Aquana chapters 5-8

Chapter 5.1

Kyle met Amy in an empty cabin carrying papers and lists. It was late at night, around five or so and both of them were tired, but determinded none the less.2

"How was Sky when you left her?" Kyle asked, consern dripping lightly around his words. 3

"Sleeping, finally." Amy answered, shaking her head. "She thinks all this is her fault. I mean, its hard enough for her to sleep usually, but with this hanging over her its near impossible to get her to go to sleep."4

"She doesn't usaully sleep well?" Kyle asked in suprise. "Do you mean she doesn't want to sleep or can't?"5

"I mean she can't. She had dreams you know. Bad dreams..."6

"What kind of bad dreams?"7

"I'm not compleatly sure, but I think memories. Her family was left behind when everyone fled in the big Du'li. I think she lived close though, because sometimes in her sleep she talks about seeing the fires from the cities, and the bodies in the water."8

"God." Kyle looked down at the ground, then back at Amy. "Lets get the SOB.... Lets get them hard."9

They examined the lists, ticking off names. Finally they had the possibilities down to five most likely. Sam Thane, George Martin, Ji'sen, Teli Na'amar and Joe Hi'imir.10

"I think Na'amar sounds like a likely gal. The perminent record shows she had worked with fire a lot of her life. Got fired from a job on land for beating up a co-worker... once set a fire at school because she didn't like geometry class....." Kyle said, looking at the list.11

"I think that means she should be one of our least likely." Amy said, chewing on the end of her pencil. "She knows fires too well. Anyone who has any sence would have wanted it to look like an acident, and thats the way it seems set up to me. But a pro would have realized breaking the wall and placing the explosive in the lining like they did with a old ship like this was gonna make the fire burn BRIGHT. They'd have rigged it to the door or somewhere safe where it'd burn out quick and leave little evidence."12

"Thats assuming Sky was the only target. Maybe whoever did this wanted to get back at the whole ship, or out right sink us. Someone who can hold a grudge long and hard. Is there anyone on those lists that was her in the last few years the colony's existed?"13

"hmmmmm..... yes. George Martin has been on this boat as an apprentice since... before the evacs left the surface. " Amy said, her eye brows climbing. "Maybe it was him. Never promoted, and he leaves the ship right before after serving her for years.... Might make someone stop and wounder why..."14

"But no, it say's why right here. He got a much better offer, which he thanks the captin in a report for securing for him. He's now going to be secound tech in command of a Freighter. Top class vessel too, from all the reports."15

"Which one?" 16

"The Carnival." Amy whistled. The Carnival was possibly the best ship Breeze colony had. Her design was done after a sting fish, which was the fastest fish in the ocean. The design allowed her to be three times as big and heavy as any other ship, while having the sleekest hull and straitest bow making her seven times superior in speed. Her agility was hampered by the design, which went strait well but had a hard time turning, but she made up for it in Armor and shield. Her shield was a brand knew design, possibly the only one of its kind ever made. It would repel a lazer strike for hours and it could pass threw the toughest obsticle course, hitting everything in its path without even upsetting tea cups. Every single Captain in the colony would kill themselves for an hours ownership of that ship, and all techs dreamed of unlocking the makers secret so they alone could built it for outrages amounts of money. 17

"How in the world did he get secured there, do you supose?" Amy asked, and Kyle shrugged. The answer was that George must be one awsome tech, or have the potential above expectations. 18

"I don't think we're getting anywhere with these lits though." Kyle said frustrated. "Without the ability to question apprentices we can't tell for sure if these are even the people we should be looking for."19

"We could pettition the King when we get back for freedom of inquiry." 20

"Yeah, and wouldn't the captain just love that!" Kyle snorted shaking his head.21

"What do you mean?" Amy asked raising an eye brow.22

"Having you ever heard the captain talk about the government? He thinks each captain should be the ruler of his ship, supremely, and answer only to someone who rules off what is called the lead ship. I don't understand a lot of what he talks of, but I understand enough to know he hates the idea of fallowing someone who's never stood in a ship except when he had no other choice."23

"Well, I can understand that sentiment." Amy laughed.24

"I don't. I mean I can get the feeling, but he talks as though it is what should be. As though its what was."25

"She's an odd one, thats for sure."26

"Aye. He has never seemed like us, I think. It makes me wounder where in the colonies he came from. I didn't think we really had any fringes, but maybe so. Maybe he lives in the du'n or something. Came back only when it become clear the whole would was to be destroyed."27

"He can't have." Amy said, smiling. "He had crew before that."28

"Not really. Have you looked at the crew lists? They only go back a week or two before evac. Before that Ghost and Felix Cob didn't exist as far as I can tell."29

"You can't be serious. I mean he had the ship, there must have been crew."30

"Not as far as I can tell. It doesn't matter anyway... Its late. I want to go to bed, and you should get back to your cabin before Sky wakes up. If she's as wound up as you say she's liable to have a heart attack if she wakes up and your gone." Amy nodded. She had deep black circles under her brown eyes, as Kyle had under his blue ones. Her hair was oily and she looked more tired than Kyle had ever though she could be before.31

"Sure, I'll go back in a sec. Just... I though. Well I woundered...."32

"Yeah?"33

"You know what you said before..... do you still mean it?" Amy looked into Kyles eyes, and he looked back inter hers. She felt like she was being sucked into his blue orbs and leaned forward, as though wanting to touch him, but held herself back. Kyle looked back at her, and smiled shyly.34

"Yes, I still mean it." For a secound they stood as though about to embrace, but then the moment was gone and Amy said she should get back and walked out the door. For a secound Kyle looked at the door, then he slammed his fist into it and nursing a hurt hand went back to his cabin. 35

