folks that if they wanted to take the extended holiday to visit relatives in Aerlonia that they had long talked about, now was the time, since I was now free to watch over the shop while I waited for replies. My younger brother now works in a Lang store on Der Lor island, which is only a few hours sailing away, but Dad considered that too far away to be really in charge of his store. However, with me on hand, he had to reluctantly give in.

'So off they went, five weeks ago, leaving me in charge of the Lang Mercantile of Lil Lon. And when I say "in charge" I mean that I'm in charge of anything that goes wrong. Ella and the rest of the staff have been employed for as long as I can remember. Long enough to be considered family. They are entirely reliable, and could easily operate the store without me. But Dad felt that it was unfair to ask them to be fully responsible for the Lang store on their own. There needed to be a Lang around to make the necessary decisions and shoulder the blame if something extraordinary happened. So every day I show up and play the role of the Lang in the Lang Mercantile. And I feel obliged to continue to do so until my folks return, hopefully in a few days. But after that...'

Ella called out from the half door, 'It's six.'

'Aye. I'll be right out,' I called back, and turning to Sella added, 'Give me ten minutes, and then I'm all yours.'

'Run along and be the Lang of the Lang Mercantile. Take all the time you need. You've given me a lot to think about.'

02

I handed out the pay envelopes to our employees who had gathered in the store and sent them on their way. I then cranked in the canvas awning and locked the front door, flipping over the sign to "Closed." After that, I walked the store to make sure everything was in order, noted what needed to be restocked, and, with a long pole, closed the slats of the louvered vents set in a series of dormers that ran along the peak of the shop, which let some light in and allowed the hottest air to escape. Finally, I collected the cash box from the front counter and the receipts to lock them in the safe – I'd do the bookkeeping in the morning before the store opened. I found Sella still perched on the corner of the desk, still deep in thought, as I locked away the money box and hung up my shop apron.

'As promised, I'm now all yours. What's the plan?'

She shrugged. 'I still have much to think about, but it doesn't make sense to continue on to Aerlonia. So I need to return to the ship, cancel the remainder of my voyage, and collect my luggage. You can come along, if you want, and direct me to a hotel.'

'Oh, you're staying at Seaview, the home of the Langs. We've a guest room waiting for you,' I replied. 'I won't take no for an answer.'

'Do you think that's wise?'

'Tff, as Mrs. Bin would say. Katha hears about everything that goes on in these islands. If someone was interested in me, I'd have heard about it already.'

'I was thinking more what your parents will think, and your customers, when they find out I'm staying with you? I take it you're home alone.'

'Where else would an old friend stay? Oh, they'll gossip and speculate about it, of course, but that's already an island astern. Mrs. Trou is also the island's premier gossip, so that by this time tomorrow, everyone on the island will know that a beautiful continental lady showed up looking for Taef Lang at the Mercantile. And they're welcome to make what they want of that, and will. The thing is, it doesn't matter. Not in the islands. I think, however, that it would be best if we continued to pass you off as an old university friend rather than a Vente sorceress.'

'Will anyone believe that?'

I laughed. 'Probably not. Still, you're looking very continental, so what can they say? Besides, I'd rather not have word reach Captain Char that I'm entertaining a Vente sorceress. I don't think we need to get the navy involved.'

She shrugged. 'I might want to have some words with your Captain Char... We'll see.'

I didn't like the sound of that, but let it ride. 'However, just to play it safe, I can lead you down to the harbor using the paths of my childhood, if you're really concerned about your grandfather's agents lurking about.'

'I always make it a point to avoid risks,' she replied loftily.

I gave her a look.

'Whenever possible.'

I just shook my head. Still, I must admit that her obvious concern was having a chilling effect on me. I'd have thought that the Captain of Teraven would assume that if I was to betray their secret, I would have done so already. And if not, I could be trusted. From what she said, it appears that assumption was wrong. I was seen as a loose end that needed, well, attending to. I also make a point of avoiding risks, whenever possible. But what could I do?

'Plus, I want to learn more about the youthful Taef. Every little tidbit will amuse Lessie. Dirty diapers are a given, but a candy thief...well, that's an eye opener.'

After locking the back door of the store, I glanced up and down the narrow alley, blue in the shade cast by the ragged line of stores lining the high street. On its opposite side rose a steep slope covered with bracken, bushes, and the wild growing flowers found everywhere on the island. As far as I could see, it was deserted, save for butterflies and dragonflies, until it curved out of sight in both directions.

'These paths I mentioned are the ravines that carry the rainwater down from the peaks. They're mostly dry except when it rains, but they're also steep, rocky, narrow, and can be slippery. Fine for kids, but you're not exactly dressed for them. It might be better if I just take you up and around the island by the roads. I don't want to brag, but I did have a class in spotting tails during my political officers' training program. I should be able to spot any one trailing us.'

'Oh, I think I can manage a few mossy rocks. It'll be an adventure. I've always liked adventures.'

I couldn't argue that, so I led her several buildings down the alley until we came to a short wooden bridge and a break in the buildings. The ravine at this point was perhaps three meters wide, and two deep. Bracken and bushes lined its upper slope, while mossy rocks fell, in uneven steps, down its center. A trickle of water still wound its way over the rocks from last evening's shower. A narrow, foot-worn path snaked between the rocks and bracken.

'Here we are,' I said, 'Still up for it?'

'Lead on,' she said.

I slipped down off the bridge and onto the narrow path and offered up my hand to her. She crouched and took it, landing beside me.

'As kids, we would duck under the street, but we can climb up and sneak across the street. It'd be easier.'

'That would defeat our purpose. I can go where you can go.'

'I would've gone over the bridge, but if you want the whole experience...'

I kept her hand as we started picking our way down the mossy rock steps, brushing the arching ferns aside as we went. I moved a bit more tentatively than I did in my youth. On reaching the street, we had to crouch low and scuttle through the spider webs in the moist darkness under the wide street bridge. Once on the other side, and after brushing the spider webs from our hair and faces, we continued on down the ravine, the buildings on either side towering over us. We did slip over the too low alley bridge, but then scuttled under the last street bridge. The row of houses on the far side of the road, was the lowest row of houses. After passing them, I led us out of the ravine, since we could now just walk down the hill to the beach. The hill had tall bracken growing in shade and splashes of sun under the canopy of batto trees. It also had many paths winding down to the sunlit beach and hissing, restless surf.

I let go of Sella's hand once out of the ravine. While you can't spend several months aboard a 12 meter yacht without developing a certain intimacy with your shipmates, there were hard limits to that intimacy. Our libidos had been kept well in check, for it was real life, not fiction, and friendships were at stake. And friendship was all Sella Raah had offered. She had claimed that her sister was in love with me, and that was a line she would not cross – even if it was only in her romantic imagination. Lessie not even offered me friendship, or if she had, only tentatively, at the end. Which had frightened me with the vaguest hint that Sella was right. In any event, I knew I had experienced a once in a lifetime adventure. I didn't care to tarnish its memory by misunderstanding Sella's easy companionship for something else. Especially now, without Lessie around as a sour faced chaperone. So, while I could hold her hand to help her navigate the slippery rocks and steep path of the ravine, she didn't need it to walk the rest of the way down to the beach. To have kept it would've risked crossing the line, if ever so slightly. Sometimes, with Sella, it was too easy to forget there was a line. I had to be very careful.

As we strolled down through the bracken and clumps of batto trees, I said, 'You haven't told me what happened upon your return to Teraven. I gather things went no better for you than they did for me, or the Meys.'

'Oh, they went about as well as we expected. As I wrote in my letter, we sailed first to Casea Island where our maternal Grandfather is the Prince. There we swapped the Night Song for a more undistinguished boat and sailed to Port Luesea, a small fishing port on the southeast coast of Teraven. We're far too old in mischief to have considered approaching Grandfather together. If he had both of us in hand, he could do as he pleased. So one of us would to talk to Grandfather, while the other remained at large, for leverage, so to speak. With one of us free, we could arrange jailbreaks or resort to some sort of blackmail, if needed.'

'Blackmail?'

'With one of us loose in the world armed with ten copies of Du Sun Sewja's "A Concise History of Teraven; From the Founders to the Present" we could put an end to Grandfather's prime policy of total secrecy. I brought one copy along for you. You might need it for leverage, as well. Wrap it up and give it to someone you trust, to be opened if you should, ah, disappear for a year or so.'

'Do you really think that's necessary?'

'Yes, I do,' she replied, all too seriously, adding, with a smile, 'I don't like taking chances.'

'Right.' I didn't either. But it seemed like I took them anyway.

'Anyway, we argued as to who should meet with Grandfather. I said that I should be the one to confront Grandfather, since I had the best chance of convincing him to embrace the Founders...'

'With all your charm, wit, and black hair.'

She smiled archly. 'I can't argue with that. However, Lessie insisted that she should be the one, since it was her project from start to finish. And if anyone was to blame, it would be her. Plus, since neither of us was likely to convince him, regardless of our charm, wit, or hair color, it would be better if I was the free agent, since I had far more friends to call on to help her should Grandfather send her to the deepest dungeons of Teraven.'

'Did he?'

'Yes and no. Grandfather described it as internal exile. He sent her to the Naval Station on Cimlye Island, which is on the northwest coast of Teraven – almost beyond the pale. She does, however, have a nice cottage almost to herself – the guest cottage of the Port Admiral's house on the island. She has a housekeeper, a cook, and a guard to look after all her needs, plus the freedom to roam the island base, and to attend all the social activities on the base that she cares to. Plus, she is allowed to receive visitors as well. Of course, there are not many friends who could, or would, travel that far just to visit her. But there are some naval officers we know, whose duty takes them to Cimlye and they have visited with her. So, you see, her fate could've been far worse.'

I didn't say anything. Growing up in the islands I must have been inoculated with some of the island superstitions, and deep enough that seven years of Layfield and the navy in Aerlonia did not erase them. There is an island term, 'mirage island vision" that denotes a certain type of premonition. The real mirage island is a phenomena where certain rare atmospheric conditions make a distant island, even one beneath the horizon, appear very much closer. So, when you get a mirage island vision, it means that you catch some sort of vision of a future event. I didn't actually see any future event when saying goodbye to the girls that night, but I sure felt something. And as Sella talked, I felt an echo of that something, only this time, I was "seeing" the "island" clear enough.

'Do you have a plan to spring her?' I asked, tentatively, after a bit.

'Well, our original plan was to simply wait until Captain Dar and the other Founders emerged from Redoubt Island. I would then approach her and ask her to shame Grandfather into releasing Lessie. We thought it might take a year or so.'

'And Lessie was good with that?'

'You know Lessie. Who knows how long she would've sulked at Hawker House if I hadn't sent you to fetch her. Besides, should it become unbearable, I'm certain Lessie can find a way to escape – the island, anyway.'

We had now passed a line of small fishing canoes tied up to the batto trees and reached the broad beach. Not by design, we had descended to the same cove where I'd said goodbye to the girls that night, some six months ago. I tried not to see this as some sort of omen, since the ravine we had followed led to this cove, and I actually knew that, if I'd given it any thought. But I didn't. So I shivered a little. Sink my islander heritage!

As we reached the beach, Sella slipped out of her sandals and raced across the hot sand to splash into the thin sheets of the sea that surged up to meet the land. She waved to me to join her. So I did, slipping off my sandals, and hopping across the hot sand to join her on the edge of the sea.

We laughed and splashed each other before setting out for the harbor. Crossing the little finger of land that enclosed the cove, we found the sea's edge again and walked with the mild sea water swirling over our feet and occasionally up our shins. The slowly setting sun was still warm on our faces and the air still held the heat of the day. To one side, the surf tumbled to white cream at the edge of the sand bar with a muted roar, and beyond it, the blue Tropic Sea rolled out to the pale blue-green sky. The tall batto trees on the island side swayed ever so elegantly in the onshore breeze. While above them, the towering peaks of Lil Lon Island, bright green with the tame jungle, and vivid with the flowering bushes and vines, glowed warmly in the evening sunlight. With Sella at my side, it seemed to be about as perfect an evening one could imagine.

Sella had grown quiet as we strolled along. As did I. I couldn't help but brood over that mirage island vision.

We skirted fishing boats pulled up on the beach and strolled past the fishing shanties in the trees, past cozy couples on the beach under sun umbrellas, and past families gathered around a small fire cooking their dinner on the beach.

'Recognize this place?' I asked some time later, stopping to point to a dozen shanties on stilts that climbed the hill in the speckled shade of the battos.

'Yes! There's the shanty that you were living in when I... When I invited you to Vente Island. Are you glad I did?'

'Yes,' I answered promptly.

'Because you got to play at being Zar Lada?'

'That may play a part...'

'And you got to meet the real live Founders – people out of the legends.'

'Yes, it plays a part as well, though I still can't believe it.'

'And?'

'Well, let's see... I found an unknown Tika temple, explored a little of a hidden continent, and became better acquainted with reef dragons, armorfish, and birds of sorrows.'

'And?'

'And I had the good fortune to become friends with, and sail across the Tropic Sea with two pretty girls. And lived to tell about it.'

'Pretty?' A dangerous look.

'Ah, very pretty?'

Still dangerous. 'I mean beautiful. One with hair as black as a moonless night, the other with hair as pale as a sun washed beach.'

'One of the things I like about you, Taef, is that you're a quick study.'

'Thanks.'

'Any regrets?' she asked a little later, after we started walking again.

'About what?'

'About anything since the Raah twins came into your life.'

I though for a while. 'I'm sorry that Lessie was so unhappy. I suppose I should say that I regret that you and I can be no more than best of friends, but, I know that it is for the best – and not because of your explanation. So it's not really a regret.'

'Then why, if not my explanation?'

'Because you have far greater ambitions than I. We would be an unmatched pair.'

'You don't think I'd be happy as the wife of a storekeeper?'

'I intend to be a scholar, a lecturer in island history and archaeology, but even so...'

'Ah, I'm glad to hear you say that you haven't given up your dream to become a real life Zar Landa, I was beginning to wonder.'

'By the island gods, no. As I said, I sent out inquiry letters as soon as I was discharged from the navy. But island mail being what it is, I knew that I would have some time to spare. That's the only reason you found me here. As it turned out, I've only started to receive replies in the last two weeks, so playing the storekeeper hardly delayed my plans at all. The replies sounded encouraging. My next step will be to visit the universities. I was planning to sail on the first steam ship sailing north just as soon as my folks return.'

'How far north?'

'Well, my first choice is the University of Jarpara. Studying the shipping schedules, I can catch a ship to the Jarpara Islands from Tyra Tara Island.'

She nodded. 'We called on Tyra Tara. Why Jarpara?

'It is the oldest and most renowned of the island universities. As such, it has the resources to support archaeological work in the field – plus the dean of the history department just happens to be a good friend of the Meys. They wrote to me saying that they'd written a letter to their friend recommending me for any open history position she might have. They also, in their letter to me, enclosed a letter of recommendation that I can use elsewhere, if I cared to. Seeing how famous and well regarded the Meys are, I've some reason to hope that I'll eventually land a position in my field. The University of Jarpara will get the first crack at me,' I laughed, and added, without a great deal of thought, 'And if you'd like to visit the Jarpara Islands, we can sail together, if you like. I understand that they are quite impressive, very ancient, very continental. Plus, they're quite influential in the Eastern Tropic Sea, so you might want to visit them in your world tour.'

I said that rather guiltily, as I knew that we had unfinished business before we could sail to Jarpara.

'I like that idea, Taef. A lot. I do want to see both the islands and the continents, But I can't just leave Lessie waiting, possibly years, to be freed. I'm going to have to return to Teraven to attend to that task first.'

'Yes, of course,' I said, and swallowing a lump in my throat, added, 'If I can be of any assistance, you can count on me.' This was the island in the vision that must be faced.

'Thank you, but I should be able to manage her escape on my own, or with the help of some of my Teraven friends.'

'What will it involve?' I might as well know my fate.

'As I mentioned, Cimlye is an island naval base. It is located just off the northwest coast of Teraven. The west coast between the sea and the escarpment is sparsely populated. Just mining and lumber towns along the coast. Cimlye Island is only five kilometers off the coast, with the largest city of the coast, Combrene, close by. But that city is still almost 2,000 kilometers from where the resort towns, and the coastal road, end. And, of course, the great escarpment prevents travel inland. Between the last resort town and Combrene, there are only isolated mining and lumber ports, served by coastal passenger and cargo steamers. So, while it would be relatively easy for Lessie to escape the island and hide out in Combrene, getting further down the coast would pose a serious problem. The navy could patrol the surrounding waters, guard the docks at Combrene, and put agents on every steamer, if they cared to. There are just too few avenues of escape after leaving Cimlye Island.

'The only course would be to go to ground in Combrene and simply wait out the navy's efforts to recapture Lessie. Sooner or later they would either give up, or get so slack that she could, or we could, disguise ourselves and escape under their bored noses.'

'Why does Lessie need your help at all?' I asked. 'If she could escape the island and go to ground, as you say.'

'First, she has no way of knowing that Captain Dar and the Founders are not likely to ride to her rescue anytime soon. All her letters are no doubt read, so there is no easy way to tip her off. And more importantly, she'd need money to survive in Combrene while she waited for the pursuit to die down. It could take months. And then money to book a passage to Teravena or Vente. However, money is the one thing she is denied. I suppose she could seduce some officer and borrow the necessary funds from him...'

I tried to keep my expression neutral, but I found that scenario very unlikely.

'But I suspect she'd have more pride than that. The alternative would be to steal the necessary funds, one way or another. That, however, would be a crime that Grandfather could charge her with.'

'She's not charged with a crime now?'

'No. You see everything we did, like borrowing the Starsea, several times, was done with a letter of authorization signed by The Captain, and backed up by an authentic command token. Of course the signature on the letter was mine. I can sign Grandfather's name like my own, but the command tokens were real, though borrowed.'

'Stolen.'

'Borrowed. Lock picking and safe cracking are some of Lessie's talents. We explored the Residence from its attic to its deepest, Founders-built, basement levels during our stays there. During one of those expeditions we happened to find the safe in Grandfather's office, and in it, the box of command tokens. Since they didn't need all of them, and we could imagine uses for them ourselves, we borrowed half a dozen from the bottom, filling it back up with large washers.

'Grandfather could, no doubt, charge us with all sorts of misappropriation of government resources, but to do so, he'd then have to admit that his oversight was so lax at the Residence that his granddaughters could get away with almost anything. He's loath to admit that sad fact. So he would like nothing better for us to commit a crime that we could be charged with, and imprisoned for real.'

'So how is he holding Lessie, if not for a crime?'

'He's invoked something called "The Captain's Privilege," a general sort of authority that he can use in unusual circumstances.'

'Can it be challenged?

'I suppose. But who besides Lessie and I will? And how could we?'

She shrugged, 'I think the fact that Lessie is being held so loosely – that she can even entertain visitors – is designed to tempt me into this deep trap as well. Either that, or he's hoping she'll escape and will be forced to steal to survive.' Here Sella paused, lost in thought, for a moment or two, no doubt considering such a rescue mission, before shaking her head and adding, 'Still, we're old hands at making a fool of Grandfather. I'm sure an escape can be pulled off. I'll just have to give it some more thought.'

'You talked about using blackmail. Why not use that to free her? I was still hoping for a way out.

She sighed. 'I suppose I could. But you see, I'm planning on being the next Captain of Teraven. And, it seems to me, that blackmailing the current one by threatening to toss over the age old policy of secrecy might be viewed as a bit too ruthless, and too close to treason, to make my appointment likely.'

'Appointment? I thought he was Captain for life.'

'No. It just seems like it. The term is actually for thirty years, and his term will be up in seven and a half years.'

'Hmm... Still, I rather doubt that your grandfather is ever going to appoint you his successor.'

'He's not. He'll likely appoint my uncle Derth Mara. However, my father should've been the next Captain, and as his eldest children, the position should be mine, or Lessie's. Lessie's not interested in it, so I intend to return to Teraven and claim it for myself, when his term of office expires.

'How can you challenge his appointment?

'He doesn't actually appoint the next Captain. He merely nominates his successor. The Captain's Staff, composed of elected members of the National Assembly who head up the important government departments, are the ones who actually confirm the appointment by a vote. Now, I'll admit that the voting of the Staff is usually a formality, since, by custom the position of Captain is passed down through the relatives of Kit Raah. I'll also admit that this is a rather ancient and embarrassing primitive custom, but well, what can I say? However it's not actually one unbroken dynastic line. While all the Captains have been able to trace their family line back to Kit Raah, after some 5,000 years of recorded history, just about anyone and everyone can trace some ancestral line back to Kit Raah. Derth Mara no doubt has some authentic Raahs somewhere in the family tree, and his son, my cousin Marth, is half the current Raah already. Really, the name itself is little more than a title, since every Captain has adopted the family name to Raah upon their appointment.

'Is the title handed down to firstborn sons alone?'

'No, the firstborn offspring, so that Lessie and I are the primary heirs of the position. Derth, or perhaps Marth would get the nod because my father's sister has no interest, nor for that matter, talent, for the position. But I, and Lessie, as the firstborn direct descendants of the current Captain, have the most traditional claim to the position. And I intend to challenge any choice of his that isn't me.'

'And that's enough to get you appointed? Or are you counting on your charm, wit, and black hair?'

'Well, my right of succession should be enough, but I will certainly have to use my charm, wit, and black hair to overcome Grandfather's objections. However, I know many of the people on the staff. I grew up with their children and stayed at their houses...'

'That's good? I seem to recall some stories you told...'

She laughed. 'I'm sure all is forgiven. Time heals all wounds. I've long since apologized, where apologies were needed'

'Right. You mean the times when you were caught...'

She just laughed again, and gave me a playful shove.

'Now where was I? Oh, yes, before I return to challenge Grandfather's appointment, I will have traveled the world, learning all that I can about the world at large. So that when I return to Teravena, I will know more about the world that is slowly, but certainly, coming for us than any other candidate. I will be able to talk about the challenges that we will need to face, and my policy to deal with them.' She paused and then added, faux modestly, 'And I believe that I can persuade most of the staff to defy my Grandfather and vote for me. I can be very persuasive.'

'As I well know. I have no doubt that you will be the next Captain of Teraven,' I said, and said it sincerely.

She may've blushed.

By this time the lively anchorage of Fey Lon had come into view, and our attention turned to finding a boatman to row us out to the white hulled Tropic Seas. This allowed me to push off committing myself to the venture that I knew I must, the mirage island vision come into focus.

03

Being an old hand around the Fey Lon anchorage, I quickly spied a reliable boatman idle on the quay and had him row us out to the landing ladder of the Tropic Seas. I waited aboard while Sella tracked down the purser, and stood by while she quickly packed her wardrobe into a single, not overly large, kit bag, and a roll pack.

'You travel light,' I said, slinging the roll pack over my shoulder and hefting the kit bag.

'I can buy whatever I need, or want, as I travel. No point starting with a load of old stuff when so many new things await me.'

'True enough, I suppose, if funds aren't an issue.'

'I'm the granddaughter of an island prince,' she replied grandly. 'Any island prince worth calling him or herself an island prince, has a secret cave overflowing with chests of gold, baskets of pearls, and caskets filled with jewels and jewelry. Lessie and I are entitled to our mother's inheritance, and our Majin grandparents happen to love us, unlike our Raah grandparents. So funds aren't an issue.'

'I'll sleep easier knowing that.'

'I'm sure you will, someday,' she replied with a rather pointed sidelong look.

It took me a moment to understand what she meant, opened my mouth to object, and then decided, why bother? I didn't want to open that conversation again, especially since she was sworn off it, for the time being, anyway.

We largely retraced our steps on our way back, except that we skipped the ravines and followed a series of paths that led to Nirivana Street. It was the route I took the night we parted. It involved some streets and alleys, but I wasn't inclined to scramble up the mossy rocks or the ravines loaded with Sella's gear.

As lightly as Sella was traveling, I was glad to reach the green wooden gate set in the flowering hedge before Seaview House.

'Welcome to Seaview,' I said swinging open the gate to the small front yard. Seaview was a white painted stone, and dark stained wood, two story house with a low roof. It was built in typical Fey Lon fashion – long and narrow with both stories having verandas on all four sides. There were four bedrooms and a bath, upstairs, each with double glass doors on both sides of the bedrooms to allow air to flow through them. They were reached from a central stairway that opened on to the veranda in the rear. Downstairs was the central hall, with the stairs to the veranda. The kitchen, and the dining room were to the right. The living room and study/library were to the left. These rooms also had glass doors on both sides, and long rows of windows along the top of the two meter stone walls. All the glass doors had wooden shutters to protect from storms and shutters hung from under the veranda for the rows of windows.

We walked up the stone path to the front door. I unlocked it, and ushered her into the dark wooden paneled central hall – hot and stuffy since I had closed up the house before going to the store.

After carrying her luggage up to the guest room, I showed Sella around Seaview, flinging open the double doors to let the warm, but not stuffy, air into the house. And after that brief tour, we set out to make dinner with the chicken I had purchased and brought home during my lunch break. We made "three pepper, fire roasted chicken" – the recipe given to me by Kim of Lessie's crew, when aboard the Island Crown. We had a good time – like old times aboard the Night Song.

It was dark by the time we had washed dishes, and settled onto the porch swing on the upper veranda. We had grown silent, lost in our own thoughts as we watched the battos sway and the sea glitter in the light of the first moon rising behind the peaks.

We must have rocked silently with our own thoughts for the better part of half an hour when I finally gathered my courage and said quietly, 'I'll fetch Lessie. But not for the reason you think.'

I'd been wrestling with that prospect since Sella had described the conditions of her exile. It was not something I wanted to do. But I knew that is was something I could do. Moreover, it was something that I had to do, or I'd regret not doing it the rest of my life. It was my mirage island vision. It had to be faced.

'I can do it, Taef. It will be fun,' said Sella quietly next to me. 'She's my sister, after all.'

'No. I've been giving it a lot of thought. I'm the fellow to do it. They're expecting you. If your grandfather's serious, he will have agents on every steamer on the coast, paying special attention to women traveling alone. And he's likely to employ agents like your friend, Lieutenant Fel. Lessie didn't fool him, so you can't trust your disguises either.'

'Carz – Lieutenant Fel – wouldn't do that again!' she protested.

'If ordered to?'

'No, not even then.'

'Fine, we'll count Lieutenant Fel out. But there are no doubt dozens of other officers, who know you, but not well enough to know that they'd be wise not to betray you.'

She just shrugged.

'Remember you have to travel both ways. And if you go to ground in that city on the coast, you still have to eat. They'll no doubt keep an eye on the markets and shops. Trust me, I'm a political officer, with two weeks of training. I know how these things are done.'

She didn't reply. I'd a feeling that she was secretly more than happy to let me go – though not for a lack of courage.

'On the other hand, I'm completely unknown in Teraven. I'm not one of your known friends. None of them would be implicated in any escape. Plus, I've been around naval officers for the last three plus years, so that I'm confident that, with a little homework, I could play the part of a Teraven naval officer. At least well enough to get on base and stay just long enough to meet Lessie and bring her up to speed on how things stand. And if she wants to slip the tether, I can help her get free and go to earth.

