Chapter Eight

Space seemed to fall in upon itself and create a huge pool of blackness that could not be brightened by any means. It grew, surrounded by a nimbus of a strange visual effect that seemed to make all around it shimmer like a heat haze. As it slowly ceased to grow, something emerged from it, a small transport called the Recurring Dream.

The transport, alone in space with no visible planet or object in sight, fired her main engines and began to move.

Lovo was entering co-ordinates into the navigation system and Echut was drifting onto the command deck with a selection of scanning tools, checking and rechecking the ship’s systems.

“How did we fare, Echut?” Lovo asked.

The second officer made a face. “Gordol was not too pleased about our sudden departure, nor our speedy jump, but other than that he seemed satisfied with the Dream’s performance.”

With a nod Lovo turned back to his instrumentation.

“Where are we?” Yedda asked, looking out of the window and trying to locate a familiar sight. There was nothing to see but millions of stars.

“In a system called Amagad, a long way from Chinngard. It contains just one planet, but there’s a new city there. That’s where we’re going, and no one will look for us there. I took a little route I use for emergencies. And other things besides.”

The brothers shared a suspicious glance, trying to work out this captain who appeared honest and yet apparently had a few tricks and contacts he obviously did not want to share. They did not press the subject and allowed him to continue working.

The vessel twisted and changed direction on the commands Lovo had entered into the navigation system, and as the positioning thrusters aligned the ship on a programmed course the main engine fired more brightly and pushed her forward.

“It shouldn’t take long. Can you see the planet?” Lovo pointed out of the window where a glow was starting to grow as they approached which, after a while, took on the features of Amagad, the system’s only planet.

“So, what about this city?” Corii wanted to know, not feeling at all comfortable.

Lovo was looking at a monitor that was telling him of the ship’s status. He nodded with satisfaction. “Amagad City was bombed to nothing a couple of decades ago and the governor who ran it is now dead. His daughters rebuilt and are trying to get his old trade business going.”

“So what’s it used for?”

Lovo smiled. “All sorts. Listen,” Lovo looked a little uncomfortable as he turned to face the brothers, “this place is a little dicey. I’d rather you stayed on the ship. I’d rather we didn’t come across any more of your ‘friends...’”

Yedda knew what Lovo was getting at and frowned with distaste. “Lord Verid was a valued member of the Familee House.”

“So valued he turned on you? What kind of loyalty is that?”

“Loyal enough to kill himself so that it would not happen again.”

There was silence, and Lovo nodded. “I guess I’m just a little jumpy. I’ve never been shot at by the Prime Lord’s people before. I don’t know enough about this situation to warrant a remark like that. My apologies.”

Corii could tell that Lovo was only apologising to defuse the tenseness. He was still edgy about what had happened back on Nebrassa, and didn’t want the atmosphere strained. Yedda seemed satisfied.

“Accepted.”

They flew on in relative silence, and after a long tiring journey the green and blue planet came into view.

Amagad city, at first, seemed to be a bright beacon with lights swarming around it, like a lamp surrounded by insects. As it drew nearer, the brothers could see the lights were a myriad of transports, at least a dozen, docking and disembarking. There was also a swarm of support and shuttlecraft weaving in and around the huge buildings, and as the Recurring Dream drew closer one of the ships swooped around and nestled alongside as an escort.

The city itself was small, with many tall buildings still under construction. It was nothing but a huge collection of towers on the coast of the landmass.

“Recurring Dream this is Gotor, come in.”

Lovo laughed aloud as he pressed the switches that would activate his communicator. He leaned forward and waved out the window at the small shuttle that paralleled their course.

“Hello, Gotor. Nice to see you. Nice paintwork.” The brothers leaned forward to see the shuttle themselves, and saw a blunt-nosed single-seater with a huge engine attached to the rear and small stubby guidance wings with lateral thrusters attached. It was painted with bright colours that clashed with one another horrendously.

“Very funny, Lovo. That makes me laugh every time. Welcome back to Amagad. You’ve been gone a while.”

“Well, I’ve been kind of busy.”

“What have you brought us this time? Honest or illegal?”

The brothers looked at Lovo with strange gazes that made him uncomfortable. “Nothing this time, Gotor. Just paying a visit.”

“Nothing? Bessa won’t be pleased.”

“Yeah, well Bessa will have to swallow her pride. I haven’t brought a tribute.”

“I don’t think I can let you land without a tribute for her.”

“Oh, for... Gotor, we go through this every time, just let me dock, okay?”

A pause. Then static. “Okay, Lovo, but don’t tell Bessa I let you. I’ll see you aboard.”

The shuttle put extra power into thrust and sped away, moving in front of the transport and then opening up the power. It was nothing but a bright blue light as it accelerated away.

“Every time,” Lovo was whispering.

The Recurring Dream headed for the ‘lower’ half of the city, slowly manoeuvring to a landing pit. As it landed and secured itself, Lovo switched down the power and allowed the ship to settle.