Amy entered her cabin silently and checked on Sky. She was still asleep, thankfully. Amy looked at her and woundered what her life must feel like. Amy still had her parents, though her sister was gone. She couldn't imagine what it must feel like not to have a mother or a father. To remember watching them die. To have stood there and watched as someone she loved just died. The thought horrified Amy, what must it feel like to live the event?36

She went back to her cot and laid down. The bed was soft and cool, the sheets making her feel good in a way she could never even begain to describe. It just felt so good to lay in the bed and sleep. Tomarrow would be another day, one full of twists and bends and problems. Tonight Amy was happy to sit in her blankets and close her eyes. Before she knew it her brain had fallen from her and she drifted off to sleep. 37

38

Chapter 6. 39

"Did you hear the news?" Chris said from the computer she was working on. Sky shook her head, looking down at one of the newer apprentices work sheets. Because she was so high up on the apprentice scale now, she was responsible for grading low level sheets. This apprentices, Jon, wasn't doing very well. He kept forgetting to carry ones and they were really starting to add up. "You haven't?" Chris said, wounder dripping from her mouth. "But its all over the ship! We're going to be going to Vi'lilo!!!!! I heard it from Steph in enginearing, and she heard it from Meg who is an apprentice to the navigator. She said the captain waited till we were far from the colony too, so no one there could know. Vi'lilo! C'mon Sky, you gotta be excited about that! I mean, its Vi'lilo!!!" Sky shrugged and marked an answer with a red X.40

"Whats so Shiny about Vi'lilo? Is it a port or something?" Chris looked at her for five minutes, her jaw down by her neece, then she closed her mouth and shook her head, making tut tuting noices. "What?" Sky asked, anoyed at Chrises attitude.41

"I keep forgetting that you haven't ever been off ship really. I mean, I knew you didn't know much about cultural life, but not knowing about Vi'lilo. Thats like not knowing about.... about water! Everyone knows about Vi'lilo!" Sky didn't say anything. Sometimes her friends really didn't realize how much their comments about how she'd never been off ship hurt. It wasn't like she could have gotten off ship, and it wasn't her fault. They always made her feel left out and strange, like she was some kind of alien. 42

"Whats that I heard about Vi'lilo?" David asked, coming up behind them. He was carrying some heavy tubing, but was so strong he seemed to hardly notice the weight. "Is someone going to Vi'lilo?"43

"Only us!" Chris almost sqeeked, turning to someone who she hoped would show admirable enthusiasm. "I just heard it, and my sources are reliable. Isn't it awsome?" David nodded, smiling. 44

"I'v always wanted to go there, just to see if the stories are true."45

"If neither of you guys are going to tell me what in the world Vi'lilo is then both of you just bugger off so I can work, ok?" Sky said feeling really hurt. David throwned, then shook his head sadly. 46

"I'm sorry Sky that was kinda rude of us. Vi'lilo is the only pre spacer thing left. The reason the spacers didn't hit it is because its a resort, one of the best of its kind ever built right at the bottom of the ocean. They have malls, and rides and candy and everything you can think of. They make it all there as they always have so they always have it. The only thing is, they won't admit our government is real, so everyone from Breeze is kinda restricted by the kind from going there."47

"Then how come we're going? I thought the king was in charge and his word was law and rule." Sky asked perplexed.48

"I guess the captain disagrees." Chris answered, shrugging. "Who cares? We're going to Vi'lilo!" By night time the rumer really was all over the ship. People walked the corridors whispering it from place to place. It made everyone forget about the fire and almost dying. Sky woundered if that wasn't the real reason they were going. 49

She also couldn't help but feel excited at the prospect. From what people were saying it was better then heaven. There was exotic food, done exactly as it had been on earth. There would also be the best in the Aquana range of foods and clothing. When she told Amy about how much she was looking forward to it though Amy got a sad look in her eyes. 50

"Its not as great as you'd think Mei mei." She said, sitting on her bunk. "Everything is wounderful, and everything is expensive. I can't afford almost anything they have there, and I have a huge saving account. A lot of people are going to be disapointed when they get off ship and realize that because their Aquana prices will be up 3%. The rides should be good though."51

"The rides?" Sky asked, woundering what kind of rides and underwater theme park must have.52

"The buble slides." Amy answered, getting a far away look in her eye. "They are WOUNDERFUL, and free. Or at least they used to be. Its up to eight story slides that have bubble bath in the water, so you go really fast and when you land your sourounded by bubbles. Its really hard to describe, but believe you me, the buble rides will more then make up for all the expensive doo dads we can't afford, if we can afford them." 53

"You'v been there before?" Sky asked, awe in her voice.54

"Once, when we first came to the colony. My mom felt that we needed a brake after all our sorrows, so she spent a lot more then we could afford getting us tickets. It was before the place was banned. I didn't have as much fun as is possible there, but it worked. My mom was right, it really did get my mind off of.... of other things." Off of your sister dying, Sky thought sadly. She woundered if it were even possible for Amy to have fun in the place, with memories like that hanging over her.55

"Enough about that though! We must get you ready!" Amy anounced, jumping out of bed. "You must have swim suits, and hair ties and... oh so many things. Lets look threw my stuff and see if theres anything that we can make fit you shall we?" Sky nodded and started taking clothes out of packs. "And make sure the swim suit you choose is a one piece. When you got fast on slides like those you don't want your shirt getting pulled off you." Sky nodded vigorously, though she didn't really have very much that anyone would be intrested in. She still didn't want to show it off. 56