'Plus, should the plan hit an uncharted reef and sink, you'd still be free to use what leverage is necessary to rescue us. I'm sure both Lessie and I would be more comfortable knowing you're free, than the two of you having to rely on me to spring you from the brig.'

'If you're truly volunteering, then I am fine with it. But I want to make it clear that I neither expect you to do so, nor am I asking you to do this for Lessie.'

'I'll be honest with you, Sella. I'm not eager to do this. And I'm certainly not doing it for the reason you might want to believe that I am. However, Lessie is, I suppose, a friend. I do care about her, as your sister. Neither of us can just let her sit in captivity waiting for a rescue that isn't likely to happen any time soon. We have to do something, and I'm in the best position to do it.'

'You realize that this isn't like the last time. It will take more than a forged letter and a command token. You realize that you and Lessie will have to lie low for weeks, if not months. You have your plans for your future. If you decide to do this, you'll have to postpone them yet again. Do you really want to do this?'

"No" would have been the truthful answer. But I had to do it, so I said, 'Yes. I have the best chance of pulling it off. It's my job, Sella.'

'Right. Then I suggest that you start growing your whiskers. You'll likely need several different looks for several different identities over the course of your mission.'

'Right.'

'So, with that settled, I think I'll call it a night. It's been a long day,' she said, standing. She bent over and kissed me on my forehead. 'Thanks, Taef.'

At the door to her room she turned back and said to me, 'Oh, and from this moment forward, you are in the service of the Prince of Casea. No arguments.'

'Huh? What does that mean?' I staring blankly at her dark silhouette.

She sighed, said, 'Oh, just figure it out.' And with that rather cryptic remark, she disappeared into her room.

I tried, for a little while, but it had been a long day for me as well. I decided that whatever she was talking about could wait until breakfast, and went back to rocking in the swing until the light of the leading moon reached my feet. It still took me a long time to fall asleep.

### Chapter 02 Passage to Teraven

01

The sun hung low and ruddy in the west, edging, with bright gold, the coaling hulks, the various naval vessels of FeyLon and Aerlonia in the harbor, and the forest of island trader masts slowly swinging in Fey Lon's roadstead The jungle clad volcanic ridges to the north and south, with the white cities of Fey Lon to and Lil Lon that clung to them, basked in this last touch of the hot and quiet day in a silence broken only by shrill calls of the gulls wheeling overhead.

I had arrived in this same roadstead on a day and a time just like this one, a little less than a year ago. As we had glided along, I recalled the mix of feelings I had felt then, and compared them to what I was feeling on leaving it once again. I had been happy to be returning home, but apprehensive as well, about reporting to my new posting. I now felt a sadness in leaving home once again, even though I was leaving for what was, hopefully, the future I had long dreamed of. There was happiness in that thought. And a certain happiness in the company I was leaving with – Sella was always a cheerful companion. But, as with my arrival here, I felt some apprehension as well. And not just about that future, but my more immediate concerns regarding the mission I had volunteered for, fearful of both its failure and success.

The Island Crown, its black hull (to better hide rust) and white central superstructure, also had that golden glow of the dying day. From its single, blue smokestack a thin trail of ruddy smoke rose straight up in the still air, for it was raising steam for its imminent departure. Alongside it, clung a single lighter taking on the last of its cargo from the Island Crown. It, like my future, had been distant enough, in the deep water of the roadstead, when we had started out from the floating wharf, waving goodbye to my folks on the wharf. But now that the Island Crown loomed large and real, I could feel the weight of it, and my uncertain future.

The boatman, standing behind us, rhythmically swung his oar back and forth, as we glided over the smooth, lazily heaving surface of the wide, reef sheltered lagoon, with the gulls soaring overhead, loudly gossiping as they searched for their evening dinners. As we glided past the lighter, I spied Mr. Derth, the second mate, on the deck above, directing the operation of the derrick that was swinging a cargo net full of crates and chests out of the hold and down to the waiting lighter. No doubt a couple of those chests would end up in the Lang Mercantile's back room, since the Island Crown was on its northward run from Kanadara, Aerlonia. When he noticed us, I waved, eager to get this adventure truly underway. He returned my wave, and then seeing who was waving, gave me an ironic, island salute, and quickly focused his full attention on my companion, who was once more a prim, stylish continental lady.

Before we rounded the stern of the Island Crown, I heard Mr. Derth call out to a couple of deckhands to man the landing stage and report to the captain that the passengers were arriving.

As the boatman deftly steered his boat alongside the landing stage, two bare chested crewmen hurried down the steep steps to greet us.

'Hey, Lieutenant, we heard you were sailing with us again,' said Taft cheerfully, as he grabbed the rope our boatman tossed to him. But like Vin, his companion, he quickly lost interest in me. They devoted all their very amiable attention to Sella, who returned it with a smile.

I tossed our modest luggage on to the landing, since, like Sella, I was traveling light. All my books and personal items were crated up in my room awaiting address labels and that, I hoped, would someday soon be filled in with an address.

I held Sella's hand to steady her in the slight swell as she stood – not that she needed it, being a veteran sailor – but she was playing the part of a continental lady – at the moment.

Taft and Vin quickly took charge of getting her aboard, settling for a hand each as they eagerly lifted her on to the landing stage, and held on, saying that they'd not want her to fall off. The Island Crown was not the type of ship that elegant continental ladies usually traveled on, and her crew were not accustomed to greeting such. However what they lacked in sophistication, they made up with enthusiasm, and well, Sella was only playing the part of continental lady, and took their enthusiasm cheerfully.

After paying our boatman, I stepped up to the landing stage, on my own, and followed Sella, Taft, and Vin, with our luggage in hand, up the steep accommodation ladder.

Captain Wera and the purser were waiting on the deck to greet us.

'Welcome aboard the Island Crown, Lady Calis,' said a beaming Captain Wera, who, in his rather grand fashion, offered his hand. 'We're delighted to have you aboard, m'lady.'

Tessi Calis was Sella's alias in exile. I'll use it only in recorded conversations, to avoid confusion.

'Thank you, Captain. I'm delighted to have the chance to sail with you,' she replied, as she took his hand. And with a nod to Taft and Vin, 'And your crew.'

To me he gave a brisk nod as I followed Taft and Vin to the deck, and a 'Lieutenant Lang,' before returning his full attention to Sella, who, by this time, was being greeted by the smiling Ratalie, the purser, eagerly offering his hand as well.

'Lee Ratalie, the purser,' he said, adding, 'If there is anything you require, please feel free to let me know. I'm here to serve.'

'Thank you, Ratalie,' smiled Sella, taking his hand as well, while Captain Wera shot a 'Humpf.' across Ratalie's bow for his eager intrusion into his conversation.

Ratalie turned to Taft and Vin, and said, 'Run along with their luggage, staterooms seven and eight – our best,' he added for Sella's benefit. I knew them to be all the same. The Island Crown's passengers were people with business in the islands, and limited time lieutenants on their way to their assignments.

I had visited the Island Crown whenever she, and I, were in Fey Lon, so I was now a familiar character onboard. One that they could afford to ignore in order to devote their full attention to my companion. Though I have a feeling, that standing next to Sella, it wouldn't have mattered who I was.

Captain Wera had been studying Sella with a rather strange expression while she was exchanging pleasantries with the purser.

'Humpf,' he began. 'Have you sailed with us before, Lady Calis? There is something about you that seems familiar.'

Sella laughed. 'You must see a little of my sister, Lea, in me. She sailed aboard the Island Crown, almost a year ago now – when Taef was a passenger.'

I suppressed a sigh. I had suggested that it would be safer if we did not mention her connection to Lessie. She, however, insisted that she owed Captain Wera a great debt of gratitude for stopping to save her sister from the Banjars. And that the dangers were minor. We'd travel as fast as any rumor.

Wera turned to give me a puzzled look.

'We brought her sister, and her crew off that wreck, the one the Banjars were interested in.'

He stared at me for a second, and then slowly shifted his gaze back to Sella, as the implications sank in. 'The Vente sor... islanders we rescued?'

I nodded. 'They're not actual Vente, just northern islanders...'

'But the magic?' he asked, staring at Sella.

She smiled. 'Oh, I'm sure it was just a silly misunderstanding. You know how superstitious we islanders are. My sister said that the Banjars just stumbled when their boat was bumped by a large armorfish. But, be that as it may, I am ever so grateful to you, Captain Wera, for saving my sister. It was so gallant of you to send your crew out in the face of a whole boatload of Banjar pirates. And now it is wonderful to have the opportunity to thank you in person!' exclaimed Sella brightly.

'Humpf... It was nothing more than following the accepted norms of the sea, m'lady. And we did have a 10 cm cannon aimed at them, if they should have forgotten who they were dealing with. As it turned out... Well, it wasn't needed.' And looking at me again, added, 'Can I take it, then, that you are traveling with Lieutenant Lang, here?'

'Oh, yes! You see, my sister ended up entangling Taef in some island affairs back home. The result of which, I had to invite...'

'Shanghai.'

'...Lieutenant Lang not too long after he arrived here to sail home with me to deal with some of the unfortunate results of the sinking of the Sealight. Didn't Taef tell you all about that during one of his visits aboard?'

'No, he didn't,' Wera replied, giving me a hard look.

'And I can't, since it also involved my naval duties, which, I have been ordered to keep strictly to myself, even though I am now just plain Lang, having been discharged from service as a full Arelonian citizen.'

Sella sighed. 'As much as I would like to spin our tales of adventure, it is perhaps best that nothing be said. You see, they are all tied up with the question of who succeeds to an island princedom. And I'm sure that you know that in the islands, the issue of who should be the next prince, is often fraught with danger. I have a claim to a certain island throne, and so I also have a few enemies. I really should keep a low profile, Captain. Less known about me, and the less gossip about me in port, the safer I'll be.'

'Humpf. Yes, certainly. I will give the order to the crew not to mention you ashore,' he said, giving me a thoughtful look.

'In any event, Captain, thank you again for saving my sister. It was so gallant of you.'

'It was my pleasure, Lady Calis.'

'It is just plain Tessi, Captain. None of this Lady Calis. Now, if you will excuse me, I think I shall get into something more comfortable. Lead on, Mr. Ratalie.'

Captain Wera turned to me after she had left, humpfed, and remarked thoughtfully, 'It seems, Lang, that one good deed seems to have led to others, at least for you.'

'It almost got me killed several times, as well, sir. Still, it also led to good friends and interesting mysteries, so, on the whole, I'll not complain,' I said, with a smile and a glance back.

02

The Island Crown came to life in the fast falling blueness of the night. Its anchor was clanked up, reeking of the mucky sea bottom. Its screw churned the water white astern, while the blast of its steam whistle cleared a lane through the roadstead for the twin beacons that marked the passage through the sheltering reefs.

I could just make out a small, waving figure on the distant dock. Mom. Sella and I waved back from the bridge deck. Dad had, no doubt, gone home, having said his goodbyes, and seeing no point in watching a ship sail.

Remarkably, only five hectic days had flown by since Sella had walked into the Mercantile. My folks had arrived home mid-morning on the following day. They stopped first at the Mercantile, as it was on their way home. Dad walked in and looked about, seemingly amazed that it was still standing. It was fortunate that Dad's first concern was the Mercantile, as it allowed me to tip them off that we had a guest staying at Seaview. She was an old university friend for now, though we later told them her actual identity, as they knew most of the story anyway.

From talking to Mom later, I gather that they were so warmly welcomed home by Sella that she made them feel almost like they were very special guests in their own home. Sella has a way of filling a room with her presence. Not surprisingly, she got along famously with my folks. Mom especially. I mean, how many times have I been led to make the choices Sella wanted me to make, and yet, still found it hard to resent that. Indeed, Mom drew me aside on the day we were sailing to tell me how much she liked Sella, making it clear to me, without actually saying so, that she wouldn't mind having this Vente sorceress as a daughter-in-law. Father, I think, was a little more cautious, probably because he realized that she wouldn't make a good storekeeper's wife.

Since I'd be not be able to send my folks a letter for at least three months – far longer than what could be explained away by the slowness of island mail service – we felt a need to mention my mission to Cimlye Island to my folks. I left most of the talking to Sella, who could sell the most outrageous endeavor as a stroll on the beach. At least to me. She kept to the truth, if a rather vague, stroll on the beach, truth. Whatever concerns they may have been left with, they were probably less alarming than not hearing from me for three or four months.

As luck would have it, the old, and familiar, Island Crown was scheduled to be the first steamship arriving in Fey Lon that could take us northward. Better yet, it would end its northward voyage at the exact island, Boromaru, where Sella said that we would find a Casea Island trader to take us on to Casea. This was not by chance, as Boromaru was an important island trading center for Teraven and the northern island empires. From Casea we would sail in a small fishing boat for Teraven.

When it came time to book our passage on the Island Crown, I discovered that being in the service of the Prince of Casea meant that Sella was going to pay for all my expenses going forward.

I objected, having been putting away my navy pay for the day I sailed to my real career, but she'd simply waved off my objections. 'Grandpa Majin can hardly close the heavy iron door of his treasure cave, it's so filled with loot of a thousand years. Your mission will cost him a few trinkets. Don't give it a second thought.'

Put that way, I didn't. Anything to help a prince close his treasure cave door.

03

I was leaning against the bridge deck railing watching the moonlit black peaks, patchwork fields, and jungles of Fey Lon slip by, as I had nearly a year before, when Coxtan Bril, the first mate, clamored down the ladder from the bridge at the change of the watch. Spying me, he sauntered over to lean on the railing beside me.

I nodded, 'Hello again.'

'So you're back aboard us, Lang, and I hear, a free citizen.'

'You've heard right, mate.'

'And the word is that the young lady that came aboard along with you, is actually traveling with you.'

'True.'

'Word is that she's another Vente sorceress. The sister of the one we fished out of the sea, back then.'

'She's her sister, but the Vente part is not true. They aren't Vente.'

'And not a sorceress? You and I were there, mate, at the wreck.'

'Yah, but I haven't seen Tessi do any sort of magic, and there were certainly times when it would've come in handy. So,' I shrugged. 'I wouldn't put too much faith in what we thought we saw.'

He let that ride. 'They say she's heir to an island throne.'

'That is true. But that's always an iffy thing in the islands..'

'I hear she's your... friend?'

'Yes, a friend.'

He sighed. 'Why, you?'

I shrugged. 'A virtuous life?'

He gave me a sidelong glance. 'If that's what it really takes... Still, by the blue sea, I fished her sister out of the drink alongside you...'

'True.'

'And yet, I've no would-be-island-prince hanging on my arm.'

'Take it from me, would-be-island-princes don't hang on your arms. Even ones you fish out of the armorfish infested sea. Especially the ones you fish out of the sea. They're a tough bunch.'

'Don't quibble.'

'What can I say? You had your chance. You were in the boat with me.'

'Yah, but I was on the wrong end of it.'

I shrugged. 'I guess that answers your question, doesn't it?'

He stared out at the moonlit Fey Lon for a few moments. 'But she's the sister of the one we picked up, Right?'

'True.'

'So how did you get to know her?'

'The short answer is that she shanghaied me. But more than that, I can't say since the navy has ordered me to say nothing about the whole affair. It's an official secret. Island politics, and the secret war, you see.'

He was silent again for a while.

'I don't want trouble – and a girl like her can be trouble, aboard a ship, if you know what I mean. What do I tell the gang? Is she or is she not your girl?'

I answered carefully. 'She's a dear friend, but not my girlfriend. However, you might pass the word around that she's the granddaughter of a prince and not some carefree island lassie, despite her cheerful ways. I'd suggest that everyone treat her with a great deal of respect.

'That said, Coxtan, if you think you can win her heart, you'd not be stepping on my toes. You were in command of the boat that saved her sister.'

He stared out, once again, at the passing land for a few moments, and then said, 'I hear that marriage is not always clear sailing. If she has any temper at all, and can do what her sister did...'

'Aye, something to think about.'

04

We spent eleven days aboard the Island Crown as it steamed its way northwards through the island studded sea. She called on three islands, spending a day at each while unloading the Aerlonian manufactured goods that constituted the bulk of her cargo, before reaching Boromaru Island.

There were, besides Sella and myself, usually five or six other passengers on board. They came and went, island to island, traveling the islands on business. The continental tourist does not have to travel further north than the Five Islands to experience the island way of life.

Sella quickly made herself at home, somehow learning the names of everyone onboard, right down to the islander firemen in the hole by the second day. But then, everyone onboard made a point of welcoming her on board, personally. While denying that she was a Vente islander, she played coy at being a sorceress, saying that there was magic throughout the islands. The continental passengers found the idea of island magic quaint and amusing. The continental crew members, at least the ones who had been onboard a year before, were a little less skeptical. The islander crewmen, who'd grown up with stories about Vente magic, were very careful and polite around her, Vente or not.

Defying the expectations of the more superstitious members of the crew, we encountered no great storms, nor pirates of any description. It was an uneventful voyage. Indeed, there was only one quiet incident that I feel the need to recount in any detail.

It occurred on the seventh night of the voyage. And though we had crossed the equator five days before, it was a particularly hot and close night. The cabins were always hot and close, but on this night, they felt intolerably hot and smotheringly close. After an hour fruitlessly trying to sleep in a sweat-damp bed, I slipped on a shirt, shorts, and sandals and wandered up to the bridge deck hoping to find some moving air and a deck chair to sleep on.

The gently rolling bleached wood deck was cool blue-white in the moonlight of the two moons with broad streaks of golden light radiating from the two sets of engine room skylights. The rhythmic beat of the engines drifted up through these open skylights, as did the engine room fragrance of hot oil and steam. Still, from the dark shapes in the deck chairs scattered about, I wasn't the only one who decided to try their luck sleeping on deck. Giving the other would-be-sleepers a wide berth, I grabbed an empty deck chair and headed aft. I set it between the port boat davits and the 10cm gun aft of it.

The peaks of several islands were visible across the sparkling sea. Lightning flickered silently around one of the more distant peaks. Several scattered sails could be seen, pale in the moonlight as well. Looking aft, I could see the faintly phosphoric trail of the Island Crown stretching away in a straight line. And beside the poop deck house, I spied a slim figure at the bulwark which could only be Sella. With sleep still a remote possibility, I made my way down, across the after holds and up to the poop deck to join her.

'I couldn't sleep either,' I said quietly as I crossed the deck from the ladder to join her.

She glanced my way and shrugged. In the light of the moons I could see what looked like the glistening tracks of tears down her cheeks.

'You're crying,' I said, in surprise.

'No I'm not.'

I ran my finger down her cheek, feeling the warm moisture of a tear. 'Yes, you are.'

'That's sweat.'

'No, it's not. What's wrong?'

She shrugged, looked away, and said, 'Nothing. I'm just feeling sentimental.'

'So why are you crying?' I blurted out.

'I can feel sentimental and cry, can't I?' she snapped back.

'Yes, of course. It's just that...'

'You've never seen me being sentimental?'

'I have. Just never with tears. What brings them on?'

'Is it any of your business?'

'Ah, well, no, I suppose. Still, if there is anything I can do,' I rambled on, finding myself rather put on my heels by Sella's tears.

'It's nothing. It's the heat of the night.'

'Yes, of course...' I said, and we fell silent.

'I was just feeling sorry for myself,' she said quietly, after a while. 'I was feeling sorry that I'm so driven, so ruthless, so manipulative. I don't like myself when I realize I'm like that.'

'You're not like that,' I replied, though I had to add to myself, "Much."

'I'm all of that, as you well know. Look at you. Look at all that has happened in your life since you met me. You should be on your way to Jarpara to become a real life Zar Lada, or perhaps Zar Lada's father... Yet, instead, you're traveling in the exact opposite direction on a possibly dangerous mission to save a girl you say you don't really like, all because of me.'

'I'd still be in the navy reporting shipping gossip, if it wasn't for you. I'm not complaining. And I'm not going because of you. While I may not see Lessie as my life's companion, that doesn't mean she's not a friend. I volunteered for the mission, and I don't think you manipulated me into that. I'm simply the fellow who is best suited for the job, and we both know it.'

'Of course I did. I could've said nothing at all about her fate, or downplayed the problems of affecting her escape.'

'But I'm still the one who can do it with the least amount of risk. And we couldn't just leave her there.'

She shrugged. 'If you're honest, you'd have to admit that right from the beginning, I have ruthlessly put you in positions that gave you few options but to do as I wished. This is just another example.'

'You give yourself too much credit, Sella. Every decision I made, I did so for reasons of my own. You were always offering me the chance to learn about some deep secret, be it about the Vente, or the Founders. You offered opportunities that I couldn't refuse, so we struck mutually beneficial deals. Whatever I have done for you was either for knowledge, or out of my friendship, and esteem, for you and your sister. You've become a dear friend, Sella, and I don't think you've ever crossed any line.'

She turned to me. 'If you believe that, you're a fool.'

'I may be a fool, but that's not your fault, or your problem, is it?'

She smiled, and then sighed, wiping the last of her tears away. 'I can't argue that. Still, I am quite ruthless, you know. And very driven. Driven to be the next Captain of Teraven, if only to spite Grandfather. And I won't let anything, or anyone, get in my way.'

'Nothing wrong with ambition.'

'It has a price. A price that I'm usually willing to pay. But on hot, sleepless nights like this, I sometimes question if it's all worthwhile. It can be a lonely life.'

'I'm here.'

'And I assure you that I appreciate you being here – for me – tonight. You see, I've already stopped crying,' she said, giving me a brave smile, that didn't quite convince. I would've taken her in my arms and given her a long hug, but it suddenly struck me that I wasn't the one she longed to be in the arms of this hot night.

'But I'm not the one. The one you'd rather have standing here. That would be...' I searched my memory for his name. I have a good mind for all names and little details – it served me well during my stint in Department Seven, Section 3 – so I barely hesitated before continuing. 'Lieutenant Carz Fel, wouldn't it?'

She turned on me in a flash. 'Why did you say that?'

'It's true, isn't it?' I countered. I knew that I was steering rather close to the wind, but blame it on the hot night. I'd take my chances, and I had a feeling they were good. They say turnabout is fair play. Since I had to put up with Sella promoting Lessie as my true love for months, I figured good old Lieutenant Fel was fair play. Dangerous fair play, but fair play all the same.

'What did Lessie tell you? She did tell you, didn't she?'

'Well, when it fell to poor Lieutenant Fel to discover and arrest Lessie, that evening at that Min's Feast in Tenarbridge, Lessie taunted him with what it would mean in his relationship to you. Later, I asked her about what she meant, she just said that he was very fond of you, and though you had many admirers, you rather favored him. She also said that he was the best of the pack.'

'That doesn't make him anything at all. I do have many admirers.'

'But he's the special one,' I said with remarkable confidence. A confidence that I could not put my finger on, exactly, but intuition told me I was correct.

She shook her head, defiantly. 'There is no special one.'

'Why not? Haven't found him yet?'

'I'm not looking for him. I don't need a man, a lover. He'd only be a distraction. I need to stay ruthlessly focused.'

'And lonely?'

'And lonely. It sharpens my focus and strengthens my determination to succeed. Being in love would be a distraction. Perhaps when I'm Captain.'

'Is Lieutenant Fel willing to wait for you?'

'I don't know why you're going on about Carz... Lieutenant Fel.'

'Because, Sella, I can hear him in your voice, and in your desperate denials. I saw you catch your breath when I named him. I can almost hear your heart beat.'

'That's the beat of the screws beneath our feet.'

'Maybe. But I don't need to hear it to know its beating fast.'

'So you know everything about me now, do you, Taef Lang?'

'I know that you're in love with Lieutenant Carz Fel.'

'If so, you're in love with Lessie Raah.'

I laughed. 'Well, we'll see who's right.'

'And who's wrong.'

We glared at each other for a moment. Then laughed. And then leaned against the bulwark to watch the islands slip by until we could hardly keep our eyes open. But by then, the eastern horizon had the faintly glowing fringe of the new day, so we went to our cabins. And fell asleep. At least I did.

05

The Island Crown had arrived in Boromaru's small deep water harbor during the night. We said our goodbyes to Captain Wera and his crew when we disembarked with the rest of the passengers, as soon as the ship tied up alongside the long floating wharf and the gangplank was down. It was early morning, the sun barely up and still hidden behind the surrounding hills. We said our goodbyes to the other passengers at the end of the wharf, and wove our way up the long steep hill to the city that straddled the rim of two craters. On the far side of the hill was another harbor, wider, but shallower. It was anchorage for hundreds of small boats and large island trading crafts.

Because this was one of the trading gateways to Teraven, there were many Teravenians about the city, which likely included agents on the lookout for Sella. This would be the most dangerous juncture of our trip. Sella needed to stay out of sight while I did the necessary legwork. Remarkably, she readily agreed to this. Which rather alarmed me. However, given the largely deserted early morning streets as we made our way up to the Grand Hotel, the hotel Sella had chosen, we could be fairly certain that no one had noticed our arrival.

Later that morning I made my way to the shipping exchange to see if any Casean Island traders were in port, and which ones would be sailing back to Casea. Several were listed and I returned to the Grand Hotel to show Sella the list.

'Ah-ha! The Waitia is here. Captain Norea is an old friend of the family. We have sailed aboard the Waitia a number of times. We can trust her.'

'It says that she expects to sail tomorrow. I'd best make arrangements today, if you're ready to proceed.'

'I am. And do so... However, arrange to have her pick us up from Boroduo Island. There are too many Teravenians about to risk boarding her in the harbor. Grandfather, if he has any interest in me at all, would likely order a special watch to be kept on Casea ships. I'll write a note to Captain Norea, as proof of your authenticity.'

'Boroduo Island?'

'It's that small island you see to the east. We'll hire a bumboat from the deep water port to take us there. It's a popular resort and picnic island. Hiring a boatman won't be anything special.'

I spent an hour searching the bustling floating docks, wharves, and quays of the large harbor for the Waitia. I eventually found her, a three masted, 50 meter island lorcha, tied up along side one of the long, rather rickety floating docks.

I climbed the gangplank and asked one of the crew to be directed to Captain Norea. He merely pointed to the stout and cheerful woman who was loudly directing the loading of caf bean bags from a wagon alongside.

'Yes?' she said, glancing to me, as I stepped alongside her, 'Lively there, mates!' This to the crew in the hold.

'I'd like to book passage for two to Casea.' I said.

'We don't take passengers. And we're not calling on Casea. Bound for Port Tara, Vente.'

I carefully took the short note Sella had written out of my shirt pocket and discreetly handed it to her. She read it, gave me a shrewd look and said, 'What is she thinking?'

'If you can see a way to land us on Casea, we'd rendezvous with you from Boroduo Island, since you may be watched by Teravenian agents.'

She shouted several more needless orders and encouragements to the loading crew, and then said, 'I'm more than willing to help Sella. But I've got a license to trade between Port Tara and Boromaru that I don't want to lose. As you say, I may well be watched here. So be very discrete. I sail at seven tomorrow. I will look for you on the far side of Boroduo and send a boat in, if you're there. I won't wait, if you're not there on time.'

'Right. Tomorrow shortly after seven, far side of Boroduo.'

The following morning, at first light, we went down to the deep water harbor and hired a bumboat to take us to Boroduo. We waited for less than an hour for Waitai, to appear. We waved to her from the end of the dock, and they quickly dropped a boat to pick us up.

