《Torrent》


 Chapter 1

    The universe was a large place. That seemed a rather obvious statement, especially considering the accessibility of education in the modern age, but very few seemed to grasp just how large it truly was¨C until their first time in space, of course.


    And then it was all any of them could think about.


    There was nothing quite like looking down on a planet for the first time. It made one feel both insignificant and mighty at the same time; insignificant because an individual was a small thing indeed, and mighty because that very view was proof that humanity had conquered the stars themselves. But no matter how far humankind reached, the dark between worlds always reigned supreme.


    The universe was a rather large place, after all.


    For that reason alone, the idea of policing the deep black was no more than a fever dream; and the few who could possibly pursue such a herculean task chose not to, for one simple reason. It allowed them space for their own less-than-clandestine operations.


    Of course, this was not without merit for the common folk. Piracy was uncommon, owing to the fact that empty pockets of space were often occupied by particularly well-armed vessels.


    For the common folk, that meant sticking to the established lanes all but guaranteed safety. It was an unspoken rule, of sorts. Trade was the universe¡¯s lifeblood, after all.


    Transponders were a requirement for all spacecraft, of course, but that was really more suggestion than rule. Any captain worth their ship knew how to disable it¨C even if they seldom did so.


    But disconnecting a transponder meant disconnecting from the Common Transit Network¨C which, of course, made another solution necessary. Most organizations¨C criminal or otherwise¨C relied on buoys. They were cheap, simple, and could be maintained autonomously.


    Of course, that simplicity made them vulnerable to tampering, but that was another rule¨C and one written in blood many times over. Never take away a sailor¡¯s means of navigating. That was something sacred; even if those who relied on such devices would have scoffed at the notion. There were few deaths worse than slowly suffocating in the cold dark of space.


    And that rule only extended so far. Aside from tampering and destruction, all else was fair game. There were already many nameless graveyards scattered across both colonized and uncolonized space; often a result of being caught unaware. For that reason, many ships chose to brave the void armed with nothing but their maps and memory.


    The Simo was one such ship.


    It was just one of many in the Intercontinental Colonization Committee¡¯s massive fleet¨C many of them forged by the finest craftsmen in existence, but it stood out nonetheless. For starters, it was one of just 120 interceptor-class crafts. Officially, it carried a kill count of over one thousand¨C and unofficially, just shy of triple that.


    Though the smallest of its class, the Simo was still deadlier than most of its sisters. It carried eight turret-mounted cannons; two pointed in each cardinal direction, as well as six bomb bays¨C two external ones and four internal ones, each capable of carrying a variety of payloads.


    Scarier, still, were the two kinetic cannons mounted at its front. They were simple weapons, far more primitive than anything in the ICC¡¯s arsenal, but effective nonetheless.


    The laws of physics were frightening ones. And out of all its weapons, those invoked the most fear. After all, they only had one real purpose: laying siege to a planet.


    Despite its many armaments, however, the Simo was a stealth ship. It was hardly half the size of its sister crafts, and required a crew of less than fifty. Forty-three, to be precise. That number could be lowered further when operating only the essentials.


    In order to maintain stealth, its external bomb bays usually remained unpopulated, and its internal ones only opened for a fraction of a second when firing. Everything that couldn¡¯t be hidden was covered in radar and light-absorbing material.


    The stealth ship was powered by a single Coral engine. That engine, though small, was capable of pulling 12g maneuvers¨C and without risking the crew¡¯s health. Such were the wonders of Coral. It was as if the universe¡¯s best minds had intentionally engineered the single most useful substance imaginable.


    Despite all of these things, however, there was one thing about it that stood out the most.


    The person commanding it.


    Admiral Stren ran one hand through his hair as he stared into the holo-feed. Once pure black, it was now peppered with white, and a long, jagged scar ran over his right eye. He could have it removed, of course, but chose not to. A soldier¡¯s scars were badges of honor, after all. He was a large man, with broad shoulders, and a height nearing two meters.


    Stren sighed, lowering his hand to clasp both behind his back. Posture was really the only military lesson that stuck, and even then, he¡¯d learned it before joining.


    At fifty years of age, he thought himself old, but knew he was young for his station. The others had underestimated him for that, at first, but they quickly learned their mistake. He paid for his post in blood, after all.


    He shivered at the sight of Torrent. Even from so far away, its ghastly blue-green body took up nearly the entire feed, and no matter how far the Simo¡¯s state-of-the-art sensor suite delved, they failed to reach past 15,000 meters.


    There were structures above and below the surface, but they were all man-made; the dwellings of those who called the watery planet home. Not a single natural structure was to be found, save for the ocean¨C but then, the entire planet was essentially one giant ocean.


    It was unnerving. More unnerving, still, was the knowledge that the planet was filled with Augmented. They really only came in three types. They either killed a normal man in the blink of an eye, struggled until having their head removed, or both. That last kind was particularly annoying to deal with.


    I never thought I¡¯d end up here. Stren knew of the planet¡¯s importance, of course¨C everyone did¨C but he¡¯d only ever thought of it as an important strategic resource; nothing more. He¡¯d been given every pertinent piece of information beforehand, but also knew that his idea of pertinent differed greatly from whatever fool wrote those reports. Not that this expedition had really yielded anything new. They were much too far away for that.


    The sound of someone¡¯s footsteps interrupted the hum of artificial gravity before stopping before his door. That was one of the things he¡¯d noticed about it. The sound. The scientists¨C and there were many of them¨C swore up and down that there should be none, but he heard it all the same. None of his crew did, however, and he was thankful for that.


    ¡°Come in.¡±  As he turned, the cabin door slid open to reveal a single man. He seemed young, no more than 25 years of age at most. That in itself was already cause for concern, but the young man¡¯s appearance could be summed up in two words: pure white.


    His eyes, skin, and hair were all white¨C even his fingernails. His garb, too, was the color of unbroken snow; a simple garment that was more cloak than jacket.


    Stren knew that, if wounded, he would bleed white. He was suddenly very glad that he¡¯d left his weapon out of sight. It was an old thing, passed down through his family, but still deadly. Not that it mattered to the Sulian. Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.


    ¡°I wasn¡¯t expecting the presence of someone so¡­ acclaimed.¡± His voice remained calm and level. He¡¯d met more powerful people face-to-face. Rubbed shoulders with them, even.


    The Sulian laughed. ¡°Yes, our employers value my appearance greatly. I personally find it quite ironic. No matter how far our kind delves into the stars, we have yet to find a way of replicating my fair skin.¡± He held out one hand. ¡°My name is Vessa. Pleased to make your acquaintance."


    Stren raised an eyebrow at that. This was not the first Sulian he¡¯d met. ¡°Forgive me,¡± he said, aware that Vessa noticed his expression. ¡°You seem¡­¡± He hesitated, considering his words in an attempt to avoid being rude. ¡°Significantly less detached.¡± He was fairly certain he¡¯d failed, but the Sulian just smiled in response.


    ¡°I happen to take that as a compliment. So please allow me to offer my thanks.¡± Vessa bowed, and his long hair draped over his head like a white veil. ¡°And I must say, " he continued, straightening. ¡°You command a beautiful ship.¡±


    ¡°Thank you.¡± There was no reason to hide his pride, nor did he have any real desire to do so. The Simo was a beautiful ship, forged on Tali and tempered by its system¨C just as he and his crew had been.


    ¡°The stealth configuration is quite impressive. If you¡¯d not so graciously given me your locational data, I never would have found it.¡±


    Stren nodded. As far as he knew, the Simo was the only ship in the ICC¡¯s entire fleet that completely lacked a transponder. Others simply turned them off when necessary.


    Perks of being an Admiral.


    ¡°... Though I couldn¡¯t help but notice that it seems smaller than others of its class.¡±


    That gave him some pause. Not the comment on size¨C only a fool took placed importance on such things¨C but the implication that the young man before him had set foot on another interceptor-class vessel. Multiple, at that.


    Just what sort of role does he play?


    In all his many years with the ICC, he had never seen one of the Simo¡¯s sisters. That was largely due to the sort of missions he and his crew were tasked with, but each and every interceptor was a closely-guarded asset.


    ¡°Different weapons serve different purposes.¡± And the Simo was a weapon, there was no doubt about that.


    ¡°Aptly put.¡± Vessa gestured to the holo-feed. ¡°May I join you?¡±


    ¡°Suit yourself.¡±


    The pale blue-green of Torrent stained the Sulian¡¯s being as he stepped forward. ¡°It¡¯s ironic, isn¡¯t it?¡± He asked, eyes fixed on the holo-window. ¡°They have nothing of value, safe for the most valuable resource in the universe. And that will be their downfall.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d rather you not linger,¡± Stren said stiffly. Even if he came in a stealth ship of his own, the odds of their being discovered together were exponentially greater than separate.


    Vessa nodded. ¡°A wise decision.¡± His hand disappeared into the folds of his cloak, appearing a moment later with a paper envelope in his hand. ¡°Here. The details of your mission, or so I¡¯m told.¡± His smile returned. ¡°I understand you have a family. You should know, this doesn¡¯t appear to be a short mission.¡±


    ¡°I know.¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡± He raised one eyebrow. ¡°It seems you possess information I lack. No matter,¡± he added, seeing the Admiral¡¯s lack of concern. ¡°It¡¯s of no consequence to me. I am but a messenger. I have, however, been instructed to observe you reading it. So if you don¡¯t mind¡­¡±


    Stren turned his attention to the envelope. That it was a physical one was odd in itself, but then¨C such were the stakes. He opened it with steady fingers; the letter inside held a single block of text, and under that, a signature.


    ¡°Is it as you expected?¡±


    He nodded. ¡°It is.¡±


    ¡°Good. Then if you¡¯ll excuse me¡­¡±


    ¡°Wait.¡±


    The Sulian stopped mid-step, his back towards Admiral Stren. ¡°Yes?¡±


    ¡°... Do you mind if I ask you a question?¡±


    ¡°Not at all.¡±


    ¡°What do you think of all this?¡±


    Vessa turned back slowly, his pure white eyes alight with curiosity. "That''s an odd question."


    "I''d like a perspective that isn''t so... human."


    "I''m sorry to disappoint you," he answered slowly, "but I lack the capacity to care."


    "A Sulian... quirk?"


    He shook his head. "No. Although my people''s tendency for... callousness is well-deserved, not all of us ascribe to that philosophy."


    "What is it, then?"


    Vessa shrugged nonchalantly. "At the end of the day, I''m human." He pointed towards the video feed. "I know there are people down there. Feel a kinship towards them, even. But they all have lives of their own... Loved ones of their own. Each and every one of the is just as unique as you or I, and and learning about the intricacies of their individuality would take an eternity." His eyes fixed on Stren''s. "They''re simply people. I will mourn their deaths, just as the rest of the universe will, but I know nothing other than their names and home world. They matter... but just barely. This is the choice that every member of our race makes, is it not?"


    It took Stren a moment to parse the meaning of those words. He was a soldier, not a scholar. "You think we choose to ignore the suffering of those around us?"


    the Sulian tilted his head. "Is that not the case? You know that millions are starving across colonized starspace, yet you push ahead regardless."


    "... I never thought of it that way."


    "Then, may I ask a question of my own?"


    "Go ahead."


    "How do you handle it?"


    "Handle what?"


    Vessa gestured to the letter in the Admiral''s hand. "You''ve just been handed a rather heavy duty, yet you spared it little more than a glance."


    "... My daughter."


    He blinked. "Oh. You''re a family man. That''s unexpected."


    "Have you traveled far?"


    "Yes. I skipped across three systems."


    "Then you know how large of a place the universe is."


    "Very large indeed."


    "... There''s no grand reason. It''s like you said. I''ve been to more systems than I count. Seen and met more people than I could possibly remember. But no matter how far I travel, I''ll never find someone like her again. And she''s... my daughter." Stren faltered, unsure if that single word sufficed.


    Vessa''s white lips curved into a smile. "I won''t claim to understand the inner workings of your mind, but I admire your resolve nonetheless. But I wonder... have you stopped to consider whether she''ll think of you as a hero, conqueror, or executioner?"


    "As long as she''s alive to wonder that it doesn''t matter."


    "I see." The Sulian laughed, apparently satisfied with that answer. "Good! I like you." He turned back towards the door. "In any case, that concludes my duty here. Give your men my thanks for their hospitality."


    "May the silver stars above light your path in the dark below."


    "Oh?" He paused partway through. "That''s a new one. How am I meant to respond?"


    "And yours."


    "And yours, then. I''ll be in touch. And... I hope you make it until the end."


    The door clicked shut after those ominous words, interrupting the hum of artificial gravity once again.


    Stren grimaced as he sat behind his desk. I''m going to remove that damned module from my ship. He''d driven the engineers half-mad and the crew even madder before finally realizing the correlation between the two. He''d scolded himself to no end for that- a captain needed to know the ins and outs of his ship.


    He didn''t understand the technical terms, but he understood enough. The ICC techies swore up and down it was safe, but that was simply another reason to doubt it.


    Safety regulations were written in blood, after all.


    This wasn''t the first time the Simo received experimental technology- and it certainly wouldn''t be the last- but one misbehavior was already more than he was willing to risk. He''d wanted to remove it sooner, but they insisted.


    No matter. He would indulge them no longer.


    Stren pulled up a holo terminal with a flick of his wrist. "Ras."


    His head engineer''s face appeared on the semi-translucent screen. "Sir?"


    "Turn off that gravity unit. Rip it off if you have to. Try not to damage it, but if those damned techies don''t want to pick it up, jettison it."


    "Still hearing it, sir?"


    "And I''m sick of it."


    "Right away. Anything else?"


    "How is the stealth coating holding up?"


    "Not well." Ras delivered the bad news without so much as a blink. "The Coral spill off is worse than I thought. It''s degrading fast- and I''m worried about the hull, too. Most ships that orbit even semi-regularly get treated beforehand, and it''s outright required for any that want to land."


    "How long until it becomes an issue?"


    "Hard to tell. Not a lot of other ships use the same composites. There''s no danger right now, but... I wouldn''t push it."


    Stren nodded. He had no intention of doing so. "How long to treat the body?"


    "At least two weeks, not counting travel time. Six if you want me to try and maintain stealth- and I can''t promise anything, either."


    He closed his eyes. Six weeks... "Find us a service area. And take your time. I''ll have to disembark anyways."


    "Sir?"


    "What do you think about all this?"


    Ras'' face scrunched up. "I don''t really have an opinion," he answered after a moment. "Neither does anyone else. Above our pay grade and all that."


    Stren laughed. "Fair enough."


    "We''ll follow you to our deaths, captain. Remember that."


    "All the more reason to be careful."