It took a few hours to find clothes that Amy said would work well on Sky, and a few more that Amy wanted to wear herself. Then they put them in little plastic bags beneath their uniforms and went to bed. The days were getting shorter, according to the computers time slot. On land it was wintry and cold, while under the ocean it was warm, as it always was on ship thanks to the wounderful heating systems. Day light savings would be starting soon, and the oceans tide would change course to fallow the ruote it took when that season came around. Sky was happy. She dreamed of swimming in lakes of bubbles. She dreamed of sliding down slipery slopes of bubbles. 57

She was having a great time, twisting about in the water and spray. She started twisting at turns to increas her speed, when she noticed someone was fallowing her. She started to swimm for real then, because she knew somehow that she didn't want that person to catch her. The faster she swam, the faster the chaser seemed to fallow till she was afraid that she would never be able to escape. She tried to stand on the pipe, and run but it was too slippery. She lost her balence and fell over the edge, crying. But she did not fall to her death, as she expected to happen, as had happened in many previous dreams. Instead something, or someone grabbed her wrist. Their hand, and now she could tell that it was a hand, was slippery, probebly from the bubbles. Sky couldn't bring herself to look, so she closed her eyes and squeeked.58

"Please pull me up, please pull me up please pull me up!" She said, over and over again. The person seemed to be trying to, but Sky had the nasty impression that they weren't going to be able to. The person jerked, and tugged and finally, finally sky felt the edge of the slide on her elbow and could start climbing back in herself. For a few minutes she just lay on the slide, hunched on the person with her eyes shut. After a few minutes she pushed herself up and turned, a thank you on her lips but she gasped instead. 59

It was the green boy who haunted her dreams. His face was under the water of the slide, but were it was the bubles refused to cover. He was covered in green slime and he had no body below the waist. He looked at her and she screamed, but the dream didn't end. For some reason she seemed stuck in it, unable to leave. The green boy still had his hand on her arm and he pulled, bringing her closer to him. She tried to pull away but couldn't. She felt her body enter the water, then her chest, her neck and finally her face. When all of her was in, he pulled her by her shoulders to him, ignoring her feeble struggles. And then he did something so unexpected and horrible that Sky felt like vomiting. He kissed her, his thick bloated tong entering her mouth. She tried to pull away but couldn't. For a full minute he kissed her and then she was released. She floated away, looking back at him. He smiled and said in a eerie voice, "Your welcome".60

Then Sky woke up vomiting. 61

"Whats wrong Mei mei? Aren't you feeling well, here let me get you a bucket." Amy said, looking over at Sky. Sky shivered under her now wet blankets. It had felt so real, like he had actually touched her, like he had really been there. His mouth had been ice, and it had sucked the warmth and happyness away from her. She felt cold, she felt disgusted. Had it really just been a dream? She looked down at her arm, the one he had caught, and gasped. There were pink finger marks on it, growing to black in their centers. She stared in horror at her arm, thinking that it couldn't possibly be true.62

"Here, do you feel sick Sky?" Amy asked, handing her a bucket. Sky took it, and hid her arm underneath the covers. She didn't want anyone to see her arm, didn't want anyone to ask until she was able to figure out what in the world had happened. She told Amy it had just been something she ate, and then she curled on her side and pretended to fall alseep. Long after Amy's snores sounded from the other bed Aky sat awake on her matress and waited for dawn to finally come. 63

Chapter 7. 64

"You look awful!" Chris said when Sky showed up for her shift the next day. "What did you do, stay up hitting yourself on the head all night?"65

"Don't be mean Chris, are you feeling sick Sky? If so maybe you should go to the med dec. I'll tell Kyle were you've gone, I'm sure it would be fine with him." David said, coming over and looking at Sky with concern.66

"I'm fine." Sky answered moving to her station. 67

"Are you sure?" David asked again. 68

"Yes, all right! I'm perfectly fine, will everyone get off my back?" David raised his hand up in defeat and turned back to his station without another word. Sky was relieved. She'd spend the first bit of the morning convincing Amy that she didn't need to go to the med deck, then she'd had to tell about fifty people on her way to the tech station that she was fine. Of course she wasn't fine. She was still really creeped out from her dream, and she could still taste the green kids tong as it forced its way into her mouth. She tried not to because every time she did she felt sick but it was hard. She couldn't get it out of her mind. 69

When Kyle asked if she was all right David tried to make warning shooing jestures, but it was too late.70

"I AM PERFECTLY FINE!" Sky screamed, throwing her read out down. "WILL PEOPLE PLEASE STOP ASKING ME EVERY GOD DAMN FIVE MINUTES!" Kyle throwned, and crossed his arms over his chest. Hiseyes turned cold, and when he rested them on Sky she got a sick feeling in her gut that had nothing to do with her dream.71

"You will aplogize to this whole room for your behaviour." Kyle said in Icy tones. "Then you will apologize to me, then you will write a letter aplogizing to the captain." Sky turned her face down, shamed. She hated having to send the captain a letter telling him she'd acted like a baby, and she was slightly afraid of what he'd say. "Finally you will report for jacks duty tomarrow instead of here. The next day when you report back here, you will take duty station fifty seven, instead of two. For now, go back to your cabin." Sky made her aplogies and left, tears wanting to burst out her eyes. She had been demoted to duty station fifty seven, the last duty station there was. She could get back up to two, but it would take months, possibly even a year. All because she couldn't keep her fat mouth closed. 72

When she got to her cabin she threw herself on her bed, and cried. No one came to see if she was ok. No one told her it would be all right and not to worry. She was alone, without anyone who loved her and it occured to her that no one in the worlds ever would. She lay on the bed, and missed lunch. Amy came in to see if she was ok, but she wouldn't answer Amy. After a while Amy went out and got her some diner, but Sky wouldn't touch it. Amy was really worried by this time. She called for the medic, and he came. He pushed Amy out of the room and examined Sky. He felt she might have a small fever, which combined with throwing up might mean the flu, but Sky didn't care. She wouldn't move. She wouldn't sleep. All she did was lay on the bed looking at the wall.73