Sella was given a small box of a cabin – Captain Norea had kicked one of the mates out of his cabin for her – and I drew a spare bunk in the crew quarters.

'Sorry, but we're not set up for passengers,' explained Capain Norea. 'We're only licensed to transport cargo to and from Port Tara. They're very strict about who arrives in Port Tara. You need a pass just to leave the docks, and they make spot checks of ships at sea, as well, to catch anyone trying to smuggle someone to Vente without a proper visa. I've no concerns taking you to Casea, but beyond that, it gets a lot more iffy.'

'We're only going as far as Casea, Captain,' said Sella. 'Thanks for going out of your way to take us there.'

'Oh, that's nothing. A few hours, at most. My pleasure.'

We spent three pleasant days aboard the Waitai – mostly on deck – during our voyage to Casea Island.

06

Captain Norsea did not put into Tangarli harbor, Casea Island. Instead, she backed her sails and sent us ashore by ship's boat. It was midday, sunny, and warm, though not as hot as equatorial Tropic Sea islands would've been at this time of day. Still, even with our modest luggage, it was a long, warm walk up the stone paved street to the city set on the surrounding hills, and then, a further walk up to the crumbling castle that sprawled across the peak of the ridge overlooking the harbor.

We surprised the prince and his wife as they were sitting down for their midday meal – much to their delight. As soon as Sella introduced me, they welcomed me with open arms. Sella must have previously told them about me, since they expressed their delight in being able to meet to thank me in person for all that I had done for their wayward granddaughters. They also thanked me for snatching Lessie from the jaws of the Banjars, armorfish, and her Raah grandfather.

I assured them it was the other way around – they were always discouraging pirates with magic, or carbines, fighting boarders, or charming birds of sorrow. And they were even more gracious, grateful, and curious about me, upon learning that I was on my way to Cimlye Island to spring Lessie, yet again, from her Raah grandfather's ill tempered clutches. Almost too gracious, and unnervingly curious. I began to suspect that Sella had hinted to them to expect me as a son-in-law. She only said, when I asked her if she had, that it was beneath her dignity to even deny this accusation, citing her promise to stay out of Lessie's love life. I wasn't, however, shown the Prince's treasure cave, so there's hope yet.

Tangarli Castle, atop the ridge, overlooked the city and harbor. It lay half in ruins. The ruins, a series of old courtyards and rooms divided by thick, low and crumbling stone walls, had been converted, over the centuries, into an extensive series of gardens, bowers, and walks. There were ornate formal flower gardens, casual cottage gardens, cypress alleys, and, a miniature jungle under swaying batto trees. Bright birds fluttered and sang in the bushes and trees. Dragonflies and butterflies darted and floated among the flowers. And in the gathering twilight, after the evening meal on our second day, it lay in a hushed silence, as Sella and I strolled through the sweet, damp, and deepening gloom of the fading day, to talk.

'Why didn't your mother's parents take you in after your parents were killed?' I asked.

'My Raah grandparents wouldn't let them. There was no love lost between our two sets of grandparents. After our parents were swept away, when we were four years old, our parents' best friends, the Lydres, Uncle Sen and Aunt Mirra, as we call them, took us in. And since our father, after marrying our mother, was not on talking terms with his parents, our Raah grandparents did not bother to claim custody of us until we were nearly eight years old. The Lydres were very good to us, and we were very happy living with them. Indeed, the Lydres wanted to adopt us. It was only then, that our Raah grandparents decided to take charge of us. We were, after all, Raahs, and our true nature was not evident to them back then. The only thing he and grandmother did was to prevent our maternal grandparents from claiming us, no doubt with threats. The Prince of Casea would stand no chance in any conflict against Teravena.'

'But they seem willing to defy them now.'

'Now they have us. Not only am I willing to tear down the wall between Teraven and the rest of the world, but if push came to shove, I would challenge Grandfather for the Captaincy here and now. In short, as much as he would like me in a cage, he can't risk invading the Casea Islands to put me in that cage, no matter how certain the outcome of such an invasion would be. The risk to his precious policy would be too great.'

'So after your were eight years old, you were raised, in theory, by your Raah grandparents.'

'In theory. But, as you know from all our tales, we were raised by a series of nannies and governesses, and sent away to school in our teen years. But that's all in the past.'

'Not really.'

She shrugged. 'No, I guess not. But it will be soon – at least for a while. But it made us what we are today, so I'll not complain.'

We walked in silence for a while, until Sella broke it. 'Have you formulated any plans on how you will spirit Lessie off of Cimlye?'

'I've given it a lot of thought. I presume that I'm going to have to pose as a naval officer to get onto the base. That means not only wearing a uniform, but being able to act like a Teravenian officer. To do that, I'd like the chance to observe your sailors and officers first hand. I need to pick up on how they do the little, everyday things in this navy. Things like how they dress on various kinds of duty, and when and how they salute – casual little things like that.'

'That can easily be arranged. We can stay in Kinstau,' replied Sella. 'Its' a good sized town on the bay and it is the city closest to Navy Island, the home base of the Teraven Navy. It's the place where the navy goes for a pint or two when off duty. You should have all the opportunity you need to study all theTeravenian sailors and officers you want there. Plus, it is only an hour away from Teravena by train, so we can commute to Teravena, as needed.'

'Why do we need to go there at all?'

'First, we'll need to properly fit you out as a naval officer. Things like a tailored uniform, the proper gear and such.'

'Doesn't the navy issue uniforms?'

'They do, but up and coming officers of a certain rank often purchase their own, tailored uniforms.'

'A new uniform might be a warning sign. There must be places in Kinstau that I could pick up used uniforms, if it's a navy town.'

'Oh, I suppose there are pawn shops and second hand stores in Kinstau that will have what you need. But I'm thinking that you'll need to be more than a run of the mill naval lieutenant to see Lessie. You'll need to be some one important, and that requires a nice tailored uniform.'

'Well, if you say so. I'll probably need more than one identity since I'll likely have to make several trips to Cimlye, so I would like a used uniform as well.'

'That's fine with me. We're in an island prince's service. Funds are not a problem.'

'I'll also need to discover just how your navy is organized and how it works. For that, I'm going to need a book or two about your navy's organization and customs. If possible, I want to see Lessie sailing under what we in the Aerlonian navy would call "Admiralty Orders." Which is to say, I want to be independent of local authority and not subject to their orders. I'm sure that you can readily appreciate the advantage of this.'

She nodded. 'I can, but I don't think I can make an admiral out of you. You're too young.'

'I don't need to be. The Aerlonian Navy has a Department 33, which investigates suspected cases of corruption, and criminal activity within the navy. Department 33 officers are not subject to local authority, since they might well be investigating the local authority. Their appearance on base is not, as you can imagine, welcomed. They are, however, given free rein and everyone is careful not to ruffle their feathers. Ideally, I would like to arrive as a similar officer – someone who can't be questioned, even by officers of superior rank.

'And there are several other similar positions throughout my old navy, auditors of all sorts of services, from catering to laundry, to logistics. They make surprise inspections and accounting of records and inventories. And they are also mostly free of local authority. Hopefully I can find a book that describes the various offices that would use such officers, and you can make out papers to that effect. I'd also like to find a list of the current ranking officers in the service, so I can engage in naval gossip, if necessary.'

'My, you have given your mission some thought.'

'I've had plenty of time and I don't want to be caught, especially since I may well be walking into a trap. I want to be able to slip out of it.

'The way I see things going down, is that I first set up a formal visit with Lessie. I'd use that visit to apprise her of the current situation, and the provisions I've made to aid her escape. I'll then await orders. I have no intention of breezing in yet again to free her of her captivity. That didn't float all that well the first time, and I'm not about to repeat the performance this time.'

'You're probably right. And then?'

'If she wants to flee, I would then make a second visit and find a way to, secretly, deliver her disguise and papers to her. We could then exit the island together or separately.

'Ideally, I would like to make this second trip with a new identity – without these whiskers you had me grow, just in case they have a complete roster of naval officers just to check any visitor against it. I'd press to visit Lessie without giving them a chance to check any such list beforehand. But for any subsequent visits, I'd like to go as someone else.'

'That should be no problem. You can have as many identities as you want. And then?'

'And then, I will have rented a flat or house, where we can hide out until the chase dies down.'

'That could take months.'

'Yes, I realize that,' I said, trying, and I fear, failing, to keep my reluctant acceptance of that fact out of my reply. What choice did I have? I suppose I could leave her to her own devices once off the island. She'd have the funds she would need. But there would still be the need to go out and shop, and if they watched the shops... As I said, what choice did I have?

Sella ignored my all too clear reluctance, and beaming, padded me on my on my shoulder. 'The Aerlonian Navy seems to have spared no expense in the training of their political officers –brave, loyal, smart, and determined.'

'We can take the rough with the smooth seas, m'lady,' I replied with a resigned grin. 'Those two weeks were just crammed full of how to be a spy information. Not, of course, that Aerlonia spies on anyone these days. Or, for that matter, that they'd ever allow a limited time officer to be a spy – if we did. But as a file clerk in Department Seven you do need an understanding of the field work of political officers in order to better understand their field reports – since the reports are often, of necessity, very brief.'

'Well, I can assure you that none of what you require to complete your mission successfully should present any problem. It will just be a matter of slipping into the naval wing of the Residence, and finding the office that supplies the IDs and printed orders. I can do that part on my own. You'll only have to come along when we'll need to actually produce the IDs and properly printed orders.'

'Wait! I – we – actually need to get into the Residence – without IDs and orders?'

'Of course.'

'But what about all those papers and stuff that you girls have on hand?'

'Our old game of letters signed by Grandfather and backed up by a command token won't work in this case. They're on to that. You will need a proper naval identification card – or cards. I'll need your thumb print for those. Plus those orders you want will need to be properly written and machine printed on the correct form. We can only get that done at the Navy House on Navy Island, which is out of the question. Or in the naval wing of the Residence, which will be a walk in the park. You do want unassailable credentials, don't you?'

'Yes... but...'

'It's the only way. I know the Residence like the back of my hand. I have the keys to all the offices. It won't be a problem.'

'If you say so. Still, I assume that you're rather well known there.'

'We'll both be in uniform and I'll have a bit of disguise on as well – a wig and glasses should do. We wouldn't have gotten through the front door, if we didn't belong, so no one will pay any attention to us once we're in. We'll simply be uniformed personnel, just like everyone else we might meet in that section of the Residence. Half an hour should be enough to produce everything you require. I don't see any problems.'

'There's no other alternative?'

'None. You'll just have to trust me. We'll be in and out without a problem.' She gave me a long hard look. 'You do trust me, don't you?'

'Yes, of course I do,' I said with all the sincerity I could muster.

'Oh, you worry too much,' she laughed, having not fooled her.

'Someone has to,' I replied, grimly.

The following day we sailed for the little fishing port of Luesea on the southeast coast of Teraven aboard the Mau Lee.

The Mau Lee smelled of fish. But she was a jolly little boat. Wide of beam, not as slow as one might imagine, and a joy to handle. And well, one can hardly blame a fishing boat for smelling of fish. She had a large hold forward, which now held only her nets. There were several spars tied on top of her small cabin that were used to spread and lift her nets. I had the tiller. Sella was napping in the small cabin. At the top of each wave I could see the thin green line of the continent the world knew as Norterra, but I now knew as Teraven. Better yet, there wasn't a Teraven Navy patrol ship in sight. If all continued to go well, we'd make Port Luesea by early evening.

Having been born and grown up in the islands, I must have absorbed the full dose of the island way of thinking, despite growing up in a household that still valued Aerlonian ways. I mention this only because, as you may've gathered already, we islanders are a bit superstitious. A year ago, I half believed that Lessie had used some sort of magic when she told those Banjars to die. And they did. Though I was later assured that they were merely rendered unconscious, rather than dead, the girls never explained how Lessie did whatever she did. And not just to the Banjars. I assume poor Lieutenant Fel didn't just fall asleep on his own. I have suggested some sort of Founders' "magic," which they haven't denied, but it remains a mystery.

All of this is to say that, as I sailed the Mau Lee towards Port Luesea, my islander side was feeling a little uneasy. For no reason at all. Or to put it another way, I was feeling uneasy because I had no reason to be. Everything so far had worked out without any alarms or excursions. And that made me uneasy.

### Chapter 03 Teraven

01

We arrived safely in Lousea. The harbor master was a Caseaian, who, Sella assured me, could be trusted. We could keep the Mau Lee in harbor for as long as we needed, without questions. We caught the last train for Teravena, disembarking in the city of Kinstau, where we booked two rooms in a small hotel that overlooked the quayside from the lowest line of hills. Navy Island lay some kilometers off the shore, surrounded by the anchored warships of Teraven, their many lights glimmering in the distance.

We slept late the next day, after our 30 some hours of watch on watch at sea. After our midday meal we set out to explore the town, especially its bookstores. Being so closely tied to Navy Island, I had no problem finding the books I needed to play my role.

That evening, in the warm light of the setting sun, we sat, with a bottle of wine, at a small table on the hotel's stone paved terrace. We stayed until the sun had sunk below the hills on the far side of the bay. As Navy Island and its fleet faded to blue, the pin prick lights of the island and the anchored fleet sprang to life.

In my room, later that evening, I began my crash course in the Teraven Navy. Fortunately, it seemed very similar to the navy I knew. By midnight I found that the Teraven Navy had a Directorate of Administration with the duties and powers similar to that of Department 33 of the Admiralty. I could sail to Cimlye Island as an officer of the Directorate of Admin, under Navy House orders, immune to local orders. I began to concoct a story that would not only explain my appearance at the Admiral's House, without going through proper channels, but would make it hard for them to deny me half an hour with Lessie – all I would need. Any subsequent visits could be carried out in a more clandestine fashion, as it would only involve delivering a disguise and naval papers to Lessie to aid in her escape. I wouldn't need to appear at the Admiral's House more than once.

Further research, over the following days, suggested I could use several other departments and cover stories with similar protection for both my other identities and Lessie's. The truth is that by the end of my research I had few concerns about actually arranging a meeting with Lessie, and aiding in her escape. It was the meeting with Lessie, and then, the aftermath of her escape that haunted me.

We spent the following day shopping the second hand stores and pawn shops for uniforms and the necessary naval gear. Sella also needed a uniform for her expeditions into the Residence, and this uniform would then be used by Lessie in her escape.

The Teraven navy's standard uniform makes the identification of ranks, simple. There is a single standard uniform worn by everyone in the service. It consists of light tan shorts or trousers, white shirts, and tan jackets, that, in the tropics, is worn only for ceremonial duties. Jackets would be more commonly worn in the temperate climate of the northwest coast of Teraven. Berets or light fabric peaked caps similar to those worn by many island mariners completed the uniform. Rank is denoted solely by epaulets on shirts and jackets – pale blue, silver, and gold bars against a dark blue background. The more bars in each category, the higher the rank. We had no problem fitting ourselves out as a members of the Teraven Navy after a morning's worth of shopping.

'So what do you think?' I said, modeling my purchases, which included a lieutenant's set of epaulets for both the shirt and jacket.

'It's a bit worn...' she said, thoughtfully.

'Exactly the effect I want. I don't want it to look like a costume.'

'Oh, it will do, well enough, if you wish to be a mere lieutenant. But it won't do for a Commander in the Directorate of Administration.' We had decided that for my initial visit, I would go as a Commander, which would allow me to ignore any lieutenants' orders on rank alone. No need to produce my orders.

'Why not? It's just a matter of swapping epaulets.'

She shook her head. 'Not just everyone gets to be a Commander, and even fewer are assigned to the Navy House's Directorate of Administration. And those that do, aren't likely to settle for a standard naval-issued uniform. They'll have the money and taste to order a custom tailored uniform. A worn, navy-issued uniform would look just as out of place on a Commander, Admin, than a new, custom tailored uniform on a lieutenant inspector of office supplies. Trust me, I've spent years around the Residence, and I can assure you that it's crawling with naval aides in the finest tailored uniforms they can afford.'

From my own experience in the Arelonian Navy, and its Admiralty, I had to concede her point. So we made plans to visit the naval outfitter of choice in Teravena because, 'Of course, there are tailors here in Kinstau who could whip up a perfectly tailored uniform. But no new Commander, Admin, would stoop to have his uniform cut by anyone other than Tam & Roye of Skyfield Street.'

'At the cost a fortune, I would imagine.'

'Keep that treasure cave in mind, Taef. You're doing Grandpa and Grandma Majin a great favor.'

'Right. Do I show up for my fitting in my current rag of a uniform, or in mufti?'

She considered that for a moment, eyeing me. 'I think we'll have to buy you some decent civilian rags before we even walk through the doors of Tam & Roye.'

'You like to shop, don't you?'

'The treasure cave, Taef. The treasure cave.'

However, the following day Sella announced that she was taking the train into Teravena, alone. And she was wearing the naval uniform she had just purchased.

When I had inquired about her plans, she had said, 'Oh, I want to do some shopping.'

'What's with the uniform?'

'I think I look rather sharp in it. And it might come in useful.'

I knew of only one useful use of it – a visit to the Residence – and so I didn't inquire further. No point worrying about Sella. I spent my day alone discreetly observing the activity of the naval personnel on the quays, looking for all those little things I'd need to mimic to successfully carry out my mission.

Sella returned late – with new clothes – and a report that all was well in the Residence. She had located the office where IDs and orders are produced. Since she had master keys for every room in the Residence, we'd have no problem slipping into that office to conduct our business, as soon as the real naval clerks had gone home for the day. And since most of the regular Residence staff would also have also gone home, there was almost no risk of anyone questioning us about what we were doing. Plus, if anyone did, we'd have a story to explain our presence.

'And you can wear your Commander's epaulets. You'll outrank just about everyone we're likely to come across. You can just sneer down at all the lieutenants. And if any of then dare to ask, you can tell them that it's none of their business.'

'Even in this well worn uniform?'

'You'll have to sneer that much harder.'

The next day we went shopping again. This time Sella outfitted me like a young man on the rise – so that I could appear in the showroom of Tam & Roye looking like a proper new Commander, Directorate of Administration fellow. I then spent the balance of the day once more observing the navy in action. Neither of us was feeling any urgency. We'd likely have only one chance of success, so paying attention to every little detail was worth the time it took to do so. And well, Lessie was still expecting to be on Cimlye Island for a year, so there was no great hurry on her account.

The following morning when I met Sella in the small, dark paneled dining room for breakfast, I asked proudly, 'So what do you think?' as I showed her my newly trimmed and sculpted beard. 'I had to work with what I've grown, but I've seen many an arrogant young naval officer wearing a closely trimmed beard like this. It's nice and pointy, which is the key to its full effect,' I added, proudly, tugging on the pointy whiskers on my chin.

She studied me for a moment, thoughtfully, as I turned this way and that to give her the full effect.

'I think it makes you look...'

She seemed lost for words, so I suggested, 'Sardonic.'

She shook her head, 'No. I think the word I was searching for "supercilious."'

'Well, that works too, doesn't it?'

She smiled, and nodded. 'Yes. I suppose it does. Oh, here's a ring for you.' she added, handing me a gold ring.

'Oh, my Sella! This is so sudden. I had no idea this sardonic beard would have such an effect you so. What will poor Lessie say?'

'In your dreams, Taef. If I'm to play your wife, play your wife, mind you, we need rings to prove it. We must pay attention to these small details to avoid gossip, especially with tailors who specialize in outfitting officers that serve in the Residence. And on a similar note, please play the strong...

'Sardonic?'

'...silent type. Keep your mouth shut. Your Teraven accent still needs a little polishing, and the people we're suppose to be, have a jargon of their own. Talk too much and you'll raise some eyebrows. We don't want gossip. So leave it to me to do all the talking and the fielding of any questions about who we are. Is that clear?'

'Aye.'

'We'll leave as soon as we're done here. Wear the clothes we bought yesterday.'

'Right. Though you might want to brief me on who exactly we are, just in case they catch me alone.'

'On the train. Let's eat.'

We spent several hours at Tam & Roye getting measured, trying all sorts of things on, plus purchasing all the necessary accessories needed by the newly promoted Commander Taef Laek, my old alias from my mission to Hawker House, who was having a meteoric career in the Teraven Navy. I paid with a thick stack of paper bills, supplied by Sella beforehand, no doubt, from the treasure cave. We had lunch and took one of the afternoon trains back to Kinstau.

02

Since it would take a week for my tailored uniform to be ready, we decided to go ahead and tackle the Residence the following day using my second hand uniform, with the commander epaulets. There was no reason to wait for the my new uniform, since we planned to be there after almost everyone else had called it a day.

We took the mid-morning train to Teravena in our best second hand naval uniforms. Sella sailed under her nom de plume of Tessi Calis, a naval ensign. She donned the wig she had bought for Lessie's escape, and a pair of large spectacles to give her a 'nondescript, clerk-ish look,' she said. I doubted that they were enough. Even with a wig and spectacles, she had an air about her that was far too assured for either an ensign, or a clerk.

At my suggestion, we dined at the Min's Feast across the street from the rail station, like the last time I set out masquerading as a naval officer. It was a sop to my unfortunate islander superstition. Sella had repeatedly assured me that this mission was no more dangerous than shopping. We would not be questioned once we were within the restricted sections of the Residence. All we had to do was to act like we belonged. I had come around to almost believing her.

'And don't forget that you're a commander. Almost every officer we're likely to come across will be mere lieutenants or ensigns. Be aloof and sardonic.'

'Perhaps we should swap epaulets,' I said. 'You're too commanding to be a mere ensign.'

She shrugged, modestly. 'Think of this as your dress rehearsal for your appearance on Cimlye Island. You shouldn't have to say a word. Just strut, and nod majestically to anyone who dares to glance at you. But only if you're feeling generous.'

The Residence District sprawls across the top of a large hill, beneath which sits the vast underground Founders' installation. Sella said that it was like the one we discovered on Redoubt island, only much, much larger. These days, that buried installation is covered by what is known as the Residence District which consists of streets lined with government office buildings, four story tall blocks of flats, and several blocks of large townhouses and mansions surrounding the official Residence at the top of the hill. The official Residence is a complex of offices and the actual residence of the Captain of Teraven. This was the Residence that we would be covertly calling on. The district was surrounded by the remains of an ancient wall, which, for the first two thousand years of Teraven, enclosed the entire city of Teravena. Today this district is surrounded by the modern city of Teravena.

We spent the afternoon strolling around the curving office and flat lined street of the District. Set between these handsome four and five story stone and brick buildings were little, tree shaded parks. Here the government workers ate their lunches, enjoyed a cup of caf on break, and where their wives or nannies took their little children to play on sunny days.

When I asked why we spent several hours strolling through the district, she said, 'I just wanted to show you the historic city center and the seat of our government. I'm playing the tourist guide. Plus, it will give you the lay of the land.'

'Why do I need to know the lay of the land?' I asked, giving her a suspicious glance.

'Why? Oh, I suppose that someday, once I open Teraven to the rest of the world, you might want to write a book about your adventures as a secret agent here. You have seen a land no non-Teravenian has likely ever seen to date. So, when you write of your adventures, you'll now be able to describe the magnificent historical center of Teravena on the hill – and its vast underground Founder's station beneath it. We'll be getting to that, shortly.'

'I could just buy a tourist book to take back with me for that, if I wanted to.'

She shook her head. 'No, you need to experience it for yourself. You realize that you're walking the streets of the oldest city in the world, don't you? A book might say that, but you'll be able to claim that you walked those ancient streets. And then, too, should anything unexpected occur during our visit to the Residence, you do want to be able to quickly find your own way home, don't you,' she added with a laugh and a sidelong glance.

'You're just trying to scare me, now.'

'Yes, of course, I am,' she replied with all the insincerity she could muster.

Late afternoon found us seated at a small table under the shade of ancient trees in one of those small parks. We were enjoying a cup of caf from the park's little caf shop when the first trickle of the workers began to stream out of the buildings around us.

'Time to go,' she said, finishing her caf and standing. 'Tally ho,' she added with a bright smile.

I emptied my cup as well, and followed her into a nearby government office building against the homeward flow of clerks. She led me to a stairwell and then down the half a dozen flights to what must be a sub-sub basement. The stairs ended at a dim, dead end landing facing a heavy steel, locked door. The stairwell and landing were faintly lit by a few glowing squares – Founders' lights, like the ones we'd seen in the Redoubt. She drew a set of keys from her pocket, and unlocked the door. I helped her pull the heavy door open just far enough for us to slip in. We hauled it closed behind us and she locked it once again.

'We'll leave by the Residence's main doors, just like everyone else,' she explained, as she turned the lock.

We were now clearly in the ancient Founders' underground complex. This part of it was evidently used as an archive, as long rows of shelves, filled with filing boxes, stretched ahead into the near blackness as far as the eye could see. The aisle was faintly lit by widely spaced glowing squares in the ceiling, allowing us to travel down the long stacks without a lantern. We may have walked a city block before we came to another door. Sella unlocked this one, in turn. It opened to a balcony that ran around a vast chamber – like the one we found on Redoubt Island, though much bigger, and not empty. However, unlike the chamber of Redoubt island, the floor below us was a crowded jumble of large, hulking machines that stretched into the deep gloom that hid its far side, a block or two away.

'The Founders' junkyard of Teravena,' she announced, with a sweep of her hand. 'There are all sorts of strange machines here. Some we know what they once did. Others are a mystery. However, most of them don't work anymore. Most haven't worked for thousands of years. Still, we've kept them here, for the day when they could be put right.'

We continued along the metal balcony, circling the chamber. Looking down, I could identify some of the great machines from my studies of Founding History. I saw a number of flying machines, ranging in size from single passenger ones, to one the size of a small steamer. One of them, I was almost certain, was the type of ship that the Founders used to travel between their great ships in the sky and the surface of our world, until they brought their great ships down and converted them into what became City One. I also spied several of the great earth moving machines that I was familiar with from my archaeological studies. But the purpose of many others was not apparent in the curves and angles of their metal bodies.

'There are three levels like this, though the others are mostly empty. Below them are six more levels divided into rooms, the lower two are filled with machines like we saw in the Redoubt. It is really a small city down here, and Lessie and I explored it all,' she said as we walked along, our footfalls echoing dully on the steel walkway. 'Lessie and I found many interesting things in our explorations down here. Someday I'll be able to show you some of them. And someday, Captain Dar, or some of her people will be able to come here and explain just what all those strange things are, and perhaps get them working again. If the southern continents have not invited Captain Dar to rejoin the world she founded, by the time I am Captain, I will invite her and her crew to Teraven to live again here.

'But here we are,' she said, coming to another metal door set in the concrete wall beside us. And pointing to a mark on the wall next to door, added, 'This opens to a staircase that leads up to the naval office of the Residence.'

Turning to me, she gave me a rare serious look. 'You're Commander Taef Laek, now.'

'Aye, sir.' I replied, with all the smile and confidence I could muster. Recalling the posture and attitude of those arrogant officers I had occasionally encountered during my work at the Admiralty, I drew myself up and looked down my nose at the world.

By the time we had walked up a dozen flights of stairs and pushed through the doors into the third floor corridor, I was the confident, even cocky, Taef Laek once again, for this time I was no longer a mere lieutenant, I was a lofty Commander, and it had gone to my head. Plus, I had Sella alongside of me. I could count on her to get us out of any fix we might find ourselves in. So all in all, I was ready for anything and boldly went forth.