    "Sir." Ras saluted, then terminated the connection. His message arrived a moment later.


    Stren keyed in the coordinates, then went to lay in his bunk. He felt the planet''s gravity shift as the Simo turned. The filtered air took on a soft blue-green hue as the ship pumped Coral into its many cavities.


    It was an odd thought, to be sure- breathing in rocket fuel, but it would keep the crew safe as they traveled. Just another of the many technologies made possible by Coral, and just one of many reasons behind its value.


    The dim hum of artificial gravity cut off, and for the first time, the Admiral felt himself relax. Sleep came for him soon after; he allowed it to take him, smiling as the void of unconsciousness washed over him.


    He would see his daughter soon.

 Chapter 2

    ¡°¡ªel.¡±


    Lorel stirred.


    ¡°Lorel.¡±


    And then jerked awake at the sound of his name. ¡°Wha¡ª?¡± It took him a second to recognize his surroundings. School. Through the window, he could see that nighttime was already falling; though the dark was kept at bay by the soft glow of Coral.


    That was his second favorite thing about home. It was never truly dark. His favorite thing, of course, was the ocean.


    ¡°Are you awake now?¡± His friend, Loch, asked, calm as ever. He had jet-black hair and dark blue eyes¡ª and as always, held a book in one hand.


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Lorel answered with a yawn, arching his back and stretching his arms. He regretted that immediately as his neck ached in protest. ¡°Ach.¡±


    Loch shook his head. ¡°It never ceases to amaze me how carefree you are.¡±


    ¡°You certainly don¡¯t sound amazed.¡±


    ¡°Your powers of observation never cease to amaze me, either.¡±


    Lorel smiled. ¡°And your kind words never fail to make my heart flutter.¡± He knew how Loch worked. Other people saw his calm, understated demeanor, and assumed him to be polite¡ª only to be surprised when he was anything but.


    That never failed to irritate him, so he drove them away.


    ¡°What time is it?¡±


    Loch placed his book on his lap, spine-open and checked his holo-watch before answering. ¡°4:45. Classes ended 15 minutes ago.¡±


    Lorel yawned again. ¡°There¡¯s still fifteen minutes to get to there. And we¡¯re basically next door. You could have let me sleep more.¡±


    ¡°I would have, but you take forever to get your act straight.¡±


    He chuckled. ¡°Fair enough.¡± Lorel put his head back down on the desk and looked up at Loch. Though vaguely androgynous in appearance, his actions and mannerisms were distinctively masculine¡ª if significantly more dignified.


    He kept his grades up just for the sake of it, and little more. That was impressive in itself; the curriculum here was difficult¡ª as it was across the whole planet. Theirs was a young nation, and one whose future was fraught with danger.


    Education was important. Those who fell behind were placed in classes better suited to their needs; but the pacing remained much the same. This was one such class. Lorel and Loch were one of only ten students belonging to it.


    Despite their differences, they both valued their freedom too much. The teachers here didn¡¯t care much what they did, so long as they learned the material. That gave Lorel the freedom to learn at his own pace.


    Which usually involved lectures from his sister.


    Loch, for his part, was just naturally intelligent. What he used his time outside of school for, Loren had no idea, nor did he care. They were friends. That was all there was to it.


    And Loch¡¯s idea of fun was probably reading. The black-haired boy picked his book up with both hands, shutting it with a quiet snap before stowing it in his pack. It was one of his many quirks, insisting on reading physical books.


    Lorel may not have understood that itself, but he understood the sentiment. It was the same reason he never went down in a diving sphere. They were two very different things.


    ¡°We should get going,¡± Loch said, picking his bag up. That was another thing that set him apart. He used an old-fashioned leather briefcase, worn from years of use. A gift from his father, apparently.


    That was hardly surprising. Quirks had a tendency to be a family thing. Lorel knew that from experience.


    ¡°We should,¡± he agreed, groaning as he stood. A result of his awkward sleeping position. Unlike Loch, he brought nothing to school, save for his holo-watch.


    Their school was one of many situated atop the floating city, and together with its higher education programs, was among the finest education anyone in the universe could receive.


    It took them some time to make their way to the bottom floor. Buildings were designed to make the most of the limited space, and more often than not, that meant going up. As a result, the city blotted out most of the sun¡¯s light; but while the lower levels had lights, they were never powered. The ambient Coral glow was more than enough.


    Lorel always found it beautiful. It was a gorgeous color, somewhere between pale blue and green. It permeated every inch of the atmosphere; strong enough to illuminate, but weak enough to make one second-guess their eyes.


    In some ways, though, the city represented what life on Torrent was like. Bright and idyllic on the surface, with a barely-repressed underbelly.


    He eyed Loch as they stepped out onto the streets. Though laconic at best, Lorel knew they shared many of their worries. He was one of the few people that Loch seemed comfortable confiding in¡ª and that was an honor not held lightly.


    ¡°Lorel.¡±


    He flinched at the sound of his name, certain Loch had noticed his stare.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you worried?¡±


    But that quickly proved not to be the case. Or not the reason for his sudden question, at the very least.


    ¡°¡­ About what?¡±


    Loch stopped walking.


    ¡°You know what.¡±


    Lorel walked two extra paces before stopping. Of course he did. They¡¯d discussed it at length, and on far too many occasions for his taste. ¡°Of course I am,¡± he said, turning to face his friend.


    ¡°Then how can you sleep in class like that?¡±


    He snorted. ¡°As if you can call that a class.¡±


    Loch¡¯s blue gaze turned withering.


    ¡°Alright, alright,¡± Lorel said, raising his hands in mock surrender. He turned his gaze upwards, towards where the jungle of metal and glass stood. ¡°I just don¡¯t think there¡¯s any point in worrying about it.¡±


    ¡°Why not?¡±


    He looked back down at Loch. His features were tense.


    ¡°Do you have a way off this planet?¡±


    Loch shook his head.


    ¡°And if you did, would you want to leave?¡±


    Another shake of the head¡ª but more hesitant this time, Lorel noticed.


    ¡°There you have it. If your mind is already made up, what¡¯s the point in worrying about it?¡±


    Loch seemed to relax as understanding took over his expression. ¡°I see.¡± He sounded thoughtful. ¡°I never thought of it like that.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re too complicated,¡± Lorel said with a grin. ¡°It¡¯s why we get along so well.¡±


    The black-haired boy raised one eyebrow. ¡°Are you calling yourself simple?¡±


    His grin widened. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with being simple?¡±


    Loch shook his head. ¡°I envy you, sometimes.¡±


    ¡°And besides,¡± Lorel continued, ¡°isn¡¯t that why we¡¯re here?¡± He jabbed a thumb at their destination.


    Officially, it was called the Development Facility For Hydrokinetics, or DFH, but everyone who saw it just called it ¡°the facility.¡± It was a large, cylindrical building with too many floors¡ª and windows¡ª to count. How could they not?


    It was also one of the only buildings that went down, into the ocean below. The others of its kind were, of course, the other facilities.


    ¡°I guess you¡¯re right.¡± Loch closed his eyes, and Lorel knew he was mentally filing their conversation away for later.


    ¡°We should get going.¡± Lorel turned on his heels and made for the door. Better to be early than late. The lobby floor was blindingly white, as if perfectly sterile. It was the one place on Torrent that he hated.


    The doorway terminal read their holo-watches as they stepped in. They knew the way even without directions, heading for the single-person elevators that lined each wall.


    ¡°See you on the other side.¡±


    He raised one hand, not even bothering to look at Loch as they took adjacent elevators. It was little more than a small glass capsule, barely big enough to hold a single person. Much to Lorel¡¯s chagrin, there was still more than enough headroom.


    His holo-watch automatically entered floor 1238. He leaned back against the smooth glass with a sigh, fighting the urge to drift back to sleep. Fast as it was, the journey down would still take several minutes.


    The next thing Lorel knew, he woke with a jolt as the elevator jerked to a halt. He rubbed the back of his head with one hand, having bashed it against the interior. After taking a moment to recover, he stepped out.


    This part of the floor was little more than a hallway, nearly too narrow to fit him comfortably. This far down, there was no sunlight, but that mattered little. The glow of Coral was stronger, here, staining the grey walls a calm bluish-grey.


    A door stood all the way to the left, at the end of the hallway; a slab of black set into the grey. Lorel stepped slowly towards it, gazing out the left-hand wall as he walked down the narrow pathway.


    The waters of Torrent greeted him. He could see the city¡¯s other three facilities reaching down from above. Each was a pillar of shimmering light within the blue-green luminescence of Coral.


    If Lorel were on the other side of the building, he would have seen sunlight streaming down into the water, but from here, the city above blocked out all else.


    The door slid open soundlessly as he touched it.


    ¡°Lorel.¡± A familiar voice greeted him. ¡°It¡¯s good to see you again.¡±


    Doctor Strella sat at the center of the room. He had sandy hair, dark brown eyes, and wore a simple white coat. That was one of the few things that stayed the same no matter where you were. If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.


    Supposedly, anyways. It wasn¡¯t as if Lorel had ever been off-planet.


    ¡°It¡¯s good to see you too,¡± he responded. Those words were no lie¡ª he¡¯d known the middle-aged man since his early teenage years. Floor 1238 was his twelfth assignment, but always under the watch of Strella.


    The doctor was taller than a Lorel by a good bit, though the distance between their heights shrank further every year. A number of floating terminals hovered around him; Strella closed them with a flick of his wrist, save for one. ¡°I¡¯m sure you know the drill by now,¡± he said with a wry smile.


    The room was grey, and unlike the hallway, had no natural light. Its lights were the same calm, quiet grey, as opposed to the loud white of the lobby. Rather than a solid wall, the far one was just a curtain of water.


    The floor bore a circular groove, cut into a perfect circle. A small layer of water was trapped within.


    Lorel dropped to one knee, reaching out with one hand as he did so. Spread out like this, it looked like the carving held quite a bit, but it was shallow; holding barely enough to wet the tip of his finger.


    As his flesh came into contact with the tranquil surface, it flowed upward, clinging to his flesh like a second skin. He could feel the sensors held within; rigid specks of metal scattered within the soft, supple fluid.


    ¡°There¡¯s more than usual,¡± Lorel observed off-handedly, molding the water into a glove that shrouded his hand.


    ¡°Just so,¡± the doctor answered with a nod. ¡°And your other¡­ capabilities?¡±


    Lorel raised his other hand at that, poking the watery glove with his finger. Instead of sinking below the surface, it stopped short. This process was always hard to explain, much to the chagrin of his sister.


    He knew the scientific explanation of what he did, of course, but explaining how he did it was another matter entirely.


    Water was gentle and malleable, but only to a point. If struck hard enough¡ª or at the wrong angle¡ª it was stronger than any wall. He could just¡­ convince it to act like that.


    His sister, of course, was not satisfied with that answer.


    Another window popped up in front of Strella. His eyes flitted up and down its length before closing it. ¡°It appears your abilities continue to improve.¡± With a flick of the wrist, he sent the data to Lorel¡¯s holo-watch.


    Lorel half-smiled. That was a good thing, to be sure, but the reason behind those improvements was anything but.


    ¡°I¡¯m curious. Has anyone ever lost their¡­¡± Lorel trailed off, unsure which term was most apt.


    ¡°¡­ Abilities?¡±


    In the end, he borrowed Strella¡¯s words.


    ¡°No,¡± the doctor answered with a shake of the head. ¡°But there¡¯s a first time for everything. This all stems from an abundance of caution. Now, if you would¡ª¡±


    Lorel willed the water to flow back into the shallow groove. It settled in smoothly, its mirror-like surface unmarred by even the faintest of ripples. Not a single drop was out of place.


    ¡°I see you¡¯re as impatient as ever,¡± Strella said flatly, but he was unable to keep the smile from his face.


    ¡°I have something to do after this.¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡± The doctor raised an eyebrow. ¡°Another dive with your sister?¡±


    Lorel nodded. ¡°What?¡± He asked, noticing something off in his demeanor.


    Strella said nothing for a moment, his expression mired with uncertainty. ¡°We were born into a chaotic era,¡± he finally said. ¡°Be careful.¡±


    ¡°Is that a reference?¡± Lorel asked, raising one eyebrow.


    ¡°To¡­ what?¡±


    He shook his head. ¡°Never mind.¡± Something from one of Loch¡¯s books. Lorel took a moment to settle his thoughts. Despite his calm outward demeanor, those eight words from Strella had sent his pulse racing.


    ¡°I know, doc,¡± he finally said. ¡°But there¡¯s nothing we can to about it.¡± He buried his unease under those words. ¡°The ocean is my home.¡± Lorel grinned. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯ve been hiding a secret off-planet back channel?¡±


    Silence settled around them¡ª and then Strella¡¯s shoulders relaxed as the tension bled away. ¡°I¡¯m sorry your generation has been burdened with such a heavy future.¡±


    Lorel just shrugged. ¡°We all have our part to play.¡± His parents played theirs, and his sister would have one to play in the future. He would play his¡ª so long as he was able.


    Strella smiled sadly. ¡°I hope the day you rue your birthright never comes.¡±


    Lorel shook his head vehemently. ¡°It never will.¡± He knew that as certainly as his own name.


    The last few holo-windows closed. ¡°You know the rules, yes?¡±


    He nodded once. There were only two: no permanent injury¡ª including death¡ª and ability-based attacks only.


    ¡°Then go on ahead.¡±


    Lorel nodded again, stepping past Strella¡ª and through the man-made waterfall. He held his breath as he broke through the curtain. There was no real need for that, but as it turned out, human instinct was hard to suppress.


    Or at least, that was Loch¡¯s theory.


    The facility before him was really more arena than anything scientific, in both purpose and shape. Its waterfall fell from a smooth, single-piece mirror that ringed the entire arena. And though he couldn¡¯t see through it, Lorel knew scientists and military officials alike were watching them closely.


    Eight other figures stood spread out across the circular structure; three boys and five girls. Their intent with that was obvious enough.


    Not that he cared.


    He wasn¡¯t even sure what their names were.


    A small layer of water, just barely thicker than before, lay spread across the entire floor. It held Lorel¡¯s weight as he stepped out towards the center. That was a habit he¡¯d built over the years; a small trick, but a useful one. Just as before, he could feel the sensors spread across its meager form.


    Where¡­?


    He grinned as Loch stepped into the room. The water rippled under his feet as the dark-haired boy made his way over. His bag, notably, was absent.


    ¡°Took you long enough,¡± Lorel japed as his friend stopped just a few paces away. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re actually getting worse.¡± He grinned, unperturbed as Loch¡¯s dark blue gaze turned withering.


    ¡°Enough of your jabs,¡± Loch said with a sigh.