"What happened today? She seemed ok when she left for her job, but when I found her back here.... she hasn't eaten and she won't drink. Kyle, I'm really worried about her." Amy said, stopping Kyle in the hall. 74

"She's just mopping." Kyle ansered shaking his head. "I never would have though it of her, but she threw a horrible tantrum so I had to demote her. Now she's just mopping."75

"I don't think she is Kyle. You haven't seen her. She looks so.... sick. Didn't you notice it today? And now its like she's not even trying."76

"She's fine." Kyle answered, moving away. "She made that clear enough this morning." Amy watched Kyle go, and felt sad for both her and Sky. Kyle was overly mad at Sky, he wouldn't forget as Amy knew well, easily. She looked down at her hand, at the bracelet she wore. Kyle was a wounderful man, but he was not the best when it came to showing feelings. 77

"Poor Sky." Amy murmmured, and moved off, hoping to find some of Sky's friends she could drag back and give to Sky to cheer Sky up. Nothing worked though, Sky only got worse. She refused to eat, though she would drink, and she refused to sleep. Amy was afraid if she kept on going the way she was she would end up dead, or worse insane. She wouldn't bethe first person made crazy by the sea. Amy hoped that wasn't it though. Finally she went to the captain to try and get his help.78

"From what I hear she threw a fit and now she's mopping." The captain said, pouring tea for himself and Amy. "There's not that much that can be done about it."79

"I know thats what it looks like sir, but Sky's not like that. Sir, if you'd just come I think you'd see. Theres something not natural in this. And I'm scared, I'm afraid she might starve herself to death."80

"All right, I'll come but I'm not promising anything. If I think she's just mopping I'm not going to help her, and if she isn't just mopping I don't know if theres anything I can do. She's seen the medic?"81

"Yes sir."82

"Then I'm not sure how I can be of any help."83

"But you'll come?"84

"Sure, why not. Not much else to do." 85

Sky was laying on her bed when the captain came in. She didn't look up, though her eyes were open. Her face was pale and her skin was flabby. The captain had to admit she looked like someone with a fever, though the doctor had decided that wasn't the case. 86

"The doc says theres nothing wrong with her sir. I don't understand it. She doesn't eat and she doesn't sleep.... She hardly talks either." The captain looked down at Sky, and he knew what was wrong. He knew because he had seen it before many years ago.87

"I want to talk to Sky alone, if you please." He said, taking Amy's hand and gently leading her from the room.88

"But sir...."89

"Please, alone. Thank you." Amy looked really hurt as the door closed, blocking her out. The captain went and sat in the chair by Sky's bed, and looked down on her. She was so young, with think strait hair and blue gray eyes. They were the only other pair of eyes the same color as the captains.... she must have some from his group, once, he thought. Gently he laid his hand down on her shoulder and shook. She blinked up at him, not recognizing him.90

"What do you see when you sleep Sky?" He asked softly. She tried to hide her face in her covers, but the captain wouldn't let her. "What do you see?" 91

"Death." Sky answered in a whisper soft the captain almost missed catching it. "Death, and the boy." The nodded, and ran his hand down her hair in a conforting way. 92

"What does death do, or the boy? Do they chase you." Sky shook her head, and looked at the pillow, her eyes wide. 93

"They used to, but they don't anymore. I used to see death everywhere. Whenever I dreamed it came and killed everything around me, but now...... Its gone. The boy's there still though. He's started talking to me and.... and doing things. I... I don't know how to stop whats in my head and the memories come and they take me... and someday they'll be too real and I'll die. They feel too real already. They feel solid, and when they're over they leave marks on my arms...." The captain nodded and closed his eyes. 94

"Have you ever heard of Noh'mor'rein Sky?" The captain asked, patting her arm. 95

"No.... Noh'mor'rien? The black mist world?"96

"It is the world of nightmares, or dreams. When you sleep and go somewhere and the dream feels real, its because it is. It means you have entered the world of mist, the world where things that are mist are true, and things that are true fade and become mist. I knew someone who had a talisman that took him there in his sleep once. He said is was the most beautiful place. It is a dangerous place, a place where things that happen to you are real."97

"What happened to the guy?" Sky asked, looking at the captain and almost seeing him for the first time since he'd come. 98

"We found him dead, with no mark on him. The med said he'd been drowned, but there was no way to drawn a man on..... where we were." Sky shook, feeling even more afraid then she had before. "But there is a way of keeping away from that world. Another talisman that keeps you from entering that world. I have one, and I'm going to give it to you because I don't really need it anymore." So saying he took a necklace off from around his neck and placed it around hers. "Rest up Sky, we'll be at Vi'lilo soon. You don't want to miss that."99

He got up, and was about to open the door when asky called out.100

"Sir?"101

"Yes?" he asked turning back.102

"Where is Noh'mor'rien? How did people start going there?"103

"I don't know. The first man who discovered it made millions of talismins so people could go there before he realized it was dangerous. I think he realized anyway. Its hard to tell if people realize things when their dead. Sleep Sky, dream in peace."104

That night Sky slept in compleate peace, with absolutly no bad things in her dreams for the first time in ages. She felt so refreshed in the morning that she went down to the tech station. Chris and David where there, working. They looked over at Sky and said hi, so she walked over to them. After a while, for no reason at all she found herself telling them about what the captain had given her, about her dreams and about Noh'mor'rien. She talked about how her dreams had been nice for the first time in ages and how her sleep even felt better. 105

