Storm of Arranon Fire and Ice (28 page)

Cera sighed. “The only alternative is for
Erynn to stay here until Star Point Strait freezes again.” She
glanced at Erynn and then back to the faces staring at her from the
table. “That could be five, six weeks, maybe more.”

The light attached to the curved ceiling
buzzed in the absence of conversation. Snow ticked against the
metal roof. The hum of the generators matched the soft sigh of the
wind brushing along the sides of the hut. The heaters cycled. The
light dimmed.

Torey, the man rescued from the alien ship,
stood up. “I believe time is a factor. Erynn needs to go now. I’ll
go with you, Erynn. It would be an honor.” He smiled.

Cera nodded. “Your share of the profits from
the harvest will be waiting for you when you return.”

Erynn shook her head. “Wait, Cera. You need
your crew. Each member is necessary. Even one absent crewmember
jeopardizes the safety of the entire ship. I can’t accept. All
along, I’ve been forced by circumstance to carry on by myself. Why
should this time be different? I’m used to it, really.” Erynn
stared at the map. The red line pulsed against the
three-dimensional background. “The route doesn’t look so bad.” She
took her bowl and ladled in the braefin stew. Tender chunks of
white meat and vegetables floated in a thick, rich seasoned stock.
She spooned in a mouthful. “This is good, Brock.”

Brock walked by Erynn, grinning down at her.
The others dug in to the braefin stew. A lively discussion
regarding the route over the Anaekta Straight to the Maithlams
complete with possible hazards, bounced around the table.

During the meal, a plan was finally agreed
upon but not well received. Erynn would take a transport loaded
with supplies, alone. In the morning, when the sun dipped to the
lowest level on the horizon before beginning another ascent, the
Wind Dancer’s whole crew would set out to sea. Erynn would go the
opposite direction toward Anaekta Strait, and then down and across
to the Maithlam Mountains.

Home, to Jaer
.

The cidag reappeared between Cera’s teeth
unlit. “Erynn, take my quarters. They’re private.” She grinned
around at the crew. “I’ll bunk with one of you lucky lot. But I’ll
warn you now…” She chuckled low in her throat. “I snore.”

Cera showed Erynn to her room. “I’m already
packed up, and my gear is stowed on the ship.” She flipped on the
light, and a soft buzz flitted through the space. A dim glow
illuminated the same drab-green walls. “There’s the basics in the
washroom, and the bed’s not too hard.” She shrugged, grinned around
the cidag, and shut the door.

Erynn glanced at the small room. She
concluded that
small
wasn’t a fitting description. There was
more space in the cargo hold of a Herk. Wind moaned. Ice tapped at
the window. Pearly gray light slipped between tattered curtains.
She looked forward to a hot shower and getting the smoky, oily
remnants of the fires off her.

In the washroom, a tall, thin stall filled
one corner. A tiny mirror hung over the steel sink attached to the
shower. Erynn gazed into the glass and gasped. Four thin, raised
red lines ran from beneath her left eye, across her cheek, to just
under her jaw. Toward the center of the scars, the wounds were
still in the process of healing. A yellow crust had formed over the
gaping middles. She grimaced and glanced away. “Great. Where’s
Syrana’s salve?” Erynn went back to the bed and rummaged through
her pack. At the bottom, wrapped in a protective fur, was a jar
sealed with a snug-fitting top. She put the jar in the washroom
sink so she could use the salve after her shower.

Erynn stripped out of her clothes and stepped
into the stall. Lukewarm water cascaded over her. She tried to
adjust the temperature higher with no success. “Warm it is.” She
lathered her hair twice, making sure the greasy slime was washed
away. The soap had a strong spicy scent. “Probably cuts the heavy
odor of braefin.”

Teeth chattering, Erynn dressed in her flight
suit. Still shivering, she folded the light clothes from her time
in the trialath and placed them into the bottom of the pack. In
front of the mirror, she applied the salve Syrana made for her. Any
sting brought on by soap and water was gone in an instant. She set
the pack on the floor at the side of the bed and laid her coat on
top. Erynn climbed under the covers and stared up at the ragged
insulation hanging loose in spots from the metal ceiling. Air
whooshed from her lungs, escaping between pursed lips. “Here I go
again.”

Jaer walked down a wide, brightly lighted
corridor. Pale blue walls met the polished white floor. He pushed
through a door to a dark room.