    ¡°Fine, fine.¡± Lorel held his hands up in mock surrender. That, of course, only served to irritate his friend further. ¡°Same as always? Ten rounds?¡± He glanced around the room. The other eight, having noticed their bickering, had already ceased their own activities.


    ¡°Look!¡± Lorel raised his voice, now that there was space between them. ¡°They¡¯re here to watch you lose!¡± Even with the distance between them, he could see Loch¡¯s shoulders sag as he sighed.


    This was another of the higher-up''s machinations, but one that he participated in readily. His rivalry with Loch was a highlight of life here on Torrent. And this was their first time assigned to the same floor.


    Lorel was determined to make the most of it.


    Two streams of water rose from the floor; they coalesced in each of his friend''s outstretched hands. ¡°Ready?¡±


    It was Lorel¡¯s turn to sigh. This was one of the reasons Loch never won their bouts. He always insisted on doing things correctly. Whatever that meant. ¡°Ready whenever you are.¡± The moment the words left his mouth, Loch dashed forward.


    He closed the distance in seconds, sweeping both of his weapons in a wide, horizontal arc.


    Even as they closed on Lorel, he marveled at them. Loch was his better when it came to fine detail, there was no doubt about that¡ª but that was yet another reason for his constant loss.


    Water was infinitely malleable; limited only by the imagination of its user. Chaining it to such concrete forms only served to cripple it.


    Still.


    They were beautiful.


    He waited until Loch was in arm¡¯s reach. A curtain of water rose from the floor; drying it for a mere instant before more flowed forth to replace it. The two blades cut through it with ease, but two steps took Lorel through the watery veil and to his friend¡¯s side.


    He grinned as Loch¡¯s eyes widened in surprise¡ª


    ¡°Surprise!¡±


    ¡ª and swept his legs out. Loch went toppling down, kicking up a spray of water. His weapons dissipated as he fell.


    ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯ve forgotten our deal,¡± Lorel said mockingly. ¡°One win, and I owe you a meal! Not that it really matters.¡±


    ¡°I really hate that expression of yours,¡± Loch sighed as he righted himself. He wore a scowl on his face, and he was soaked, having burst through the veil of water. ¡°But no matter how many times I see it, I always fall for it.¡±


    Lorel laughed. ¡°One of the perks of being simple is that you don¡¯t really care what people say.¡±


    ¡°So you say.¡±


    ¡°Sorry, which one of us just went toppling?¡±


    His friend audibly sighed. ¡°I did.¡±


    ¡°Ready for round two?¡±


    Loch nodded. He clutched his hand to his chest for a brief second, and when he pulled it away, the water followed. It peeled away as a single sheet, gathering in his hand just as before.


    He opted for a single blade this time. It was wider and longer, and unlike the ones from before, was complete with a swept guard. Having calmed, his dark blue eyes were as tranquil as the waters of their home.


    Lorel struck first, this time. He summoned no weapon of his own. Really, that was the best weapon against Loch: uncertainty. He saw it grow in Loch¡¯s eyes with every step he took.


    At the very last moment, Loch raised his blade to counter¡ª


    And Lorel reached out, dragging his fingers across its glass-like surface. Four things happened nearly all at once.


    First, he wrested control away from the other boy.


    Second, he forced the blade to flatten and spread out into a single wide sheet.


    Third, he increased its surface tension. Not enough to hurt Loch, but enough to push him backwards.


    Lastly, Lorel caused the thin layer of water beneath his own feet to erupt.


    The result?


    He sailed up and over the other boy¡¯s head. The sheet of water trailed behind him for a moment¡ª and then crashed into Loch.


    He fell backwards in an almost comical manner. This time, he stood up immediately.


    ¡°You¡¯re distracted,¡± Lorel said slowly. Taking control had been far too easy. ¡°Something wrong?¡± That was a genuine question.


    Hesitance crossed his friend¡¯s face.


    ¡°¡­ Later.¡±


    He nodded once.


    Nothing more needed to be said.


    Their third bout lasted just over two minutes.


    The fourth, more than ten.


    By the fifth, Lorel was forced to create his own weapon. The basis of his construction was a staff; taller than he was, and just wide enough to fit comfortably in his hands. Holding something made of water was an odd thought, to be sure, but any Tidal could do that. Few others could increase surface tension as much as he.


    For all Lorel knew, he was the only one.


    In many ways, their choice of weapon and style of fighting were polar opposites. Loch was precise and controlled; relying on his reaction time and pattern recognition to weather the assault. He formed a second weapon at times, and at others, a shield or barrier.


    And he adapted quickly. Technically speaking, using their powers outside of the facility was strictly forbidden, but that rule was overlooked more often than not. Crime on Torrent was rare, and violence even rarer.


    Lorel spent nearly every spare moment practicing¡ª but something rarely worked against Loch more than once. That was the advantage of an analytical mind: figuring out how to respond to scenarios was easy. Especially ones that he¡¯d seen before.


    For that reason alone, Lorel rarely put any real thought into his actions, instead opting to simply take whatever action he thought best. That was really his philosophy in life.


    It was easier that way.


    His choice of weapon was an extension of that. Its shape was merely a foundation; something made necessary by the ever-shifting nature of combat. He could change its length and width at will, as well as its form.


    At times it was a spear, at times a sword; and at others still, a shield or whip. The whip was Lorel¡¯s favorite. It was like wielding a formless blade. The staff was his second.


    He knew it likely seemed odd to the onlookers¡ª who watched from a safe distance¡ª but no matter their vigor, there was no real danger. That was another reason behind the sensors¡¯ presence.


    And, more importantly, this was an integral part of their friendship. It didn¡¯t matter what anyone else thought.


    Their eighth clash came to an end as Loch mis stepped¡ª


    That won¡¯t work again.


    ¡ª and then nearly won the ninth.


    Loch¡¯s blade widened and then curved as he slipped under it, coming within a millimeter of striking his side.


    He¡¯d miscalculated.


    Barely.


    Lorel swept a curtain of water up from below, catching Loch¡¯s neck with it and violently bringing the other boy down.


    ¡°That¡¯s new,¡± he said, gasping for breath.


    ¡°I figured it¡¯s about time I adapt,¡± the other boy growled.


    Lorel laughed and wiped the sweat from his brow before offering Loch a hand. ¡°It¡¯s past time you adapted,¡± he said with a grin, ¡°but better late than never.¡± He pulled Loch to his feet.


    I¡¯ll have to end it quick.


    He had one last trick remaining. He¡¯d been saving it; if not for Loch¡¯s apparent distraction, he may have already lost.


    As his friend turned back to face him, Lorel focused on the thin layer of water underneath his feet. He¡¯d practiced so much that it was practically second nature, but the technique itself was one part of a whole.


    Just as in their second bout, the water erupted; but forward instead of upward.


    Lorel shot forward.


    It was hard to control. Really hard to control. He imagined it was like trying to ride a greased treadmill while wearing roller skates¡ª though he doubted anyone had ever actually tried to do anything of the sort.


    It was the same sort of thing they did with skimmers; just with a person instead. And it turned out that keeping balance on legs as opposed to a board was much trickier. He¡¯d fallen right backwards the first try.


    And even now, all he could really manage was to remain vaguely on target.


    Oops.


    That was all Lorel had time to think before he crashed into Loch. Their constructs melted away as the sensors trapped within split them apart. Loch caught himself with a cushion of water.


    Lorel, for his part, fell face-first after colliding with his friend. ¡°Oww¡­¡± He dabbed his nose with his sleeve; it came away bloody.


    ¡°What the fuck was that?¡± Loch asked incredulously.


    Lorel grinned as he pinched his nose, trying to stem the flow of blood. Hearing Loch curse for the first time made all the practice worth it. ¡°It¡¯s my loss.¡± His voice came out somewhat nasally.


    ¡°The hell it is. I¡ª¡±


    ¡°It is,¡± he insisted, cutting Loch off. ¡°You saw it yourself. I can¡¯t control it. And without it, I would¡¯ve lost. Probably.¡± For a moment, Lorel though Loch would continue to protest¡ª but his shoulders relaxed after a few moments.


    ¡°A tie, then,¡± he said. The billowing water behind him fell back down with an audible splash.


    ¡°Alright. Just¡­ let me stop bleeding and we can get out of here,¡± Lorel said sheepishly. Two drops of blood fell from his nose as he raised his chin, disturbing the still surface below and sending veins of red snaking through the water.


    He glanced around. The others, realizing the spectacle was over, split into their own groups; two pairs and one group of four. Lorel turned his eyes towards the upper ring and waved with one hand. Messing with the higher-ups was his second favorite thing about these visits.


    Even if he couldn¡¯t see them.


    ¡°Alright.¡± Loch flopped down unceremoniously, the still water clinging to his form. ¡°Sparring with you is exhausting,¡± he said dryly.


    Lorel snorted. ¡°How do you think I feel? Nothing ever works against you twice. Do you have any idea how annoying it is to come up with something new every single time?¡±


    ¡°And yet you keep winning.¡±


    He shrugged and pulled his hand away. Satisfied that his nose was no longer bleeding, Lorel strode over to Loch and leaned over to offer him a hand. ¡°If it¡¯s a tie, what are we supposed to do about our deal?¡±


    The other boy grabbed it without hesitation. His grip was firm, and his skin warm and smooth. ¡°Nothing. A tie is a tie. I didn¡¯t win.¡±


    Lorel shrugged. ¡°If you say so.¡± He pulled Loch to his feet. The other boy was surprisingly heavy, considering his slender build. ¡°Let¡¯s get out of here.¡±

 Chapter 3

    It took the two boys some time to reach their destination. Not for necessity, but preference. The food on Torrent was the same no matter where you went. The planet, after all, relied entirely on imports to remain habitable.


    That was one of three reasons they preferred this cafeteria, sitting just under the top floor of the megastructure¡¯s tallest building. The second reason, of course, was the view. Some found it unswerving: an endless plain of water that stretched in every direction.


    But Lorel loved it. As did Loch¡ª even if he pretended not to care.


    And the third reason¡­


    ¡°Empty again!¡± Lorel pumped his fist in the air as they walked through the doors. Empty was a slight exaggeration. There were a handful of patrons; a couple looked up at the noise, only to look back down at their food a moment later.


    He heard Loch sigh. ¡°Must you be so loud?¡±


    ¡°Why¡¯s it matter? No one cares.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s just eat.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re the one walking so slowly.


    Another sigh; louder than the last one.


    They¡¯d walked here in silence, fatigued from their session in the facility. Lorel knew Loch was carefully poring over everything he¡¯d seen there, trying to come up with countermeasures. That was just the way his mind worked.


    Lorel, for his part, spent it resting his mind. Clashing with Loch always left him exhausted, both physically and mentally. The silence returned as they ordered their food, now joined by that of the cafeteria.


    They ate quickly and quietly; Lorel, fish and chips, and Loch, a large salad.


    Lorel finished first. Instead of bringing something up on his holo-watch, he set his head down, content to rest until his friend was ready to speak. Technically speaking, he had somewhere to be, but this was important. Aria would understand.


    He turned his head to look out the window. The sun had already set, leaving the soft glow of Coral to illuminate the planet¡¯s surface.


    ¡°I¡¯ve been thinking.¡±


    Lorel turned back to see Loch set his utensils back down on the table. Straightening, he chose to do away with his usual jabs and banter.


    There was a time and place for everything.


    ¡°I know you have been. About what?¡±


    ¡°The future.¡±


    He suppressed the urge to grimace. ¡°Again?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m serious.¡±


    ¡°What about the future?¡±


    Loch crossed his arms and fell silent for a moment before answering. ¡°Do you really think we have one?¡± He asked quietly.


    Lorel bristled¡ª but forced himself to stay calm. Loch spoke the truth, after all. ¡°Why does it matter? You said it yourself. You don¡¯t have a way off-planet. And even if you did¡ª"


    ¡°And if I did?¡±


    He stopped short. ¡°Do you?¡±


    ¡°¡­ Maybe.¡±


    Lorel took a moment to think. ¡°I would tell you to take my family and leave me,¡± he finally answered.


    Loch¡¯s shoulders slumped. ¡°I knew you¡¯d say that.¡±


    ¡°The ocean is my home,¡± Lorel said, leaning back in his chair. ¡°I don¡¯t want to leave it.¡± He closed his eyes, considering Loch¡¯s words. ¡°Do you have a way off-planet? There¡¯s no point in asking me otherwise.¡±


    Loch scowled. ¡°No. Not yet.¡±


    ¡°Then this conversation is pointless.¡±


    ¡°Even if I did, you would stay, wouldn¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°Yes. And I bet my sister would, too. And my parents.¡±


    Loch¡¯s shoulders sagged even further. ¡°Why?¡± He asked, voice hardly audible.


    ¡°The ocean is my home,¡± Lorel repeated, matching the other boy¡¯s tone. ¡°The planet is my home. I don¡¯t want to leave it.¡±


    ¡°And what if it really happens?¡± His friend¡¯s tone dropped even further.


    ¡°Then I¡¯ll fight.¡±


    ¡°And if you die?¡±


    ¡°Then I die.¡±


    ¡°That doesn¡¯t scare you?¡±


    ¡°Of course it does.¡±


    ¡°Then why?¡±


    ¡°Where would I go?¡± Lorel asked. ¡°There¡¯s nowhere. This is my home.¡± He paused. ¡°Do you really think anything will happen during our lifetime?¡±


    Any further down, and Loch¡¯s shoulders would have hit the table. ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± he said miserably. ¡°Something is happening today. I don¡¯t know what. I just¡­ have a feeling. A really bad one.¡±


    That, out of everything said so far, was made Lorel hesitate. He knew better than to doubt Loch¡¯s intuition; and the blue-eyed boy was privy to more information than most. For the first time, he seriously considered leaving Torrent¡ª only to arrive at the same conclusion.


    ¡°¡­ It doesn¡¯t matter,¡± he finally said. ¡°You don¡¯t have a way off the planet.¡± This was the easiest way to avoid an argument. ¡°If that changes, let me know.¡±


    Loch nodded. ¡°Alright. I need to get going anyways.¡±


    ¡°Me, too.¡±


    They both stood at the same time, matching pace as they made for the elevator.


    ¡°Another dive with your sister?¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    ¡°Tell her I said hi.¡±


    Lorel raised an eyebrow.


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Nothing.¡± He grinned. ¡°You have my blessing.¡±


    Loch¡¯s face immediately reddened. ¡°I-it¡¯s not like that,¡± he stammered. ¡°She¡¯s your sister!¡±


    ¡°So?¡±


    ¡°¡­ Stop messing with me.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m¡­ not?¡±


    ¡°Why is it a question?¡±


    Lorel shrugged. They rode down the elevator in silence; broken by its ding when they reached the bottom.


