Reality Hits Home

Avian Wulfe felt like pinching himself to see if all this was real. Not only had he managed to climb aboard this fantastic craft, but he had encountered the rebels only to discover that he knew some of them. Or rather, knew who they were.

Everyone knew who Captain Kamali was. His failed launch of the Kamali when it was still in its fledgling stages had been widely aired on the television before the Kelada had cut the cameras. He had been the head of Kelada's Aero program at the time, and he hadn't changed much since then.

The violet-haired beast with the metal bracelets around his four legs and the ornate feathered headband around his long ears and the beads laced in his mane; a six eyed beast that spoke. He could only be one of the Guardians of the Anturi System he'd heard his Grandmother talk about when she regressed to her past life as a young girl growing up on one of the settlements there. He thought the creatures were figments of her demented imagination, but here one sat beside him now.

Then there was the Abtatra girl, he recognized her easily despite her dirty, blood-smeared face. He would never forget the day he'd met her. She'd whirled into his life like a spring cyclone and vanished just as quickly. He sat back on his heels as his thoughts drifted back to that day.

Belspath watched the events unfolding on the observation deck, glancing back occasionally to check on Vakuri. He feared that she was more injured than she first appeared. She had closed her eyes again and showed no inclination to rise.

"I know her."

Belspath jerked his head around. He'd forgotten about the tall young man who called himself Avian, still kneeling to his right.

"What did you say?" Belspath asked politely.

"I know her..." Avian repeated. "...or I've seen her before anyway."

"Really?" Belspath asked absently, his attention turned back to Eric and the iridescent aura sparkled around Kadel as he healed himself.

"Yeah, in Markoni a few weeks ago." Avian continued. "She tried to steal my Wertoni crystal."

Belspath swung his face back to fasten an alert eye on Avian's profile.

"Tried to steal your what?" Belspath prompted, wondering at the fact that this young man actually possessed a Wertoni crystal. As far as he knew, only the Kelada military had managed to acquire them, and through force

"Yes, and she called me a son of a....er....ah...a not very nice name when I caught her with her hand in my pouch." Avian replied. A slight smile formed on his lips as he stared into Vakuri's pale face.

"Yes, I believe you have met her before." Belspath responded. "She did not get your crystal then?"

"No. But I did manage to lift one of hers." Avian chuckled.

Belspath cocked his head quizzically. "I am surprised you are still alive to speak of this." he commented quietly.

"Well, I wasn't stupid enough to let her catch me," Avian replied diffidently. " Not with her loaded down with those Abtatra daggers and an evil temper."

"I would be interested in hearing how you managed such a daring feat."

"Hey, Bel....." Vakuri's barely audible whisper reached his ears, and he drew closer and lowered his head to better hear her.

"What is it, Vakuri?" he asked anxiously, his concern for her growing as he noted her closed eyelids, ghostly pale face and weakened voice.

"Get my wrist blade for me....," she continued in that raspy whisper. "And help me up. I gotta kick some serious...." her voice trailed off.

"Vakuri...?" Belspath nudged her arm.

"I think she's worse." Avian said quietly, his brow creased in concentration.

Belspath thought the youth was dead right. They needed to get some medical attention for her as soon as possible.

He looked quickly around, his eye stopping on Lt. Jerol who was conscious, but still slumped against the railing on the higher level. Belspath wondered about Lt. Keith, the only other junior crewman to stay aboard for the Kamali's desperate dive to the surface of the ill-fated planet.

He glanced quickly around for him, but didn't see him anywhere.

"Mr. Jerol?" Belspath called.

Jerol slowly turned his head, his eyes large in a pale face.

"Do you know Mr. Keith's whereabouts?"

"No," he said weakly. "I haven't seen him anywhere."

Belspath didn't think the young officer could have fallen overboard. He didn't remember seeing him on the observation deck at all. Amaia and Caime had been the only ones he'd seen near the broken panels.

Sadness overwhelmed him again at the thought of Amaia falling to her death, especially after they had all come so far together. He hoped Caime could save her. He instinctively knew that Caime had not jumped out of a sudden suicidal impulse, but to attempt to catch her in the form of his flying creature transformation, the beast Caime once quietly told him was as a destructive gale in mind as it was in body.

Belspath had been surprised that Caime had even mentioned it since he rarely spoke of himself at all. He'd attempted to continue the conversation, but Caime refused to speak further on the subject. Belspath knew that an unplanned transformation earlier that day must have troubled Caime sufficiently that he felt compelled to say something about it, but then had reined in his thoughts and locked them away once again.