“Lovo,” Corii began as they were all unbuckling themselves, “What did she mean ‘honest or illegal’?”

“Well, I’ve been known to make a little something on the side, you know, to keep profits up.”

“We understood you were a free trader.”

“Well, I am a trader, and I haven’t been caught yet, so I guess I’m free.” Lovo shrugged as if the situation was out of his control.

“You mean we’ve been travelling all this time with a smuggler?” Yedda said heatedly. “How dare you keep that from us!”

“How dare I? How dare I?” Lovo was livid. Echut moved forward to warn the brothers not to say any more but it was already too late.

“What do you mean how dare I? How dare you talk like that to me! I’ve busted my heart to keep you safe, even stuck my nose in when the Prime Lord’s men were around, almost getting killed in the process I might add. And why? Well, to be honest, I don’t know why! The only reason I’ve done that much is because I promised Arkin to keep you safe, and I have never let my adopted cousin down! I’m not doing this for you, I’m doing it in the memory of my dead cousin, so don’t think I’m your soul mate or anything, and don’t you dare think I should explain myself to you!” Lovo walked past the brothers and to the exit as he spat out his last sentence, disappearing into the corridor and closing the doors with his back turned to them.

Both the brothers were shocked, quite taken aback by the outburst. “I guess he feels quite strongly about that,” Yedda mused.

“You bet he does,” Echut said, giving the brothers a disapproving frown. “He’s not in this by any fault of his own. He just did one job to keep us in credits and got dragged down into it. Truth be known, he detests it, but once you get involved it’s hard to get out. Anyway, he’s quite touchy about the subject, so I wouldn’t mention it again, okay? Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have duties. I recommend you meet with captain Lovo by the main ramp. He will not let you wander Amagad unguided.”

“I’m not sure he’ll want us around,” Corii pointed out.

“He’ll have calmed down by now. Just turn your jackets inside out and keep your personal belongings hidden. Oh, and wear your weapons on the outside, just to let some of the less desirable citizens know you are armed.”

The brothers drifted to the exit to join Lovo, not liking the foreboding tone Echut had used.

Lovo was waiting for them by the exit. “What shall I do with our sister?” Yedda asked.

“Bring her with us. Bessa will want to meet all of you, to see what I’ve brought into her city. She’s paranoid like that.”

Without another word Lovo pressed the hatch release, and the great door slid open.

The landing pit was nothing more than a long hole in the ground. Already the brothers could feel the altered gravity pulling at their limbs, and Lovo lead the way by heading to the exit. The brothers followed.

Yedda lowered his sister to the floor as they walked into the street. The first thing that they experienced was the smell.

The floor was littered with all sorts of refuse from the construction works, from broken plasticrete to pieces of machinery and electronic components. The buildings were high and shaped differently.

The smell was like rotten garbage mixed with stale air. Lovo didn’t seem to notice, and quick-stepped down the busy street.

The area they walked in to was a long series of buildings no more than three stories high. A single long road ran around this band of constructs, and it was this road the group were headed for.

Vehicles of all types were heading in all directions, the noise amplified by the vast open space. Beings from all walks of life walked the road, from high-class socialites to street beggars, the latter of which the former were doing their best to ignore. As the four of them stepped onto the road they were immediately assailed by several beggars.

Corii went to reach into his token pouch but Lovo stopped him. “If you give them something word will spread and you’ll either be swarmed by them or attacked. It’s not worth it. This city is still re-building and the remnants of the decimation still linger. This whole planet was laid waste and now the city is up and the planet is healing, everyone affected has swarmed here to start a new life. Big mistake. The Cipple sisters can’t stop them, though.” Corii nodded and changed his manoeuvre into scratching his hip. The beggars noticed his action, mistaking his intention and thinking he was drawing attention to his pistol. They all withdrew quickly.

Yedda looked down at his sister to see her staring wide-eyed with a look of astonishment etched into her face. She was almost the size of a ten-year old, now, the clothes he had put her into were stretched and fraying. He removed his own coat and placed it around her shoulders.

“If anyone offers you a price for her, just haggle for a while and then walk away disinterested,” Lovo said to Yedda.

“I beg your pardon...”

“If you act protectively it’ll just goad them into trying harder for her. Trust me.”

Yedda wanted to say something about trusting Lovo, but after what he had heard from Echut he thought better of it and let him continue to lead them.

Corii noticed that every alleyway Lovo walked past he swung out and away from it, so he motioned to Yedda to point it out and copied his actions.

He spared a glance down the steamy dark alleyways and began to understand why Lovo was giving them a wide berth.

They walked like this for a while, waving off beggars and avoiding drunks.

Corii was amazed at the volume of people, as if the owners of the city were trying to cram as many souls into the place as possible. He looked around and shook his head.

“How did we end up here?”