    ¡°See you.¡±


    ¡°See ya.¡±


    They headed in opposite directions. Lorel turned his gaze skyward as his steps carried him towards the city¡¯s nearest station. Despite the Coral¡¯s ambient light, the stars above were perfectly visible; silver specks of light against the night¡¯s dark canvas.


    No matter where you were in the city, one was never more than 5 minutes from the nearest rail station. The cars themselves were bulky, boxy things, but given that they hovered nearly four meters off the ground, they made for a smooth ride.


    And they were fast. It took less than an hour to reach one side of the city from the other. It would be faster still if their magnetic tracks were straight; instead, they snaked around and through the many buildings.


    The glass-and-metal door slid open to let Lorel through. There was no one else in the car. That was hardly surprising, considering the time¡ª most would be home by now. Settling down in the nearest seat, he pulled his knees up to his chest. He could feel his hammering heart beat against them.


    I have a bad feeling.


    Those five words weighed on him. Even more so because they had come from Loch; someone who despised making uninformed claims.


    Truth be told, he was scared¡ª but what was there to do about it? There was no way off-planet. That was one of the many problems with lacking crucial natural resources: the need to rely on external sources.The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.


    And, as it turned out, other nations weren¡¯t particularly keen on helping others reach spacefaring status.


    Especially when they had a monopoly on the most valuable substance in the cosmos. And wars these days were fought from space¡ª a little water wasn¡¯t going to stop attacks from the skies above.


    With a sigh, Lorel let his legs fall back down and sidled up against the back of his seat to look out the window. The buildings were little more than a blur of colors.


    There¡¯s no point in worrying about it, he told himself.


    That single phrase had grounded him for so long, but now faced with Loch¡¯s worries, the foundation of his resolve was slowly starting to crumble.


    Lorel took a deep breath and closed his eyes, balling his hands into fists. Stop it, he scolded himself. What you told Loch was true enough. There¡¯s no point in worrying about it if there¡¯s nothing you can do.


    He clung to that, and¡ª slowly¡ª his heartbeat and breathing returned to normal. He opened his eyes just in time to see the tangle of metal and glass above thin, and then recede ever so slightly.


    The sight of the calm, tranquil waters calmed him.


    Just as it always had.


    Lorel stood as his car slowed to a halt. This was as far as they went. Any further, and the ambient Coral would affect their rail system. The cool nighttime air greeted him.


    He watched the train as it sped away back to the city, now laden with more passengers than before. There was still some distance between Lorel and his destination, but he welcomed it. It would give him time to clear his mind.


    After some time, the ground beneath his feet began to slope. Each and every one of the floating cities themselves were technological marvels, capable of housing 2 million people each.


    Torrent held 50 of them, and room for many more. Not all of them were full, however, and some were newer than others; though all had been retrofitted to harvest Coral. A number of smaller ones dotted the planet¡¯s watery surface, but those were research vessels. Not permanent residencies.


    When the ICC was still in control, the city''s outer ring was filled with sand. Something to do with tourists, supposedly.


    After Torrent gained independence that practice had been done away with. Even a seemingly simple resource like sand was too valuable to waste¡ª especially given the odd properties of Coral.


    It took Lorel nearly half an hour of walking to reach the city¡¯s edge, but his mind was clear by the time the vessels dotting the outer ring came into view. This was yet another conscious design: as it turned out, when a planet was made completely of water, being able to travel on or under it became important.


    Boats were popular¡ª and in fact, were usually faster¡ª but submarines were much better at gathering Coral. For that reason alone, the number of underwater vessels far outweighed the number of surface ones.


    Technically speaking, the outer ring was divided into slots; and each craft had a designated parking spot, but no one really ever adhered to it.


    Both types of vehicles came in all shapes and sizes. Some were long and thin, others larger than buildings. Others, still, were little more than spheres.


    Even among all these crafts, however, one stood out above all else. That, of course, was Aria¡¯s.


    His sister¡¯s vehicle was an experimental one, designed from the ground up by her own hands¡ª including the materials.


    The technical details were beyond Lorel, but he understood the basics. The vessel itself was made out of some sort of synthetic crystal. It operated on the same principle as others, using the ambient Coral to reinforce itself.


    Or that¡¯s what she said, anyways.


    He preferred swimming to riding, but it was a beautiful craft nonetheless. Its wing-shaped body looked as if it were cut from a single, solid block of inky black glass.


    And it was big.


    Really big.


    Its design was based on the manta rays of humanity¡¯s home world, and though its cabin was slightly under six feet in height, it was perfectly livable for short periods of time. Others frequently questioned the safety of an experimental vessel, but in nearly a hundred dives, it had yet to fail a single time.


    Aria leaned against its hull, along with its hatch. That was the one thing she still hadn¡¯t quite worked out. This was just a temporary solution. She looked up as Lorel approached. ¡°You¡¯re late.¡±


    ¡°I was with Loch.¡±


    ¡°Oh.¡± A look of curiosity and¡­ something else flitted across her expression, quickly enough that anyone else would have missed it. ¡°How is he?¡±


    Lorel sighed. ¡°You can just talk to him, you know.¡±


    ¡°Why would I?¡±


    ¡°¡­ This is why I don¡¯t read romance novels.¡±


    Aria tilted her head. ¡°What does that mean?¡±


    ¡°If I want to bear witness to a long, agonizing, drawn-out, and unsatisfying courtship, all I have to do is look at you two.¡±


    Her face reddened. ¡°He¡¯s your best friend!¡±


    ¡°So?¡±


    She groaned. ¡°Stop messing with me.¡±


    Lorel scowled. ¡°Why do you both keep saying that?¡±


    ¡°¡­ You know, even as your sister, sometimes I find it hard to understand you.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s part of my charm.¡±


    ¡°It is.¡± Aria responded, her tone matter-of-fact. ¡°So? How is he?¡±


    ¡°¡­ He¡¯s worried.¡±


    ¡°About what?¡±


    ¡°The future.¡± He sighed. ¡°He said he has a bad feeling. About¡­ something.¡±


    ¡°Oh.¡± Her brow furrowed. ¡°That¡¯s not good.¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Lorel agreed. ¡°It¡¯s not.¡± Even his science-minded sister knew better than to doubt Loch¡¯s intuition.


    ¡°Did he say what?¡±


    ¡°Nope.¡±


    ¡°Hm.¡± Aria shrugged. ¡°Not much to do about it.¡±


    ¡°If¡­¡± Lorel trailed off for a moment. ¡°If you had a way off-planet, would you take it?¡±


    ¡°No.¡± Her answer came immediately. ¡°I want to keep studying Coral.¡±


    Despite himself, Lorel smiled. Their reason for staying, though different on the surface, were one and the same. ¡°I knew you¡¯d say that.¡±


    ¡°Enough talking.¡± Aria pushed herself off the vehicle. ¡°Everything ready?¡±


    ¡°I should be asking you that.¡±


    ¡°I have everything¡­¡± she trailed off with a sigh. ¡°Are you seriously going dressed like that?¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡± Lorel grinned. He was dressed in cargo shorts and a plain white t-shirt, while Aria wore a thick pressure suit, designed to protect her for a few precious seconds in the event of a mechanical failure. ¡°Only one of us is afraid of the water.¡±


    Aria shook her head wordlessly. ¡°Enough. Send me a message next time.¡±


    ¡°Alright. I¡¯ll bring Loch next time, too.¡±


    ¡°Whatever.¡±


    ¡°Your face is still red.¡±


    ¡°¡­ Seriously. Enough. I still need to finish the system checks. I thought you forgot about our outing.¡±


    ¡°Have I ever missed one of these trips, sister dearest?¡±


    ¡°No. But knowing you, anything is possible.¡±


    Lorel laughed. ¡°Fair enough.¡±


    ¡°Help me up?¡±


    Before he could move to do so, an unfamiliar sound split the air, causing the two siblings to stiffen and look around. The others gathered did the same. In this context, unfamiliar was usually synonymous with failure.


    And failure could be deadly.


    But there was no scream of panic, no rush of people to help.


    ¡°Look.¡± Aria pointed upwards.


    Lorel¡¯s eyes widened as he followed the direction of her outstretched finger. There, illuminated by the pale green light, was some sort of flying vehicle. It was too high to tell how large it was, but it seemed roughly the size of Aria¡¯s sub.


    ¡°Where¡¯d it come from?¡± He¡¯d seen flying craft before¡ª it was a necessity in this day and age, after all¡ª but they were incredibly rare; and usually much, much larger. As far as he knew, not a single person on Torrent owned a craft such as this one.


    ¡°¡­ It¡¯s a spacecraft,¡± Aria said absent-mindedly. Her pale green eyes were fixed on the foreign vessel.


    Those three words, combined with Loch¡¯s ominous warning made Lorel¡¯s blood run cold.


    ¡°¡­ It is?¡±


    She nodded once, then frowned. ¡°Something¡¯s wrong.¡±


    ¡°What do you¡ª¡± The last word died on Lorel¡¯s lips as the ship suddenly careened downwards. It righted itself after just a few seconds¨C and then repeated the process.


    And then again.


    And again.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with it?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think its engine was calibrated. They work differently when there''s more Coral in the atmosphere. It doesn¡¯t really affect the big supply ships, but something smaller...¡± Aria¡¯s frown deepened. ¡°It¡¯s going to crash.¡±


    ¡°... How much longer does it have?¡±


    She chewed on her lip. ¡°I don¡¯t know. If it¡¯s rated for atmosphere, it¡¯s probably heavy. And its wings look small. They¡¯re probably for stability and steering. Not lift.¡±


    ¡°... Should we evacuate?¡±


    Aria nodded. ¡°That¡¯s probably a good idea,¡± she said absentmindedly, eyes still fixed on the foreign spacecraft.


    Lorel drew in a breath¨C


    ¡°HEY!¡±


    ¨C and shouted at the top of his lungs.


    Aria jumped, startled, and every eye there turned to face him.


    ¡°IT¡¯S GOING TO CRASH! GET OUT OF HERE!¡± His words hung in the air, amidst a combination of stillness and silence. A moment more, and chaos took its place. There was still an order of some sort to the madness, however. That was hardly surprising¨C basic training was required of every water-farer.


    ¡°Was that really necessary?¡± Aria asked, a frown on her face once more. ¡°You scared me.¡±


    Lorel snorted. ¡°You¡¯re the one who said it was going to crash."


    ¡°I know. But you could always just¡­ catch it?¡±


    ¡°How am I going to catch something of that size, sister dearest?¡±


    Her frown deepened. ¡°We both know you¡¯re capable of handling more than that.¡±


    ¡°True,¡± he admitted. ¡°But I¡¯d rather not deal with the paperwork. And¡­¡± he trailed off, looking back up at the unknown craft. ¡°There¡¯s probably people inside. I don¡¯t know if I can catch it without killing them.¡±


    ¡°Hm.¡± His sister seemed entirely unconvinced.


    ¡°What, you don¡¯t trust me?¡±


    ¡°Not one bit.¡±


    Lorel clutched his chest in mock pain. ¡°Your words wound me, my dear sister.¡±


    Aria sighed. ¡°Knock it off. And get ready.¡±


    He sighed, already imagining the mountain of paperwork that awaited him. ¡°Fine.¡± So much for their trip. ¡°You should get out of here too.¡± The chances of an explosion were practically nil, but catching a falling spacecraft was hardly a safe endeavor.


    Protecting himself was one thing. Keeping Aria and himself safe while also catching something so heavy was another matter entirely.


    She nodded, but before she could take a single step, the spacecraft swerved out to the side, putting distance between it and the floating city in mere seconds.


    ¡°They probably saw the people down below,¡± Aria said, frozen in place. ¡°I wonder what sort of sensors it¡¯s carrying.¡±


    Lorel stared at her. ¡°Is now really the time to be thinking about that?¡±


    She shrugged. ¡°What am I supposed to do? It¡¯s up there. I¡¯m down here. And look,¡± Aria added, pointing at it once more. ¡°It¡¯s getting even further away.¡± So it was. Already, the spacecraft seemed no larger than a ball.


    He frowned. ¡°Do you think there¡¯s a Tidal on board?¡± Every vehicle on Torrent was required to carry at least one. But if it came from someplace else¡­


    The two siblings watched as it lost altitude yet again.


    ¡°It¡¯ll crash next time,¡± Aria murmured. ¡°Keep watching.¡± Some of the others present had started returning, their eyes now fixed on the craft in the distance. ¡°Now.¡±


    Just as the word crossed her lips, it crashed down into the ocean¡¯s tranquil surface. Even from here, they could see the massive jet of water that it kicked up¨C and when it cleared, the ship was nowhere to be seen.


    Aria¡¯s frown returned yet again. ¡°That¡¯s not good.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no Tidal on board,¡± Lorel said, his heart pounding in the wake of the spacecraft¡¯s absence. ¡°How long until it breaks up?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know. I doubt it¡¯s built to handle high Coral saturation. Maybe an hour at most.¡±


    ¡°Where is the Tideguard?¡±


    ¡°They¡¯ll be on their way already.¡± His sister¡¯s eyes took on a faraway look. ¡°But they¡¯ll be too late. Their station assumes that every ship has a Tidal. So if there isn¡¯t one on board¡­¡±


    ¡°They¡¯ll be too late,¡± Lorel echoed.


    Aria nodded.


    He swore under his breath. ¡°Shit.¡±


    Her brow furrowed. ¡°Language.¡±


    ¡°Seriously?¡±


    ¡°... It¡¯s no reason to swear.¡±


    ¡°You gotta be fucking kidding me.¡±


    ¡°Hey.¡±


    Lorel paid his sister no mind, instead turning his gaze towards the many vehicles strewn across the outer ring. Where¡­ there. His eyes landed on a one-person skimmer. Really, it was more flotation device than vehicle.


    Cut from a single sheet of metal, the skimmer¡¯s underside bore a special low-friction coating. Only a Tidal could pilot them, but they were fast. Really fast.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be back.¡± Before he could doubt the course of action, Lorel sprinted towards the skimmer.


    ¡°Where are you going?¡± Aria cried out from behind.


    ¡°They¡¯re going to be late. I can¡¯t just let them die.¡± Tightening his focus, Lorel willed the water to form a bridge, flowing under the skimmer and connecting it to the ocean. Normally, one would stand or crouch on them, but he opted to lie flat on his stomach, clutching its front on either side.


    It was smaller than he was used to, but that worked to his advantage in this instance. He formed a small current underneath the skimmer, using it to carry him out. That took seven seconds.


    Little by little, he willed it to move faster, and after fifteen more, the warm water whipped wildly at his face. Five more, and the world was little more than a blue-green blur.