"But I'm not sure if its real. I mean, its sounds stupid. Like something out of a story. I can't be true, and yet the dreams got better."106

"In that case don't start to question it." Chris said shaking her head. 107

"Yeah, if you do its like a jinq. You'll make it stop working." David said, emphasizing with his arms something disapearing. 108

"But then does it work because its real, or does it work because I believe its real?"109

"If it works." Chris said shaking her head, "Then it really doesn't matter, does it?" 110

Sky worked hard the fallowing weeks trying to earn back her position. It was hard, because doing your job as usaule only worked to keep the spot you already had, not to get a new one. You had to work longer hours and come up with new problems solving methods. Sky was just about at the middle of the apprentice ladder when they sailled into Vi'lilo. It was like nothing Sky had ever seen before. 111

Vi'lilo had colored force fields, blue, green, orange, red and every other color you could think of. Its swimming pools were luminus and the air was sented with something that smelled a lot like roses. The ship ancored a little ways from the resort as the captain attempted to gain permission to dock. The Vi'lilo government didn't seem intrested in letter them in any time soon. 112

"Why don't they want us to come?" Sky asked Amy, looking out at the scene with some of the other apprentices.113

"They don't recognize our government as ligit. While they would love the trade their suspisious of our coming, because we're not allowed to. Our government has forbidden trade with Vi'lilo."114

"So what we're doing is illegal?" Kyle asked, looking at Amy in puzzlement. "This is a fairly large ship, isn't the captain worried someone will turn him in?"115

"Of course, the captain is always worried. But in the last few years the colony hasn't had very good crop production. That means food and clothes and everything else becomes more expensive in the colonies as the threat that it won't last this cycle threw grows. Most free lance merchants will be stopping at places they shouldn't to pick up cargo. Some will even try to trade with the spacers, God rest their souls. However the only people who could really make any charges stick are those on the bridge, and only officers at that. Anyone else doesn't have the clout."116

"Won't one of them turn him in?" Chris asked, trying to see Vi'lilo but failing because everyone else was so much taller then her, and thus blocking her view."117

"One might, but the officers unless they turn in a written protest would have to face the same charges as the captain. Someone might, but thats just the risk the captain has to take."118

"But its illegal! That means its wrong, doesn't it? I mean, thats why its illegal!?" Sky said, looking at Amy. "Thats why its a rule isn't it?"119

"If no merchants came here then the colony could starve to death. Families would have to make due with rags as clothes, though just the poor and needy ones. Is that right? The captain and most of the merchants don't think so. Besides the whole rule violates the Naval Charter the government signed when we first came here." Amy said, shaking her head. "The government promised in that charter that the merchants could not be controlled while away from the colony. The captain is the head of the ship and his word is law while he is aboard his ship. The government will not harm or order trade in any way, nor will is help or ban it. In exchange the merchant guild is willing to use its ships for government work whenever asked. They will go to the pit of hell is need be, as long as the government keeps with its agreement."120

"If thats the case then why doesn't the Naval guild rebell? Have some sort of protest at least? Make the government realize that it needs its navy?" Sky asked, turning from Vi'lilo.Amy laughed, though in a humerless way.121

"Because we need the colony. They supply us with fuel, they give us new people to run our ships. They keep us going. If we protested they would simply ban us from coming back. Maybe they'd starve before us, but we don't have a source of food independant from the colony, while they have a source indepenant from us. It could be a whole year before they started to feel the pressure. We'd feel it in weeks if not months. No, for now the guild bides its time and makes a farce of fallowing the governments rules. There will come a day when we'll break free though, and rule ourselves. There is some talk about starting our own colony, but it isn't really major yet. There's not way of making the force fields anymore."122

"What if there was?" Sky asked, her eyes going distant.123

"What?" Amy asked, looking at her with her eyebrows raised. 124

"What is there was a way to make the force fields again?" Amy looked as if Sky were asking why you couldn't breeth water.125

"There isn't, but if there was and we had it we'd make our own colony, force the government to meet us on our terms. There isn't any way though, all the meterial we need is in spacer hands, and you know they aint giving that up. Thats what they attacked us for in the first place."126

"What is?" Kyle asked, lost. "Why'd they attack us?"127

"Don't you know?" Amy asked, suprised, looking at both Chris, and Sky, who shook their heads. 128

"They attacked us for the valuable minerals we have. The minerals used to creat force fields. Our planet has about fifty if not up to eighty times the amount of the mineral as any other planet. "129

"But why'd they attack us?" Chris wanted to know, "I mean, they could have just bought it. They didn't need to destroy us for it!" Amy was about to answer when a voice behind them did instead.130

"There were some spacers who wanted to. Some who wanted to make peace with the colony so that they would have one less enemy to throw off, but the majority wanted the free labor taking over the planet gained as well. Not everyone was killed who didn't escape, the majority were imprisioned. We don't know much about whats going on up there any more, but when we still sent scouts they had... had some horrible reports. The spacers have become animals, they said. The leadership that holds in the sky breaks down in the camps. The men are beasts, and some of the woman are worse. They force their prisioners to work in the mines for many many hours, and many die. Some of the workers are from other worlds, brought here because the workers they captured weren't enouph. If they catch you, thats what they do to you." Amy and the three apprentices turned to face the speaker, the captain. He had a very sad look, and Sky woundered if someone he knew was at the camp. She touched her necklace, the one he had given her and shuddered. 131

"So many places are so bad." She said, thinking of the world of mist. "It almost makes you wounder at why you do on." The captain looked at her, and he shook his head. 132