"Ah, I think I've seen this guy you're lookin' for." Avian suddenly spoke, drawing Belspath from his thoughts. "But...er...he's...er...I think he's...ah..." Avian's voice faltered.

"What?" Belspath asked sharply. He pinned Avian with a narrow-eyed look.

"I think he's dead..." Avian said haltingly, punctuating his announcement with a huge sigh.

"Where is he!? Are you sure?!" Belspath exclaimed, stomach flipping at the thought of another lost crew member.

"Oh, yeah...I'm sure." Avian replied quietly. "He's out there." Avian flipped his hand toward the open doorway, his gaze dropping to his boot tips. He swallowed convulsively and grew pale under Belspath's six watchful eyes.

Finally, Avian looked up to meet Belspath's gaze.

"And if you're thinkin' about healing him..." Avian gestured at the crystal in Belspath's headdress. "Don't bother. He isn't in a state that he can be." Avian suddenly brought his fist to his mouth and coughed softly.

Again, Belspath was surprised at the boy's apparent experience with Wertoni crystals and now that he thought about it, the boy's ease at holding a conversation with himself; almost as though he'd known before that Belspath was not just a beast, but a sentient, intelligent being. Avian Wulfe certainly piqued Belspath's interest. He hoped he would have a chance to converse with the lad at a more opportune time.

He stared at the doorway that Avian had indicated and wondered if he should check on Lt. Keith. He looked back at Vakuri, pale and drawn, her shallow breathing barely visible. She seemed to be asleep, an exhausted little girl who'd collapsed where she stood. He hoped that was the case, but he really didn't think so. He was afraid to leave her side.

He turned back to Avian. "Could you tell what happened to Lt. Keith?"

Avian nodded his head. "He fell off the catwalk into the machinery...and it...it..." Avian glanced at Belspath and lifted a hand to his chest. "It...it...something went...through..." He dropped his hand and looked away. He couldn't continue.

Belspath sadly nodded his head. He could easily visualize what had happened, and he supposed Lt. Keith was beyond any help they could offer...other than to see him home. Wherever that may be.

Sorrow gripped his heart as he thought about all those who had been lost, and all those whose lives were forever changed from the destruction wrought forth by the actions of the Kelada and Gachro’s mad plight. Even Gachro, diabolical in his madness, was only another unwitting victim of the insidious Kelada Corporation.

Belspath forcibly put aside his sad thoughts. His grief would have to wait for awhile longer; grief for everyone...everything...

With a shake of his beaded mane, he turned his attention back to Vakuri. She remained as she did before. Her condition seemed no worse, but she certainly showed no improvement either.

"Perhaps we should move her from here...." Belspath spoke his thoughts aloud.

Avian heard Belspath speak, but he didn't comprehend his words. He stared at the three men standing at the head of the steps. Captain Kamali stood with one gloved hand fisted around the shaft of a protruding piece of pipe, and his other hand dragged his lit cigarette from his mouth as he expelled a cloud of acrid smoke. The bulky man with the large, meaty arms stood behind him. Neither of them interested Avian at all. His cursory glance had already swept past them to the third man, who stood on the Captain's right, and he could not tear his rapt gaze away.

He leaned against the hilt of a sword, the likes of which Avian had never seen. A strange, smoky blue-green glow swirled inside the blade, almost as though a living thing shifted within. As Avian stared into the light, the young man lifted the sword over his shoulder and sheathed it to his back. At his sudden movement, Avian swung his gaze to the man himself.

His eyes flew wide as he recognized the silvery white hair. His eyes flew to the man's eyes. He gasped when his stare froze on the luminous green eyes and green-blue markings around them, an undeniable trademark of a Wertoni...

Kadel grew uncomfortable under this unknown person's intent stare. He crossed his arms over his chest and nodded tensely at the youth. At the young man's acknowledgment of him, Avian's mind snapped back into focus, and he jerked his gaze away, flushing red with embarrassment at the rudeness of his stare.

He opened his mouth to apologize or say something potentially stupid, but Captain Kamali fortunately spoke before he could get a word out, capturing everyone's attention.

"Okay, this is the deal..." Eric stated, his gruff voice loud on the bridge. "We're gettin' off the ship. She ain't safe right now and she ain't goin' nowhere, an' we gotta bunch of stuff to do that ain't gettin' done sittin' here."