 Chapter 4

    The Suni was Tala¡¯s favorite ship. It was a two-seater that just barely qualified as ¡°civilian¡±, and built with a single purpose in mind: speed. Despite being rated for atmosphere, its massive Coral engine was by far its heaviest component, capable of propelling it faster than most long-distance freighters.


    Its body was composed of several metal panels joined at its front, lending it an angular, cone-like appearance. The main cabin lay just underneath its tapered point; while the engine was as far from center mass as possible, allowing for tight turns.


    Having been forged well after the discovery of Coral, a portion of its cockpit was made of tempered glass. She preferred seeing the world with her own eyes, rather than relying on cameras.


    Although information about the ship itself was purposefully kept sparse, Tala had set many records in it, and flown it over many more planets. Never once had she doubted its capabilities¨C until now.


    Tala knew something was wrong the moment she entered Torrent¡¯s atmosphere. It was nothing so pronounced as a damaged engine, or a cracked hull, but she felt it nonetheless. The ship shuddered once, and then was still.


    Too still.


    It plummeted downwards.


    Stricken by panic, she pulled the nose up as far as possible, but it mattered little. The small threusters on the Suni¡¯s meager wings¨C if they could even be called that¨C were designed for stability, not lift.


    What¡¯s wrong?


    Tala reached over with her right hand, pulling up a complete overview of the ship¡¯s systems. They all read perfectly.


    Shit.


    That was bad.


    Really bad.


    She could adjust for a known issue. But an unknown one? That was a bigger problem. It meant either the computer systems were damaged¨C more than the ship could compensate for¨C or the atmosphere posed greater problems.


    As for which was more likely¡­ that was obvious.


    Tala let out another curse, this time aimed at her own stupidity. She knew the dangers of flying into unknown atmosphere for the first time, yet had deluded herself into thinking prior experience would keep her safe.


    That was a mistake.


    Potentially a deadly one.


    And to make matters worse, the Suni was a high-speed spacecraft. It eschewed many of the conventional safety features of standard ones to remain lightweight¨C including ejection seats. Normally that would have been enough to keep it from certification, but circumventing silly little things like regulations was a simple task for an Admiral¡¯s daughter.


    Her father, of course, disapproved. Not that he did much about it; he was absent far too often for that.


    ¡°Tala.¡± The voice of Vanu, her copilot-slash-bodyguard, came over the intercom, calm as ever despite the apparent danger. ¡°The engine flow is irregular.¡±


    Swiping her finger across the holographic HUD, she saw that he was right.


    ¡°Shit.¡±


    ¡°... Language.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re about to die, and you¡¯re worried about my foul mouth?¡±


    ¡°Stay calm,¡± Vanu said soothingly. ¡°Panic will do you no good.¡±


    Tala gritted her teeth, intending to rebut, but stopped. He was right. She took a deep breath, forcing herself to calm as she gripped the controls once more. Landing without incurring a fatality would be difficult, but not impossible.


    ¡°Designate crash zone when ready.¡± That was Vanu¡¯s way of telling her to take whatever time she needed. Time, unfortunately, was something they had precious little of.


    Tala pulled up the sensor feeds. Even without doing so, she could see the floating city to her right; a collection of metal-and-glass spires that scraped the skies above. Any other time, she would¡¯ve stopped to admire the technological marvel, but that was decidedly more difficult to do with death approaching quickly.


    She heard Vanu mutter a curse of his own at the feeds. ¡°There¡¯s people below. Lots of them.¡± He was right¨C a wave of people swept across the city¡¯s outer ring, no doubt aware of the peril the Suni posed.


    Tala closed her eyes, considering her options. It didn¡¯t take long for her to reach a decision. ¡°We¡¯ll crash away from them, in the ocean.¡±


    Vanu fell silent. Just as she was about to repeat herself, he responded. ¡°Are you sure?¡±


    Tala nodded, though she knew he couldn¡¯t see the gesture. ¡°I¡¯m not going to risk people¡¯s lives because of my stupidity.¡±


    ¡°... Your father is going to be upset.¡±


    Her chest tightened. ¡°Let me worry about him.¡±


    ¡°Very well.¡± Despite his initial reluctance, Tala could hear a note of approval in Vanu¡¯s tone, and she knew she¡¯d made the right decision. ¡°No need to designate a crash zone, then. Focus on slowing the approach.¡± Even with their doom quickly impending, his dry wit made her smile. ¡°Angle it as best you can.¡±


    Tala nodded. ¡°Diverting Coral to main cabin.¡± The dull whisper of the Suni¡¯s engine quieted even further as the blue-green substance flooded the cockpit. The spacecraft was perfectly capable of surviving the crash¨C although remaining intact was another thing altogether¨C while the Coral would keep them from being flattened.


    That said, it would still hurt.


    A lot.


    The Suni was still rapidly losing altitude. Faster, even, now that the Coral flow was split. A number of alarms flashed on the holographic HUD; Tala silenced them all. They told her nothing she didn¡¯t already know. She was vaguely aware that this stunt would result in the loss of the craft, but that was a distant afterthought in the face of crisis.


    This is going to hurt.


    That was her last thought before slamming into the ocean. The sheer force of the impact threw her forward, causing the seat straps to constrict against her torso. This was not her first crash-landing, but it was by far the most violent.


    The Coral-laden air strained Tala¡¯s lungs, and for a moment, she was afraid they would burst. Water kicked up against the cabin''s glass viewport¨C and then the darkness claimed her.


    She had no way of knowing how long unconsciousness lasted. When she came to, the cockpit was bathed in a dull brown-red light; a result of the Coral¡¯s glow mixing with the red alarm lights.


    It took Tala a moment to recall the events that had just transpired. Torrent. Crash. That last thought jolted her from her stupor. Already, the Suni was completely submerged.


    That was bad.


    She knew little about submarine design, but she knew that keeping pressure in was much easier than keeping it out. And, more than that, there was no way of knowing how well the spaceship would handle high Coral saturations.


    Likely not well, though, considering everything that had happened prior.


    Tala groaned as she reached for the harness¡¯ buckle, her arms and chest sore from the rough landing. Nothing seemed to be broken, and she was still breathing, at the very least, but they would still need a battery of medical tests once they were safe.


    She cursed her stupidity yet again, but forced her mind from such useless thoughts. There would be time for that later.


    Assuming they survived this, anyways.


    Tala undid the clasp and promptly collapsed onto the hard floor below. Though unbroken, her legs were weak and shaky; completely unable to hold her weight. ¡°Vanu?¡± She asked. There was no reply. Unconscious, disabled¨C or dead.


    She gritted her teeth, and¨C bit by bit¨C forced herself into a sitting position. That small movement alone took nearly two minutes; precious time, considering their precarious position. The glow of Coral was stronger, now that they were below Torrent¡¯s surface.


    Another warning panel flashed onto the HUD: Hull integrity 79%.


    That was much, much lower than she¡¯d expected¨C and it would only degrade faster as the pressure increased.


    Tala pounded on her legs with a growl. ¡°Work, damn you!¡± Slowly¨C so agonizingly slowly¨C the feeling in her legs returned. She hobbled over to the control panel¨C only to find it completely unresponsive.


    ¡°Fuck!¡±


    This time, Vanu didn¡¯t protest her use of language. Didn¡¯t¨C or couldn¡¯t. She wasn¡¯t sure which. Taking a deep breath, Tala forced herself to calm. Panicking would do nothing to stop whatever happened next.Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions.


    The emergency release. It would still function without the onboard computers¨C but Vanu was still unresponsive. Opening the cabin would flood his compartment, and Tala couldn¡¯t possibly hold her breath long enough to rescue him. More than that, he¡¯d warned her of the potential dangers. And she¡¯d overruled him. Again.


    This time, the consequences would be deadly. The logical thing to do was to escape. Someone must have seen their crash¨C help would arrive at some point¡­ just perhaps not until after they were dead.


    Before Tala could come to a decision, she heard a tapping sound coming from above. Thinking herself mad, she looked up, expecting to see nothing¨C and instead found a boy peering through the cabin''s glass front.


    He had black hair, pale green eyes, and paler skin that seemed to shine in the ambient light. Though the Suni had descended some ways by now, he seemed perfectly at ease.


    Seeing Tala¡¯s eyes widen, he grinned and waved¨C a gesture completely at odds with the situation.


    Before she could respond, he brought both hands up, signing something that was completely lost on her. Seeing her unresponsiveness, the dark-haired boy opened his mouth, then closed it and puffed his cheeks.


    The meaning of that, at least, was clear.


    Hold your breath.


    Tala watched, dumbstruck, as he maneuvered so that both his feet were pressed up against the glass. His fingers found purchase on something, somehow¨C and he pulled.


    Nothing happened¨C


    Then the ship shuddered and groaned¨C


    And in the next instant, the entire front of the Suni was torn clean off. Before Tala could even process what had just occurred, the ocean rushed in. It happened far too quickly for the human eye to register; the water was at bay one moment, then swallowing everything the next.


    Some part of her expected the water to be cold, but it was warm. In another situation, it may have been comforting.


    The rushing water should have slammed Tala against the Suni¡¯s interior, but somehow, the boy¡¯s hand found hers first, pulling her through the gaping hole in the ship¡¯s frame. His grip was firm but gentle, his flesh warm against hers even among the oceanwater.


    She struggled against his grasp, trying to indicate, somehow, that Vanu was still there¨C still there, in the spaceship, his compartment no doubt flooded by now. How long would he last? They weren''t even supposed to be here. If he died...


    But the dark-haired boy spared her not a glance as they rose to the surface. They seemed caught in a current of some sort, and it carried them to the surface in less than a minute. Without it, she would have drowned before breaching it.


    Tala gasped as her head broke the surface. The boy¡¯s hand guided hers to his¡­ vehicle? That didn¡¯t seem quite right¨C it was just a sheet of shaped metal, completely lacking any sort of propulsion unit.


    She shook her head. Unimportant.


    But the boy spoke before she did.


    ¡°Is there anyone else in the ship?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Tala eked out in between gasping breaths.


    ¡°How many?¡±


    ¡°Just one. My copilot.¡± She took another breath, intending to tell him where on the sinking spaceship, but the boy dove as before another word could cross her lips. The only proof of his presence were the tiny ripples spreading from where he¡¯d been just seconds ago.


    Tala blinked, wondering if she had somehow hallucinated the whole thing¨C it seemed likely, given that he¡¯d practically ripped the Suni apart with his bare hands. And yet, here she was on the surface, still breathing.


    Not a hallucination, then.


    Some distant part of her consciousness seemed to know the answer; but it was muddled by fear, panic, and adrenaline. That same adrenaline made her hands tremble uncontrollably, in spite of the water¡¯s warmth.


    Stay calm. What would dad think?


    In.


    Out.


    In.


    Out.


    In¡­


    And out.


    Finally, her trembling stopped. She took a breath and prepared to dive¨C despite knowing the futility of her efforts- only to yelp as the water¡¯s surface erupted next to her, rocking the small metal vehicle that she held. The boy¡¯s head became visible as it settled¨C along with Vanu¡¯s. His wheat-colored hair clung to his face, and his eyes were closed.


    ¡°Vanu!¡± Tala cried.


    The green-eyed boy paid her no mind, throwing Vanu¡¯s body up onto the metal sheet and hoisting himself up afterwards.


    Tala scrambled to do the same, pulling herself up onto the¡­ craft? She still had no idea what it even was. She rushed to Vanu¡¯s side as the boy rolled him onto his back.


    ¡°Is he alive?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± The boy¡¯s voice was eerily calm, given the situation. ¡°He was unconscious when I found him. His lungs are probably filled with water.¡±


    Tala nodded. He would have experienced far more turbulence than she. ¡°Can you help him?¡± She asked, voice still numb with shock. If he died because of her recklessness¡­


    ¡°Quiet.¡± The boy¡¯s voice was brusque yet sharp, leaving no room for argument. She fell silent as he ran one hand across Vanu¡¯s body, rising from his torso to his lips. A small stream of water gushed, coalescing into a small sphere beneath his palm.


    For one agonizing second, nothing happened¨C and then Vanu coughed. It was a horrible, gut-wrenching sound that expelled even more water.


    ¡°He¡¯ll be alright,¡± the green-eyed boy said calmly.


    Tala stared at him wordlessly as the previously distant answer finally clicked into place. ¡°You¡¯re a Tidal.¡± It was perhaps the most obvious statement she¡¯d made in her life.


    The boy raised one eyebrow. ¡°Did you think otherwise? I kinda tore your ship in half. Sorry about that, by the way. Didn¡¯t think there was really any other option, with the whole sinking thing and all.¡±


    It took her a moment to process that. His words were casual; flippant, even, as if this was a regular occurrence.


    ¡°It¡¯s fine,¡± Tala said with a shake of the head. ¡°You saved us. Thank you.¡± Now free from the clutches of death, she took a moment to inspect the strange boy. The hair that she thought black was instead deep navy in color; gleaming wetly in the ambient Coral''s glow.


    His eyes were sea-green; that odd shade a half-step removed from being blue. The same color as the Coral that surrounded them. He seemed around the same age as her; no older than seventeen, at the very least.


    ¡°I¡¯m¨C¡± Tala, she wanted to say, but Vanu bolted upright before she could finish, emerald eyes wide with panic. They widened further at the sight of the boy.


    He reached for his weapon¨C and the navy-haired boy uttered a single word.


    ¡°Don¡¯t.¡± He stayed perfectly still as the water surrounding them erupted. It rocked their small platform, throwing Vanu off-balance. Tendrils of water snaked forth from the spray, grabbing hold of both his hands. The whole thing happened in less than a second.


    ¡°I may not expect you to kowtow to me, but I saved your lives,¡± the boy said. His voice was icy; completely devoid of the jovial attitude from before. ¡°This seems a poor way to thank me.¡± The watery tendrils pulled backwards, slamming Vanu onto his back. ¡°If you¡¯d prefer to wait for the Tideguard, I¡¯m more than happy to leave you here.¡±


    Tala stared at him. Weakened as he was, Vanu was a soldier¨C and a well-trained one at that. Yet he was powerless against a single boy. She bristled¨C and then relaxed. Neither of them had the strength left to swim back. And, moreover, the boy was right. He had saved them. Reaching for a weapon was a poor way to repay that.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± she said, bowing her head slightly. ¡°My companion just came back from the brink of death. He¡¯s disoriented.¡±


    Silence fell for a single, agonizing second¨C and then the boy nodded. ¡°Fair enough.¡±


    Tala blinked. She hadn''t expected him to concede the point so easily.