"we go on because we must, and because there is hope. Someday we will retake the top. We will throw the spacers out and we will do what we can for those who have held them. When bullies like the spacers rise up they must be thrown down. We must win, because if we simply give up and stop going on there is no one else who will lead the fight, and someone needs to. Someone needs to help those people." Sky nodded, a feeling rising in her. It made her feel hope and she woundered at it. 133

No wounder the captain had made captain. He inspired, he made you want to go on, to be better then you were and to face the enemy with all your will. She didn't want to be somone forced against him, for he would make a wounderful friend and a dreaful enemy. 134

Vi'lilo was a little disapointing to Sky, after the big hype everyone had made about it. She could tell, looking around that once it had been all everyone said and more, but now with the years of little use and neglect it was no longer the paradise people remembered. The merchants there sold things for outragiously little, because no one in the resort bought. They could make anything and everything there, and so everyone had whatever they needed. The resort itself had been shut down years before. There was no point in wasting funds toward it when no one came visiting. 135

Most of the crew wasn't even allowed off the ship, and once again for the hundreth time since she'd moved in Sky was pleased she'd been thrown in with Amy. Amy seemed to have ties everywhere, ties that got her and Sky off ship and aboard the planet. Amy was sad about the changes though. To her it seemed like just another thing ruined by the government and the spacers. 136

"Once Vi'lilo was the god of the waters. People as far away as earth came here just to go to Vi'lilo. Now their own people don't even recognize the magesty. The place is abandoned, forsaken. And like a great beast its pacing is marked with one great cry of pain, and then ignored." Sky looked at Amy, who shook her head, tears in her eyes. 137

Their stay was rather short, just two weeks, and then they were on their way again this time the heading was Dun'li'ilion though everyone called it the Dun. 138

"Is a colony in the very center of the Circ'dun, in the watern ocean. Not very many people venture there, because that water is smack dab in the middle of spacer territory. The people who do live there are always carful as hell what they take in and give out, and where. They live in caves built on the floor, with the minimal amount of force fields at the entrences. That way they can avoid detection."139

"How does having less force fields help them avoid attention?" Sky asked Kyle, who was giving this lecture to the tech apprentices.140

"Good question Sky!" Kyle said smiling. "Thats why were having this breifing. The spacers have a mechine that can detect force fields, so while were at the Dun we won't have one on. The ship will be extreamly vulnreble. We'll also be going to quiet, with no talking and as little engine works as possible. This means no one can talk after we go to black out till were in he safety of the caves. After that we still won't have field, but we can then get around to talking. The caves will block our sound."141

"Why do we go there if theres this much trouble?" Chris asked. "Do they have something we need a lot?"142

"Nope." Kyle answered shaking his head. "Were here this time round because this colony is a part of Breeze. The government has ordered us here, and so we come. Naval rules, unfortunatly. Ghost is one of the truest ships of the line though. She's stead fast and sure, and we should make it minimal fuss. Should is the key word here. The government doesn't take no for an answer though, so we have to do this job and come back. 143

"How much is the crews but?"144

That made Kyle smile, and he answered with the only a newbie would ask tone. 145

"The crews cut, depending on the job title is what it was said to be when you joined on. Unless you take an enemy ship, which almost never happens because the spacers don't travel by water, your cut is based on how many days were gone and what your job was. Some people will get bonuses for their works during the fire, and some will get less."146

"They've found out who started the fire then?"147

"Yes. He's not abourd right now, but they know who it was, and he shall pay with all the wrath the captain can bring him. "148

Chapter 8. 149

Black out was hair raising. Everyone sat on their bunks, trying not to make noise as the ship glided threw the water. Every now and then someone would whisper threw the com something about move this or that, and then silence would rule again on the ship. Sky looked at Amy, who was taking a nap. Amy had said she'd done this a lot of times in the past, and while it was still a little scary it wasn't nearly as scary as it had been when she'd started. Sky felt scared, and sick and like she wanted to scream, but she didn't. She took long calming breaths and tried to imagine herself somehwere in the light. But there was no where, her whole world was the ship and the ship was incased in darkness.150

She could feel the ships change as they turned the force field off and gave the engine its last burst before ending its rollling as well. For some reason Sky just knew they were all going to die, that they had to die. There was no way to make it threw this. They would smash into the caves, and with no force field water would rise quickly in the ship and they would all die gasping. She knew at the same time that this was a silly thing to think, because they all had breathers. If the ship crashed then they would simply have to live in the colony until such time as they could lift a ride off. But the dread filled her, and she closed her eyes. She touched the necklace that hung around her neck, and when she did it for some reason repulsed her. She took it off and put it down on the bed beside her and tried to fall asleep. 151

She dreamed, and she was sure she must be in Noh'mor'rien but it felt different. Maybe it was her that felt different. Things were not scary where they had been before. The gloom and shadow had gone, and now was replaced by all the light she had ever wanted there to be. There were flowers and sun shine and everything from the past that she missed. She lay down in the grass and it tickled her feet. She spread her arms out and felt the sun kiss them. Then he was there, but it was away from the water, so even he was not as scary as before. He lay on the sand near her, and she looked at him. 152

His skin was still covered with the green slime, and his body was still cut gruteskly, but he was no longer scary in her mind. She went over, and bent over him. He looked up at her, and she could suddenly see it was not evil in his eyes, but pain. He pointed down to where his legs should have been and said whispered.153

"It hurts." Sky nodded, understanding that it must hurt very badly. He rolled his eyes in his head, and then looked up at the sky. "I like this place you've brought me. Its away from the cursed waves and cold waters. Where is it?"154

"Na O'harin. It was the forest by my home. I always liked it here, where the sun touched you but the breeze cooled you. Never too warm, never too cold. Nothing could ever happen bad in this place, because I always felt like something kept it from happening."155