Eric swept his gaze around the bridge of his crippled ship, noisily drawing on his cigarette as his mind worked. He turned to look at Lt. Jerol as the young crewman pulled himself up and stood tall beside the railing. Then he turned his gaze to Vakuri's pale form. Blowing out a noxious cloud of smoke, he finally continued.

"Everybody's gonna get their stuff and head for the cargo bay. I'm gonna get this ship secured and I'll follow ya out." He turned to glare at Kadel who had his fist to his mouth in an attempt to stave off his urge to cough.

"Kadel, would ya grab Caduli's rifle there. Don't wanna leave that friggin’ cannon laying around." Kadel nodded and headed back to retrieve the gun from the top of the metal console. "And what did ya do with the dollamajig? We'll need him if Tyric tries to communicate with us."

Kadel nodded his head again. "I'll get him. He's just over here. I'm not sure he's still operating though".

"Eric..." Belspath spoke. "Lt. Keith is..."

"Yeah, I know. I heard." Eric cut in. "I'll take care of him. Right now we gotta worry 'bout the livin'."

Belspath lowered his eyes to Vakuri's slack face. "What about Vakuri? She isn't coming around. I think we need to find her a doctor."

"Yeah." Eric agreed. He pinned Avian with narrowed blue eyes. Avian stood slowly and glanced over his shoulder, wondering nervously if he ought to run. "Kid!" the captain barked.

"What?!" Avian cried out as he nearly jumped out of his skin.

"Do ya think you could help Lt. Jerol find something to carry Vakuri outta here?"

Avian slumped in relief at Eric's simple request, but his reply was abruptly cut off as the ship lurched sideways, throwing him across Vakuri's still body. He scrambled to grab something to pull himself up, but suddenly froze as his attention was captured by a frayed electrical cable, sparking and popping amid all the debris and dislodged equipment, mere inches from his face. Carefully, he inched backwards.

Kadel had fallen to his hands and knees, Caime’s rifle clunking heavily to the floor in front of him and DG-6 flying from his hand. He now crawled forward and cautiously lifted the rifle, thankful that the impact hadn't triggered the firearm. He slung the weapon to his back as he climbed to his feet and headed across the canted floor toward Eric and Emerson. Bending down, he swept up DG-6 as he passed.

Emerson rolled to his feet, and reached down to grab the collar of Eric's flight jacket, yanking him up as the pilot struggled to rise. Once upright, Eric nodded his thanks and briefly glanced around to confirm that everyone else was still intact. It was definitely time to leave.

"Come on! We're gettin' outta here!" Eric exclaimed, voice rough with urgency. "She could go anytime! Let's get in gear!"

Belspath, who had dropped to a crouch to keep from tumbling, now sprang to all fours. He was in total agreement. They needed to leave the Kamali right now. Vakuri needed medical attention, and remaining on board the airship had just become extremely hazardous.

Belspath opened his mouth to urge Lt. Jerol and Avian to haste if they were not already encouraged, but when his quick glance froze on Vakuri, he choked instead.

Avian yelped as a hard, tight fist landed on his bruised nose.

"Get off'a me before I slice my way through you, you creepazoid."

Avian managed to shove himself away despite the burning desire to curl up in a ball and clutch his nose, but before he could get clear, a deceptively thin arm connected hard against his sternum.

Belspath sprang sideways as Avian collided with him and fell into the debris. Avian rolled to his back and stared up at the copper-eyed Abtatra as he struggled to catch his breath. He quailed beneath her frigid glare, especially when he noticed the huge blade weapon that she lightly gripped in her three slender fingers which extended down her forearm and then out beyond her fist almost two feet as she stood over him.

He flinched as she leaned down and swept the bladed weapon before her, slicing the air above his nose. "Don't EVER make the mistake of touching me again if you want to continue to draw breath on this planet." She threatened in a low ominous voice. "And we will be taking up the matter of my stolen property. Later."

Without another word, she bounded effortlessly over the debris on her lithe legs and vaulted the railing with the grace of a deer. Before Avian could pick himself up, she had already disappeared from the bridge.

"Who is that?!" Avian gasped.

"That is her royal pain in the rump, Vakuri Zefora Alliean of the Abtatra," Eric announced. "and she looks fine now to me. Plus she's already gone. Now quit fooling around and MOVE YOUR TAILS!"