    He looked back down towards Vanu. ¡°if you reach for your weapon again, I¡¯ll drag you to the bottom of the ocean.¡±


    Tala shivered. Not just at the implication, but how easily he¡¯d uttered those words. ¡°We don¡¯t want any trouble,¡± she said quietly.


    The boy tilted his head. ¡°That¡¯s an odd thing to say. You just crashed a spaceship onto a planet that doesn¡¯t have spaceships. Do you think the Tideguard is just going to let you walk away?¡±


    Tala fell silent, unsure how to navigate the situation. The Tideguard were mentioned in the many reports and books she¡¯d read, but only by name. She knew very little about them. ¡°We don¡¯t want any trouble,¡± she repeated.


    The boy looked back down at Vanu. ¡°Are you going to give me trouble?¡± He asked.


    For a moment, she feared the blonde soldier would lash out, but he shook his head. ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°Good.¡± The boy relaxed, and the tendrils dissolved into shapeless water, running over the smooth metal surface to rejoin the ocean. ¡°Have you ever ridden a skimmer before?¡±


    ¡°Skimmer?¡± Tala asked, unfamiliar with the word.


    The corners of his lips curled up into a slight smile. ¡°That¡¯s a no, then. I suggest you hold on.¡± As he spoke, the platform they were situated on began to move. Slowly, at first, and then more rapidly.


    ¡°Are you doing this?¡± She asked breathlessly.


    The boy nodded. ¡°Congratulations,¡± he said, somewhat sarcastically. ¡°You can now say you¡¯ve ridden a skimmer.¡±


    It made sense. Tidals could create currents at will¨C this was probably the fastest method of transportation on this watery world.


    ¡°... I¡¯m Tala,¡± she said, offering a hand.


    He didn¡¯t take it, instead closing his eyes. ¡°I¡¯m Lorel. Sorry, but I need to focus.¡±


    Tala got the distinct impression that those words were spoken more out of a desire to avoid conversation.


    Fair enough.


    Silence fell as they sped towards the floating city. It took less than five minutes. The skimmer slowed as it approached, gliding gently up onto the artificial shore. A girl walked up as the boy hopped off.


    Two things about her were immediately apparent.


    First, she was the boy¡¯s sister.


    Second, she was smart. Not the pseudo-intellectual type that thought the universe depended on them to run, but intelligent. She shared Lorel¡¯s pale skin and sea-green eyes, but where his were jovial¨C whimsical, even, hers were sharp and analyzing.


    And her hair was bright pink. While the boy¡¯s deep navy was unnatural, it was more likely due to his being Augmented. Hers was dyed, no doubt.


    Is she a Tidal too? That seemed improbable¨C she likely would have aided in the rescue if so.


    ¡°Is that everyone?¡± Her voice was gentle and soft, a complete contradiction of her sharp outward appearance.


    The boy¨C Lorel¨C shrugged. ¡°According to her.¡±


    Tala cleared her voice before speaking. ¡°It was only myself and my copilot. Again, thank you for saving us.¡± She bowed her head again, and when she raised it, both siblings were staring at her. ¡°What?¡± She asked, somewhat uncomfortable under their combined gaze.


    Lorel snorted. ¡°I didn¡¯t realize copilots carried weapons and dressed in military uniforms.¡±


    ¡°Lorel!¡± The pink-haired girl smacked the back of his head. ¡°I¡¯m sorry about my brother. He rarely thinks before he speaks.¡±


    ¡°I choose not to think before I speak,¡± he corrected. ¡°Life is easier that¨C hey!¡± He cried out as his sister smacked him again.


    ¡°I¡¯m Aria,¡± she said, holding out one hand.


    Tala accepted it with no small amount of gratitude. Her skin was smooth and warm. ¡°Tala,¡± she responded. ¡°And¡­ don¡¯t be too hard on him. It¡¯s true. He saved us.¡±


    ¡°Yeah! You hear that! And now I¡¯ve got all sorts of paperwork to look forward to¨C¡± Lorel ducked under Aria¡¯s swing this time. He opened his mouth to say something more, then stopped short, eyes widening. ¡°Speaking of paperwork¡­¡±


    Tala turned around just in time to see a group of five push their way through the gathered crowd. They all wore the same dark blue uniform gilded with golden highlights. Though she had never seen them before, she knew without a doubt that they were part of the Tideguard.


    ¡°What¡­¡± the question died on her lips as she turned back to find Lorel striding away with his sister in tow.


    ¡°What are you doing?!¡± Aria cried, struggling, but apparently unable to break his grip.


    ¡°If I have to do a ton of paperwork, I¡¯m going to do it after our trip,¡± Lorel declared. ¡°Dad will cover for us¨C even if he¡¯ll hate doing it.¡±


    ¡°But¨C¡±


    ¡°If we don¡¯t go now, it¡¯ll take ages for you to get another opportunity. Do you really want to wait that long?"


    Her shoulders deflated. ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°Then let¡¯s go! The paperwork will be there when I get back.¡±


    ¡°... Fine,¡± Aria half-heartedly acquiesced.


    Tala watched as a tendril of water just like the ones that had restrained Vanu reached out to grab hold of the two siblings. She saw the pink-haired girl¡¯s body tense, then relax as it lifted them into the air.


    A second, smaller one reached out to grab a perfectly round disc, cut from some sort of pitch-black material. The two tendrils deposited the siblings and hatch alike atop a nearby craft. It was cut from the same material as the disc¨C a hatch, she realized¨C and clearly shaped after the aquatic beasts of humankind''s home world.


    Aria descended first, her hot-pink hair disappearing into the strange vehicle¡¯s body.


    Lorel grabbed the hatch and made to follow suit before turning around to look down at Tala. ¡°Goodbye!¡± He called out with an exaggerated wave. ¡°We¡¯ll probably never see each other again, so you should just forget all about me.¡± And with that, he dropped down.


    A low hum filled the air as¨C presumably¨C the crystalline craft came to life. Like the skimmer, it had no visible propulsion unit; instead, the calm tide rose to swallow it, and when it receded, it was gone.


    After a moment, Vanu broke the shocked silence. ¡°What the fuck just happened?¡±


    Tala decided not to point out the hypocrisy. Mostly because she agreed with the sentiment.

 Chapter 5

    ¡°I can¡¯t believe I let you talk me into this,¡± Aria groaned for the umpteenth time. The twenty-seventh time, to be precise. Lorel had decided to keep count after the 5th.


    ¡°But you did,¡± he responded, suppressing the urge to roll his eyes. ¡°And unless you¡¯ve got a time machine stashed away somewhere, there¡¯s no going back to change it. So we might as well make the most of it.¡±


    He paused, half-expecting her to say that she did, in fact, have a time machine. When she didn¡¯t respond, Lorel continued. ¡°You could¡¯ve gone without me, too, y¡¯know. I¡¯m really the only one they wanted.¡±


    She fixed him with a dour glare. ¡°And then mom and dad would be angry at me instead.¡±


    ¡°Exactly,¡± he nodded. ¡°So stop worrying about it. What¡¯s done is done. We might as well make the most of it.¡±


    Aria audibly sighed. ¡°You¡¯re right¡­ just don¡¯t expect me to stick up for you.¡±


    ¡°I would never,¡± Lorel replied, voice filled with mock outrage. His sister just sighed again and turned back to the controls. ¡°So? Where are we going this time?¡± That question, of course, brought her glare right back.


    ¡°Seriously? You dodged the Tideguard, and you don¡¯t even know where we¡¯re going?¡±


    He shrugged. ¡°I never know where we¡¯re going. And what difference does it make?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re incorrigible,¡± Aria half-growled.


    ¡°Thank you!¡±


    ¡°That wasn¡¯t a compliment¡­ never mind.¡± She shook her head. ¡°We¡¯re going to sector seven.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s in sector seven?¡±


    ¡°Coral¡­ and Svyke.¡±


    ¡°Ah. Something to do with your secret project?¡±


    His sister¡¯s face darkened. ¡°Yes. But,¡± she added looking back at the controls, ¡°best not to talk about it. Not so close.¡±


    ¡°Fair enough. How far are we? I assume he¡¯s on his floating laboratory.¡±


    Aria nodded. ¡°Not far. We¡¯ll be there soon.¡± She lapsed into silence, and though her hands continued to fly across the interface, Lorel knew her mind was elsewhere.


    ¡°You¡¯re thinking about those two,¡± he said quietly.


    His sister¡¯s head jerked halfway up, as it did whenever she was caught off guard. ¡°How¡¯d you know?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m your brother,¡± Lorel snorted. ¡°And besides,¡± he added quietly. ¡°You¡¯ve always been easy to read.¡±


    Aria¡¯s hands stopped moving. ¡°Really?¡±


    ¡°Really.¡±


    She sighed again, kicking up a tuft of her hot-pink hair. ¡°He was wearing a military uniform.¡±


    ¡°Yeah.


    ¡°The girl wasn¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°She wasn¡¯t?¡±


    ¡°... You saved them, and you don¡¯t even remember what they look like?¡±


    Lorel shrugged. ¡°I saved them because it was the right thing to do. That¡¯s it. And I remember what the guy looks like.¡±


    ¡°... Why one and not the other?¡±


    ¡°He tried to pull a gun on me.¡±


    Her head whipped back around at that. ¡°You didn¡¯t tell me that.¡±


    ¡°Not like we had time,¡± he pointed out. ¡°And besides, it was just one soldier. And we were surrounded by water. I¡¯d have to be a pretty poor excuse of a Tidal to let him beat me.¡±


    ¡°I guess that¡¯s true,¡± Aria muttered. ¡°But still¡­¡±


    ¡°It seems like you¡¯re more interested in the girl, though,¡± Lorel interjected, not wanting to dwell on the topic.


    ¡°I am,¡± Aria mused, more to herself than anything. ¡°She was wearing some sort of jumpsuit. And she looked young¡­ but she was the pilot? That doesn¡¯t make much sense.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m literally a teenage soldier,¡± Lorel said dryly. ¡°Are you really surprised?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°About what?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± his sister said, a note of frustration creeping into her voice. ¡°Just¡­ something about it bothers me.¡±


    ¡°Let me know when you figure it out.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    The submarine beeped, as if it had been waiting for the two to finish their conversation.


    ¡°We¡¯re here.¡± Aria made an odd gesture with her hands, and the craft tilted up ever so slightly. Being just barely below the waters surface, it only took them seconds to break it.


    ¡°Even if I tell you to stay here, you won¡¯t¨C right?¡±


    Lorel answered immediately. ¡°Absolutely not.¡± For all their banter¨C and as much as he annoyed his sister¨C she was precious to him. Far too precious to let her meet someone like Svyke alone.


    ¡°Alright.¡± She readily acquiesced. And then added, in a smaller tone, ¡°thank you.¡±


    He smiled. ¡°Any time, my dear sister.¡±


    ¡°And there you go again.¡± Aria pushed past him with a sigh, pushing the hatch up and to the side. ¡°Just let me do the talking.¡±


    ¡°Sure thing.¡±


    Lorel pulled himself up once Aria was clear. Now that the dark of night had truly fallen, it took his eyes a moment to adjust to the Coral¡¯s bright. They had stopped just in front of a floating structure, roughly the size of a house of old.


    Though, truthfully, it looked like little more than a floating box set atop a floating ring, he knew it was filled with scientific equipment¨C and too many documents to count. And physical ones, at that. Svyke claimed it was for security, but Lorel just thought him half-mad.


    Or completely mad. It depended on the day, really.


    He followed Aria onto the submarine¡¯s curved wing. It bobbed once as they reached its tip, then righted itself as they stepped off.


    His sister hopped from submarine to floating structure, and as Lorel followed, a portion of the cube¡¯s wall fell away, revealing Svyke.


    The old, wizened spy seemed even worse for wear than usual. His bone-white hair, aged beyond his years, fell down his scalp in an uneven wave. Similarly-colored stubble, interlaced with its former black spotted his chin and lower cheeks. His faded military uniform had once been dark blue, but now it was a pale, ice-blue.


    ¡°Aria. Good to see you again.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s good to see you too,¡± she said, her tone uncommonly brisk. ¡°Do you have them?¡±


    Svyke laughed, completely unoffended. ¡°Business as usual, I see. Good, good.¡± One wizened hand dipped beneath the fabric of his uniform, reappearing moments later with two envelopes. ¡°The first is for your father. The second is for you. And for the boy¡­¡± his other hand reached into his pant pocket, withdrawing a handful of small glass rods. ¡°A new compression algorithm, taken straight from the ICC.¡± The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement.


    He handed the letters to Aria and tossed the glass tubes to Lorel. He panicked for a moment before realizing they were bound by a rubber band.


    ¡°Got you, didn¡¯t I?¡± Svyke said with a sly grin.


    Lorel sighed. ¡°Enough of your games, old man. Is this all?¡± He asked, inspecting the small bundle. They were roughly the length of his pointer finger, but less than half the width.


    ¡°Yup,¡± the spy nodded. ¡°They¡¯ll carry more than the last load put together, I can promise you that.¡±


    ¡°If you say so.¡± He pocketed them with a shrug. They were really just an added bonus. ¡°If that¡¯s everything, we¡¯ll be on our way.¡±


    Aria nodded and jumped back onto her craft. As Lorel turned to follow, Svyke called out to him.


    ¡°Lorel.¡±


    That was enough to make him pause. The spy never referred to him by name¨C only ever ¡°boy,¡± or ¡°Augmented.¡± Sometimes ¡°boy.¡±


    He really hated that last one.


    The surprise on his face must have been evident¨C or perhaps not, given Svyke¡¯s occupation¨C because the spy laughed gleefully upon seeing his expression. ¡°I heard you rescued a damsel in distress¡­ and someone dressed in an ICC military uniform.¡±


    Lorel scowled. ¡°How did you know that? It happened an hour ago. At most.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m a spy, boy. Information is my trade. Do you think I¡¯d miss something happening right under my nose?¡±


    ¡°... No.¡±


    ¡°Then quit wasting my time.¡± The spy¡¯s jovial attitude disappeared. ¡°That girl you saved¨C Tala. I have a feeling you¡¯ll be seeing her again. You should take advantage of that while you can.¡±


    ¡°You said that information is your trade.¡±


    ¡°That it is.¡±


    ¡°Then it¡¯s not much of a feeling, is it?¡±


    Svyke grinned crookedly. ¡°Always knew you were a smart one. Despite how you act. Don¡¯t be mistaken, boy. I give this information freely because your grand rescue puts you in a unique position. Befriend her, and maybe you can change our future¨C even if only slightly.¡±


    Lorel bristled. ¡°I saved them because it was the right thing to do,¡± he spat. ¡°Not because I expected or wanted something in return. Unlike you, I¡¯m not willing to use and lie to people to serve my own goals.¡±


    The spy tilted his head. ¡°Even if doing so could save the lives of many more?¡±


    He had no answer to that.


