For once, the sky was clear over Shinkai, ushering in an unexpected tranquility that was rarely seen but undoubtedly welcomed.

A calm, salty breeze lured Neto Nicely into a midday respite, his wide-brimmed, straw hat peeking out over the edge of his flat-bottom skiff.

His sun-drenched arm stretched out to meet the endless sea, his fingers tracing through the water, letting them linger just long enough to feel that revitalizing kiss from the sea herself.

Blotches of calcium speckled Neto’s bare arms, cauterizing any tear on his darkened, synthetic skin. Solar-shard metal peeked out from the bend in his elbow, glistening under Twin Sol’s rays.

He traced around the torn gash. “You weren’t made for this weather, were you?”

The harsh conditions did him no favors, nor did the lack of any other Synthetics here on the surface. Any mechanical help was few and far between, and if they were found, well, information is just as valuable, if not more valuable than currency here with the seafarers, so affording it would be highly unlikely.

He clenched his fingers in and then out. At least his body has held up this long, he thought. After all, nothing beats life on the open sea.

A familiar shanty popped into Neto’s head, one that he and the Whereabouts had belted out time and time again.

“Oh, we sail the endless ocean, where tales of Shinkai ride,

A shadow ‘neath the waves, where secrets do confide.” Neto sung out in a youthful wisp.

“In the heart of the sea, where the legend takes its flight,

Our ship will glide on through, to avoid the beast’s might.”

The skiff rocked to-and-fro, gently signaling the tides had turned.

“Aye and had I a choice I’d rather come face to face with whatever beasts lurked below than have to deal with Mister Trench for one more day.”

Neto roared with laughter. Poor old Mister Trench had nothing better to do with his life than chase Neto and the Whereabouts across the sea.

The wind whipped again causing Neto to grab hold of his hat. Yes, it was time to go, the currents would be picking up.

Steadying himself, Neto plunged his weathered paddle back down into the ocean’s embrace, like a sword drawn back into its sheath. The worn, wooden handle welcoming Neto’s grip.

There was something about the way the waters stirred that caused Neto to pause. The way the clouds fluttered in the sky, the lack of surf. Something was clearly off and if he wanted to get back to Castian and the rest of the Whereabouts by nightfall, he needed to paddle like he’d gotten an infestation of hydrillix crabs on his arms.

The Sundar Rose Floating Market came into view just up ahead. Each shop bobbed to its own rhythm, coming together to create a beautiful symphony. Merchants and shoppers alike smiled, waving, and saying hello to Neto as he waded through its spindly waterways.

Bartering here at the market was a sport, rowdy repartee parried back and forth from one stall to another. The smell of fried fish wafted in the air, while the beating of drums echoed out from the market’s promenade.

Panhandlers clogged the busiest of junctions, begging for any scrap they could get, while pilgrims trekking across the open sea sought passage from any willing barge. All the while, everyone one of them were desperately trying to avoid the watchful gaze of Mister Trench.

Neto paddled up to Sovinara’s Pearl. The quaint stand was buoyed by large, empty barrels tied to the raft with hemp, a far cry from the newer stands that used hydro-repellent fields to effortlessly traverse the market. 

A rag-tag collection of linens hung from a bamboo frame, giving shoppers the much-needed shade from Twin Sol’s ferocity.

“Hey-heya, look what the tide washed in here.” A short, plump woman stood behind the counter, her hair wrapped up neatly in a traditional head scarf. “What are you on Norodome time? Waltzing in late like some big-time city goer, eh, Neto, dear?”

Neto couldn’t help but smile as he hopped up onto the Pearl. “Sorry, Sovi, the water got the better of me.”

“Aye, as it always seems to do, dear.” Sovi shuffled out to meet Neto, wrapping her arms as far as they would go around the younger man. “How have the boys been? They’d be expecting you soon for supper I’d suppose those scoundrels would eat me out of house and home if they lived under my roof!” She shook her head. “I swear I’ve seen some great shellbacks eat less than them boys!”

Neto couldn’t help but laugh. “They sure do, but they do what they can help out.”

“I’ll say.” Sovi’s eyes widened. “I saw Finn and Skylark gallivanting around earlier, nearly got caught by Trench himself. Those damned boys are going to put me in an early grave if they hide in the Pearl one more time!”

“I’ll talk to them, Sovi, I’ll talk to them.” Neto rubbed the old shopkeeper’s back and ventured further into her stand. “Good thing you’ll be retiring soon then, eh?”

That caused Sovi to roll her eyes. “Aye, I will, and I’ll waste away just like everything else thrown into these ravenous waters. Had I any say in the matter I wouldn’t be anyway, they be forcing me out.”

“Well, we’ll miss you, Sov, we’ll be sure to stop by every now and then to visit.”

“Aye, something to look forward to, now, six rowdy boys over my house, what a blessed day that would be.”