A soft regular beep issued from a bank of
screens across the head of a bed outlined in shadows. Soft lights
glowed from the system monitoring Roni’s vital signs, washing over
her slack, pallid features with a faint white radiance.

Jaer glanced at the readings. “Too low,” he
mumbled. He pulled a chair close to her, crossed his arms on the
bed, and stared into her face. Her long brown hair glistened,
reflecting a delicate shine, framing her head, and trailing over
her shoulders. “Roni. Can you hear me?”

Her hand rested on her stomach, rising and
falling in a shallow, slow rhythm. The regular beep…beep…beep
coming from the machines never changed.

He reached out and took her limp fingers,
folding his around her cool, dry skin. “Roni, I am sorry.” He took
in a deep breath, dropped his gaze, and held Roni’s hand against
his forehead.

She is so cold—like she is already gone.
Are the machines the only thing holding her to this plane of
reality
?

“What do you want, Roni? Give me some kind of
sign,” Jaer whispered.

The door opened. Light from the hall spilled
ahead of the byan entering the dark room, brightness ushering her
in.

Jaer glanced up but didn’t drop Roni’s hand.
“Are there any changes?” His voice remained a low whisper.

“We’ve done what we can.” She sighed. “It’s
up to Roni now.” She slipped from the room, taking the harsh glow
of the outer corridor with her.

Jaer lowered his head, enfolded Roni’s hand
in his strong arms, and willed her to feel his presence and
understand his prayer for her full recovery.

Time passed. The constant beeping of the
machines and the slow, steady whisper of Roni’s breathing was a
background rhythm to Jaer’s repeated appeal for her to wake. He
imagined Roni opening her eyes.

She will sit up and adamantly reject the
byan’s prognosis that she may not come back
.

Jaer squeezed her hand. “Show them, Roni. You
can do this.” His voice cracked and his jaw tightened. He remained
silent for several long moments.

“Zach has been taken home. He will be laid to
rest with the highest respect in a traditional Anbas Ceremony of
Honor. Zach would have told me this was too much, that his death
was not in accord with the regulations permitting such an elaborate
service.” Jaer’s lips turned in a small smile. “I am Fayn. I
decide.” He frowned, lowering his head, shoulders slumped.

“The warriors from Paedrick are all fine.”
Jaer’s voice was muffled, being so close to the rumpled covers.
“Bumps, bruises, and cuts. The perception of their failure weighs
on them. I understand. This is their chief wound.”

“
Jaer
.
What happened to Roni
?”
Worry filled Erynn’s voice echoing through the darkness in his
mind.

Jaer’s head snapped up, but he stayed seated,
containing his relief at Erynn’s presence. “The byan does not
believe Roni will live.”

Can Erynn hear me this time
?

“
No. What
?
How
?
Roni.
No
!” Anger and pain edged Erynn’s voice.

“Where are you, Erynn?” Jaer remained calm,
keeping his breathing steady.

“
Far away. Too far. I’ll come as fast as I
can. Oh, Roni, please. You can’t die. Think about Tiar. He loves
you. Don’t be stupid like me. Love is precious—a gift to be
cherished and protected
.”

Warm blue currents traveled from the center
of Jaer’s chest, along his arm, and into the hand holding Roni’s.
The tingle from the electric charge wasn’t unpleasant, but it was
stronger than the tickle he usually received from Erynn.

“I can…see? Not just…feel. Erynn. I can see
your energy.”

Strands of Roni’s hair lifted from the
pillow. Static snapped and popped as the faint blue tendrils
swirled between her and Jaer. Her hand twitched. Fingers tightened
around Jaer’s. Her chest rose in a deep respiration.

The beep…beep…beep of the monitor skipped.
The rate increased.

Roni’s eyelids fluttered.

“Erynn? How can this be? Roni is…waking
up?”

“
I’m sorry, Jaer. I was wrong. I should
have listened to what you wanted to tell me. If I could change the
way I behaved, I would
.”

“Kipa, no. The fault is mine. I should have
told you about Shan, even if I believed she was dead.” Jaer stared
at Roni in astonishment, but his heart flew to Erynn.

The door burst open. Light rushed ahead of
the byan and her two assistants. The room brightened.

The byan tugged at Jaer’s arm. “Jaer, let us
check on Roni.”

Jaer knew if he let go of Roni, he would lose
Erynn. He didn’t want to break this connection. Forced away from
the bedside, he released Roni’s hand.