    Svyke''s expression suddenly became very tired. ¡°I understand. You have a stronger sense of morals than most. I admire that. I shouldn¡¯t try to tarnish it. But you should consider my words.¡±


    ¡°Do I even need to point out the contradiction there?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± he said, his tone amused. ¡°But humans are contradictory beings, wouldn¡¯t you say?¡±


    Lorel, once again, had no answer for that.


    ¡°Enough,¡± Svyke said, waving his hand. ¡°You should get going. Spending time like around an old fogey like me doesn¡¯t suit either of you.¡±


    Lorel wanted to point out that he was the one who continued the conversation, but he knew it was pointless. He turned to follow his sister¨C and then stopped, struck by a sudden thought. ¡°Did Loch come to you recently?¡±


    ¡°See? Smart.¡±


    The floating platform shook as Lorel¡¯s anger spilled into the ocean below. ¡°If you ever hurt either of them, I''ll make sure you forget what it feels like to breathe air.¡±


    ¡°Believe me, boy, I have no intention of crossing you. I¡¯m a spy. The shadows are our lifeline.¡±


    The sub tilted slightly as he stepped after Aria. She had already opened the first letter, and was reading its contents, completely enraptured.


    ¡°This is it,¡± she murmured. ¡°What I needed.¡±


    ¡°... Do you trust Svyke that much?¡±


    ¡°Not at all. But his information has always been good.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s true,¡± he admitted, looking down at the glass rods in his hand. They seemed so small, but the spy had never been wrong before. And these were likely to be experimental, stolen from some secret ICC compound.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to do this, you know,¡± Lorel said quietly.


    ¡°Yes I do.¡± His sister didn¡¯t even look up. ¡°You¡¯re playing your part. I have to play mine.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s different,¡± he growled. ¡°My part doesn¡¯t involve taking information from a spy.¡±


    Aria raised her face at that, pointedly looking at the glass rods in his hand.


    ¡°I¡¯ll toss these overboard if it helps prove my point.¡±


    ¡°You have your talents. I have mine. How can I just stand by and watch?¡±


    Lorel sighed and pocketed them. As much as he wanted to argue it, he knew there was no point. ¡°Fine. Just promise me you won¡¯t stick your neck out too far.¡±


    She agreed readily. ¡°I promise.¡±


    Satisfied with that, he climbed down after her. ¡°So. Sector seven. What are we after there?¡±


    ¡°Same thing as always. I want to measure the Coral density and take some samples. It¡¯ll be a useful data point, even if nothing else comes of it.¡±


    Lorel understood the words, but little else. It was like his sister said¨C they each had their talents. The submarine thrummed to life again as Aria brought up the holo-terminal.


    ¡°How deep?¡±


    ¡°A little more than twenty-five hundred meters.¡±


    He raised an eyebrow at that. ¡°Twenty-five hundred? Did you get permission to take this thing so deep?¡±


    Aria huffed. ¡°Of course I did. Not everyone is as reckless as you.¡±


    ¡°Hey. I take offense to that.¡±


    She smirked. ¡°Because it¡¯s true?¡±


    ¡°... Maybe. Probably. Definitely, actually.¡±


    ¡°You really just don¡¯t care, do you?¡±


    ¡°I do care,¡± Lorel said seriously. ¡°That¡¯s why I asked.¡± But he¡¯d known it was a baseless question. They both took safety seriously. It was something their parents drilled into them from a young age¨C and the only reason they were allowed to go on these excursions.


    ¡°How far are we from sector seven?¡±


    ¡°Another two hours.¡± She turned to look back at him. ¡°You want out?¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    ¡°Already?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. I want to practice something.¡± And today¡¯s events, combined with Svyke¡¯s ominous words had left him rattled.


    Aria shrugged. ¡°Suit yourself. Here.¡± She handed him an earpiece and then paused, further words clearly on the tip of her tongue.  ¡°You shouldn¡¯t listen to Svyke.¡±


    ¡°... Weren¡¯t you the one who said his intel has always been good?¡±


    She grimaced. ¡°That¡¯s not what I mean.¡±


    ¡°Then what do you mean?¡±


    Her frow furrowed, as it always did when she was thinking hard about something. ¡°I like you the way you are. Even if you¡¯re annoying. If you did what he said, I don¡¯t think you would be you anymore.¡±


    Lorel sighed. ¡°Why are you both acting like I saved them as some part of a scheme to steal her heart?¡±


    His sister shrugged again. ¡°She was pretty.¡±


    ¡°Was she?¡± Lorel asked dryly. ¡°Like I said. I wasn¡¯t paying attention.¡±


    ¡°Uh huh,¡± she said, clearly unconvinced.


    ¡°Unlike you and Loch, I don¡¯t daydream about my one true love.¡±


    Aria¡¯s face instantly turned bright red. ¡°You¨C!¡±


    Lorel chuckled and pulled himself out of the hatch. Svyke¡¯s lodging was still within reach, but the old spy was nowhere to be seen.


    Just as well.


    He lodged the small communications device into his ear canal, wincing as the cold metal stung his fragile flesh. He tapped it once to turn it. ¡°Can you hear me?¡±


    His sister¡¯s voice came through as if she were still standing next to him. ¡°Loud and clear.¡±


    Lorel smirked. ¡°I can just hear how red your face is. Seriously, can you two just get together already? Watching the two of you is painful.¡±


    ¡°Enough. If you don¡¯t hop off soon, I¡¯ll throw you off.¡±


    He knew it was an empty threat¨C safety first, after all¨C but obliged anyways, stepping back down onto the vehicle¡¯s wing. Letting his will seep into the ocean below, he took a tentative step onto the water¡¯s surface.


    It held his weight.


    Taking a deep breath, he placed his other foot in front of the last.


    Again, it held his weight.


    Lorel stood there for a moment, reveling in his connection to the waters of his home. This had always calmed him. Even as a child, he¡¯d always found the ocean¡¯s calm soothing, and that feeling only grew as he aged.


    ¡°You should go ahead. There¡¯s a good chance I¡¯ll just fall flat on my face.¡±


    ¡°Thanks for letting me know. I¡¯ll be sure to record now.¡±


    ¡°I aim to please.¡±


    He waited until Aria¡¯s craft submerged, then willed the water underneath his feet to flow forward. Not quickly¨C a mere fraction of what he¡¯d used against Loch¨C but it still threw him off balance.


    ¡°Whoa.¡± Lorel stumbled forward, catching himself on one foot¨C only to stumble again. Growling in frustration, he forced it to a halt. Why is this so difficult, dammit? Taking another deep breath, he stepped forward, this time willing the water to flow as his foot touched down.


    He nearly lost his balance again. But it was easier like this; not unlike walking on a treadmill.


    Just a very slippery one.


    Lorel made it five more paces before faceplanting¨C just as he¡¯d predicted. He tore his will back as he fell into the water, so that he simply sank instead of striking a solid surface. The sound of Aria¡¯s laughter came through the earpiece.


    ¡°Not as spectacular as I¡¯d hoped.¡±


    ¡°Oh, shut up,¡± he growled, finding purchase on the ocean¡¯s surface once more. ¡°You want to see something spectacular?¡±


    ¡°Should I be worried?¡±


    ¡°Worried? About little old me?¡±


    ¡°About myself. Your experiments tend to be destructive.¡±


    Lorel grinned, though he knew Aria couldn¡¯t see it. ¡°You know me so well.¡± Bunching his knees, he forced the water underneath his feet to erupt, sending him flying into the air; just like in the facility. But now, with more water at his disposal, he could take it a step further.


    As he landed, he forced the shock of the impact through the water under his feet, causing it to cave in¨C and then come crashing back up a split second later.


    The resulting jet of water flung him even further into the air.


    Too far.


    ¡°Crap.¡±


    Svyke¡¯s dwelling was little more than a large box against the blue-green light below. Lorel counted¨C it took him nearly ten seconds to land. A flurry of bubbles stormed around him as he plunged beneath the surface, and summoned current brought him back to the surface.


    ¡°What the fuck was that?¡±


    ¡°I dunno. I saw a video. Thought it might be fun to try.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re insane.¡±


    ¡°Maybe. I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll be trying that again, though.¡±


    ¡°You better fucking not. You¡¯ll break your neck!¡±


    ¡°No I won¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t know that!¡±


    ¡°Yes I do. But you¡¯re right. I won¡¯t try that again. For now, anyway.¡±


    ¡°For now?!¡±


    ¡°What, you don¡¯t think it might be useful?¡±


    No response.


    ¡°You didn¡¯t feel it down there, did you?¡± Aria¡¯s sub was some ways below now, making the massive craft look smaller than usual.


    ¡°No. It would take a lot more force than that.¡±


    ¡°I see.¡±


    ¡°Is this why you didn¡¯t bring a skimmer along this time?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. Like I said, I wanted to practice.¡±


    ¡°As long as you¡¯re not practicing¡­ whatever the hell that was.¡±


    ¡°I dunno¡­ I am pretty reckless, after all.¡±


    Aria sighed.


    ¡°I¡¯m kidding.¡±


    ¡°I know. Let¡¯s get going.¡±


    The water¡¯s surface swelled ever so slightly as the underwater vehicle began its slow crawl forward. That was one of the problems with submarines: they were terribly slow compared to their surface-dwelling counterparts. For now, though, that worked in his favor, granting ample time to practice.


    Lorel took a step forward, this time adjusting his posture to account for the movement below. He still staggered¨C unsurprising, considering how unnatural this was¨C but didn¡¯t fall or stumble.


    Down below, Aria stayed silent, no doubt taking the opportunity to collect as much data as possible. Still, he could feel the water that her vehicle displaced.


    ¡°When are you going to name that thing, anyways?¡±


    ¡°Whenever it¡¯s complete.¡±


    ¡°And how long is that going to take?¡±


    ¡°A long time. I want to make sure everything works flawlessly.¡±


    ¡°Uh huh.¡±


    ¡°You could at least try to sound interested.¡±

 Chapter 6

    Stren hated being parted from the Simo. Other ships, in comparison, were slow, bulky things. And they were loud. Particularly the carrier-class one that he now rode, owing largely to its crew of nearly two hundred. Humans were noisy creatures, as were the systems necessary to support such a large group in the inhospitable vacuum of space.


    ¡°You¡¯re frowning again, sir.¡±


    That was Cori, his first mate. He was tall, with sandy hair, and a slender build that bordered on being thin. Despite his fragile frame, however, he was a vicious fighter¨C and an even better crewman.


    ¡°Am I?¡± Stren raised one hand to his face, finding that he was, in fact, frowning.


    ¡°I know you¡¯re remiss to be away from the Simo, sir, but this is important,¡± Cori said, unable to hide his slight smile.


    ¡°I know it is,¡± the Admiral responded with a sigh, ¡°but that makes it no more pleasant. Let¡¯s get this done and get out¨C before the corpies have a chance to stick their noses into it.¡±


    As if on cue, two holo-terminals opened before the men. They each bore only two words: ENTERING ATMOSPHERE. Ten seconds more, and the lumbering spacecraft jolted.


    The Simo would have landed by now, he thought irritably. He knew why these were his orders, of course; the effectiveness of stealth diminished greatly once an enemy laid eyes on it. The fact that the higher-ups allowed reconnaissance from the interceptor in the first place was surprising.


    And, of course, this was a peacekeeping mission.


    For now, anyway.


    It took the large, lumbering craft nearly half an hour to reach the landing zone, and another five minutes to make touchdown. Torrent housed only ten spaceports, and though this was the largest, it was just barely enough to accept the large hauling ship.


    Stren growled, stumbling slightly as another jolt ran through the massive craft. He¡¯d half a mind to commandeer the ship, put his own crew in charge, but he knew that was the height of foolishness. There was a world of difference between piloting the Simo and this behemoth¨C and mistakes in something this size would be catastrophic.


    ¡°We appear to have landed, sir,¡± Cori said, his voice deadpan.


    ¡°You don¡¯t say.¡±


    ¡°Actually, I do.¡±


    A smile tugged at the Admiral¡¯s lips, but he chased it away. ¡°None of that once we leave this room, Cori.¡± This was by far the relationship he preferred to keep with his crew, but there was a time and place for everything.


    ¡°Of course, sir.¡±


    ¡°Then let¡¯s be off.¡±


    The two made their way down to the lower part of the spaceship¡¯s hulls. The soldiers stole a glance as they passed, but only for the briefest of moments, opting to focus on the work at hand. That was good to see¨C each and every one of them understood the role they played.


    ¡°Who are we meeting with today?¡±


    ¡°The de facto leader of the planet.¡±


    ¡°They have one of those?¡±


    ¡°Sort of. The planet is split into ten sectors, each housing five of their floating cities. Each one has their own local leader, but they all seem¡­ not subservient, but they tend to to listen to the leader of the first.¡±


    ¡°Is he an Augmented?¡±


    ¡°Supposedly not.¡±


    ¡°Supposedly?¡±


    Cori nodded. ¡°Information about Torrent is tightly regulated. It was easier a century or so ago, but things have changed since then. Most of what we know comes from people who worked on the planet. Teachers, doctors¡­ that sort of thing. Most of those positions have since been taken over by natives, and very few descendants chose to leave the planet afterwards.¡±


    ¡°And those who did are bound by the Accords.¡±


    ¡°Exactly.¡±


    The Accords were the one piece of legislature upheld across the many galaxies that humanity had colonized. They were an old thing, far older than any living human, but their words were law¨C and for good reason. They guaranteed a certain quality of life for every human, regardless of their home planet. Under the Accords, information was also a protected substance. Breaking the Accords was a one-way trip to prison, no matter who you were.


    Even the ICC was subject to that rule.


    They were just one of many factions across the universe, after all¨C and the others would salivate at the opportunity to diminish their influence.