Sovi traced her fingers along a string of beads that ran across the side of her stall.

“So, tell me, dear, what are you really here for? You just picked up a bushel of fresh fish just yesterday, surely you can’t be out already.” The woman’s eyebrows curled up in curiosity. Surely, those boys can’t eat that much, can they?

“It’s Castian, the boy’s not doing too well.” Neto leaned forwarded as if the weight of the situation had finally overtaken him. “It’s his stomach…at least I think it is. The poor boy can’t even keep down a cup of tea anymore.”

Castian had been the youngest of the Whereabouts, having stumbled into Sovinara’s Pearl nearly two years ago now. The poor boy didn’t even know how to swim the day he showed up at Sovi’s. All he had on him was the clothes on his back and a locket he held tightly in his hand.

The young boy had apparently lost his father and was looking for him. After a few days when his father didn’t turn up, Neto and the other Whereabouts took Castian under their wing.

Those boys are trouble, Sovi thought to herself, but they sure know how to take care of one another.

Sovi shook her, if it wasn’t for Neto those boys would all be homeless still, with no family, no shelter. Had she the means, she’d take them all in, Neto included, still, she can help the boys now.

“Stomach, stomach…” She grumbled as she rifled through her cupboard. Her gnarled fingers mixed together a concoction of herbs.

“Here now, dear, you see? Boil some water and let a scoop of this here seep for five good minutes and then let dear Castian drink it. Slowly of course. He should be able to keep it all down.”

Sovi reconsidered that and then corrected herself. “It will at least stay down until the herbs have done their work.”

Neto inspected the clay bowl before stuffing it away in his satchel. If this didn’t work, he’d have no choice but to bring Castian to Mother Present and the dreadnaughts that lurked near her cove.

The Whereabouts always found a way though, no matter the cost and Neto didn’t think this time would be any different.

“Thank you, Sovi, I’m sure it will do.” Neto held his head high. “We’ve got the wind at our backs now, I can feel it.”

Sovi poked out her pudgy nose and inhaled. “Aye, I can feel something alright, not sure it’s the wind though. Just be careful out there, Neto, dear.”

“I will be, I will be.” Neto assured Sovi just as much as he did himself. 

“And if you don’t have the wind at your back, make sure you’ve got your wits in your head.”

“Aye, I always do, Sovi, I always do.”

The solemnity between the two came to a crashing halt as a flash of a figure burst into the Pearl.

“Please, oh, please, can you help me, Miss Sovi? I’ve heard you help out where you can. Please, Mister Trench, he’s gonna get me.”

It was a hawkish looking woman somewhere between sixteen and thirty-six. The years were not fair to her, nor did the dirt on her face do her any favors.

“Please.” She begged once more. “I haven’t a meal in nearly four days, I just needed some food.”

Sovi glared at Neto as if to say, this is your doing, you and those pesky children of yours.

“Fine, dear, come this way.” Sovi said in a huff. “But next time you need food you come to dear Sovi first, don’t go picking anyone pockets, you hear?”

A thick set of boots pounced onto the Pearl as Sovi guided the woman away through a swath of curtains.

“Where’d you go me lass?” A gravelly voice called out.

A slender man stepped into the Pearl, his tricorne hat scrapping up against the Pearl’s make-shift ceiling.

“Hello Mister Trench.” Neto gleefully welcomed the bailiff, eager for the coming exchange. “I haven’t heard anyone call old Sovi a lass in some time now, have you been courting her you old heartie?”

The translucent oxy-grafts on either side of Trench’s neck methodically pulled in and out as he examined Neto, his fingers clenching tightly into a fist.

“You know I ain’t looking for Sovi, I’ve gotten her dues this month already. But now that you mention it, where is that old fart?”

Mister Trench stomped around the shop, his frock coat whipping around behind him, tearing open every curtain he passed.

“Eh, eh, eh, I wouldn’t go there.” Neto nonchalantly called out.

The towering man stopped in his tracks, turning back around. What teeth he had peeked out from behind a thick beard. “And why exactly is that matey?”

“Aye, I thought you’d know, being Sovi’s sweetie and all. That’s her privy. You can certainly go back there if you want to see the wench in that type of state and all, though.”

As if on cue, Sovi burst back into the shop, nearly knocking over Mister Trench.

“Oh, pardon me, Mister Trench.” She said as she wiped her hands down on her apron. “What can I do for you this fine afternoon? I was just having Neto dear, here looking over the shop for a moment, you know, you can’t close down shop every time nature calls.”

Mister Trench took one step back away from the shopkeep. “There was a theft a few shops down and I chased the dame down here before the lass suddenly disappeared. Now, she’s either a ghost or you’ve been helping her Miss Sovinara, which will it be?”

“Maybe your eyes are going bad, there Trenchy.” Neto couldn’t help himself.