'Lead on, Ensign Calis,' I ordered her, as we stepped into the deserted corridor.

Ensign Calis led on. The building, however, was not deserted. There were still clerks about finishing their day's work in the various offices that we passed. We could see them through the glass windows that lined both sides of the corridor. When the building was first built, some centuries ago, these windows allowed the daylight from the tall outside windows to illuminate the corridor. These days the corridor had been fitted with electric lamps, and there were electric lamps on each of the desks in the offices we passed as well.

We met several workers in the corridor as we made our way to the particular office we needed, but they all had light blue bars on their epaulets – clerks beneath the rank of ensign. They didn't salute and I didn't even see them.

Sella stopped and unlocked the door to a deserted office with half a dozen empty desks, each with a mechanical writing machine on them. As I closed the door behind us, she went directly to the filing cabinets, and in little more than ten seconds she had picked the lock and had the drawers open. She quickly drew out the blank ID cards and orders forms we would need to carry with us, for inspection, if necessary.

She started filling out the ID cards – three for me, one as Commander, Admin, and two more as Lieutenant Inspectors of office supplies, and laundry facilities. I supplied her a list of real names for those positions that I had found from the list of newly promoted officers of appropriate rank in the recent issues of the Naval Gazette. On each, I affixed my thumb print on the front. Sella then typed in a description of me – hair color, eye color, weight and height on the back. With this done, she ran the card through a machine that applied a layer of hot wax that hardened to make a stiff, waterproof card. After my set, she typed out two for Lessie, using her own thumb for the prints. 'It doesn't really matter. If they start comparing the prints, the dance will be over and the band will be wanting its coins anyways,' she explained.

Perched casually on the corner of an adjacent desk, like a bored Commander, Admin, I kept a wary eye on the corridor. There was still a trickle of clerks going back and forth, but no one paid us any special attention, even when they bothered to glance in. We finished the IDs and moved on to the orders. I had written drafts of all five orders, one for each of our fictional identities, using the prescribed format, as illustrated in the official naval style manual I had found. I made certain that they were worded so as to preclude any interference by the local authority. My two years in the Admiralty in Kanadara had taught me the importance of precision in orders. I was pretty proud of them.

Sella had called me to her desk to answer a question on the third order, when I heard the door swing open behind me and someone stomp in.

I spun about to see a large officer – or rather the epaulets of the large officer – since they were the most important part of any large, stomping officer. They displayed a single bar against the dark blue background color of the epaulet. I had three bars, but his were gold while mine were silver. He was an admiral.

I snapped to attention, and saluted.

He glared at me. And did not return the salute. He turned his attention to Sella, who merely looked up, smiled attentively, and said a cheerful, 'Hello, sir'

I had gathered from the books I had studied, as well as my observations of the sailors at work on the quays of Kinstau, that the navy of Teraven wasn't overly concerned about the outward forms of rank and obedience. That said, I thought greeting a great big admiral with a smile and a "Hello, sir" was sailing rather close to the wind, even for a pretty ensign.

He ignored me to glare down at this carefree ensign as he come to a rest before her desk. 'What are you up to?' he demanded in a growl.

We had our story, so I spoke up. 'Sir, Commander Laek, Admin., sir. I have been assigned a confidential investigation. Ensign Calis is creating the false identification cards and orders I will need for my investigation. Given the nature of this assignment, I thought it best to have this work done after regular hours, so as to insure the level of secrecy I deem necessary, sir.'

He gave me a hard, disbelieving look. He picked up one of the ID cards on the desk and read it. 'Mola Pel?' he growled, giving me an even harder look. The card being one of Lessie's ID cards.

My heart jumped to my throat. I had the feeling that our only hope now rested with Sella having her sister's talent for making men fall asleep.

'He'll have to shave for that one, sir,' said Sella with a cheerful giggle before I could even think of an explanation.

He spun around and stared down her again, for several long moments. She beamed up at him with a wide smile, waiting, indeed, almost daring him to say something.

The twins Raah don't lack for boldness in the face of disaster.

He tossed the ID card back on the desk and snapped. 'Mariana's at seven – sharp.' And turning to me, jabbed a finger in my direction. 'Him too. In mufti.'

As he turned to stalk out of the office, Sella called out, 'Yes, sir. Seven sharp.'

The door slammed behind him. I watched him stalk down the corridor through the glass windows. Sella, however, had started pounding away again on the mechanical writer.

I swallowed that lump in my throat, and turned to stare at her, 'What just happened here?'

'Oh, that was only Uncle Sen. It's our lucky day. We're booked for a delicious meal at the finest restaurant in Teravena. And it's on Uncle Sen. My stomach is growling already.'

I drew and released a long, relaxing breath and waited for my heart to stop pounding so fast and hard. Luck seemed to follow Sella around like a dog that she had raised from a puppy. I was curious about one point. 'Why mufti?'

'I suppose that's in case there are other naval officers dining there. If they stopped by or asked about us the next day, he would have to tell some possibility, dangerous lies. He has to watch his step with Grandfather. They're not the best of friends. However, as mere civilians, we could be passed off as friends of their two sons, Ben or Ran, or some other relatives. Now don't bother me. I need to get these orders written if we're to have time to buy some clothes suitable for dining at Mariana's at seven sharp.'

03

We walked, suitably dressed, into the fashionable dim and fragrant Mariana's restaurant at seven sharp, as ordered.

Luck had continued to favor us. After finishing our work, we had found a fashionable clothing store that was still open. Sella picked out a white linen jacket and a blue neckcloth for me, and a skirt and blazer of emerald green for herself. My uniform trousers and shirt were ordinary enough that, with the removal of the epaulets on the shirt, they'd pass as civilian. We wore our new clothes out of the store, bringing our uniforms and counterfeit forms in the shopping bag with us to the restaurant.

With Sella in the lead, we wove our way through the red tablecloth covered tables to the darkest, remotest corner of Mariana's. 'Their customary table,' she said as Admiral Lydre and his wife rose when they saw us. Sella hurried over to hug and kiss a very cheerful looking Aunt Mirra on the cheek, and then, hurried around to hug and kiss a decidedly less cheerful Uncle Sen.

'Who is your friend?' asked Aunt Mirra, with a tentative smile in my direction as I came to rest on the other side of the table from the Lydres

'Well, seeing that I just created three different ID cards for him, you can have your choice of names. But perhaps it is best to just to keep it simple. Let's call him Taef.'

Aunt Mirra gave her a questioning look. 'A man of mystery?'

Sella laughed. 'Let's say a man you don't want to know too much about. But he is a good friend. Someone I have trusted with my life... Oh, and please don't judge him by his looks. He really is trying to look like an arrogant twit. He isn't one. There's a kind and very sweet young man underneath it.'

'I must confess that's a relief. He does look just like an arrogant twit,' replied Aunt Mirra as she extended her hand to me with a smile that reminded me of Sella. I had a feeling that they were two of a kind, even if they were not related by blood. 'Nice to meet you, Taef.'

'I'm delighted to meet you, as well, Mrs. Lydres. Sella has told me how dear you and the Admiral are to her,' I said, trying not to be an arrogant twit despite my looks. I next turned to the Admiral, who was regarding me darkly.

'A man of mystery, eh. No last name. A disguise. Why?' he growled, without extending his hand.

I have made it a policy throughout my career in the navy to never lie to an admiral, so I replied, 'I will be sailing for Cimlye Island Naval Base shortly, sir.'

I figured that he could fill in the rest.

It took him only a second. He gave me another hard look, but then took and shook my offered hand.

After we all sat down, he turned to me again and said, 'I don't believe that we've met before. How long have you known this reckless niece of mine?'

'Not all that long, sir. She shanghaied me about a year ago, now.'

'Shanghaied?' He glanced to Sella.

She shrugged apologetically. 'Necessity must be served.'

He waited a moment or two for an explanation, but correctly concluded that one wasn't coming. From Sella, anyway. So he turned back to me. 'Care to explain?'

I glanced to Sella, but she just smiled, so I said, 'Sella has explained her relationship with you and your wife. I believe that I can trust you. However I must warn you that you may not want to hear what I have to say. I don't want to burden your conscience more than it may already be.'

'I'll take my chances.'

'Well, then, where should I start? Are you familiar with the sinking of the Sealight, sir?'

'Yes, I am,' he said giving Sella a dark look.

'I had nothing to do with it,' she laughed. 'Save your dark looks for Lessie.'

He turned back to me, his dark look intact.

'Well sir, I happened to be a passenger aboard the steamer Island Crown when it came upon the wreck of the Sealight. I assisted in taking off the survivors, which included Lessie Raah.'

'In the face of a whole boatload of Banjar pirates who were determined to take Lessie and her crew for slaves,' added Sella brightly. 'And lots of armorfish.'

'Lessie dealt with the Banjars, with either magic or Founders' weapons – your nieces have not clarified what exactly happened on that wreck.'

'But he did save her from a giant armorfish that was snapping at her heels'

He gave Sella another of his hard looks and then turned back to me. 'What were you doing in the middle of the Tropic Sea?'

He said that he wanted the truth, so I gave it to him. 'Well, sir, I was on my way to my new assignment on Fey Lon Island. I had spent two years in the Aerlonian Admiralty's Department Seven, Section 3, which is the Tropic Seas Special Operations section, and had finally wrangled a field assignment on the island of Fey Lon, or rather Lil Lon Island, where the naval base was located.'

He blinked, but seemed at a loss for words, so I continued, 'At the time I was a limited time lieutenant in the Aerlonian navy. I had graduated from Layfield University in archaeology, and enlisted in the navy with the idea of completing my civic duty in one fell swoop. I had thought I'd be able to sail the islands that I hoped to study as an archaeologist, once I was out of the navy...'

At this point Admiral Lydre found his words, and turned to Sella. 'What in the deep blue is he doing here? Bringing an outsider to Teraven is treason. Or at least your grandfather would consider it so.' He was clearly struggling to keep his outraged roar down to a level little above that of a whisper.

Sella just shrugged and began to say, 'Necessity must be....'

'None of your flippant replies, young lady. What were you thinking?'

'I wish I could tell you more, Uncle Sen. But I can't, and you don't want to know, anyway. Suffice it to say that I had my reasons. Good reasons. And I select my friends well. I assure you that Taef is an honorable man. A fellow you can trust with your life. We struck a deal, and he's held up his side of the bargain. And you know why he's here now. Do you have a better idea?'

Admiral Lydre scowled. But didn't.

'Besides, it's an island astern, now, isn't it? Do you want to hear the rest of his story, or not?'

At this point Aunt Mirra said quietly. 'I'd like to hear the rest of the story. I'm sure that we can trust Sella, and this young man. Sella is not a traitor.'

The Admiral glared at Sella, and then at me, and then the waiter who was approaching from behind me. After the waiter made a hasty retreat, he growled, 'Continue.'

So I did, condensing my story down in my best and briefest synopsis style which I had perfected during my Section 3 days. (I was getting rather hungry.) He and his wife listened quietly until I came to the part where Sella and I made our deal about how much I could report when I returned to the navy.

'How could you do that?' he demanded of her. 'Since the Founding, we've always kept ourselves hidden from outsiders.'

She shrugged, 'Necessity...' And stopped, seeing the Admiral's angry expression.

'Well, by that time it was already too late. He'd already seen Vente Island, and I wasn't about to kill him out of hand...' And then giving me a sidelong glance, added, 'Dead bodies are always so inconvenient.'

I thought I'd best intervene at this point, so I did my best to explain that everything I saw, and reported, could already have been reported to other island empires, and for all I knew, Feldara. 'Inserting an agent aboard one of the trading partner's ships, or subverting one of their sailors would be no great intelligence feat,' I explained. 'Just because Aerlonia hasn't done so yet, doesn't mean that someone, or indeed, everyone else, hasn't done so already.'

'And you can live with yourself with not telling the complete truth to your superiors?'

'Telling them of Teraven would change nothing – at least for now, sir. The fact that the Vente Islands are modern islands, possessing modern steel warships, is all the Aerlonian government needs to know to formulate a wise, and productive diplomatic approach to the islands, when they get around to it. Plus, political officers in the field are allowed some latitude to make compromises like this, if it leads to useful results. I felt that my compromises were justified, sir,' I added.

'And he wasn't shot when he returned, so there,' added Sella brightly, 'I wrote a letter telling them how upset I would be if they did.'

He turned to say something to her, but gave up, and told me to continue.

I rushed through the briefest of outlines of mine, and our further adventures. And since I wasn't the only one getting hungry, I reached the incomplete end of our tale without further interruptions. Once the meal was served, Sella and I filled in more of the details, though we had to say that we'd been asked to keep what we found on Redoubt Island secret.

'Grandfather knows, of course. But I don't know who else. I do know that it is kept top secret, so that, given Grandfather's animosity to you already, it would do you no good, Uncle, to be in the know. One inadvertent slip of the tongue and you could be in deep water. '

He nodded grimly.

When the girls had excused themselves to freshen up, and talk out of our hearing, Admiral Lydre gazed at me for several moments, and then asked, 'Do you have a plan once you reach Cimlye Station, beside those false IDs?'

'Yes, sir, I do.' And I outlined my plan. I would rent a house or flat for several months to hole up in, once Lessie had slipped her cable and fled the island. I had three IDs, and a razor that I'd use to alter my appearance. I'd drawn all the false names from recent editions of the Navy Gazette so that they would appear in the proper branch of the service roster, if they checked my IDs against it. I had drawn up orders for each ID which had them operating under Navy House orders, so that I could not be held on vague suspicions.

'Might I see them?' he asked.

'I wish you would,' I said, drawing the envelope out of our shopping bag. 'I followed the style guide in the latest naval manual I could find. But I would welcome your suggestions.' Even if it would mean returning to the Residence. Better safe than sorry. I had a feeling I would have to produce my orders in order to visit with Lessie.

He looked them over for a while, and actually gave me a little grin. 'You're not going to be popular. You seem to have covered every possible loophole that any local officer might come up with to detain you. I'm impressed.'

'You must remember that I spend two years as an operations analyst. I must've read several thousand orders and reports, and condensed their results, good and bad. Pushing paper was pretty much what I did in the navy. I speak the language.'

'When do you set out?' he asked, handing my orders back to me.

'Well, sir, I have to wait on Tam & Roye for my new uniform, which should be done in about a week. However, with these papers, Sella's work is done. I hope to talk her into returning to Casea as soon as tomorrow. She has leverage with the Captain, which is only good when she's free.'

'Yes. See to it.'

'Ah, sir, I'm sorry to burden you with the knowledge of all this.'

He shook his head. 'Mirra and I consider the twins to be our own children. Hal and Evu were our closest friends, and we regret that we were unable to raise them ourselves. Vin Raah doesn't deserve them.'

'From their tales, you may've dodged a bullet there, sir.'

'I would like to think that a loving home would've made some difference. Still, they are what they are, and I think they turned out quite all right. A bit reckless, but all right.'

'They are something special.'

He gave me a questioning look.

'Just friends, sir. I'm looking forward to the quiet life of a college lecturer once this mission is over. Indeed, whenever I hear they're coming, I'm planning to put up the storm shutters and hide in the fruit cellar until they've blown by.'

'A wise move. If you really want a quiet life.'

### Chapter 04 Cimlye

01

Sella sailed the Mau Lee away the day after our dinner with the Lydres. She laughed at my concern about her sailing solo. 'I've done this many times. I know of half a dozen islands between here and Casea that I can call on whenever I need to rest or eat.'

Since we both took this parting to be temporary, a matter of a few months, it wasn't a tearful parting. Indeed, other than my concern for her safety, I was rather eager to see her off and be on my own. I needed to look beyond Cimlye Island. I needed to look to my future. I had plans.

After seeing Sella off, I moved to a hotel in Teravena, near the University of Teravena. Given Teraven's unbroken history of civilization, I was eager to explore Teravenian scholarship concerning the Tropic Islands, especially the northern island empires, whose history was rather sketchy in the Aerlonian and Feldoraian literature. I expected that Teravenian histories would have been recorded far closer to the historical events, and thus, would likely be more accurate and detailed than what the southern continental scholars could reconstruct, a thousand years after the fact. And with the better part of a week to kill while waiting on Tam & Roye for my uniform, I was determined to put it to good use in the university's Island History stacks. And I did. Indeed, I extended my stay for two extra days beyond what it took for the tailors of Tam & Roye to finish my suit to complete just a preliminary exploration of its resources. I could've spent several months.

In the end, I selected and purchased six highly regarded books that revisited and condensed the ancient Teravenian historic sources down into sweeping histories of the major island groups and empires. My plan was to read and use these books during my stay in Combrene to construct a series of lectures on island history while we waited for the initial white heat of Lessie's escape to die down to cold embers. I expected that would take several months. And, if my relationship with Lessie aboard the Night Song was anything to go by, I was going to have plenty of time on my hands to pursue this project.

But all good things must come to an end. And so, when the last of the books I had ordered arrived at the bookstore, and I could think of no other excuse to avoid sailing for Combrene and Cimlye Island, I bought my ticket on the Coastal Queen, and sailed the next day.

The Coastal Queen was a typical shallow drafted steam ship in the passenger trade that served the towns and cities of the west coast. It was one of a fleet of two dozen similar vessels. With a length of some 90 meters, it had two decks of cabins for eighty passengers in a central island, along with cargo holds fore and aft. It could make a fair turn of speed and was very maneuverable. Maneuverability was required to serve the smallest of towns with the smallest of docks in order to pick up or drop off a few passengers and a dozen crates of cargo, several times a day. Indeed, on the second day of the voyage, we called on Mima Cove. The girls and I had set out for Redoubt Island from there, a long time ago. Or so it seemed.

The western coast of Teraven was a 20 to 100 kilometer wide strip of farm lands and forests between the sea and the great escarpment. The sometimes kilometer high escarpment was not breached north of Mima Cove. The land became ever more forested and less inhabited as we proceeded northwards. The great escarpment was often far enough back from the coast to be barely visible – at best a thin blue line over the dark hills. By the dawn of the third day we had left behind the small resort towns to sail between green-black, fir covered islands and the green-black fir lined coast. Only when we were approaching a town would the forests give way to farm fields. The towns mostly grew around sheltered harbors and served the lumber mills and mines further inland. The small harbors were often filled with lumber barges, tugs, and the small ore freighters that plied the coast.

I spent these idle days watching the forests slip by from the promenade deck during the day – when it wasn't raining. And I spent my nights and rainy days reading several Friser Refe novels, The Bandit's Pride, and Agent of the Captain's Guard, which I found in the Coastal Queen's small library, which is to say the graveyard of left behind books. You can always count on Friser Refe for a lively tale of adventure. Nay Dre's The Lost Fortress, was another good find as well. All in all, my journey to Combrene passed pleasantly enough – as long as I didn't have time to brood on what lay ahead.

I disembarked at Combrene early in the morning of the seventh day. Combrene was a lumber and ore port like all the others, but much bigger. According to my research, it was a city of some 15,000 people, the largest city along the coast. The Com Rive split the city on the hills in half with its deep valley. Lumber mills and charcoal factories upriver shipped their products down the river in barges to be collected and towed down the coast by steam tugs. Further up the river near the escarpment, a number of mines sent their ores to Combrene via a rail line that followed the river to the sea. In the harbor, a tall, spindly steel bridge carried the rail cars along the north dock, where they were emptied, in muted roars, onto a conveyor that then carried and dumped the ore into the holds of the ships tied alongside the dock. There were the usual stone warehouses lining the harbor south of the river. The floating docks stretched out into the harbor, like wooden fingers, serving the coastal steamers and lumber barge tugs that tied up alongside of them. The stone and brick city of Combrene began climbing the hill above the warehouses, And higher up, on both sides of the river, were the tree shaded residential quarters of the city.

Seven kilometers to the west of Combrene lay the small island of Cimlye. The large naval base, with over a thousand personnel, occupied the whole of the island. There was an hourly sea taxi between Combrene and Cimlye, for both the civilian workers on Cimlye and the sailors who had business, or pleasure, in Combrene. Reaching Cimlye wouldn't be a problem. Getting away from it might be a little more iffy. Still, I had made the best plans I could think of to accomplish that.

I spent my first three days in Combrene house hunting. Lying low in a hotel for months on end would not work. Plus, they'd all likely be searched, or at least watched. In the end, I found a rather, shall we say, cozy, furnished cottage – Summers End. It was located on August Avenue, a quiet, tree-lined residential street, high on the hills south of the river and on the very edge of town. From its back windows one could see the sea framed by some trees with Cimlye Island in the distance. I rented it for the entire summer, explaining to the landlord that I was a writer, who planned on spending the summer working on a history of the Tika empire. I told him that I wanted to get away from all the distractions of Teravena, though I did mention that I hoped that my "wife" might join me, but I wasn't sure when.

I moved in the following morning, and spent the next two days furnishing the house. It needed things like sheets, blankets, towels, and the like. I also made several trips to fill the cupboards with food. I bought a lot of canned goods, so that if Lessie decided that she could do without me, she could at least avoid the risk of going out food shopping for the first week or two.

And then, well, I must confess that I spent several days walking and exploring Combrene – locating the local shops, and just getting to know the streets and neighborhoods of the city. I wasn't, exactly, putting off my meeting Lessie, though I was in no great hurry. Rather, I felt that it would be wise to put some days between renting the cottage and any escape Lessie might decide to try. Renting a house too close to the day of the escape might be a red flag – if the search was intense enough.

Eventually, however, I ran out of excuses, and so, very early on what promised to be a mild, bright morning, I donned the impeccably tailored uniform of Commander DeArn Arcon, though without the epaulets, in the hopes of it passing as simply a nicely tailored suit. I didn't want my neighbors to associate Summers End with a naval officer. That would raise some questions.

Stepping out into the small, hedge bordered front yard of Summers End, I drew a long breath, and then set off down August Avenue for the harbor. About half way there, I stopped to place my three bar silver epaulets on the shoulders of my shirt and jacket, and pulled the naval beret out of my pocket, to become Commander Arcon in his full glory. I then continued down the stone paved streets to – well, a fragrant bakery in the city center, where I spent an hour over a mug or two of caf and several sweet rolls. No point arriving at the Admiral's House before Lessie was up and about.

Still, I turned up at the navy dock shortly before 6:30 and boarded the water taxis to Cimlye, with a cheerful salute and greeting from the boat's crew. I favored them with a dignified nod. I was, after all, a Commander, Admin, and I needed to remember that. The launch was crowded with civilian workers on their way to work on the island. They politely made room for me on one of the benches. My neighbors weren't impressed by my three silver bars, and I had a hard time playing the arrogant twit with them, so I learned a lot about the operation of the base's laundry. Seeing that I had an ID for an inspector of laundries, it wasn't a wasted conversation.

02

Cimlye Island is an old, age-worn volcanic island, perhaps four kilometers across. Clothed in a pine forest, the old volcano's rim falls away to the sea on its continental side, providing an opening to the secure, deep water harbor of its central crater. Grey warships rode peacefully at anchor within the central crater, surrounded by assorted smaller craft, larger colliers, and supply ships. Spread out around the harbor, below the black-green forest, are quays, workshops, storehouses, a small shipyard, and offices of the naval establishment. Above this wide band of white stone buildings rose the various residences of the naval establishment, laid out along hedge lined streets under the old pines.

On landing, I had to register and state the nature of my visit, which I put down as "social." I asked the ensign for directions to the Admiral's House. He gave me a curious look, but with a wave of his hand, he told me to take the road just beyond the Administration building all the way up to the top of the ridge. That would be Lookout Street. Turn left and follow it around to the peak of the ridge where the road doubled back around the seaward side of the island. The large house at the peak would be the Admiral's House. I couldn't miss it. I gave him a restrained nod of thanks, and started out. I didn't go fast or far. I still had at least two hours to kill before calling on the Admiral's House. Instead, I strolled about the base, looking important. It is always wise to have a line of retreat. However, all my lines of retreat ended at the quay and the hourly water taxi, so I had better be certain I didn't actually need one.

After circling the harbor as far as I could, I doubled back along the first residential road above the base proper, and spied a shady rock with a view to rest on. For, as I said, it would do me no good to arrive before Lessie was up and about. I placed my handkerchief down to sit on, so as not to soil my uniform, and sat. An echo of my mirage island premonition had returned. I wasn't eager to see Lessie Raah, and more to the point, I was very leery of how she would react to my appearance. She hadn't welcomed me the last time I had arrived to "save" her. I hoped that I would at least have time to explain that I was only here to bring her up to speed regarding the outside world before she did something, ah, uncomfortable.

On the other hand, I had little concern about actually getting to see her, even without making an appointment. I had my story, I had my pointy beard, my three bar epaulets, my ID, my orders, and my impeccably Tam & Roye tailored uniform. I knew the navy well enough to know that they would likely be enough for a half an hour talk with Lessie, regulations be damned.

Around 9:30 I decided that I could put it off no longer, and started up the hill at a leisurely pace. I didn't want to arrive dripping wet – what with my new Tam and Roye uniform and all. I walked along the narrow, hedge-bound lanes in the shade of tall old pines. Signs identified the various personnel housing complexes I passed. One I passed was the unmarried officer's housing enclave. I noticed that the shacks were far more substantial than the ones I'd known. But it then occurred to me they have something like a winter on Cimlye, so that made sense. Still, the Teravenian navy apparently valued unmarried officers higher than the Aerlonian navy, since their quarters were high enough up the ridge so as not to be swept away to sea with the first substantial tsunami to roll in.

The Admiral's House, when I finally came to it, was a substantial stone and timber building, circled by two verandas, a wide lawn, flower gardens, shrubs, tall pine trees, and a thick hedge. It had an elaborate gateway that included two seats facing each other under a trellis of flowering vines. Set on a knoll where the southern ridge fell sharply to the harbor mouth, it commanded a sweeping view of the sea stretching away to the south and west and to the dark green continent in the east that faded into the hazy distance to the south. Cimlye Island was the only island in sight.

I stopped short of the Admiral's House's elaborate gateway, to mop the sweat from my brow with my crisp Tam & Roye handkerchief, and braced myself to face a girl who frightened me for any number of reasons, some of which I could not put my finger on.

I told myself that she would not frighten Commander DeArn Acron. Admin, Navy House. So I became Commander DeArn Acron, as I pushed through the gateway, and made my way up to the house. As I reached its broad front steps, a big, tough, but rather elderly four-bar sailor appeared from the shadows of the veranda, stomped down the stairs with a slight limp, and in a polite growl, asked me what brought me to the Admiral's House.

I told him I was here to pay a social visit on Lady Lessie Raah, who I understood was a prisoner here.

He gave me a rather dark look. 'A guest, sir,' he corrected me promptly, and asked to see my ID. I handed it over to him.

'If you will wait here, sir, I will be back shortly,' he said, and taking my ID with him, climbed back up the steps and disappeared into the shadows of the house. A few minutes later, with the big four-bar seaman in tow behind her, a willowy, primly dressed lady gracefully descended from shadows of the veranda, with my ID in hand. She had the air of an admiral's wife.