    ¡°What do you think of all this, Cori?¡±


    ¡°Sir?¡±


    ¡°Of our mission here.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t pay me to think, sir.¡±


    ¡°But I¡¯m asking you to.¡±


    ¡°Hmm¡­¡± A look of consideration crossed Cori¡¯s face. ¡°Even if you ask me that, I¡¯m not sure. We¡¯re soldiers¡­ just like you. Not moral compasses. We¡¯ve always looked to you for guidance. You lead, we follow. It¡¯s simple like that. But if you¡¯re asking whether our mission here is morally wrong¡­¡± He shrugged. ¡°I don¡¯t know. But if not you, it¡¯ll be someone else. I¡¯d at least like to think that you¡¯ll be more merciful.¡±


    ¡°Mercy, eh?¡± Stren let out a dry laugh. ¡°I seem to remember being awarded for how many our motley crew has killed.¡±


    Another shrug. ¡°Some people deserve to die.¡±


    ¡°Surely you don¡¯t think the people here deserve to die?¡±


    ¡°Of course I don¡¯t,¡± Cori answered, somewhat briskly. ¡°They¡¯ve done nothing wrong.¡±


    ¡°But?¡±


    His face hardened. ¡°They have a natural monopoly on the most important substance in the world. That¡¯s hard to swallow.¡±


    ¡°So it all comes down to necessity?¡±


    Cori nodded. ¡°I suppose. It¡¯s like I said¡­ at the end of the day, if not you, they¡¯ll send someone else. I at least have faith that our crew will try to avoid unnecessary casualties¡­ and prevent them where we can. And besides, as far as I can tell, the threat is real. We''re just... Taking advantage of it.¡±


    ¡°I see.¡± Stren came to a stop before the bulkhead door. ¡°Thank you.¡±


    ¡°Any time, sir.¡±


    As if spurred on by Cori, the large metal panel swung open, letting sunlight stream in. it was soft and gentle, unlike the harsh light of the two¡¯s homeworld. The door itself hit the ground below with a metallic clang, forming a ramp. Soldiers marched out on either side of it, their pace and cadence perfectly matched.


    Stren would have done away with the formalities on most other days, but he understood the significance of the gesture. He was here as a representative of the ICC¨C that carried weight.


    Cori followed one pace behind as he strode down the ramp.


    Each of the soldiers raised one hand in a salute as they passed, but his eyes were fixed on something else; three foreign figures quickly approaching. They all wore the same uniform; dark blue embroidered with bright gold. Though he had never seen them before, he recognized them immediately. The Tideguard. The planet¡¯s Augmented military unit.


    Even without any prior information, Stren would have recognized the man in the center as their leader. He was tall, with pale gold hair and dark blue eyes. His thin frame seemed at odds with his broad shoulders, and though he seemed no older than 40 years, an age beyond time was written on his face.


    He bowed as the Admiral approached, one hand held over his heart. ¡°We welcome Admiral Stren, envoy of the Interstellar Colonization Corporation.¡± His voice was warm and smooth, without a hint of unease.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± Stren said, returning the gesture. Cori did the same at his side. ¡°Might I ask who it is I¡¯m speaking with?¡±


    ¡°My name is Nira.¡± The golden-haired man answered as he straightened. ¡°Commander of the Tideguard. I¡¯ll be your escort for the duration of your stay here on Torrent. Please don¡¯t hesitate to ask if you find yourself in need of anything at all.¡± Though he seemed genuine, his dark eyes were cold.Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± the Admiral said, a touch unnerved. He¡¯d seen eyes like those many times before. The Commander was taking his measure. And he was no doubt an Augmented¨C killing those gathered here would be a simple matter.


    ¡°Please follow me.¡± Nira turned, the blue-green glow parting as he strode towards the building he¡¯d come from. It was made mostly of glass, as was the city beyond it. The spaceport at which they¡¯d landed was on the outskirts of the city; no doubt placed there to avoid potential damage to the megastructure.


    Stren forced his pace to remain slow and steady, languidly following a few meters behind. He was a guest here, and a representative of the ICC¨C not someone to be ordered around. Neither Nira or his two companions seemed to care.


    ¡°Any information on this man?¡±


    Cori shook his head. ¡°None beyond his name and rank.¡±


    Those damned Accords. ¡°Any combat data on the Tideguard?¡±


    ¡°None at all. Scientists from multiple factions have tried to lure one off-planet, but no dice. One thing¡¯s for certain, though.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s that?¡±


    ¡°Tangling with a hydrokinetic on a planet made of water is a terrible idea.¡±


    The Admiral smiled at that. ¡°True enough.¡± He paused. ¡°You should go back to the ship. Make sure no one steps out of line.¡±


    His first mate stiffened. ¡°Absolutely not, sir. I¡¯m here as your bodyguard¨C¡±


    ¡°Against people who could drown us with a thought,¡± Stren interjected. ¡°That¡¯s why I want you there. To keep the others in line.¡± He didn¡¯t quite trust the ICC crew. They were well-trained, no doubt, but for many of them, this was their first deployment. Not only that¡­


    ¡°You don¡¯t trust the scientists.¡±


    The Admiral smiled. ¡°You know me so well.¡± He¡¯d seen firsthand the many lines they were willing to cross in the name of science. It was a trait that the ICC actively searched for in their scientists, but one that never sat well with him. Soldiers, after all, were often the ones who paid the price.


    ¡°Very well,¡± Cori said, his voice stiff. ¡°By your command.¡± And the sound of his footsteps grew quieter.


    Stren turned his attention back to the three Tideguards, increasing his pace to catch them. One had turned to observe the exchange, and his dark blue eyes fixed on Cori¡¯s receding figure for a moment before turning back to the front.


    ¡°Is your companion well?¡±


    It took the Admiral a second to realize Nira¡¯s question was directed towards him. ¡°Yes. I asked that he stay behind to keep the peace.¡± Did he hear Cori¡¯s footsteps, or was it something else? It was always difficult to tell with Augmented.


    ¡°I see.¡± The Commander¡¯s voice was perfectly neutral. He stopped short as they came within a meter of their destination, sharply turning on his heel. ¡°I¡¯m sure you¡¯re aware of the details regarding today¡¯s meeting,¡± he said briskly.


    ¡°But to reiterate: you will be meeting with the unofficial leader of Torrent. While this meeting will take place on our planet¨C due to necessity¨C your meeting space is to be treated as neutral ground by both parties, and we expect all present to abide by the laws of the Accord.¡±


    Nira paused, giving time for his words to sink in. ¡°The three of us shall be present. Do you wish to bring any other members of your faction with you?¡±


    Stren shook his head. ¡°Not in the slightest.¡±


    ¡°Do you have any weapons?¡±


    He smiled wryly. The odd timing of this question was conducted with purpose. It was a message; that even if he did have a weapon, it was of little use. ¡°Just one.¡± The Admiral reached for his waist, removing the firearm from his waist.


    Nira¡¯s icy facade cracked for the first time. ¡°This is an old thing.¡±


    Stren nodded. ¡°Passed down in my family for generations. I expect it back once our meeting concludes.¡±


    The Commander nodded. ¡°Of course.¡±


    Those words, more than anything, gave Stren some sort of comfort. The Tideguard before him understood the importance of a soldier¡¯s weapon. That, at least, was some form of common ground.


    ¡°If you¡¯ll follow me.¡±


    The building¡¯s interior was pristine. The glass walls shone with the light of Coral, ebbing and flowing irregularly, undulating with every passing second. A number of others dressed in military uniforms¨C not all Tideguards¨C stood rigidly with their backs to the wall, each guarding a door.


    A single table, made of metal and glass, stood in the center. A single man sat at its far side.


    Nira made a gesture with his hand, and the ring of military personnel stepped out of the building at one. ¡°They will remain outside¨C for your safety and ours.¡± He moved to stand at the other man''s back.


    Stren nodded. It mattered little. He followed the Augmented to the table. Two cups sat atop its smooth surface, each holding a steaming liquid. The man seated behind it had jet-black hair and dark green eyes.


    ¡°Please, have a seat.¡± His voice, just like Nira¡¯s, was perfectly calm. ¡°I understand you¡¯re from Thali,¡± he continued. ¡°I hear this tea is favored on that planet.¡±


    The Admiral reached for the closer of the two cups. He took a sip, surprised at the familiar taste¨C tangy citrus with a subtly sweet aftertaste. ¡°My thanks.¡±


    The blue-eyed man nodded. ¡°Luxuries are easily acquired here.¡± He took a sip from his own cup before leaning back in his seat, fingers laced over one knee. ¡°My name is Sai. You are Admiral Stren, yes? I¡¯ve heard much about you. Are you to be our executioner?¡±


    Stren blinked, caught off guard.


    The man¨C Sai¨C smiled wryly. ¡°I thought it best to do away with the subtleties and hidden meanings. If you¡¯d prefer them, however¡­¡±


    The Admiral shook his head. ¡°No. This suits me just fine.¡± He hesitated. ¡°But why meet with me, then?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re a weapon, not the wielder,¡± Sai responded. ¡°I thought it in our best interest to take your measure.¡± He sighed. "And it''s not as if you''re the only weapon held at our throats. Make no mistake, I¡¯ve always been aware of our nation¡¯s precarious situation. Our home was always destined to become a battlefield. I hoped we would balance on the edge until the end of my days, but it seems that¡¯s not meant to be.¡±


    His words, though far more complicated, were reminiscent of Cori¡¯s. ¡°And if it¡¯s not me, it¡¯ll be someone else.¡±


    Sai nodded. ¡°Exactly. You may be a weapon, but ultimately, you will be the one who decides the scope of damage. That is why you''re here, is it not? In response to one of your many competitors?¡±


    ¡°And that¡¯s why you agreed to this meeting? To take my measure?¡±


    The wry smile returned. ¡°In part. I also believe that these things are best done face-to-face¡­ and I consider myself a good judge of character. It¡¯s important.¡± He leaned forward. ¡°So, I ask again: are you to be our executioner?¡±


    ¡°Nothing has been decided yet," Stren answered honestly. "Officially, I''m here as a peacekeeper. It might happen. It might not."


    Sai laughed. It was a cold, mirthless sound, devoid of any warmth or joy. "You wouldn''t be here otherwise," he said lightly. "Every other nation covets our abundance of Coral. It''s no secret."


    The Admiral nodded slowly. "It''s as you said. There are... People more morally unscrupulous than the ICC. That''s why I''m here. But... I¡¯m a soldier. I¡¯ll follow my orders. Whatever they may be. I look after more than just my own life,¡± he added somewhat hastily. ¡°There are people that follow me. People that I need to protect.¡±


    Sai nodded. ¡°I understand. Our positions are similar in that way, though they differ in scale. I may rue this day, especially in those to come, but I understand. I bear you no ill will. All I ask is that you keep the casualties to a minimum¨C  even as we struggle in response.¡±


    Stren grudgingly found himself respecting the man before him. No- not grudgingly. He was someone deserving of respect. Admiration, even.


    ¡°I¡¯ll do what I can.¡±


    Another nod. "That''s all I can ask." The green-eyed man drained his mug, then stood. "If there is nothing more on your agenda, I''ll take my leave."


    "Already?" Stren tried- and failed- to hide his surprise.


    "As I said. I consider myself a good judge of character." Sai gestured towards the entrance of the building. "While you''re free to travel the planet as you wish, I ask that you allow an officer to remain by your side at all times, should you choose to leave the confines of your ship. For your own safety."


    The Admiral shook his head. "I won''t be staying on the surface long."


    "Very well." Sai offered a shallow bow. "I understand your hesitance, but I hope you see the beauty of our planet before its fall."


    "May I ask you a question?"


    "You may, though I will not guarantee you an answer."


    "If I were someone less agreeable, what was your planned course of action?"


    His green eyes narrowed. "What is the purpose of that question?"


    "You aim to take my measure. Is it so wrong of me to do the same?"


    "That was dependent on your character. If you were only mildly disagreeable, the outcome here likely would have been no different."


    "And if I was highly disagreeable?"


    The consideration on his face was clear. "On the extreme end, we may have killed you." His voice was light and matter-of-fact, a stark contrast to the brutality of his words.


    Stren narrowed his eyes. The answer was yet another means of taking his measure, he was sure. "Even though such an act would have violated the Accords?" He was here as a peacekeeper- not a conqueror.


    "Even still."


    "Why?"


    Sai tilted his head. "Why else? For the sake of my people."


    "I don''t follow."


    "The limits of war are decided by those guiding it. If condemning myself might ease their woes, that is a small price to pay."


    "You say dangerous things with such ease."


    He laughed. "A result of my upbringing, perhaps. Everyone on this planet is raised with the knowledge of our home''s precarious position. It''s instilled a sort of... Defiance in us."


    "That seems like a harsh upbringing."


    "Perhaps. But lying to our children would be harsher still."


    "... I understand."


    The black-haired man stepped around the table to offer Stren one hand. "I won''t lie and say that it''s been a pleasure- but I''m glad to see that you seem reasonable."


    The Admiral accepted it after a moment of hesitation. "I understand," he said tersely. "I can''t stop what''s to come, but I''ll do what I can. I give you my word."


    Sai''s face softened ever so slightly. "Thank you." The sincerity in those two words was apparent.


    "Then I''ll take my leave as well." Stren''s holo-watch beeped as he stood. Frowning, he looked down at it- and then choked on his own breath as he read the displayed message.


    Across from him, Nira''s actions mirrored his own.


    "Wait."


    "Yes?"


    "I''m afraid I''ll have to take you up on your offer." He sighed. "I apologize. It seems my daughter has caused some trouble."


    Sai raised an eyebrow. "Your daughter?"


    Stren bristled ever so slightly. "Yes."


    "Don''t interpret ill-intent where there is none," the green-eyed man said coolly. "If she''s here on this planet- without your direct assistance- the Tideguard will have quite a few questions for her. I''ll make sure nothing comes of it."


    "... Thank you."


    "A small price to pay for your favor. Not that I expect anything of the sort," he added with a knowing smile. "Nira. Go with him."


    The golden-haired Tideguard stepped forward at that, his previously troubled expression nowhere to be seen. "Follow me, please."


    Stren followed him as he stepped towards the building''s exit.


    "I may owe you an apology."


    He stopped short. Of all the possible words, those six were the most confusing ones Nira could have uttered. "Whatever for?"


    "I just received a report that my son was involved in the incident regarding your daughter. There''s no sign of harm, but he has a rather... Unique disposition."


    "How unique?"


    The Tideguard''s lips curved into the slightest of smiles. "Very unique." He paused before continuing, and his icy demeanor returned. "You''re free to traverse the planet as you wish. Sai has chosen to trust you. I ask that you don''t take it lightly- from one soldier to another."


    "Sai?" That was an odd way to address one''s direct superior.


    "I was his friend before I was his subordinate." He paused again, and his voice turned even colder as he spoke. "I trust Sai''s judgement. But if you try to harm anyone during your stay here on Torrent, I will be forced to intervene." His words were devoid of anger and threat alike; the held only the cold certainty of death.


    "You may not believe me, but I have no desire to harm the innocents."


    "I understand." Nira held one hand out, the old firearm balanced on his palm. "I''ll return this to you. I do, however, ask that you keep it hidden." His action, of course, held another meaning: the weapon itself was of no consequence.


    "Thank you. I''ll do just that." Despite that, Stren was glad to have it back. Its smooth, worn metal brought him no small amount of comfort.