"Perhaps they protect it." The boy said, looking in at the heart of the forsest. And there were ladies and men there, coming out of the woods and to Sky and the boy. They were tall people, so much taller than Sky or any adult Sky had ever seen. They also had sharp features and their nails were too long. By all right those nails should have broken, but they looked strong and perfect. As they neared sky looked at their face and saw that their eyes were like cats instead of human. The boy made wimpering sounds as they aprouched, and grabbed Sky's arm.156

"Don't let them take me, please." He begged, holding on to Sky, but sky couldn't speack, she was too awed by the beauty of the creatures. One, a tall female came to Sky and the boy and gently bent down and examined him. 157

"This one is not allive, and yet he lives." She said in a melodic voice. 158

"Can he stay with the girl?" A male asked, looking at Sky.159

"No, she is not his spirit, and she is not his blood."160

"Then why are they so linked?" Asked the other female.161

"There is a bond, but I know not how it was forged. He does not belong to her, and yet he does."162

"Can they be severed?" The last male asked, and this ones voice made Sky shiver, because it was cold where the others were warm.163

"Not without damedging both."164

"But how are they in our wood? Their kind has never come into our dominion before, though we see them skirting its boarders."165

"The girl has brought them. We should kill her!" The cold voices male said, raising a finger and poiting it at Sky.166

"No, let us not forge our meeting with death." The first female said, then for the first time she adressed Sky in person. "What are you?" But sky couldn't answer, because someone was shaking her awake. As she went she saw the first female lay hands on the boy, and just like that he healed. New legs sprouted from his chest and soon he looked whole. The last thing she saw before the vision was torn from her, was the boy standing and looking down at his body in disbelief.167

Sky woke and looked at Amy, who was staring down at her in fear. 168

"What?" Sky asked, looking at her, but Amy shook her head and put her fingers to her lips. Then Sky remembered, they were still in black out. Somehow she'd fallen asleep, and if the pain in her throat was anything to go by, she'd just been screaming. 169

The ship slid into port and the cables that had been placed by the colony grabbed the ship and stopped it from hitting the cave wall. Men and woman wearing breathers gathered around on of the holds single person entrances and waited. An entrance shot open and the people poored in. After they were in they looked around. They were in the holding tank, a place where a lot of water could rise and still be pumped out. They grabbed the ladder and one by one climbed to the door, and once there nocked. Someone opened it and they were let inside. The captain was waiting for them when they stepped into the ship. He greated one of them imeadiatly, a female, with a warm embrace.170

"Welcome, welcome aboard Sino it has been too long!" The one called Sino smiled, but did not embrace the captain back. 171

"Did you bring the good promised us by the government?" She asked, and the captain looked into her eyes.172

"Are things trully so bad, that you can not spend a moment on greeting?" Sino nodded, and motioned to the men with her. 173

"These men are a third of what is left on the colony, minus the children who are double our number." Sino answered. "The spacers have hit us hard this year, and they have destroyed our harvest, taking those who worked it into their camps. If we do not feed the children today it will be the third week where they have mostly not eaten. It will be our fifth. Have you brought what we were promised?"174

"That, and more. Tali sends her love, and warm coats and blankets. Ji'hir sends his best wishes, and some tents and makeshift buildings. Vi'lilo, when they discovered where we were going have given us a large amount of extra food to give to you, because they said they heard on the waves that you were in need. "175

"You have been to Vi'lilo?" Sino asked, grabbing the captains arm. "Is there news of Ne'fir and the Dun'nimi? We have not heard of them for a long time, but I remember they often kept better touch with Vi'lilo."176

"I' am sorry Sino. I know naught of Ne'fir, for the Vi'lilo had not heard of his specific health."177

"And Dun'nimi? What of them?"178

"Dun'nimi is no more, I am sorry. A ship came to Vi'lilo from there and said that everyone was gone. They did not see signs of attack, but the Dun'nimi would not have hidden from Aquana bringing food. I fear the worst has happened." Sino closed her eyes, and balled her fist. 179

"Those gorram spacers." She hissed, the pain of the news splayed across her face. "Every year they take and take and take. Will they never be satisfied?"180

"No, I fear they never will be Sino. I fear those who do this will only grow stronger."181

"Then how can we ever hope to overcome them?" Sino asked, looking at the captain.182

"well, one good way they might be overcom is for the Dregs to compleatly wipe out the Cobbs. Though I could not promise the Dregs would be any better. "183

"Please get the food. The children are hungry." The captain nodded, and motioned one of his men to bring it. It was several crates worth, but they broke those open and put them in water proof bags, which the men Sino had brought with her took and hauled to the colony. It was several trips before the food amount started to lessen and go down. All the time the captain stood and looked at Sino, who looked only at the food. 184

"I am sorry for your losses Sino." The captain said, and Sino turned suprised eyes to him. 185

"Sorry? What do you have to be sorry for Felix? What have you ever done but tried to help us and the colonists? I do not blame you."186

"Its nice of you to say... but if I had been more aware. If I had not let them take control...."187

"If the world had not been round, if the sky had not been orange. Captain, there is nothing you could have done that you did not do. I don't care what anyone at the colonies says, you have ever been a friend of the Dun, and ever will be. It was the same for the Dun'nimi and is the same for the Dun'num and Dun'min." The captain nodded, and helped Sino over board with the last bag. 188

"Tell your husband I send my own greetings, and tell Tom and Lir I put in some toys just for them."189

"I will." Sino answered, "The kids will love those, and To'min will as well. You should visit them sometime you know felix. The kids miss their god father." The captain nodded sadly and watched as Sino disapeared from sight. He went to the view port and watched the tiny figures swimm back into the caves. Then he sighed. 190