As she reached the bottom of the steps, I removed my cap and bowed slightly, 'Good morning, Lady Foy. A pleasure to meet you.'

'Good morning, Commander Arcon,' she replied, inspecting me from head to toe, toying with my card. I silently blessed good old Tam & Roye as she did so. 'Meers said that you are here to visit our guest. I am afraid that we require advanced notice of such a visit.'

I smiled. I had expected as much. 'I'm sorry Lady Foy, but the nature of my business along this coast prevented me from making such an appointment. I hope that you will allow me a brief visit with Lady Raah. I cannot claim to be a close friend of hers, but I have talked with her on various occasions during my assignment in the Residence. We do, however, share a number of good friends, and when they learned that duty would take me up the west coast, they urged me to call on Lady Raah and deliver their greetings, as well as seeing how she is faring. I was, of course, happy to oblige, if I had the opportunity. I'm afraid that I have only this morning. I have a boat to catch this afternoon.'

'What business is this, that brings you to Cimlye Station, sir?'

'I am only here to call on Lady Raah, m'lady. My official business is taking me up and down the west coast, and more than that, I am afraid I can't say. Suffice it to say that I am a field investigator for the Directorate of Administration. I'm looking into possible criminal activity. I am working mostly undercover but, as I said, finding myself in Combrene with the morning free, I felt that I could take the opportunity to oblige my friends and call on Lady Raah.'

'What sort of criminal investigation?'

'Alas, I am unable to say. Secrecy is required for its success.'

'Do you have your orders with you, sir?'

'Yes, m'lady,' I replied, and tucking my beret under my arm, I dug into the inner pocket of my jacket and handed the folded sheet of paper over to her. I didn't think that even admiral's wives could demand to see them, but I was quite proud of those orders, and didn't mind showing them off. Plus, I did not want to create any shadow of suspicion concerning my intentions. I watched her read them as Commander sailing under Navy House orders in a uniform tailored by Tam & Roye. Which is to say, with cool indifference, and perhaps a touch of arrogance, just tempered by a touch of suave politeness, due to dealing with an admiral's wife.

She glanced up from them once or twice, while reading them, to give me a thoughtful, measuring look. Just how important was I? Having read them over, and probably twice, she folded it back up and handed it and my ID over to me. 'I am sure that you understand why we require that an appointment be made ahead of time to call on Lady Raah,' she said, testing my determination.

I smiled, and said, 'I can understand that. I am familiar with how easily your prisoner...'

'Guest,' she corrected, testily.

'Guest,' I said, with an ironic smile, and continued, 'How easily your guest, has slipped out of other gilded cages. However, I am constrained for time, and require only a half an hour or so of Lady Raah's time. I would appreciate it if you made an exception for me.'

She still hesitated, so I decided it was time to play the other card in my hand.

'And to be completely honest with you, Lady Foy, I have a second reason for wanting a word with Lady Raah as well. You see, there is some concern within the Directorate of Administration concerning the legality of Lady Raah's, ah, confinement here. You may call her a guest, but the reality is that she's a prisoner. A prisoner being held without charges, solely on the orders of the Captain. The legality of using the Captain's Privilege to justify her confinement is open to question. And given the long history of, shall we say, misunderstandings, between the two generations of Raahs, there is a dynastic element to this affair. She, along with her twin sister, would traditionally be the next Captain of Teraven – in less than eight years. The current Captain is known to favor other candidates which casts some doubts as to the motives behind this imprisonment.

'Now, I want to be clear that I am not here in any official capacity regarding Lady Raah's confinement. I have, however, been unofficially asked to look into the conditions she is being held under. Nothing in the nature of a formal report, just an appreciation of her condition. There is some concern around the legal sections of the directorate that this affair is rather like an open flame in the powder room. And that, it might, at some point, blow up in the faces of everyone involved. And should it go bang, the careers of officers directly involved in it could suffer. Plus, there is the fear that if, eight years from now, Lady Sella Raah is voted the next Captain of Teraven, the careers of people involved in this affair might also suffer.'

'I assure you that we are treating Lessie Raah with the greatest respect. She often dines with the Admiral and me, and she seems quite content, happy, in fact. Plus, she has the freedom of the island, and is free to, and has, attended many of the social functions – dances, shows, sports events, and the like – that are held on the island. As I said, she seems quite content.'

I bowed. 'I am happy to hear that. I am certain that the Admiral and you are doing your best by her. But a prisoner in a gilded cage is still a prisoner.'

'What choice do we have?' she demanded. 'She is here on the direct orders of the Captain of Teraven. We do our best to mitigate her circumstances, but more than that, we can't do, our hands are tied.'

'That's the dilemma at the heart of our concern. Naval personnel are required to perform every lawful order, or face consequences. But they are also expected to resist and report unlawful orders to their superior officers. In this case, however, the ultimate superior officer, the Captain, is the one giving the questionable order. No one can blame the Admiral for following it, but given the questionable nature of it, it might pay to look further into the legality of it, outside of the navy.'

'To what end? What will that accomplish beyond the replacement of Mewlan as the admiral of Cimlye Station?'

I had to sadly shrug. 'Probably nothing more than that, in the short run. However, in the long run, if one of the Raah sisters does become the next Captain, it might prove to be a wise move. Who knows?

'I should also add that I know Sella Raah, and can say with certainty that she intends to succeed her Grandfather to the Captaincy. And between you and me, I have little doubt that she will succeed. Not only is she smart, charming, and determined, indeed, driven, but she and Lessie spent a great deal of their youth visiting the households of many of the most important families of the nation, including a fair amount of those who sit on the Captain's Staff.

'But enough of this idle speculation of concerns above our pay scale. May I have just a brief word with Lady Raah?' I asked brightly. I had played my cards. If she said no, things would get a little less straightforward. I'd have to hang up my Tam & Roye uniform and do some sneaking about under the cover of darkness.

She kept me waiting for a moment or two, weighing her options before reluctantly nodding. 'For just half an hour. I believe she is in the garden, this way.' And with a brisk walk, set out across the lawn and down a slight slope for the side yard that extended to the end of the ridge.

'Thank you, m'lady, much appreciated, ' I said, brightly, all the while thinking, "out of the frying pan and now into the fire." I could only hope she'd not give the game away.

The flower garden was at the lowest reach of the yard, bounded by the road where it looped around to the other side of the ridge. It consisted of several shallow terraces of flower beds. Lessie was standing in the lowest terrace, looking across the shimmering sea to the green continent beyond, surrounded by the first flowers of the season. Her pale hair was tied in a long pony tail, and she was dressed in a colorful island print skirt, the traditional white blouse, with a print scarf, and a green, sleeveless, jacket.

'You have a visitor today,' Lady Foy called out, as we reached the first terrace.

Lessie swung about with an eager, welcoming smile – that upon seeing me, instantly faded to her guarded, all too familiar look. And yet, that brief smile, sent a sharp, double edged shock knifing through me. Who was that never-before-seen-by-me-smile intended for? And why wasn't it me? It was almost my original mirage island vision in reverse. I drew a sharp breath, and swallowed hard.

I then forced myself to smile. 'Good morning, Lady Raah,' I called, as I hurried down the steps of the next terrace. I needed to keep as much control over our meeting as possible, at least as long as Lady Foy was with us.

I then realized that only after I had called out and hurried forward, did she recognize me. A rapid series of subtle expressions crossed her face. Surprise. Something like delight. A flash of anger. And finally a look of cool indifference, much like she had started with. Only now, her eyes were bright, and very focused on me.

'I don't know if you recall me, m'lady. DeArn Arcon, at your service. We met and talked several times during my posting to the Residence a year or two ago,' I said as I reached her, Lady Foy not far astern. I kept my hands clenched behind my back, unsure of how she would greet me. I greeted her with a restrained bow. Adding smugly, in character. 'I was a mere lieutenant back then.'

She gave me a long, deliberate look. 'I'm afraid that I do not recall you, Lieutenant.'

'It's Commander now, I have since been promoted to commander in the Directorate of Administration,' I replied primly. 'While I am heartbroken that I made so little impression upon you, I am, alas, hardly surprised. You have many admirers. However, we do have several mutual friends, Alaca Nelvers, Neve and Wila Kees, and Carra Wu who, upon learning that my work would be taking me up this coast, asked that I should look in on you, to see how you were fairing, and bring you news of your friends. Thanks to Lady Foy, I am able to do so,' I added with a bow to the lady now at my side. 'Without an appointment.'

She nodded, with a cool little smile. 'Thank you for taking the time out of your busy schedule to call on me.'

I nodded. 'I assure you, it is my pleasure. I have, however, promised Lady Foy, not to take too much of your time on this unannounced visit, so perhaps...' I began, and turning to Lady Foy, asked, 'I can have a private conversation with your prisoner...'

'Guest,' she snapped.

'Just so. As a guest, then there is no question that I can have a private word or two with Lady Raah.' I made it a statement, not a question.

'I'll wait for you up by the house,' said Lady Foy, who turned and stalked back up the terraces towards the house. 'No more than half an hour.'

'You can't say "no" to Sella, can you?' Lessie taunted me in a whisper as we watched Lady Foy's retreat.

I bit back a retort, and smiled instead. 'We have learned our lessons. I'm here merely to bring you up to speed on what has transpired beyond Teraven since our discovery. And after that, what provisions we've made, should you decide that your time on Cimlye Island no longer serves any purpose.'

She gave me a searching look, and nodded, 'Continue.'

I briefly outlined the events, or rather, non-events that the Meys and my revelations had stirred within our respective governments. 'Given their apparent indifference to us in regard to Redoubt Island, we feel that it is best that we proceed with the rest of our lives, rather than wait to see what they eventually decide to do.

'I am, in fact, on my way to the Jarpara Islands with the hope of landing a lecturer's position in Island History and Archaeology at that university. The Meys have kindly recommended me for that position, though I will need to interview for it. Luckily it is a rather open ended understanding, so that I have all the time needed to see you safely to Casea, should you, in view of the unlikely intervention of Captain Dar, wish to leave Cimlye Island.'

She stared thoughtfully out to the sea. And after waiting for any comment, I continued on, outlining the preparations we'd made to facilitate her escape. Ending with, 'I have rented that house high on the south hills, at the end of August Avenue, Summers End by name, for the entire summer. I can return with your disguise and ID this afternoon, or whenever you would like. This time, you can act, if, and when, you want. As I said, we have learned from the last time. I await your orders.'

She continued to silently stare out to the shimmering sea for perhaps only a minute, though it seemed longer. I stared at her profile, trying to distill what was different about her, from what was all too familiar. There were differences, the most obvious was that she no longer seemed angry all the time. She did seem, as Sella suggested, content, despite being a prisoner. Though perhaps it might better be described as resigned. Indeed, the last time I'd shown up like this, she'd been pretty content at Hawker House as well.

She stirred. 'Wait for me up by the house. I'll be out in five minutes.' And with that rather cryptic remark, she set off for the guest cottage tucked away in the far corner of the Admiral's House lot.

Lady Foy watched her walk to the cottage, and then turned to me with a questioning look. I could only smile, since I had no answers, as I very, very slowly made my way up towards her. I did, however, have a lot of questions.

I used the time to explore those questions. Beginning with that knifing shock that I'd felt upon seeing Lessie. A smiling, welcoming Lessie Raah. It felt very much like a jolt of joy, like seeing a lover, long parted. But I didn't even like her. And then, a second knife wound in seeing that that smile wasn't for me. But why? Did I really dislike her? I had feared being somehow tied to her, an unhappy, unpleasant woman, six months before, on the beach. Could just a brief flash of a smile change everything? Had it? And then, when she recognized me, she had reverted to the old, familiar Lessie. Almost. But not quite. And not before that briefest look of surprise and happiness. And even in her cool indifference, something seemed different. It was almost as if she was now playing the part. What did it all mean?

I got no further in chasing these contrary thoughts than a dog chasing his tail when I reached Lady Foy, and Lessie emerged from the guest cottage. Was it five minutes? I couldn't say. But knowing her, it was probably not longer than five minutes. Decisive packing was one of her redeeming qualities.

Behind her, her maid/cook/guard emerged from the cottage as well, but hung back as Lessie hurried down the steps. Lessie had changed into slacks. She had a small courier case hanging from her shoulder to her opposite hip, a short brimmed hat on her head. She carried a kit bag.

I stared. What in the deep blue sea was she thinking?

'What is she doing, sir?' Lady Foy demanded, turning on me.

I shook my head, as baffled as she was. 'I have no idea, m'lady. She just told me to wait.'

We didn't have to wait long.

'I am taking my leave, Eria.' Lessie said, with a sad smile as she reached the clearly alarmed, and angry (at me) Lady Foy. 'I want to sincerely thank you, and Admiral Foy for all that you have done for me. You have truly made me feel welcome here. But the time has come for me to move on. I have imposed upon you long enough.'

Lady Foy turned to me, angrily. 'What did you say to her? Did you go on and spout off the nonsense you were trying to feed me?'

'I assure you, Lady Foy, I said nothing of the sort,' I exclaimed. 'I'm as alarmed as you are about this development. What are you thinking?' I added turning to Lessie. I mean, really? Hadn't I just explained how she could, with relative ease, slip away using the disguise, uniform, and papers I had for her back at Summers End?

'I'm afraid I don't know what you are talking about, Eria. The lieutenant here...' she glanced at me, and lost my name.

'Commander, Commander DeArn Arcon,' I snapped back. 'M'lady.'

'Commander Arcon and I were just talking about my good friends, when I suddenly realized that I was homesick. I'd been here almost six months, now and I haven't heard one word from Grandfather in all that time. I agreed to come and stay here in the hope that by bowing to his will, he might, in turn, make some effort to come to an understanding with my sister and I. But not a word has he sent me. I can no longer believe that he has any intention of reaching any sort of understanding with us. The Lieutenant's talk of my friends made me realize that staying here was simply a waste of my time. Therefore I am leaving. Today. Now. I know this will upset you, for a number of reasons, but I won't put it off another day.'

Lady Foy took her hand in hers. 'I know that it is hard for you to be a...

'Prisoner,' I inserted politely, with my finest arrogant smile.

'A guest,' she snapped back, instinctively, shooting knives at me with her eyes, before turning back to Lessie, 'But I am sure that your Grandfather will relent, in time. Until then, you must stay here. I'm afraid that you really can't leave.'

'I can, and I am, Eria,' she said, carefully removing Lady Foy's hand. 'I am sorry that this will create some trouble for the Admiral, but my Grandfather has never been able to keep us in a cage, as much as he'd liked to. This is his failure more than your husband's. Now I must be going, I have a boat to catch,' she added glancing at the chronometer she pulled from the vest's inner pocket.

Lady Foy turned to me. 'Please escort Lady Raah back to the guest cottage.'

'With pleasure,' I replied. 'Shall we go?' I added, turning to Lessie, with a sweep of my hand.

'Lay a finger on me and you'll regret it, Lieutenant,' she replied levelly, stepping around Lady Foy.

I beat a hasty retreated.

'Commander Arcon!' exclaimed Lady Foy. 'Stop her, sir.'

'I wish I could,' I said, quite sincerely. 'But Lady Raah is known to be quite adept in the martial arts, and well, truth be told, I just invested a small fortune into my Tam and Roye uniform, and I'm loath for it to end up a crumpled ball in the rhododendrons, with me inside of it. So, I sincerely regret, but I must decline. This needs to be settled, ah, diplomatically.'

'Meers!' roared Lady Foy, turning from me in disgust.

Meers, the old, four bar seaman who had first met me, emerged from the shadows of the veranda where he'd been watching, and slowly, and rather reluctantly, it seemed to me, stomped his way down the steps.

'Please escort Lady Raah back to the guest house. You and Blum see that she stays there,' snapped Lady Foy.

Lessie turned back to wave goodbye to Meers. 'Thanks for everything, Meers. Take care.'

Meers was clearly torn. He had started to return Lessie's wave, but stopped when he saw Lady Foy glaring at him. He slowly started limping down the pathway to the gate in Lessie's wake.

'Belay that, Meers,' I called out in my best officer's voice. 'Please just accompany her. I'll be with you in a moment.' I wanted to forestall Lady Foy sending him on ahead to warn the boat crew, or any other officers he might meet.

'Bring her back, I said,' snapped Lady Foy.

'Orders trump requests, M'lady. I'm ordering him to accompany her. Meers and I will try to settle this before she reaches the boat to Combrere, somehow,' I assured her, with all the confidence I could muster. I couldn't see how this would end well. 'Good day, Lady Foy, Keep your fingers crossed,' I added as I made a hasty retreat, following Meers out of the trellised gate.

I hurried past Meers to catch up with Lessie. 'Is this for real?' I hissed.

'Yes. Just play your part,' she replied. Whatever that was.

'May I carry your kit bag for you, M'Lady?' I asked in a louder voice for Meer's ears.

She gave me a grim, searching look, before handing it over. There was no turning back now, and I knew it. My only option was to play my role, and help her move things in her direction, if possible. And if it blew up, and it seemed likely, to get well clear of the debris before they settled.

I drifted back to keep Master Seaman Meers silent company as we followed a couple of steps behind Lessie as she made her way down the steep sun and shade splattered lane towards the water taxi quay. We had 15 minutes to catch it.

'What's going on, sir?' whispered Meers.

'I wish I knew. We were talking about old friends, when she just said that she'd be back in five minutes... And you know the rest. I don't know how much you heard of my conversation with Lady Foy, but she is a free citizen of age, and is not subject to naval authority, so that, in theory, she can simply walk away from here. I think the law is on her side, but then, she's not facing the law, she's facing the Captain...' I got the impression that Meers was a friend of Lessie's and was sympathetic to her plight. I hoped that if push came to shove, he might well side with her, if he knew that she had right on her side.

Our luck held in that we encountered no one who could question us officially. When we reached the main naval facilities, there were many more sailors and officers about, but apparently Lessie, with Meers in tow, was not an uncommon sight, as most of the officers waved or greeted her as she passed. Unlike the Lessie of old, she waved and called back cheerfully.

'Good morning, Lessie,' said the cheerful young lieutenant standing in the stern of the water taxi, as we approached. 'What should I pick up for you in Combrene today?'

'Good morning, Von. Nothing. Today I'm going to do my own shopping ashore,' she replied.

A puzzled look crossed her face. 'I don't believe that is allowed. Is it?'

'Don't you ever read your memos, Von?' she laughed.

'Well, yes, sometimes. I must have missed it...'

'It's somewhere in the pile. Don't worry, Meers will be accompanying me,' she said, turning to Meers and I standing on the quay, with a sweet bright smile that melted my heart, even though it wasn't aimed at me. I hardly recognized her.

Lieutenant Von turned to Meers.

This was it.

Meers glanced at me. I gave him just the slightest nod, yes.

He slowly nodded yes, which was good enough for Lieutenant Von. She helped Lessie lightly leap aboard. She then settled on the bench that ran around the steam engine compartment amidships, while Meers and I made our own way onboard, taking seats on the hull side, opposite her. She, however, was soon in conversation with the two ensigns on either side of her. I sat silently, on the edge of my bench, waiting for the hour bell to chime and Lieutenant Von to cast off. I simply couldn't believe that it was this easy. It was too easy. Something had to happen. But nothing did, at least before we cast off and started putt-putting across the anchorage towards the open water beyond the crater rim, and the city, some seven kilometers beyond.

However, just as we were about to glide through the harbor entrance, I noticed a commotion on the boat quay – the arrival of several vehicles. A bunch of men jumped out of them and seemed, at least in my imagination to be staring across the anchorage at us. The breakwater then cut off my view before I could see if they intended to do more than stare at us. There were, however, half a dozen other steam launches tied up to the quay, and I seemed to remember that some had been manned. But if they had any steam pressure up was an open question. I hadn't paid them that much attention. I had other things to worry about at that time. Now I wish I had, not that it would've mattered. If any had a fire in their boilers and if the crew in the vehicles had enough bars on their shoulders, to commandeer one of them, I'd know soon enough.

03

I knew in about ten minutes. While Lessie had been cheerfully (!) gossiping with her neighbors and old Meers had been silently pondering his fate, I'd been impatiently trying to gauge our seemingly slow, rolling progress towards the harbor of Combrene, at every rise of a wave, only to stare astern on the next rise at the all too slowly receding Cimlye Island.

About ten nerve wracking minutes after we left the sheltered waters of the anchorage, I spied a second launch emerging from behind the breakwater, with a wide white bow wave. From the size of its bow wave and wake, its engine had steam pressure, and plenty of it. And, unlike Lt. Von, it's skipper wasn't afraid of getting its passengers wet with the spray from its bow wave as it plowed through the rolling seaway.

While there may have been an innocent reasons for its appearance, I knew it was coming for us. For Lessie.

I turned to Meers next to me and said quietly, 'Just to make things clear, Master Meers. I ordered you to follow Lady Raah, and not to make any effort to stop her. I also indicated that my order was to allow her to board the water taxi to Combrene. You were only following my orders, as you should.'

Meers glanced at me and slowly nodded. 'Yes, sir.'

He was no fool. And had clearly been in the navy long enough to recognize an approaching squall when he saw the launch behind us racing towards us. He could still act on his own, but I was pretty certain now that he was rather devoted to Lessie, so I didn't expect trouble from that quarter.

'I truly have no idea what Lady Raah is thinking,' I said, quietly, looking across at her. She seemed to be pointedly ignoring me. 'But I do know this; whatever is going on, it is not our concern. We just need to follow the law and keep our heads down. We'll let Admiral Foy put his head on the line, as he appears ready to do.'

'Yes, sir,' said Meers, rather doubtfully. I don't think he took my assurances to heart. As I said, he'd been in the navy far too long to believe that anything I said would keep him out of hot water. And he was likely right.

I spent the next five minutes measuring the pursuit's progress towards us against our progress towards Combrene harbor. If we could get to shore, we might have a chance. But if they could close with us at sea, and had someone onboard with more than three silver bars on their shoulders, we could be ordered to return to Cimlye under escort.

The minutes, ever so slowly, ticked by. I managed to catch Lessie's attention, and nodded towards the racing launch astern, now much closer. She stared at it for a moment, shrugged, and continued to gossip with her companions.

As it turned out, even with "never mind the spray" orders, we managed to beat the second launch to Combrene's breakwater by perhaps a minute. We slowed in the busy harbor and steered for the floating naval dock on its southern side.

Behind us, the second launch rounded the breakwater, but it, too, slowed and followed us in, still closing the distance. I could see an officer standing behind the cockpit windshield watching us with binoculars. The chase was still on, though now in slow motion.

Small fishing boats and lighters slowly sailed through the harbor, their sails weaving back and forth slowly in the long, smooth swell within the breakwater. On the north side of the harbor, an ore freighter was taking on cargo from the overhead rail system with a series of hollow roars as the ore crashed into its holds. Closer to us, a large steam tug slowly edged its three large lumber barges towards seawards. There were several passenger ships tied up along the long commercial dock. And overhead, steam, smoke and gulls filled the bright morning sky. All of which made for a vivid harbor landscape, save for the seemingly sinister black naval launch that glided past us as our crew was casting lines to the sailors on the low floating dock that Lieutenant Von had steered us alongside of.

Our pursuit continued past us to tie up on the dock, closer to shore. Its passenger list included an officer with four silver bars, a captain, and four large sailors in addition to the launch's three man crew. The captain and his gang of four leaped to the dock as soon as the launch pulled alongside. Meanwhile, our passengers were climbing onto the dock, and heading towards shore in small clumps. Meers and I waited on Lessie, who held back to be one of the last to disembark. Once on the deck of the dock, she turned to me, still on the launch, and said, 'I'll take my kit bag now, Lieutenant...'

'Commander Arcon, M'lady,' I replied, as I handed over her roll-pack, which she slung over her shoulder.

'Of course. Thank you for taking the time to call on me. I am sorry to involve you in what promises to be an unfortunate confrontation,' she said, carefully.

'It's been my pleasure.' And glancing towards the waiting captain and his crew, who had formed a line across the dock, added with a reluctance that I hoped didn't come through, 'If I can be of any assistance...'

She shook her head, no. And gave me a hard, grim look. 'I will deal with Captain Krine and his men. Don't risk your brand new Tam & Roy uniform.'

I bowed and said, 'As you wish. It has been my pleasure, M'lady.'

Lessie's ensigns were waiting for her on the dock, and together they walked towards Captain Krine and his men, now spaced out across the wooden dock.

Meers gave me a silent, inquiring look. 'Accompany Lady Raah, Meers, whatever happens. And that's an order.'

'Yes, sir.' he replied, grimly. 'I'll look after her.'

'Thank you,' I replied, rather out of character.

I hung back to see how she would deal with Captain Krine and his four large men. I had seen her deal – somehow – with Banjar pirates, but these were not superstitious islanders. It would take real magic of one sort or another. And try as I might, I couldn't think of anything useful that I could do. Captains trump commanders.

Lieutenant Von, standing on the dock, had been gravely taking this all in. She gave me an inquiring look.

'There seems to be some sort of misunderstanding, Lieutenant. I'd suggest that you steer clear of it, if I were you. Fair sailing, Lieutenant,' I said with a condescending smile.

She gave a salute fit for an arrogant twit.

I allowed Lessie and her companions to get twenty paces ahead of me and followed them slowly, content, for now, to stay well clear.

'Good morning, Lady Raah,' I heard Captain Krine say, as she boldly approached the line of men across the dock.

She stopped several paces before the captain and his men.

'Good morning, Captain Krine,' she replied, and nodding to the two ensigns, who, with the appearance of the grim faced Captain Krine, were suddenly a lot less cheerful. 'I have some business with the Captain here. Have a grand day ashore, gentlemen.'

Glancing at the grim faced Captain Krine, they bowed, and hastily wished her a grand day as well. And then quickly saluting Captain Krine, they passed through the loose line of men, with the captain at its center. Meers stopped several paces behind Lessie. I stopped as well, to watch.

'Time to go home, m'lady.'

'Yes, it is, Captain.' She replied, 'And I intend to do so, right now.' She started forward again.

He held out his arms. 'To the Admiral's House.'

'No, Captain. I am a free citizen, not subject to naval authority. I will go where I want. I will resist any effort on your part to hinder me. Lay a hand on me and I will charge you with assault. My Grandfather wishes to avoid a scandal. I would advise you not to create one.'

Captain Krine smiled grimly. 'I have my orders – directly from your Grandfather. I'm returning you to Cimlye, though perhaps the Admiral's House is not the best place for you... Not after this ungrateful display of arrogance. Master Seaman Meers, escort Lady Raah to the launch.'

'Coward,' sneered Lessie, and strode ahead for the wide gap between Captain Krine and the sailor on his left.

As she moved to pass through the loose line, Captain Krine stepped over and took hold of her arm.

She quickly spun about. Captain Krine started, and then collapsed without a sound at her feet. Without a glance down at him, she continued on down the dock.

The turn of events stunned the onlookers, including Captain Krine's men. They just stood, looking at the crumpled body of Captain Krine on the deck. Unlike everyone else, I had seen Lessie Raah deal with three Banjar pirates, so that I wasn't stunned. I ran forward just as Captain Krine's men swung around to watch Lessie Raah calmly walking down the dock. They hesitated a moment, and then took a step or two in pursuit. It was my time to take charge. My three bars ruled, again.