Roni gasped. Her eyes snapped open. “Jaer.
Wait.” Her voice was thin, cracked.

“Erynn?” Jaer whispered. He waited, watching
Roni, but no response came from Erynn.

“Jaer.” Roni’s voice was weak, her gaze
wild.

A man stroked Roni’s head. He spoke softly,
his tone soothing. “Relax, Roni. Take this slow. You’ve been
through a lot. You’re going to be all right.”

Roni’s wild gaze searched the room, locking
on Jaer. She whispered a warning. “No. Jaer— it’s Erynn. You have
to find her. She’s so cold.”

ERYNN LEAPT UP FROM THE narrow bunk. “Roni?”
Her throat was tight. What she thought would be a scream rasped in
a coarse whisper from her dry mouth.

A hard knock sounded on the feeble metal
door. Cera poked her head in, frowning when she glanced at Erynn.
Her gaze dropped to the grated steel floor. “Didn’t mean to startle
you.” She stuck the cidag between her teeth and closed the door.
“Time to go.” Her voice was muffled from the other side.

Erynn tugged at blankets that imprisoned her.
Warm covers dropped and coiled at her feet. She jerked free of the
material that encircled her ankles and raked the wild tangle of
hair from her face. “Roni, what happened? You have to be all right.
Please be all right.” She pulled in a deep breath, trying to slow
her ragged breathing. Erynn folded the blankets and placed them on
the bed under the pillow. She collected her pack and hurried from
the tiny room.

A steaming pot of braefin stew graced the
smooth metal tabletop. The rich aroma set Erynn’s stomach rumbling.
Breakfast became a raucous affair. The diners disapproved yet again
of the limited fare.

Brock grumbled curses to the crew as he
walked past Erynn, on her way to the table. He grinned down at her
and turned when he reached the kitchen. Brock tossed the thick
towels that had protected his hands from the pot’s hot handles onto
the narrow counter. “Tonight,” he called in a booming voice, “we’re
having bovie steak smothered in sautéed mushrooms, baby vegetables
in cream sauce, mashed priute, and for desert—fresh fruit
tart.”

Erynn’s mouth watered just thinking about
what he’d described. She would stake a year’s salary that Brock was
an accomplished cook.

The boisterous discontent from the table
stopped. The steady clink of utensils in bowls filled the small
space.

Erynn smiled at Brock and returned his wink,
glad this daunting man was on her side.

“Now you understand how to use the NAV?” Cera
stood behind Erynn, who was seated in the pilot’s compartment of
the transport. Cera had gone over the operating procedure on every
portion of the lumbering vehicle. Twice.

“Yes. The equipment is very similar to an
Interceptor.” Erynn grinned back at Cera. “Trust me. I fly much
better than I walk.”

Cera clapped Erynn’s shoulder and chuckled.
“I hope so. Oh, remember the ramp. Make sure nothing living is in
the hatch’s path when you open it, or they won’t be alive any
longer.” She shook her head. “I gotta get that fixed someday.”

Erynn’s smile faded. “Thanks, Cera. For all
your help.”

Cera pulled the cidag from her teeth. She
reached an arm around Erynn and hugged her.

Erynn was surprised by this uncharacteristic
show of affection and emotion. The gesture happened so fast, Erynn
didn’t have a chance to return the hug.

Cera stood straight and cleared her throat.
“Ah, get out of here.” She turned to the hatch, wiping the back of
her hand across her eyes. “Interceptor pilot. Hah. Can’t even stand
up on the ice,” she mumbled, disappearing down the ramp.

The hatch closed.

Erynn pushed the starter, and the large
vehicle rumbled to life with a low growl. She took a deep breath
and let the air slip slowly out through pursed lips. “I’m coming,
Jaer.”

Erynn made good time across the flat, open
ice fields. Engines hummed. Tracks shrieked. Snow churned and
fanned in an arc behind her. The monotonous flow of white against
the gray horizon seemed to go on forever. The only indication she
had made any progress was when the sky to her right grew dark after
the sun set. She was no longer at the top of the world.

Her stomach growled, and she decided to stop
long enough to eat a quick meal. She slowed the transport. Tracks
quieted to a ka-chink, ka-chink rhythm. The engine’s high hum
became a low drone. She stopped and set the brake. The transport
idled, the lights outside shining through increasing darkness.
Erynn didn’t want to face silence or the utter dark—not yet. With
the engine rumbling and the beams from the transport blazing, it
was easier not to think about her isolation.