"I want us out of these waters as soon as possible." He said to his secound, who nodded. "We don't want to be here when the sharks come bitting."191


"were going? Already?" Sky asked, as the command came over the com. 192

"The captain doesn't like to hang out near the Dun. It makes him edgy. Too much danger lurks around here, ya know?" He has to make sure his ship is safe, and the only way of doing that is to be away from these waters."193

"But, if its so scary who do we leave people here? Shouldn't we take them with us?"194

"The captain would love to take them with us, but he can't. They don't want to go. Has come god kids himself on that worthless bit of rock, but he can't take them away. Not as long as Sino and To'min are allive anyway. "195

"Sino?"196

"The leader of the Dun, and the mother of the captains god kids. Once, its said, Felix loved Sino and Sino loved Felix. But then she discovered the Dun, and To'min and was lost to Felix. To'min showed her a world Felix could never offer, and so Felix went away. I hear he still has feelings for Sino though, and it kills him that To'min would have her live in such a dangerous place when there are other, safer places to dwell."197

"Why do they live there?"198

"They think it makes them free. They think their fighting the enemy. In reality their just feeding the work force. Bringing new slaves to life without knowing. "199

"Is she beautiful?" 200

"Who?" 201

"Sino."202

"Thats enough. Its time to sleep. You need to keep up your strength." Sky nodded, and closed her eyes pulling the blanket over her head. The necklace the captain had given her was in her drawer. She didn't know why, but she didn't feel like she needed it any more.203

As she dreamed she went back to the woods. The boy was there, sitting on the grass. Sky was suprised to see he still had the full body he'd had in the last dream. He smiled at her as she looked at him, and she noticed his skin was pink. The wounds and hurts were gone and he looked healthy and strong. If it were not for the fact she knew he'd died she'd think he was as real and allive as her. He reached out for her, and she stumbled backwards. The smile left his face, and a look of sadness came to his face.204

From behind him Sky saw one of the people from her last dream approuching. It was the first female from the night before. She came to the boy, and held his chin in her hand. He looked at her, slightly afraid, but then smiled and looked at Sky. The lady turned and looked at sky in turn.205

"Who are you, and what do you call your race?" She asked Sky, as though the conversation had never ended. Sky found that this time she could speack. 206

"I am Sky, of the Aquana." The female nodded, and pointed to the boy. 207

"He says that he is Soli from Breeze.He could remember nothing else about himself. We asked him of you, but he says he does not know that either. What is he? He is like us, Toki says, for he does not exist in what Toki calls the flesh, but he is not one of us. What is he?"208

Sky looked at the lady, and then at the boy. She didn't know what to say he was. He was a ghost, that she was sure of, but she did not know if that would mean anything to the lady, and it might scare the boy. 209

"He is Aquana. I saw him looking at me once, from the water. He looked at me threw death, and I saw him from life." This seemed to mean something to the lady, who nodded her head, and motioned for the boy to sit. 210

"You are Siji." The lady said, and pointed to Sky, " and she is Jisi." Both Sky and the boy looked at the lady in incomprehension, and the lady in turn looked at them in amazment. "You do not know what Siji and Jisi are?" They shook their heads. "Siji are those pulled from their existence into ours. Before it was always been animals, for there were none of your kind and nought but ours on this world. They were pulled by Jisi, the one who pull. If a Jisi looks at one who is dead in your flesh, they feel the sorrow and capture the Siji, pulling them to this world. This world were they can live again. We have done this for ages with animals, as you would call them because they are our flesh, and we belong to them. You are the first to just do it. Toki will wish to study this, but I think Toki should be kept from you."211

"Why, who is Toki?" Sky asked the lady, but she knew even before the Lady answered.212

"Toki is the secoudn male you saw. Toki is the wind, the cold. You can not possibly really understand what all Toki is, but he takes too much pleasure in studying the flesh. He likes to see what feelings he can produce in those who have flesh, and he never asks permission first. If I were you, I would beware of Toki." Sky nodded, and then looked at her hand. It had started to tingle, and she saw that it was quickly disapearing. The lady looked down at it also and sighed. 213

"You return to your side of the plane. You must come back, but beware of Toki when you do. The others are just curious, but Toki is dangerous." Sky nodded, then grunted as she pulled out of the dream into wakefulness. 214

For a few minutes Sky lay in the dark of her cabin, looking at the water outside her window. She shuddered with the cold feelings that where ringing threw her body, but she didn't make a sound. The current brought fish of many colors past her window, and smilied at that, but there were many more questions that plagued her mind. What did it all mean? She wanted to ask someone, someone who would know if it were all even real. She had the bad feeling that she might simply be going crazy. It would not be hard for her to go crazy. She woundered if crazy people woundered if they were crazy, or if they felt they were more sane then ever. It was a puzzle, and she wanted to figure it out. She looked over at Amy, who was snoring contentedly. Amy was exactly what she wanted to be when she grew up, she decided. Amy was good and pure and trustworthy. The only trouble would be getting to be Amy. 215

Amy yawned and rolled over, and sky got up and started to prepare herself for the new day. They were heading back to Breeze, and in a few weeks if not months they would arrive. By that time Sky would have been an apprentice in tech for almost a year and a half. She felt older. She felt like the whole world of expireinces had been opened up for her. She hoped to see Brooke, but she didn't have to see her. The difference between her and the girl she remembered being when they set out was such a great amount Sky didn't even like to think about it. 216

Would her life always be like this? Sailing from place to place, with no home and no one to love? It was all she'd ever knows, but it wasn;t all there was. There was love,for instance. And Sky found in that time that she really wanted love, more then she ever would have realized. She wanted someone to love her, and someone to be there that she could love. The only probeblem was she didn't think she'd find anyone who fit any time soon.