'Belay that! I roared as I reached them.

They paused, and looked to me.

'You and you, run to the launch and see if they have blankets and a stretcher,' I snapped, pointing to two of the men, in my best imitation of a real naval officer. And then turning to the other two, barked, 'See to your Captain, men. Master Meers, keep Lady Raah in sight,'

I still needed to play the responsible officer for a while longer, so I couldn't just let Lessie wander off into the city alone. Besides, I was sure she'd have no issues losing Meers, given his age and limp.

I joined the two sailors over the body of their captain.

'He's breathing, sir,' one said, as I, ever mindful of my Tam and Roye uniform, whipped out my handkerchief to rest my knee on as I carefully knelt down beside him.

I noted a slight smug of grey on his jacket and found a similar smug on his shirt underneath it. Soot? He was pale, but breathing regularly...

'He seems to have fainted... Though it could be his heart,' I said. 'We'll have to treat him for shock,' I added, with faux concern, as some of the remaining passengers from our boat gathered around.

A minute later, the men returned with both blankets and a stretcher, so I had his men roll him aboard the stretcher and cover him with blankets. I then ordered them to take him aboard their launch and return to Cimlye Station and the hospital there, post haste.

'I will look after things on this end, until they can send more men over to help Master Meers out,' I added, grandly.

The beauty of the navy was that the three bars on my shoulder meant that my orders were obeyed without question. Of course it helped that they made sense, and that I'd not forgotten their mission – Meers was on it.

Lieutenant Von came up to stand beside me as we watched Captain Krine being lowered into his launch.

'Can I take it that I didn't miss a memo, sir?' she asked with a glance in my direction. Lieutenant Von was no fool. And she had seen me actually carrying Lessie's kit bag, so I decided to reply candidly. More or less.

'No, you didn't. I'm only here to make a brief call on Lady Raah at the request of some mutual fiends back in Teravena. I fear that our talk of old friends made her homesick. From what she said to Lady Foy, I gather that she was well aware that her confinement was likely illegal, and was only putting up with it in the hopes of reconciling with her Grandfather. I guess she just lost patience in that happening, and decided to leave. I fear that this is a very deep, and dangerous affair to be party to,' I added, giving her what I hoped was a warning look. 'Still, we have Meers looking after Lady Raah. I gather that was his usual job,' I added with a smile, 'So all is not lost.'

Lieutenant Von gave me another questioning, sidelong look. 'Yes, sir.'

'I'm sure the resourceful Master Seaman Meers will look after Lady Raah and see her home safely.'

'Yes, sir.' she replied. But then, what else could she say. I had one more bar on my shoulder.

I waited for Captain Krine's boat to leave, before turning to Lieutenant Von, once more. 'I fear that duty calls. I have a boat to catch myself, so I cannot wait around to see how all this plays out. I do want to make clear to you, Lieutenant Von, that everything Master Meers did was on my direct orders, should any questions arise concerning his actions, I would appreciate it if you would make it clear that he was following my orders.'

She gave me another knowing look. 'Of course, sir.'

'And that goes for you as well. I took charge of this incident here on the dock. I am responsible for all the decisions made here today. If anyone should have any questions concerning the incident, they can see me about them.'

'Yes, sir.' Isn't the navy wonderful?

'Right, that's settled. Carry on, Lieutenant.'

'Ah, sir?'

'Yes?'

'If they have any questions, how will they get in touch with you, sir?'

'A good question, Lieutenant Von,' I said, smiled, and added, 'Carry on.'

'Yes, sir,' she said, and saluted, with just hint of a smile.

### Chapter 05 Combrene

01

I walked to the end of the dock and around the quay to the passenger docks, just for Lieutenant Von's sake, should she be curious enough. Or if she was asked about it when the whole incident was investigated. Once out of sight, I headed up the hill, past the towering stone warehouses for the city proper. I did a little weaving and dodging just to satisfy myself that no one was following me. A tail was very unlikely, but since everything had gone unbelievably better than what I had expected, with so little fuss, I did not want to waste all that good luck being the least bit careless.

Halfway through town, I found a small city square, and out of sight of the two couples on the benches, I removed my jacket and took off both pairs of epaulets, along with my beret, and stuffed them into a jacket pocket. It was now too warm to put the jacket back on, so I set out, jacket under my arm, hands in my pockets, and headed up the hill, lost in thought. I was in no hurry. Lessie would have to lose old Meers and then find the August Avenue and the cottage, which might take her an hour, and she only had a few minutes head start on me, so I had time to reconcile dread and love, island superstitions with logic. If I could.

The Lessie Raah I had known had been an unpleasant person from, nearly, the first moments we'd met in a heap on the bottom of the long boat. She never had a use for me, and I would've been happy to live my life without ever having met her. The fact that Sella had insisted that I was Lessie's true love felt like a threat. However, I had grown up in the Lang Mercantile, and was instilled with the concept of customers. You greeted and treated all your customers as friends. You were glad to see them, no matter how pleasant or unpleasant they were. You valued all of them, if only because their money was all the same. And so it was with Lessie. She was unpleasant. She didn't like me. We got along by avoiding each other as much as possible on a 12 meter yacht. She was who and what she was. And still, I could, and had, accepted her, just like I had accepted the always unpleasant Mrs. Trou. Lessie was a customer – or in this case, a companion, that I could accept, if not actually like. And nothing more. Or so it seemed an hour or so ago.

Could a mere smile change that? Or did it reveal something long hidden? Something that could explain why Sella's teasing felt like a threat. And why the most tentative expression of some sort of feelings for me – a goodbye wave – hit me so hard?

And so my thoughts ran, as I walked slowly up the hills along the tree shaded streets with their brick and stone houses, the songs of the birds, and the chatter of children playing in the yards. But my thoughts just chased their tails again, and still hadn't caught them by the time I pushed through the hedge gate of Summers End.

I could only smile and shake my head. I had to believe that Lessie would put an end to this dizzy chase soon enough.

And indeed, she did, a few minutes later. And didn't.

As I had suspected, she wasn't waiting for me to unlock the front door of Summers End. I unlocked the door, I hung up my jacket on one of the hooks in the entry behind the door. I then walked through the two small rooms to the double glass doors in back, and unlocking them, stepped out into the little back terrace to make certain she wasn't waiting for me there. It was empty, so I followed the narrow side path back to the front, and started to idly stroll down August Avenue, with the idea of meeting her along the way.

And sure enough, I hadn't gone a block before I spied her rounding the corner of the block behind. For some reason – shyness? – I slipped behind the old tree next to the street to watch her, without being seen.

She was stepping with a light, carefree step. She was smiling, and for all I could tell, may have even been singing a little song as well. And then, just as she crossed the cross street before me, she began to skip and dance, like a carefree little girl, with both of her arms out, with one holding her kit bag. Pure joy. I couldn't help but share it.

l stepped out from behind the tree trunk, grinning. When she saw me, her eyes sparkled with joy. I could only shake my head and laugh. This time she didn't look away. She looked directly at me and shared her joy with me. My heart skipped a beat. Or two. Why? How, in the deep sea?

But then, she lowered her eyes, and when she looked at me again, they were cool and guarded again, and yet, not unfriendly, as they had been before Redoubt Island. They were eyes I could live with. At least for now. Until my thoughts had caught their tails.

'You did it,' I said, as I fell in step with her now, skipping abandoned. 'I can't believe it, but you did it.'

'Of course, I did it. I knew I could.'

'No you didn't. You're just too delighted to have been certain.'

'I'm delighted that it turned out to be so easy. Thanks for calling off Krine's men. That helped a lot.'

'Aren't you glad I was promoted to a commander? As a mere lieutenant, they might've been able to ignored my orders. But not a commander, in a Tam & Roye uniform!'

'Oh, I guess I am. Though it has made you so conceited,' she said with a slight smile and a sidelong glance.

'I was going for a sardonic look. Sella called it supercilious. We seemed to have settled on just being an arrogant twit. Whatever I was, it worked as planned. I was able to get a word to you without an appointment and call off Krine's men. But why did you risk all when I had a much safer and surer plan ready to put in place?'

She shook her head. 'It wasn't a safer plan. They kept a close watch on me. I had a housekeeper in the cottage with me, and another woman at night who looked in on me every hour or two. Meers accompanied me whenever I left the Admiral's House. At the best of times, and even with a disguise and papers, I'd have less than two hours to slip out and catch the water taxi to Combrene before I'd be missed. And, you know, impersonating naval personnel is a crime, don't you?'

'So is merely being here, for me,' I laughed.

'True. But for me, it could've been a crime that I could've been charged with, if they wanted a real crime to imprison me for.

'But back to the escape. The thing is that they were always on hair trigger after someone from the outside visited me, usually for weeks afterwards. I might have had less than an hour to escape detection until they relaxed. And that was with authentic naval officers. Who knows what they would've done, when they discovered you were not who you were pretending to be?

'No, I knew that it would need to be a bold stroke. I had to challenge the very premise of my imprisonment. And to that end, I had to win the sympathy of as many people here as I could.'

'Like Lieutenant Von.'

Lessie may've blushed. 'It is sort of terrible to admit, but I had calculated reasons for my friendships – though they were true friendships. I enjoyed my days, my months here. I had plenty of things to do, and nothing pressing to do anywhere else, until I was needed to introduce the Founders. I probably would've been content to just stay on here until... Well, even if I wasn't being forced to stay.'

She paused, and then continued, 'I used Lieutenant Von and old Meers rather ruthlessly today. I hope no one gets into too much trouble.'

'I think you can rest easy. I made sure that both Meers and Lieutenant Von knew that everything that they did, or didn't do, was on my direct orders. I had the bars on my shoulder and they didn't have any choice. And I made certain that they knew that you had right – and the law – on your side, so that they did nothing dishonorable.'

She glanced to me. 'I appreciate that. I had a talk with Meers before I gave him the slip. I thanked him for looking after me, and told him I was very sorry, but I couldn't go back with him. He said that he knew that. I said that I'd have to run ahead and ditch him. He said that he wouldn't try too hard to keep up with me. But he did want to know if you were a friend, and if you would be looking after me.'

'I hope you told him yes.'

'I did,' she said without looking at me.

'And here's where I start. Welcome to Summers End,' I said, stepping ahead and opening the gate in the hedge. 'I hope it meets with your approval. It's rather plain, but compared to a 12 meter yacht, it's rather roomy. But only roomy compared to a 12 meter yacht,' I added with a smile.

02

I followed Lessie into the tiny entry hall of Summers End. Just ahead of us was a steep flight of stairs in dark wood. There were hooks above the wainscot behind the door for coats, hats and umbrellas. She set down her kit bag and looked around.

'There are two bedrooms and the bath upstairs, And to our left is the cozy sitting room, complete, as you can see, with a charcoal burning fireplace, two fine, well worn-in club chairs, assorted end tables and oil lamps, plus that writing desk under the front window. And the bookshelf around the corner here, seems to hold a fine selection of old novels for our summer reading,' I added, leading her into the small room to introduce its wonders.

'Next to the fireplace is a rather creaky rocking chair, and then on to the dining room with a cozy table for two and that nice buffet,' I said, playing the landlord, as I walked her through the small sitting room to where it turned into the dining room. 'Please note the twin glass doors that open on a small trellised terrace – I think those are grape vines over the trellis. And we have a fine view of the sea over and between the roofs and trees of the houses below. And then, to our right, we have the kitchen, with an oil fired water heater for the bath upstairs and what I believe to be an oil fired furnace as well. I can't think of what else it could be. Anyways, we have a sink with running water, and plenty of cupboards.'

She looked about silently, with a cool, slightly disdainful look, that I thought – hoped –was assumed, but not actually felt.

I let her take in the many homely touches that Summers End offered. She wandered about the small kitchen, opening a few drawers, cupboards and the small pantry under the steep steps.

'As you can see it is well equipped with all the cutlery and all the plates two people would need, if they didn't mind washing dishes often. And I have laid in a good supply of provisions so that we can lie very low for some time.'

I was used to Lessie not saying more than what was absolutely necessary to me, so I wasn't put out by her silent inspection. Nor by her rather remote or regal attitude, since I seemed to sense, a certain glimmer of amusement in her eyes, something entirely lacking in my previous life with Lessie.

'Cozy,' she said at last, turning to me.

'Exactly,' I replied, beaming. 'But still far more spacious than the Night Song.'

'Let's see what the bedrooms look like.'

'After you,' I replied with a sweep of my hand, and followed her back around the water heater, furnace, and behind one of the large club chairs to the entry hall, and then up the steep, narrow stairs to the small landing.

'The bath is behind the door straight ahead,' I offered from the steps behind her. 'It's cozy as well. Cozy is Summers End's theme. The bathtub is a little...'

'Cozy.'

'Exactly, short, but deep... And the door next to it is the back bedroom. I've left that one for you, since it has a nice view of the sea. But if you want, we can switch. It is entirely up to you.'

She opened the door, it creaked a bit, and took several steps in. The floor also creaked a bit.

I followed her in. It was not all that small of a room, being about half the size of the downstairs living and dining rooms. It was painted in the palest of blues. The roof did slope in, making it seem a bit smaller, since you could only stand on one side of the bed, but it had a dresser, a wardrobe against the bath wall, and a writing desk and chair under the lace-curtained window. And it did have a nice view of blue sea and sky to the west. I will admit, however, that it did seem rather small with both of us in it.

'The kit bag on the bed not only contains your disguise, but those two bank drafts I told you about are hidden in the belt. It also has some more clothes that Sella sent along for you,' I said.

She nodded. 'Let's see the other room.'

'Right,' I said, and led her down the narrow extension to the landing to my bedroom door. There wasn't a whole lot of room to let her pass, so she followed me in. My room was much like hers, again in pale blue. It had a wardrobe as well, but didn't have a writing desk. Its window looked out into the branches of the tree in front of the house. It did, however, have a small nook over the entry hall with a chair, end table, and reading lamp.

I stood, rather uneasily, in the nook as she inspected the room. I had rather hastily made my bed and my large kit bag was open on top of it.

'Your choice. We can easily swap rooms, if you like.'

She turned to me with her cool, reserved look, and asked, 'Did it ever occur to you that you were being rather presumptuous in assuming that we were going to setup housekeeping together?'

'Truthfully, yes, but only about a minute ago.'

'So you just assumed that I'd want to live with you?'

'Well... I guess I just assumed that after spending months together on the Night Song, sleeping in the same bunk (though always at different times) and having lived together in more or less peace, however reluctantly... It seemed that this would be... acceptable under the circumstances. We wouldn't have Sella to annoy us, and not only would we have more room, but we could always go out for a walk... or something...' I said, growing a bit more desperate.

'We don't have Sella around, now. Either to annoy us, or chaperone us,' she said, rather archly.

'Frankly, I didn't think we'd be needing a chaperone. But I take your point. It's nothing that can't be readily remedied. Funds are not an issue, as your grandparent's treasure cave is financing this expedition. I can easily find another place to stay, and still do your shopping, so that you can stay well out of sight. No problem, though perhaps it would be better if we found you a place of your own in a week or two, since the landlord knows that I rented this place. We should probably wait until we know to what extent the Admiral and Captain Krine will to go to find you. A woman renting a room or a house now might be a red flag for them...'

'So you're saying that I should stay here – alone, and unchaperoned, with you,' she said coolly, rather looking down her nose at me.

If she hadn't shared her joy with me not ten minutes ago, I'd be getting a lot more uncomfortable than I was. Or angry. But she had. And though a bit embarrassed, I had to believe that she was just teasing me, again. So I answered, 'Well, all things considered, yes, I think it would be best, if we stayed here, together, for now. We – both of us – must take the rough with the smooth.'

She gave me a hint of a smile. She had had her fun. 'Oh, I suppose we must take the rough with the smooth. For now. The back bedroom is fine.'

The old Lessie never even hinted at a smile, so this Lessie was a great improvement. Still, I think she was sending me a rather serious message. And that message was that she was a Raah, and that I wasn't to take her compliance for granted.

'I appreciate your understanding. I assure you that there are no, ah, ulterior motives behind my decision to take this house for both of us, other than to keep you hidden and safe.'

'That, I can believe,' she replied, and she walked out.

'Are you hungry?' I asked as I following her out. 'It's lunch time. I have some bread, dry sausages, some fruit and berries, as well as some vegetables. I wasn't actually planning to entertain you until tomorrow, so I have nothing special on hand. Still, I want to get down into town after lunch to see what sort of measures they've taken, and I'll buy a chicken for supper. I also need to shave before I go down into town, as Commander Arcon needs to disappear on his secret mission.'

She turned to me and stared. 'Can he be gone before lunch?'

'Yes, of course. I'll get my razor and deal with him.'

She nodded, and turned down the stairs to get her kit bag from the entryway.

I slipped into the tiny bathroom and turning on the water in the sink, and looked at myself in the stained mirror. I had rather come to like Commander DeArn Arcon. An arrogant twit he may be, but he could cut a swath through a lot of similarly arrogant people that Taef Lang could not. Oh well.

I came downstairs, Taef Lang – with a mustache, that could go, if needed. Lessie was in the kitchen slicing some bread. She turned to stare at me.

'Too late now, I suppose, to change my mind.'

'For the moment, but give me two months...' I replied eagerly.

She shook her head "no." 'We must take the rough with the smooth.'

03

The shimmering shadows of the leaves and the cool light of the moons danced across the floor and up across the light bedspread. A mild, early summer's night breeze toyed with the gauzy window curtains beside my nightstand. I couldn't sleep. I didn't want to sleep, just yet. I just wanted to go over, once again, one of those rarest of days, a day when everything had gone better than expected.

I had heard Lessie come in half an hour ago, and a creak or two on the steps suggested that she had come up and had also gone to bed, next door. She had wanted to get out and take a walk, but had, prudently, waited until after sunset to do so. I was very glad that she seemed content to act prudently. I had feared that she would continue to take risks, simply because she always had. But so far – and we're talking only a few hours here – that had not materialized. She had allowed me to go down alone to the center of town, to shop, and stroll along Upper Harbor street to gauge the Admiral's response to Lessie's escape without protest.

After lunch, I'd gone up and changed into the local male sartorial style of dress.

'You look like a miner going to a wedding or a funeral,' was Lessie's comment when I came down.

'I believe I would've needed a neckcloth for either of those occasions. A black one for the funeral. But this is the way the average male dresses, except in certain professions, or if they're naval personnel, or a visitor from beyond the escarpment.'

She just shook her head, unconvinced.

'Trust me, I've studied the streets and the people for several days, now. Baggy trousers of this rather worker-friendly cotton material in various shades of greys, tans, or light browns, matched with this also rather roomy shirt of lighter cotton in similar shades are the norm. Neckcloths are worn for special occasions. Paired with these heavy soled canvas shoes, and a slouch hat of woven grass in the summer, and I'm a well dressed Combrenian male, of modest means.'

'I think that you missed your calling. You should've taken to the stage.'

'Well, I must admit that I do like playing a role, every now and again. But I think the driving force behind this get-up, is the same curiosity that sparks my interest in archaeology....

'I thought that was, what's his name... Tar Lad?'

'Zar Lada, and yes, those books made me interested in the islands, and their peoples, and, well, mysteries, treasures, curses, and what have you. But in college, it was a curiosity as to how different people lived their lives, island to island over time. I may have to teach the history of princes and empires, but my real interest is in how the common people lived in the island empires. And how that life changed over the thousands of years. So, in that spirit, I intend to become a Combrenian during my stay here.'

She just shook her head again and ordered me to 'Run along.'

My only interest in the Admiral's response to Lessie's flight, was to set a the high water benchmark against which we could, over time, observe how much the effort dwindled. We'd use this level of activity to judge when interest in recapturing Lessie had receded enough to safely sail on to Teravena or Tara City on Vente Island.

From what I could casually observe, strolling along Upper Harbor Street, which overlooked the quays and docks, the navy had guards at the access points to anything liable to sail away. There were also plenty of naval personnel to be seen about town as well. More than what I'd seen prior to Lessie's escape, but not overtly so. However, with Lessie a familiar figure around the base, they would have hundreds of personnel to draw on to keep a lookout for her throughout the main shopping streets of the city. I returned later that afternoon with a chicken and made my report.

She just nodded. 'As expected.'

I bit back an urge to lecture her on the need to stay indoors for now, since she seemed to accept the necessity of it.

I suppose if I made a transcript of what we said while we prepared and ate dinner, and then lounged on the little terrace afterwards until dark, Lessie would've had about 20 lines of dialog. While this would've been about 19 more lines of dialog than a similar evening aboard the Night Song, it illustrates the fact that the change in Lessie was mostly one of attitude. Aboard the Night Song, we would've gone about preparing, cooking, eating and washing up with little more than a word, here and there. If she had to look to me, it would've been an exacerbated glare. I tried to avoid looking at her as well. We would've spent our off-watch as far apart as possible within the 12 meters between bow and stern.

But today, well, I must confess that I did most of the talking, but only because Lessie used her 20 lines to ask me questions. Questions about what happened to me after they had sailed from Lil Lon, and then questions about Sella's appearance and our subsequent, well, I hesitate to call them "adventures," but our travels and the arrangements we'd made that landed me here, with her. She followed these with a rather reserved show of interest, but she continued to urge me on, and on several occasions even smiled.

'Oh, by the way, Aunt Mirra and Uncle Sen send their love and best wishes,' I said, after recalling my meeting with them as we ate or chicken dinner. 'Uncle Sen invited us to dine at Mariana's with them.'

She looked up from her plate. 'Did Sella actually call on them when you were in Teravana?'

I shook my head. 'It was the other way around,' and proceeded to tell her of our meeting with Admiral Lydre in the Residence while we were fabricating our forged documents.

'... Of course, Sella never broke character, and let me rattle off our explanation for being there after hours. I thought the game was up for certain when he picked up one of the ID cards, and it was for you rather than me. Your sister calmly explained that I'd have to shave for that one.'

Lessie laughed, and shook her head. 'I take it Uncle Sen didn't give the game away either.'

'No. However, I don't think it was because he was amused. He certainly put me through the grinder over dinner. I told him the truth, and I think it scared him a bit. But in the end, since it was all in a good cause, he approved of the effort, despite his grave doubts about the wisdom of bringing me into your secret country.'

And so the evening passed comfortably. Far, far more comfortably than I had ever imagined that it would be. And while Lessie was almost as reserved as I had known her to be, the anger, ambition, and impatience that drove her when we were last together, were either gone or muted. She was not unpleasant to be around. In fact, I found that she was actually comfortable to be around, perhaps because she was so undemanding. At least for today. And she didn't seem to mind me being around, which was all to the good. More than that, I could not say. But it was a good beginning. While my life was not without concerns, those concerns could wait until tomorrow. I closed my eyes and slipped deeper under the blanket.

04

I woke up in the grey early morning with the rain. I got up to shut the window, and decided to go out and get some sweet rolls and a fresh loaf of bread at the corner bakery two streets down and three blocks over.

We don't have continental style sweet rolls and donuts in the islands. I had discovered them during my first year at Layfield and they had been a favorite morning indulgence during my university, and then, naval years in Kanadora. They made them here in Teraven as well – I had them the last time I was here – and the Combrene sweet rolls were up to par.

I donned my baggy clothes, tiptoed downstairs to don my ex-naval overcoat, and a felt slouch hat. And with a waxed canvas shopping bag in hand, I slipped out into the cool damp dawning day. The trees overhead consolidated the light rain into big drops that banged down on my hat and shoulders as I went, but the fragrant warmth of the bakery made the journey there and back well worth it.

Lessie wasn't up when I returned – it was still before seven o'clock – so I made a pot of caf and enjoyed one of the sweet rolls. But only one. I'd bought an odd number in anticipation of this opportunity.

Lessie came down a little before eight. She was fully dressed for the day. Back in the Night Song days we were both far more casual, but back then we didn't like each other, and so we didn't care. She wasn't much more chatty than she would've been during our Night Song days, but as I said, there was between us now, shall I say, a quiet acceptance of each other, far different than the animosity we shared before. There was also an undercurrent of uncertainty and awkwardness between us, as well. That would, no doubt, be resolved, in time.

We prepared and ate scrambled eggs with peppers and green onions as we had done many times aboard the Night Song, for as long as the eggs lasted, port to port. After which we had a sweet roll with our mugs of caf.

She refilled her mug after breakfast and said quietly that she'd be up in her room this morning – she had letters to write.

I said that was perfectly fine with me. I had books to read. I pulled one of the club chairs over to the dining area to get better light by the double glass doors, and spent the morning reading the Tervanian version of the history of the Tika Empire.

She came down for lunch, and then, since it was still wet and dreary, excused herself, and returned to her room. This was much like how I had expected to pass my time with her, and since I had a lot of work to do, I was quite content. The truth was that I was of two minds – or perhaps mind and heart – as to how well I wanted to get to know Lessie, and I was in no hurry to decide.

That evening, after dinner, we sat, each in our respective club chairs under our oil lamp and talked, off and on. I asked questions about her life on Cimlye Island, and she answered briefly, but easily. I didn't get the impression that I was imposing.

She said that it had been an easy life – one that she needed. Lady Foy had indeed been a kind hostess, often inviting her over to the big house for dinner with the Admiral and her. Both had been kind and considerate, and she, indeed, had the freedom of the base and all its social activities. Though either Meers or one of the maids/guards who served in the guest cottage would always need to accompany her whenever she went out. She said that it took several months to get comfortable going out and meeting people again, but once it became comfortable, she hardly considered herself a prisoner.

I mentioned that I'd heard she had a project to work on, which she admitted to, but would not say what it was.

I asked how many visitors from the outside she got. She said one, perhaps two a month, all naval officers that she'd known from the Residence as they would be the most likely visitors to the naval base. People didn't travel to Combrene or Cimlye for pleasure.

Eventually, talk came around to yesterday, and her escape.

'I assume that you did to Captain Krine what you did to Lieutenant Carz Fel, back on the train. And indeed, to the Banjars as well.'

She shrugged.

'I don't want to believe in magic. And I did notice a small smudge on Krine's jacket and inside, on his shirt. Can I take it that you were the cause of that flaw in his otherwise immaculate uniform?'

She shrugged, noncommittally, but eyes were bright. 'Why do you think it was? And if so, what?'

'In the case of Krine, it could easily have been some sort of very powerful and fast acting poisoned needle, hidden in your hand. And I would guess the same could be said for poor Lieutenant Fel. But that doesn't explain the Banjars. And as I said, I'm ruling out pure sorcery...'

'Really?' she asked, giving me a look.

'Yes.,' I replied fearlessly. 'I'm going to say that it involves some sort of Founders' weapons. I saw the Founders portion of the Residence, and I gather it had all sorts of Founders' devices stored in it. And given that you and your sister explored it from top to bottom, I believe that you found a Founders' weapon, and perhaps some sort of manual as to how to use it.'

'Did you see me use such a device?'

'No, so it must be small. But then, we've both seen very small and wonderful devices, so I suspect that you can keep it mostly hidden in your hand. Am I right?'

She considered my question for a moment or two, and then drew a small dull metallic object out of her pocket, and handed it to me.

I took it gingerly. 'Can I activate it by chance?'

She shook her head. 'There is a pattern, a code needed to activate it.'

I examined it closely in the golden light of the oil lamp over my shoulder. It was a silky smooth, thin, slightly curved bar of metal, almost like an elongated sea-worn stone that fit comfortably into the palm of my hand. I could see that it could be mostly hidden by my lower fingers holding it in place. It had marks and shapes slightly etched into its surface that told me nothing.

I handed it back to her. 'So what does it do?'

'It is called a darter. And it shoots tiny little darts that apparently carry a tremendous amount of some sort of electrical energy. When that energy is released into a body, it knocks the person unconscious. From what we could find out about it, the electrical energy could also be made strong enough to kill people, but not with this weapon. We found a number of them in a case. We took two. Sella has the other one. There were also many clips of the little darts. However, the problem was that they were, like many other Founders' machines, dead. Useless. But they came with a manual, and we determined that we had to put the electricity into the darter to make them work. And using the manual and a lot of research into electricity on our part, we were able to rig up a way to plug them into the Residence's electrical system to charge them. However, it takes several months of charging for the charge to barely register enough to use them at all. They would exhaust that charge after only a few darts were used, so we use them only as a last resort.'

'It's funny what you consider last resorts... The Banjars for certain, and well, poor Fel, and Krine, I guess necessity must be served. But then I think about that evening in Dela Dare, and those disgruntled pirates...'

'Obviously it wasn't needed,' she replied haughtily.

'Well, yes, I suppose, looking back. But at the time...'

'My supply of useful darts was no more than a handful, as I told you. There were likely too many of them. And they were too determined. Besides, I was too angry to just put them to sleep, until...' she left it there. And then continued, 'We, Sella and I, had considered approaching Captain Dar about getting them fully charged when we were on Redoubt Island. However, we weren't all that sure how she would look upon our request. We were using their lost knowledge today, which seemed to be something that they were determined not to do. And since we didn't want to lose our little darters, we put it off for a later meeting. I guess we'll just need to be more careful in the future.'

I raised my mug of caf. 'No truer words spoken, my dear Lessie. Promise to live by them.'

She gave me a half smile. I didn't think it was a promise.

05

This quiet, reserved day, set the pattern of our life for the following month. In a way it was a strange life, I suppose. But I think we both found it comfortable. I had hoped that we'd be able to co-exist with as little friction as possible, as we had aboard the Night Song. The fact that we could get along so easily and pleasantly was a delightful surprise. And perhaps, it was a trial period for both of us. Clearly something had changed between us. In my case, I feared that my regard for Lessie had reversed. My fear was now that Sella was wrong about Lessie. I was surprised to find this feeling every time I found myself thinking about Lessie, which was often. But there it was. I couldn't explain it. Somehow, just a smile seemed to have been enough to make me, dare I admit it? Fall in love with Lessie Raah.

I was, however, certain, that this called for caution. Lessie was a Raah, and I knew, instinctively, that one did not trifle with a Raah, and especially with their affections. One needed to be certain, and until I was, I would say nothing. Secondly, I hadn't forgotten just how unpleasant she could be. I understood the reasons for her unhappiness and I felt that she had put them behind her. But I had to be confident that I could make, and keep, her happy and content. And that, I felt, depended on how she felt about me, which was still something of a mystery. I'd experienced no adoring looks, no lovelorn sighs. And yet there was the moment of pure happiness that she shared with me. Day to day we were comfortable friends, but, it seemed, no more than friends. And contentment had to last a lifetime, which was my third concern. While I had put off my archaeological career to get my civic duties out of the way, and now, to spring Lessie from her gilded cage, I was ready and eager to begin a not too eventful career as a college lecturer and a practicing archaeologist. For every hour that I could imagine Lessie as the wife of such a college lecturer, I had an hour that I couldn't imagine her settling for such an insignificant role – nor could I imagine myself wanting her to. But if not that, then what? I could chase my tail thinking thoughts like these for hours on end – and did. But even as these questions remained unanswered, I was comfortable spending these strange, simple days with Lessie.

Each day we'd breakfast together, and then she would retire to her room to work on her project. She declined to notice my interest in the nature of her project. And the one thing I was very careful of, was taking the lead. I think that one of the elements of her unhappiness was the fact that there was, in the very nature of Sella, the presumption of her being in charge. They may've been partners all their lives, but in the end, I had a feeling that Sella was the default decision maker of the pair. I didn't want to assume that role in our relationship. So every morning she worked on her project, and I worked on mine, without explanations.

She came downstairs earlier than usual one morning, toward the end of our third week. I was writing notes on the desk below the front window. Before that, I had mostly been just reading the histories I had brought along to get an overview of what they offered and what I could use.

'What are you up to today?' she asked after coming down the stairs and stepping behind me.

Looking up at her, I said. 'I'm going back, collecting all my bookmarks and copying or paraphrasing the passages I marked.'

'Studying for a test?'

'No. But someday I might use them in a test of my own...' And with that I launched into my plan of using the summer to work up a class or two of lecture topics and resources.

'You seem content yourself, so I haven't mentioned this before, but I rather planned on spending the entire summer – all three months – here working on this project. It's work I'd need to do anyway before beginning to teach, and by getting this work done now, my life would be simpler for it, once I land a teaching position. Of course, we're partners in this adventure, so that if you're driven mad with boredom before the end of summer – and it looks to be a safe as it's likely be to continue on down the coast – we can cut our stay short. But I want you to know that I'm happy to be here with my books, and you, for a couple more months. And that I'm in no hurry to move on...

'Oh, by the way, you don't mind me staying here, do you? I seem to remember that we left that up in the air...'

She considered the question – far longer than she needed to. I was pretty certain, just to tease me, before saying, 'Oh, I guess I'll keep you around, for now.'

'Thank you. So as I was saying, unless you have urgent plans, I would like to spend the summer here at Summers End. With you,' I added, suddenly bold. 'I like how things are between us.'

She gave me an unreadable look, a strange smile, and said 'They are better now, aren't they?'

'So much better. I'm enjoying these quiet days with you.'

But I had gone far enough, it seems, for she said, 'I'm hungry. What shall we make for lunch?'

After lunch we would sit around on the terrace over our mugs of caf, mostly in silence. On nice days, we'd then go for a long walk, out into the countryside, returning home with an appetite to make dinner. On the overcast and rainy days we'd tackle any housework that needed tackling – dishes to wash, clothes to wash, sweeping and tidying up. And then put another hour or two into our projects before going out to shop for our dinner every other day or two. By the end of the third week, I'd been out and about enough to feel that it was safe for Lessie to shop with me at our local stores, though not the main shopping streets lower down the hill that still had naval personnel about. I had never seen anyone lurking about close to home, and I'd come to recognize more and more of the locals. She had to pretend to be my wife, and played the role, taking the lead in picking out the vegetables and meats. She bought a few blouses and scarves from the small seamstress shop a few cottages beyond where the city ended.

In the evenings, we'd once more sit on the terrace, or inside on the damp days. Lessie would often take walks alone in the evening. I offered to accompany her once or twice, but she declined, so I took it that she wanted some alone time, and didn't offer again.

And so, the days passed, slowly, and yet all too swiftly. And before I know it our first month of lying low had gone by.

06

The end of those days came, strangely enough, with a dozen irises. Early one fine summer's morning, I stepped out of the bakery just as a flower seller, his barrow piled high with flowers, was passing by on his way down the hill toward the city center. I stopped him, and bought a dozen tall irises in pale blue and white. I thought they'd brighten up our house. And I confess, with no thought beyond that.

When I got home, Lessie wasn't up yet, so I rummaged under the sink for the vases I saw down there, and selected two. I could fit only three of the pale blue ones in the tall, narrow vase, so I put it on the bathroom sink with a note to Lessie saying that it was for her writing desk. I arranged the other nine in the larger of the two vases, and set them on the dining table. I then got a pot of caf going, and sliced what was left of our two day old loaf of bread. That done, I beat a few eggs for the egg toast that we had decided on for our breakfast the night before.

I didn't hear her come down. When I turned around, she was staring at the flowers.

'Pretty, aren't they? A flower seller happened to be passing by when I came out of the bakery. He had lots of different flowers, but I liked these – so tall and elegant. You should tell me what flowers you like, so that the next time he goes by, I can see if he has any of your favorites. Pour you a cup of caf?' I asked, cheerfully.

She didn't reply, but continued to stare at the flowers. I poured a cup of caf anyway – she'd want it soon enough.

As I turned back to her, mug in hand, she turned to me and gave me the strangest look. There may've been tears in her eyes.'Why are you trying to break my heart?' she asked softly.

I blinked. Thought. And came up blank. Was she kidding me?

'Break your heart? I would never intentionally break your heart,' I said, alarmed. 'Why would you say that?'

She made a vague motion to the flowers with her left hand. A tear ran down her cheek.

'The flowers? Don't you like them? Do they bring back bad memories? Let me toss them out,' I said, with growing alarm. I set the caf mug on the counter and stepped closer to her to get rid go the offending flowers.

She shook her head no.

'Then what's wrong? What have I done?'

'Why? Why did you bring them home?'

'Like I said in that note I left for your flowers – to brighten our home.'

'To brighten our home...'

'I thought those pale blue ones would look very pretty on your desk by the window, what with the blue of the walls and bedspread. And don't these make a statement? But obviously, not a good one. I'm sorry for whatever I did. But I assure you that breaking your heart would be the last thing I would ever want to do.' I didn't know what I had done. I didn't know what else I could say. I did know what I wanted to do, seeing her distress, but I didn't dare do it.

She stared at me silently for several moments before drawing a deep breath. She appeared to be about to say something, but then stopped.

'Please tell me, tell me what I did wrong. I don't want to do it again.'

She let that breath out with a low sigh. And then she drew herself a little straighter and said. 'Fine. I will tell you my most shameful secret, if you insist.'

'I don't want to know your most shameful secret. All I want to know is how to make things right.'

She shook her head. 'I must make it right. I must confess, I must confess that Sella was right, though it pains me to say so. I knew it all along. And still I was... like... like I was. Even so, you were kind to me. Even sometimes when Sella wasn't making you so. Kinder than I had any right to expect. And now you're kind to me again. Without thinking. you buy flowers to brighten – our – house. But you are only being kind again.'

I looked into her moist, but bright eyes. Sella had claimed that I was Lessie's heart's desire. I realized that this was the fleeting moment, and once gone, might not come back. Lessie was a Raah. And the Raahs have their pride. I realized that I didn't want to let it escape.

I stepped close, and took her hands in mine. She watched me closely.

'Yes, Sella was right, about us. Both of us. I find that I seem to be in love with you.'

'Seem to be?' Half kidding, half serious.

That question could only be settled one way I stepped just a little closer to take her in my arms, and kissed her. And she kissed me. It was a sweet kiss. Not long, but long enough to come to an understanding that we were both in love.

'Yes, I guess I do love you,' I said, looking into her eyes.

'Guess?'

Throwing my remaining caution to the sea, I kissed her again, and said. 'I love you.'

She smiled, 'I guess that will have to do.'

'Guess?' I asked with a smile. 'If you still have any doubts...'

She shook her head no and then said, with a taunting smile, but a tender look, 'Now breakfast, my dear. I'm hungry.'

I sighed. But then, breakfast was probably the smartest move we could make. There was much to be said, and it might as well be said over egg toast, sweet rolls and caf.

But little was said. Our confessions were premature – at least in our eyes. Others might roll their eyes at that description. But over breakfast we just said ordinary things to each other, smiled a lot, and pretended not to have been staring at the other, when caught in the act. After we had washed the dishes, shoulder to shoulder, we spent the rest of the morning at our usual tasks, though I can say for myself, that I made little progress.

07

After lunch, we went for a long walk in the country, as was our custom. It was high summer, warm, and bright. Shades of greens surrounded us. The banks of the road were speckled with wild flowers. Overhead, birds darted here and there against the backdrop of fat clouds that drifted lazily under the dome of the pale blue sky.

I was bold enough to take her hand as we walked.

'You didn't really think I was trying to break your heart, did you? I asked.

'Oh, I knew you'd not do it intentionally. But I didn't know if you were doing it simply to be pleasant. A small kindness. Or if I was to take it as a sign of something more. I could make the case for either. I couldn't decide. I was left with one foot on the dock and the other on a drifting boat. I had to decide which way to leap.'

I nodded. 'I'll be honest. I saw them. I thought of our house, and how flowers would make it more cheerful, for you, for us. I've been thinking of us, as us for weeks now. But those were my private thoughts. Anyway, I thought the blue flowers would look so pretty on your desk, so those were yours, and well, I was excited enough to put them in a vase and surprise you with them.'

'You had no plan beyond that?'

'No, I can't say that I had,' I admitted. 'But you see, you must remember just who you are. I dared not trifle with your affections, even unintentionally. I had to be absolutely certain that we could find a fulfilling life together. Both of us. And I wasn't sure.'

'And you're certain now?' she asked, watching me closely.

'I am certain that if we try, we can.'

'But you have your concerns.' It wasn't a question.

'I have only one concern.'

'And that is?

'You know the life I'd like to live. The life of a university lecturer in archaeology, who gets to spend his long holidays on some island pottering around in the dirt looking for pieces of pottery and such. It has been my dream since, well, for a long time now. But I have to wonder what sort of life you could make for yourself, as the wife of some such fellow... Still, I think we can find a way, if you are patient.

'You remember me telling you about that professor I met on the train to Karitasha, Professor Loy Naetar, the old Layfieldian? He teaches social history at the University there. Perhaps I could, when the time is right, approach him to see what my prospects might be for a history or archaeology position with some Teraven university. But I don't think we could dare do that before your sister – or you – sits at the head of the Captain's Table.'

'It won't be me that sits on in the Captain's Chair. You can put your mind to rest on that point.'

I gave her hand a little squeeze of thanks. 'But what, then?'

'Do you think a novelist would be a suitable wife of a university lecturer?'

I stopped and turned to her. 'Really? Is that your project?'

She smiled shyly. 'Yes. I have started writing my autobiography. I expect it to be at least a twelve volume set,' she laughed.

'Twelve? But then, I suppose from all the stories of your youth that Sella told, yes, perhaps, twelve volumes.'

'It will actually be mostly fiction, of course. But it will be based on our adventures with our friends, and our occasional enemy. I spent my first several months at the Admiral's House guest cottage making lists of all the people we knew and have met along the way. Then I wrote out all the places we visited and the houses we stayed at. And then I took those lists, and gave them all new, and appropriate names. After that I drew maps, and plans of these houses, and began to sketch out all of our adventures over the years. All the ones that I could remember.

'My plan is to write a book for each year after we were eleven years old. From the age of eight, when we were dragged from Aunt Mirra and Uncle Sen's care, to our eleventh birthday will be the first book. That's the one I am working on now. After that, it will be a book for each year of our lives, until, well, we'll see.'

'So I have at least a dozen years to wait until I appear.'

'If I were you, I'd live in fear,' she laughed. 'I am going to take no prisoners in these tales. Good friends will be rewarded, our foes, crushed beneath my pen.'

'And I should fear this?'

'You should treat me as if you should fear me.'

'I do that already.'

She smiled sweetly. 'That is one of the things I like about you. In any event, I shall freely mix and adopt our adventures into one very long, and complex, escapade for each year. Our friends will recognize themselves, I am sure, but they may find themselves in places and events that they may have no clear memory of. They will have to sort it out for themselves.

'Can I take it that this isn't going to be a series of books for young girls?'

'Oh, I shall hope that they sneak them off of their parents' bookshelves when they can read, but no. My goal is to write the stories from a sort of hybrid child/adult viewpoint. I hope to capture our views and expectations at each age, but then look at them from a grownup's vantage point. I want them to be clever, to be witty, to be funny, and sometimes sad. I want them to be honest, even if they are fiction. I kept a diary throughout those years. They are hidden in my room on Casea, and I am eager to read, and use them, hopefully to recapture my youthful view points to use in these novels.'

'And do you have a name for these girls? This series?'

'Tella and Tarri Rey, The Mischief Twins.'

'Ah, a very understated title,' I said.

'Very,' she laughed.

I had been watching her this whole time, and I could see her delight in the prospect of writing the stories from hers and Sella's youth. Of being abandoned, and yet loved. And perhaps, feared, as well. I drew her close and kissed her, for only the second time.

'You're growing bold, Lang,' she said, we as parted.

'You have removed any doubts. I can afford to be a little bold.'

'I hope that you don't forget that I am a Raah,' she said, but just half kidding.

'I won't. Ever.'

A storm rolled in that evening, drawing the night in early. The wind hissed through the trees. Rain lashed the windows. Lightning, followed by thunder, flashed through our little cottage. We settled into our respective club chairs, and in the gold light of the oil lamps, spent several hours reading. I had found a number of adventure novels in the cottage's collection and was reading one.

Several hours passed in silence.

I looked up from my book, and over to Lessie. She was thoughtfully staring off into space, as I had seen her do many times before.

' You know, you haven't changed all that much,' I said. 'And yet, somehow, so much. It is hard to believe you are the same girl I knew on the Night Song.'

She looked across to me. 'No I haven't changed all that much. And I am the same girl you knew on the Night Song. But I would like to think that I've grown. That I'm not only a little older, but wiser, as well. I made mistakes. Between selfish pride and ill luck, I almost got people killed. I spent years working to solve a problem, and, in the end, I succeeded. It will change our world, one day, I think. And for the better, I hope. I stepped out of the shadow of my sister, to become more of my own person, and I am more comfortable today because I did. But I had one great failure. It appears that I failed to keep the man I fell in love with on the worst day of my life, out of my life, though I tried very hard,' she added, quietly. 'You were a constant reminder of my failures.'

'Well, don't feel bad. I also failed. I couldn't help but feel a kindness, of sorts, for a woman who seemed to dislike me as much as I found her to be unpleasant. All I wanted to was to avoid her. And how I feared seeing her again. And then, the fool that I am, as soon as I saw her, and her very first hint of a smile that she cast my way, I went and fell in love with her. I think my failure tops yours.'

She smiled. 'We're well matched. And then sighed, 'I was quite horrible, wasn't I?'

'Oh, you weren't all that horrible...'

'Yes, I was.'

'You haven't met some of my old customers. You were never vindictive. You rarely lost your temper with me – at least you didn't show it... too much. We got along. In some ways, I could understand why you were like you were. Sella suggested some reasons. But well, I don't mean to pry, so I'll just say that I hope I will never make you that unhappy.'

She sighed, and then said quietly. 'I love my sister, very much. Growing up, we had a partnership that not only suited our natures, but served us very well during all our escapades. But you know Sella. I had to live my whole life in her shadow. Not that she did that intentionally, it was just that she has the personality that seems to dominate any gathering. I didn't. And don't. And while I am comfortable being who I am, as I grew older, I eventually grew tired of playing the role of Sella's clever little sister. Of always being everyone's second choice...' She paused.

Sella had suggested that there was a love affair gone wrong in Lessie's life, but I dared not bring that up. So I said nothing, and waited.

'And that is why my golden key became so important to me. It didn't require any personality. It didn't require friends. Or my sister. I could solve the mystery all on my own. I had the patience and perseverance to, step by step, solve the mysteries surrounding it. I figured how to open it. It took hours and hours over years and years to do so, but I did it. I then spend many months pouring over maps in the university library to locate the island on the map. And finally, when everything was ready, I signed Grandfather's name to an order, produced a command token, commandeered the Sealight and set out to discover the secrets of Redoubt Island all on my own. And, well, you know how that turned out. A treasured yacht sunk, its crew almost killed, or captured and sold for slaves... And to top it all off, I see a young naval officer politely trying to talk the Banjars out of taking us as slaves. A young naval officer that had my weary, waterlogged heart beating like a captured rabbit, for some strange reason. And he then didn't get us all killed, though what he planned to do after his polite threats failed, is still an open question.'

'Captain Wera had his 10cm cannon aimed at the Banjar vessel. I was rather counting on him to lob a shell or two over their way to get them to thinking of the consequences of their actions, if things looked to be getting out of hand on the wreck,' I said. 'But as you say, to this day, I can't see what we, in the boat, could've done to stop them. Not without getting you, your crew, and ourselves injured or killed.'

'Luckily, I didn't need, or want, you to do anything. With you on hand, I could, and did, deal with the Banjars. But then, to make matters even worse, you go and save me, anyway. I couldn't even get off the wreck myself, without your help...'

'It was my pleasure, I assure you,' I said with a smile.

'A very short lived pleasure, I'm sure.'

I just shrugged, apologetically.

'Right. And then, of course, my dear older sister was waiting to rescue me, a fool and a failure. So I went home, tail between my legs, to be savaged, and to be fair, rightly so, by Grandfather. And to top it off, Sella sends you to rescue me once again, in order to cut herself in on my one, solo accomplishment, that I'd made such a mess of. I haven't quite forgiven her for that.

'And so, with the world against me, and my happiness, I pursued my dream, what was left of it, with my older sister in the lead, as usual, and my would-have-been love, along to remind me of all my failures.'

'But that's now all in the past, I hope.'

She looked to me, and said. 'Yes. And then she smiled.

I closed my book, set it on the end table next to me, rose to my feet and stepped over to her. Leaning down, I kissed her.

She carefully watched me as I returned to my seat with a gleam in her eyes. And then she smiled again. A tease, or a challenge? A Raah being a Raah, or...?

I was willing to get up again to find out. I lingered over the kiss, and, looking into her eyes, I added, 'The next time it will be more than a kiss.' with a little leer and let my eyes take her all in.

She carefully watched me as I once again returned to my seat, with that same gleam in her eyes. And then she watched me a little longer, before turning her eyes to the book on her lap.

Life with a Raah girl. I wasn't quite sure who won that round. But I have to admit, as I picked my book back up, that it felt as if I had lost. I had rather lost interest in the book.

08

Life changed at Summers End over the next several weeks, but not as much as I might have expected. The serious half of "I am a Raah" and our little game that evening had rather prevented any precipitous release of passions on my part. Not that I minded. Not all that much. Lessie was comfortable company. And it kept our life simple.

I suppose we could've tried our hand at escaping anytime after the first month or so, but neither of us was in a hurry. We had our projects to complete, and well, we had each other all to ourselves. That would change, of course, but we were in no hurry for it to change.

But, of course, it did change again.

One evening, well into our second month at Summers End, I had just reached the top of the stairs when Lessie emerged from the bathroom in her pajamas, her hair still wet from her bath. We where at the stage where, if I moved quickly enough, and I did, I could brush against her, which I did. I theatrically grabbed hold of her, to prevent myself from tumbling back down the stairs. Safety first. We ended up against the wall, where I kissed her.

I gave her a little room, after that first kiss, and remarked, 'You know, this rather reminds me of how we first met. Of course you were a little more waterlogged back then.'

'And we weren't standing up.'

'True...' I said, and kissed her again. 'I think that moment, on the bottom of the boat was when I fell for you.'

'Right.'

'Oh, not all the way to love. You made quite certain to nip that in the bud. But I would've, if you'd let me. But I do remember admiring you while you were sleeping on one of the deck chairs after we had picked you up. In sleep, the wary tension, and the anger were missing from your face. You were never more pretty. Until you smiled at me.'

'You're just making that up,' she whispered, watching me closely in the faint light from the oil lamp in her bedroom and the moonlight falling through the window at the top of the stairs.

'No I'm not. I will admit that I wasn't consciously aware of it. I would've and, well, I guess I did on numerous occasions, vigorously deny it. Nevertheless, I think it has been a factor all along. Your sister can be very persuasive, but I have to wonder if she could've so easily talked me into going across half of an unknown continent to spring you from Hawker House, if there wasn't something between us, even then. And look at how well we got along the whole voyage...'

'We had as little to do with each other as possible.'

'True, but we never fought.'

She rested her arms on my shoulder and said, 'Perhaps that was because I fell all the way into love on the bottom of that boat. And while it may've been the absolutely wrong time in my life, I knew you were absolutely the right person. And for that reason, I was easy on you,' she added with a little smile.

What could I say, but 'Thank you for being easy on me,' and kiss her.

And then I leaned back and looked into her face,, into her eyes, and then into my heart. I found no doubts wherever I looked.

So I said, 'Lessie Raah, would you care to be my wife? I would be ever so grateful.'

'No doubts?' she whispered.

'None.'

She looked into my eyes, and then said, 'Yes.' And then she said, 'Taef Lang, will you be my husband?'

I said 'Yes. Absolutely.'

And we kissed.

'Do you know that in the islands, we would now be considered married?' I whispered.

'Yes,' she replied, looking me in the eye.

'Are we?'

'Yes,' she said, and we sealed our marriage with another kiss.

A little later, she whispered, 'What bedroom should be ours?'

'Your choice. But make it fast,' I added, with another kiss.

'The front bedroom. I don't want to be distracted when I work.'

So I carried her off to the front bedroom. However, I intended to distract her in every room of Summers End.

We leased Summers End for a fourth month. We felt we were owed a honeymoon.

### Chapter 06 Vente Island and Beyond

01

Summer came to an end at Summers End. Early in the third week of our fourth month on August Avenue we reluctantly set about packing. I had booked passage on the Sea Eagle to Port Tara on Vente Island. We had decided to travel separately, so that if Lessie was somehow discovered by any agent her grandfather on board, she would have a second cabin to take refuge in.

Our kit bags were in the entryway. I had made one last round of Summers End to make sure we had not left anything behind, and that the place was clean, and in good order, when Lessie came down in her chosen disguise.

The disguise she had chosen was a variation of the one she had used in our escape from Hawker House – that of a rather ghastly, mean looking woman of indeterminate age. She was wearing the wig I'd brought along, with its hair pulled tightly back and into a bun. She had liberally touched it up with grey coloring. She wore large, ugly spectacles and had painted her face, darkened her eye lids, and reddened her lips, making her look formidable, if not downright sinister. She wore a severe, high collared grey suit and skirt that reached her ankles.

I shied back on seeing her. 'Oh my!'

She smiled, and it was like a gash in her face. 'Effective, don't you think?'

'Aye.' I said, shaking my head. 'Almost wicked. You look like a decayed libertine,' I added, stepping closer. And then a step even closer.

'What are you up too?' she asked, stepping back to keep her distance until she reached the back of one of the club chairs.

I stepped closer and pulled her to me, kissing that gash of a mouth.

And when she managed to push me off, a little, to catch her breath, she asked, 'Are you crazy? We've a boat to catch.'

'You're so wicked, so alluring...'

'You're crazy,' was all she managed to say, before I covered her mouth again with mine.

After a while I slipped my hands down to her waist and started pulling up her skirt.

She pushed me away again, and this time only said, 'Not here.'

And I said, 'Yes here. This is where and how you, as you look now, would do it.'

She smiled that ghastly smile and pulled me close.

Young love.

And when she had redone her makeup, and removed it from my face, we looked around Summers End, arm in arm, one more time. We then picked up our kit bags, locked the door behind us, walked down the hill to the quay and boarded the Sea Eagle, without being challenged. There was only one bored ensign on duty to examine the boarding passengers, and did so, barely within the general meaning of his orders. He may have shied, as I did when he saw Lessie, and shuttered. Little did he know.

02

Our passage down the coast was uneventful, if extremely frustrating. With so much to lose, Lessie mostly stayed in her cabin during the day, save for meals that she ate at a table alone – her grim stare was enough to keep her safe from company. We'd walk on the deck only late at night, but not wanting to risk any shipboard gossip that might reach the ears of any Captain's agents on the ship, we lived a very chaste life for those long, seven days at sea.

When we waited at the railing of the Sea Eagle for our turn to disembark, I gave Lessie, next to me, a little nudge. 'Guards at the end of the dock.'

There appeared to be an officer and four seamen, lounging near the landward end of the dock.

Lessie whispered back, 'Probably just routine. We're closer to Teravena now, and things may be a little less casual on this end. I'll go ahead, and deal with them, if needed. Stay out of it. You have too much more to lose.'

'I'll do what I need to do, my dear.'

She gave me a grim look, but that may've been just her painted face.

She took the lead, as I hung back twenty or more paces. I didn't have three silver bars on my shoulder this time, and I missed them. But as I said, I'd do whatever needed doing.

Lessie stalked ahead, with her kit bag and the courier bag with her precious manuscript in across her body, so as not to lose it. She managed to walk like an aunt on the warpath.

Resting a shoulder against one of the light poles along the edge of the dock, the officer casually watched her as she stumped down the dock. Suddenly, I noticed that he stood straight, almost as if he had recognized her.

She walked right up to this officer, and demanded, in a loud, grating voice. 'Are you a naval officer, or a porter? If you are a porter, take this bag and hail me a taxi.'

I had no idea what she was doing. Clearly she like playing her hand boldly.

He snapped to attention, and stared at her, his mouth going slack. He may have said something – probably assuring her that he wasn't a porter.

'Then tell me, sir, where can a woman of good character find a suitable hotel – and affordable one – mind you, to stay at in this city?' she asked.

He said again something that I didn't catch.

'Speak up, sir. What did you say?'

By this time, I had closed to within ten paces of the pair. The clearly stricken face of the young naval officer struck a cord of recognition in me. It took me only a moment longer to put a name to it. Lieutenant Carz Fel.

No wonder he seemed to have recognized her. He was all to familiar with that disguise, as he had seen through something nearly like it, only a year before.

Carz Fel had struck me back at the Min's Feast in Tenorbridge as a handsome, confident, even dashing fellow. The last time they'd met in these circumstances he'd been apologetic, but calm, and determined to do his duty, no matter what. This time, he looked anything but dashing, or confident. His face was pale, with a stricken look of a man who found himself caught in the gears. The look of despair was writ large on his face. This time, he gulped once, and said, 'Mac Lee's on Ship House Street. Halfway to the top of the hill, m'lady.'

She gave him a quick, ghastly smile, and barked, 'Thank you. It better be what I asked for, sir.' And then stalked on, past the seamen and up the ramp to the pavement beyond, where she hailed a waiting cab and told the driver in a loud voice, 'Mac Lee's of Ship House Street.' Mostly for my benefit.

I met her, ten minutes later, waiting for me in the front foyer of Mac Lee's.

'Are we staying here? I asked.

She shook her head. 'I think not. I believe that we can trust Carz but there's no point in taking chances. However, we'll dine here tonight. I expect Carz will join us. But we'll stay at Garson's further up the hill.'

'I can't wait.'

She smiled. 'I will touch up my makeup here, though. The wig and spectacles should be enough for now. I'm rather tired of putting on all this make up.'

'Great,' I said.

'Business before pleasure, my dear. Once we settle in, you'll need to run along to the shipping exchange and collect the names of the ships bound for Casea. We don't want to linger here too long.'

She reappeared, without the ghastly makeup, and we made our way up the hill to Garson's, where I followed the program as outlined, though not its original order. Luck was running our way these days, for Captain Norea's Waitia had just arrived in Tara harbor, and would likely be sailing for Boromaru in four days. I didn't have time to call on her, but that could wait until tomorrow.

03

'Can we trust poor Lieutenant Fel? Why do we have to meet him?' I asked Lessie as we walked down the hill through the city, still warm from the summer's sun, but slowly cooling in the fading day. 'You have to believe he was at that post because he was familiar with you. He may have his regrets...'

'Sella trusts him...' she began.

'Sella's in love with him.'

She glanced sharply to me. 'Did she tell you so?'

'Not directly,' I admitted, and quickly related our conversation on the hot, moonlit deck of the Island Crown.

She smiled. 'So the curse has come upon her, as well.'

I pulled her close. 'Curse?'

She pushed me playfully away. 'There are curses and curses.' Which made no sense. And continued. 'But as I was about to say, I would trust Sella's judgment when it comes to people. She has a talent, the eye, for seeing into the hearts and minds of people.' She gave me a quick smile.

'No argument here,' I had to admit. 'But from the look of him on the dock...'

'I have to believe that Sella read him the riot act after our return. So he was likely just cursing his bad luck. I know that he was one of the people that Sella relied on to carry notes back and forth between us when I was still being held in the Residence. So, yes, I'm sure that we can trust him.'

We walked another block in silence as horse drawn carriages rumbled by and dock workers climbed the hill past us on their way home.

'Do you think he could've been set up? They have to know that he failed to bring you in once already in the most embarrassing way possible – falling asleep. It seems strange that they would assign him to the same task again.'

'That's just your two weeks of political officer training talking,' she laughed. 'Trust me, Grandfather's aides aren't all that clever at things like that. We've run circles around them since we were eight years old. Still, we'll know soon enough. He should be off duty by now. I expect that he'll shed his uniform and be along shortly.'

'But you wouldn't mind if I kept watch to see that if he comes, he comes alone, and isn't followed?'

'If it makes you happy. And, well, it would be better if he finds me alone. I doubt that he would approach me, if you were with me.'

When we reached Mac Lee's, I hung back and found a chair in the foyer where I could watch the door, while Lessie continued on to the terrace in the back, which overlooked the harbor.

Lessie knew her man. Ten minutes later, a rather grim Lieutenant Carz Fel showed up in mufti, stared about the foyer, and slowly proceeded on to the dining room, and presumably from there, out to the electric lit terrace, as the sun was setting beyond the harbor.

I waited until he had gone by, and then a few minutes more, to see if anyone was following him. No one suspicious followed him in, so I rose and wandered out to the terrace, where Lessie and Carz were standing against the terrace wall, deep in conversation.

Lessie saw me, gave me a quick smile and a nod to join her.

It was a day of alarms and excursions for poor Carz Fel. He gave a start and stared hard at me, as I came to stand beside him and Lessie.

I smiled, which probably alarmed him even more.

Lessie spoke up, 'Carz, I would like you to meet my husband, Taef Lang.'

I continued to smile and extended my hand, 'I'm happy to meet you, again, Lieutenant Fel.'

He looked back to Lessie and said, in disbelief, 'Your husband?'

'Yes,' she smiled, and looked to me, 'My husband.'

'When? How?' he muttered, glancing to me, and back to her, and to me again. And seeing my extended hand, took it. 'We've met?'

'We were married in Combrene over the summer,' I explained. 'As for you and I, we almost met a year ago at the Min's Feast in Tenarbridge, the last time you had the misfortune of being the fellow who found Lessie.'

'You were with her?'

'I was the fellow Sella sent to pry her out of Hawker House.'

He nodded. 'Then you must be Commander Acron. I mean to say, the false Commander Acron.'

I nodded. 'Guilty.'

He considered this for a moment or two, and as he did so, I could see that he was pulling himself together, standing a little taller, growing a little less grim. 'Good. Congratulations to both of you, on both your escape, and marriage. I am relieved that someone has taken this girl in hand.'

'I wish,' I said, with a smile.

'Carz was just telling me that he resigned from the navy this very afternoon. I fear that my appearance pushed him over the edge.'

He shook his head no. 'It has been coming for a long time. And for several reasons. Getting sent down from the Residence to Navy Island, and now to stand around on a dock all day, was a message about one's naval career that I'd be stupid to ignore. And as I told Captain Rue, when I turned in my resignation, I hadn't joined the navy to be standing around on docks being mistaken for a porter. But, of course, the main reason is that I can't serve two masters. I had to make a choice. And since it seems that I can't say no to Sella, I had to resign from the navy.'

'I'm sorry Carz...' said Lessie softly.

'Oh, it wasn't you. You may've tipped the balance, but I've known for some months that this day was coming, sooner or later.'

Lessie steppe close and kissed Carz on the cheek. 'Thank you for making that choice the way you did. I will treat you kindly in my book.'

'Your book?'

'Her twelve volume autobiography that she intends to write. I think you just dodged a bullet.'

'Oh, Carz was always one of the best and most trustworthy of our friends. And I had already forgiven him for his past mistake.'

'Yah, you dodged a bullet, today.'

She laughed, and said, 'Bullet or not, I believe your choice will prove to be the right one. We have a lot to talk about, especially now that you are a free man. Perhaps a more private setting would be best. There used to be a small restaurant a few blocks down the road, Yu's Taste of the Islands. Shall we make our plans for our future over island fare?'

04

In the delicious smelling dimness of Yu's and over his equally delicious fare and wine, we made our plans for the future, well into the night. Between Lessie's good humor, her kindness towards Carz, and my story about a lonesome girl on the deck of a northbound steamer, we did a pretty thorough job of cheering poor Carz Fel up.

By the end of the evening I was feeling bold enough to give him some brotherly advice. 'You know, Carz, that Sella's likely going to say no the first time you ask, don't you?'

'It would be about the twenty-first time,' he laughed.

'Good. I'm glad you don't take her "nos" seriously, because you'll probably hear a few more of them. But I'm pretty sure I caught a glimpse of her well guarded heart aboard the Island Crown, and you're in it.

'And from what I saw, I think she needs you now more than ever. She always thought that Lessie and I were made for each other, and I am certain that she hoped that we would realize it before we returned. And yet, she also talked of her and Lessie going off to see the world together while they waited for the Captain's term to draw to an end. Which didn't make sense and wasn't going to happen if things worked out between Lessie and I as she had hoped. And since things have worked out that way, and we're not going to travel the world with her, she needs you, whether she wants to admit it or not. Knowing the Raah girls, as I do...'

I caught a dangerous look from Lessie, and added, 'From sailing the Tropic Sea with them for months. I think I can say that she would set out to see the world all on her own, being a Raah. But being a Raah won't make her any less lonely. Or any more safe. She needs you, and I think she might just recognize that, if you persist. What you must do is convince her that you won't dull her edge. That you're – ah, the heavy spine of the knife, the side that gives the sharp edge its strength. (The wine was talking here.) And that you'll give her the balance she needs to meet the challenges she's set out to conquer. And the, ah, companionship, she needs.'

Another look from Lessie. 'No need. No, certainly no need. Make that want... Ah, might want,' I rambled on, watching Lessie, who was having her fun playing with her dangerous looks. And then added, 'You resigned from the navy for a greater task – to protect the next Captain of Teraven. Better you than me.' I think that I only added that last line to myself. I don't remember exactly. We talked, as I said, late into the night and my memory of the night is rather hazy.

The next day, rather late in the morning, I left Lessie sleeping and made my way down to the docks. After an hour of wandering about, I found the Waitia with Captain Norea on deck directing the unloading of its cargo. She welcomed me with a wide welcoming smile, and an even wider one when I told her that I was here to see if we, my wife, Lessie, and another friend of the Raahs, could book passage to Casea. We made plans, between her shouted orders and curses as she directed the unloading of the Waitia's cargo on to a wagon on the dock. We agreed that it would be wise not to board the Waitia in Tara Harbor – there were too many regulations to be followed when taking on passengers – plus the danger of being under a special watch, as a Casea ship, by agents of the Captain. She said that she'd send a boat into the small fishing port of Kundara on the southeast shore of Vente. Kundara occasionally exported non-taxed Vente Island rum to interested parties, so that no one would blink an eye if a boat came in the middle of the night to pick up some passengers. 'Besides, I've picked up the Raah twins there in the past, when they wanted to visit their grandparents,' she added. 'Lessie knows how it works.'

'Doesn't this, ah, export business, attract any special attention from the navy?'

She shook her head. "Nah. Every little port does a bit of smuggling. All of them keep a close eye on any navy patrol boat sailing about. If there's a patrol boat hanging off of Kundara, they'd know of it and I'd see it, so we'd just move the rendezvous a couple of ports further up the coast. As I said, Lessie knows how it works.'

I was certain she did, so we set the rendezvous date, three days hence.

I returned to Garson's to find Lessie awake, but still in bed.

She pushed me off, 'I reek of wine and sleep. Later. Go find Captain Norea...'

'I have already, my dear.' I replied, sitting down on the bed, and related the plans that Captain Norea and I had made.

'I'm impressed,' she said, 'You're not useless, after all.'

'No, I'm not,' I said, before I kissed her.

05

I clung to the railing of the upper bridge deck, as the Island Crown rolled its way through the heavy storm swell. I had the deck to myself. Ahead, purple clouds darkened the east and south horizons. Overhead, just peeping over that band of dark clouds, the morning sun was a glowing orb in the thin gauze of high clouds – the skirts of the fleeing storm. It bathed the Island Crown in its pale half-light and feeble warmth. We were trailing the storm now, having just brushed along its northern edge during the night and early morning hours. That last storm I had experienced aboard the Island Crown had, ultimately, brought me a great fortune. I hoped that this one would do the same. Alone, for once, I looked back at the busy days that we were now putting behind us.

We had decided to make the trip to Kandara in two days, since making it a single day's ride would have made for long, hard day's travel for both riders and horses alike. Nor did we want to risk arriving late. And as Lessie pointed out, we'd be safer on the road, away from any friends or agents that might recognize her in Tara. We'd spend a night somewhere along the way. So, the day before our scheduled rendezvous, we had set out from Tara after our noon meal. Late in the afternoon found the three of us, Lessie, Carz, and myself, riding leisurely along.

The Vente Island landscape was familiar from my days here, a year ago. The sun-bleached gravel road stretched straight before us, a white line through the wide Vente Island countryside. Many of the farm fields were golden, shorn of their season's crops, while others were bright green with new plantings. The batto plantations, scattered among the golden fields, still broke up the otherwise nearly level horizon. Tree shaded farmsteads still dotted the flat countryside as far as one could see. To our right, the south, we could occasionally catch a glimpse of the sea – a thin dark blue line against the pale blue sky. There were still wild flowers in the dry, golden grass along the road. There were still butterflies flirting with them. Dragonflies still buzzed over the dusty road. Crickets chirped, unseen, all around us. And over our heads, the birds swooped and glided, singing.

Now, as I said, I was not a complete stranger to Vente. I had spent several days on Nar Varu, the Raah plantation on Vente. And I knew it to be about a four hour horse ride up the road from Tara. And while all roads might look alike when crossing the flat countryside of Vente Island, this road was looking awful familiar. Indeed, there was something very familiar about the tree shaded buildings I could see across the shimmering fields ahead. And indeed, the timing of our departure, after a long, drawn out midday meal, was perhaps the most telling evidence of Lessie's unstated intentions.

When Sella had brought me here, a year ago, the majordomo, Crey Del, had been delighted to see Sella and had readily agreed to accept me as a guest, without questions, even though she was on the outs with the plantation's owner, her grandfather at the time. But that was a year ago. Things might be different now. The stakes are likely higher. He had to know by now that Sella was going to challenge any successor he named that wasn't her. And so, the consequences of Crey Del and the staff putting us up, even for one night, might be far graver today than it had been in my case.

Carz had apparently stayed here as well, since he gave me a questioning look.

I shrugged, deciding to discover just what Lessie had in mind. So I asked my horse, politely, to move a little faster, and pulled up beside her.

'Are you planning to stay at Nar Varu?'

'Do you have any objection to that?' she asked, giving me one of those familiar looks that love had not quite erased.

'Do you think it's wise?'

'Crey Del and the staff can be trusted never to tell. Grandfather rarely visits Nar Varu. It is more ours than his.'

'But what if he's here now. Or has an agent or two planted there – since he knows its more yours than his?'

'I think the risk is low. Grandfather doesn't wield unlimited power. He has to justify all the effort he puts into finding us. He has to keep it modest, or his staff will ask for explanations.'

'Will you allow me to ride ahead and check out how things are in Nar Varu? Crey Del should remember me, and I'm sure will give me an honest answer. And if there is someone staying there that can't be trusted, well, I'm just a lost stranger. What's a name of a neighboring estate that I could be looking for, if things look iffy?'

'Do you think that's really necessary? We could just ride off if we find Grandfather or other guests. We'd have 20 minute lead, while they saddled the horses.'

'Why take a chance, when you don't have to. Being too bold all the time, might not be the best idea.'

She smiled, and nodded, 'Oh, anything for my husband. Run ahead, if it will make you feel better. Trin Tara is the next plantation up the road.'

'One last question. Why risk coming here?'

She sighed. 'Because Nar Varu is something as close to a home as we ever had. Crey Del and the staff are family to Sella and I. When we were too young to be sent away to any other place, we were sent here. And for all our lives, we have come back to Nar Varu whenever we wanted to just get away for a time. Sometimes we would come alone, sometimes with friends. How many times have you visited Nar Varu, Carz?' she asked, turning back to him.

'Oh, four or five times, I suppose.'

'And I want them to meet you, Taef. And I want them to remember me as I am today. The last several times I was here, I was caught up in my quest. Moody, unhappy, well, you know how I was. I want them to see me now. And I want to see them again. It will be years before we can return.'

I nodded. 'Right. Just wait here. Please?'

I rode ahead, and then up the long, tree lined drive to the collection of golden brick buildings. No one was about; everything seemed pretty sleepy. A scent of cooking wafted towards me, as I rode around to the back of the main house. I knew I'd likely find Crey in his office, and if anyone of importance was about, I wouldn't be disturbing them.

I dismounted, tied up my horse at the post next to the attached kitchen. Barka, the household dog, who'd been lying next to the kitchen door, slowly climbed to his feet, stretched, and waited for me to reach him, his tail wagging lazily. I greeted him by name, which got his tail wagging faster. He gave me a closer look and came over to give me a smell. He seemed happy to see me, or perhaps just happy to be petted. Hard to tell, with Barka. 'Is Crey in?' I asked him. He seemed to indicate that he was, but that might've been my imagination. I pushed through the kitchen door into the hot kitchen.

The chef, alongside the stove, and her helper, cutting vegetables on the table, looked to me as I entered. 'Is Master Del in his office?' I asked them.

They gave me a look – I was familiar, but I'm sure they didn't remember why. But they nodded.

'Thanks, I can find my way,' I called out, and turned to the hall that lead to the house.

Del's office was the first door on the right. It was open, and Crey Del, in shorts and a shirt, was writing at this desk. I knocked on the door frame, and he looked up, 'Yes?'

'Good afternoon, Crey. I'm not sure if you will remember me...'

He gave me a second look. 'The history fellow that Sella brought along the last time she was here.'

'Exactly. Taef Laek. I rode ahead to see how things stood here.'

He rose and extended his hand. 'Welcome back to Nar Varu.' And then he gave me a searching look. "Who's with you?"

'Lessie and Carz Fel are waiting on the road. Is the coast clear?'

He smiled broadly. 'We're all alone, and no one is expected.'

'Are you certain that you want company? Things being the way they are between the Captain and his granddaughters... We don't want to put you and the staff in any danger of losing your positions. We're on our way to Casea Island and have a boat to catch tomorrow night, so it would only be for tonight.'

'Excellent!' he exclaimed, carelessly waving away my concern. 'Rumor had it that she had made a bold escape from Cimlye Island. I will order Wena to prepare a feast in her honor. Go back and bring them home.'

'Are you sure? I am certain that Lessie does not want to, well, do anything that would jeopardize your position here.'

He dismissed that with another wave. 'The Raahs rarely ever come here. They are too tied up with the affairs of state in Teravena. They've always been too tied up to stay here for more than a few days a year. If that. On the other hand, Hal Raah, the twin's father, and his sister, pretty much grew up here. Their parents had, and still have, little interest in children, even their own. On the other hand, their children were like a son and daughter to me, and, indeed to all of the staff. I consider Nar Varu to be the girls' home. They are always welcome. So you can trust us with Hal's girls.'

'Right. Thank you, I was somewhat concerned. Things between the sisters and their grandfather are even more serious than they were a year ago. But if you say it's okay, I'll go and fetch them. I just want to be certain.'

'I'll walk with you to the kitchen to let Wena know the good news.'

They were waiting at the end of the driveway, so all I had to do was to wave them ahead.

Lessie rode up and eagerly slipped off of her horse to greet Crey with a cheerful hug and kiss on the cheek.

'You know you're always safe here, don't you?' he asked her.

'Of course I do, Crey. But my husband was so worried, that I let him check things out for his peace of mind. I don't want his hair turning grey too soon.'

'Your husband?' he asked glancing to me behind her.

I just smile and shrugged.

'Oh, he once saved me from an amorfish that had its sights on me. I believe that means that I was required to marry him,' she laughed, glancing back at me. 'Some old island custom, I understand.'

'I rather think it was how we ended up on the bottom of the boat that required you to marry me.'

She smiled. 'I should be blushing.'

She wasn't.

We had our feast. We stayed up late in the library as Lessie, Crey, and the staff talked of old times and of Lessie's father's old times here as well. We slept late the following morning, and left after breakfast to arrive in Kandara in plenty of time. Crey Del sent along one of his farm hands to lead our horses back to Nar Varu, and then on to the rental stable in Tara, rather than having to rely on some Kandarian to do so. We followed the road to Kandara, timing our arrival just as the sun sunk beneath the flat Vente countryside behind us.

Lessie was still known in Kandara. The girls seemed to be known in a lot of unexpected places. Anyway, it meant that we had no trouble getting a meal at the tiny local in, and then waiting on the beach of the little fishing (and rum smuggling) harbor for the boat from the Waitia to row in and collect us.

I felt a surprising lightness of spirit when the Waitia swung its sails about and shaped a course for Casea. I tried to stomp that lightness down, as we were still in Teravenian waters, and a naval patrol boat might hail us out of the darkness. But none did.

We arrived outside the harbor of Tangarli, Casea, mid morning of our second day at sea. The sea was calm, so Captain Norea unshipped the long boat and we transferred our gear and ourselves to it. Six of the crew briskly rowed us into the harbor, and alongside a the green mossy steps that led up to the top of the quay. We piled our gear onto the steps, and disembarked. And then, cautiously, made our way up the slippery steps with Lessie in the lead.

Lessie had just reached the top of the quay, and I, just high enough to peer over it, when Sella came running down the road from the town higher up the hill. She raced towards Lessie, arms wide.

'I saw you from the castle!' she exclaimed, between pants to catch her breath. 'I'm so happy!' she exclaimed as she reached Lessie, to hug and kiss her cheeks, several times. 'I just knew everything would work out. But I couldn't help but be nervous until you arrived. Oh, why did you take so, so long? I heard about your escape ages ago! I suppose that was Mr. Safety First Lang's doing,' she added with a squinty look at me over Lessie's shoulder.

Then standing back, and taking her sister's hands, she exclaimed, 'I am so proud of you. You showed them the way the Raah twins do things!'

And looking to me, added, 'It was mean of you to keep me waiting on pins and needles, like for ever. Safety first! Ha!'

I walked closer and said, 'Yes, it is true that it is all my fault. It was quite selfish of me. But I believe that your sister was owed a honeymoon.'

She stood stock still for several seconds staring blankly at me. As if she never believed a word she had said about us. And then she slowly looked to Lessie. 'Do you mean to say that I was.... No! I won't say it. I promised. But are you really...?'

'Yes,' said Lessie. 'And I will say it. You were right. I was always in love with Taef.'

Sella drew her close and hugged her again, and then, slipped over and hugged me as well, exclaiming, 'I'm so happy!'

'And surprised?' I asked.

'You'll never know.'

Suddenly, she noticed Carz Fel, standing on the quay steps over my shoulder, and froze once more. I could feel her heart beating. She just stared at him for several long moments. And then she stepped back from me, keeping her eyes on Carz. She wiped a tear away with the back of her hand. And wavered, for a second more, before slipping by me, to walk slowly, proudly, towards Carz. And then she skipped once or twice and leaped into his arms, to be held ever so tightly.

I turned to Lessie. 'Isn't revenge sweet?'

She smiled, and took my hand. 'Yes."

There is little else of any importance to relate. We stayed on Casea for a few days less than three weeks. We did have to endure a double wedding feast, to formalize our marriages. Formalities had to be observed, since there were future island princes and dynastic politics involved in our marriages. They had to be proper so that children's claims could be recognized. Lessie and Sella had agreed that, if Lessie and I had children, our children would inherit the Casea Princedom, while Sella and Carz's children would inherit the Captaincy of Teraven. We both agreed that they were welcome to it.

During those three weeks we made our plans. We would all sail to Jarpara where Lessie and I hoped to settle down in our respective careers. If not, we'd all sail for my next prospect. Once I landed a job, Sella and Carz would continue on their tour of the world, or as much of it as they could, before it was time to return to Teraven and take her rightful place at the head of the Captain's table.

I spent one afternoon writing a long letter to my folks to be mailed at our first opportunity, once among the islands. I told them of my summer adventures and of my marriage to Sella's twin sister, Lessie. I reminded them that they had also met her, very briefly, during our voyage to Redoubt Island. I told them it had been fate, and a happy fate. I added, for my father and grandfather's sake, that with a wife who would one day rule the Casea Islands, and a sister-in-law who would rule the Vente Islands, the expansion prospects for the Lang Mercantile were looking promising.

Captain Norea had promised to look in whenever passing Casea on her way to Boromaru Island. So we waited for her appearance, after all formalities had been observed, and then sailed to Boromaru Island, or rather the small island of Boradou, as before. On Boradou we hired a small boat to take us around to Boromaru's deep water harbor. There we had the choice of three steam ships tied up along the long dock. And, lo!! Didn't one of them turn out to be the familiar old Island Crown.

We wove our way through the busy dock toward it, dodging horses, wagons, and carts piled high with crates. At the foot of its gangplank I saw that Second Mate Derth at the bulwark directing the unloading of cargo from the deck to the wagon alongside.

I cupped my hands and called up to him. 'Do you have room for four more passengers, Mr. Derth?'

He looked down, stared for several seconds, and exclaimed, 'Oh no!'

I took that to be yes, so we started up the accommodation ladder.

Captain Wera greeted us in shirt sleeves, having been torn away from his breakfast. He stared at the sisters, at a loss for words. He looked at me. 'Humpfed,' and said, 'You again.' He then pulled himself together, put a smile on his face, and said to the girls, 'Welcome back aboard the Island Crown, m'ladies.'

For some reason, over breakfast in the saloon, several days later, the crew tried to blame me for the storm of the night before, even though we didn't do anything more than skirt it's edge. I told them that they were getting to be as superstitious as islanders. The next thing they'd believe was that I was married to a sorceress.

I then assured them that, if they behaved themselves, they'd be safe by tomorrow, since we'd be leaving the Island Crown upon her arrival in Tyra Tara. There we planned to book passage on an east bound ship that would to take all of us on to the Jarpara Islands.

Lessie climbed up the ladder to the bridge deck, and holding on to the railing, carefully made her way to my side, her unbound hair blowing in the warm wind.

'More storm clouds ahead,' she said, glancing forward.

'Nah. They're racing away from us. We've a bright, hot day ahead of us.'