“Enough!” Mister Trench slammed his fist down onto Sovi’s counter. “Do you support theft here at Sundar Rose, Miss Sovinara?”

“What? No.”

Neto could sense the fear in old Sovi’s voice. Why did he have to put old Sovi through all of this.

“Then I reckon next time you turn in any criminal that comes your way, now, do you hear? Or I’ll be closing your shop up even sooner.”

“Of course, Mister Trench.” Sovi said, bowing her head.

“And you.” Trench barked at Neto. “If I see you around here anymore, I’ll have your head.”

Sovi gasped as Mister Trench stalked out of the Pearl.

“Aye, you’ll put me in an early grave, won’t you, now, Neto?” She slapped his arm. “And if I ever hear you call me a wench again, I’ll hand you over to Trench myself!”

Neto scampered away from Sovi’s handful of fury. “I’m sorry, Sovi, I’m sorry, but she got away, right?”

“Aye, she did.” The wrinkles on Sovi’s face wrapped around her smile. “Aye, she did you bloody whelp. So long as she finds a better footing, I’ll be happy.”

Neto couldn’t help but smile. He recalled Sovi said the same when she’d come across Castian and all of the other Whereabouts.

“I’m sure she will, Sovi, you’ve helped us all find our footing.”

“I suppose you’re right, eh? Even if you Whereabouts are a thorn in my fat arse.” The old woman burst out into a big, belly laugh. “Now you get on moving and get that over to young Castian.”

“I will.” Neto patted his bag before leaving, double checking the herbs were still there.

“And you come here tomorrow and let me know how the boy is.” She called out.

“Yes, of course.”

One final call out. “Aye, and remember, keep your wits about you, now!”

Yes, Neto thought, something about this day told him he’d have to stay as sharp as a tack.

八

The muscles in Neto’s arms tensed as the currents came to a standstill. Neto had ridden the tide nearly all the way from Sundar Rose to where he and the Whereabouts’ called home, Far Gully.

He’d spent most of the ride wondering how he could repay Sovi for everything she’d done for him. She was the one who found Neto all those years ago when they were both in much better shape.

Yes, he thought, he’d have to repay her somehow.

Neto looked up into the sky to try and gauge what was causing this odd flow in the tide today. He would have to row the rest of the way home if the waves had fallen into a slumber.

Despite the calmness of the wind, Neto’s skiff was sent rocking as a mysterious object pushed up against its port side.

“Woah, steady, girl, steady.”

Neto cut the paddle in towards the hull to try and steady the ship. He slowly swayed back to a halt.

Neto caught Twin Sol’s gaze, the dual star’s violet hue spilling over the Western horizon, making sure that the skiff had not been knocked off course.

“Still South by Southwest. Aye, still good.”

He leaned over the port side, inspecting the tranquil sea. So odd to see the water so still.

His eyes caught a broken off piece of wood. From a barrel perhaps, or a sunken ship. Whatever it was, it was certainly large enough to jolt the skiff.

A faint, but distinct plop echoed out up ahead, it seemed alien compared to the usual drumming of the waves. Neto’s eyes darted toward the source, a dark piece of debris had emerged, breaking the surface with a small burst.

Neto swept the piece towards him, using his paddle as a ladle. Tiny polyps jutted out of intricate branches, spreading across the paddle’s blade. Coral, but its once vibrant color was now dulled.

Both pieces must have been caught in Mekhala’s Grasp, a series of underwater jetways that spread across all of Shinkai. That would mean that even her mighty currents had come to a pause.

Dipping a finger in the sea, Neto pulled it back up and licked the salt water.

“Aye, I am close to one of her gyres now.”

A shiver trickled down his spine. Everyone knew if you were caught in one of Mekhala’s expansive networks, there was no getting out of it. At that point, you were the seas and the seas alone.

The water around the skiff began to ripple, first in slow, large circles, and then more rapidly, in closer intervals.

Slopping the oar into the wade, Neto immediately started to row.

“Oh no. No, no no no.”

Something larger must have fallen free from the underwater current’s influence. The rings of water were now nearly the size of his boat. Whatever was heading towards the surface was traveling fast and aimed right at him.

A tear-drop shaped capsule, almost as large as his own boat, burst out of the water. It towered over Neto as the oblong pod crested the surface. Water rivulets ran down the side of its metal shell as if the sheen, silvery body was birthed from the ocean itself.

With a crash, the capsule plunged down on its side, bringing life back into the still ocean. A tidal wave nearly the same height as Neto collapsed down on the synthetic man as he held on for dear life.

The pod bobbed in place, nestling close to Neto and his skiff, the raucous commotion settling back down to a silent lull.

Neto’s dumbfounded reflection stared back at him off the sheen of the metal. He’d never heard of Mekhala’s currents coming to a stop before. There must be pandemonium across the surface.

Sliding his hand down across the slick facade, his mirror image split in two as the enclosure started to open. Reflexively, Neto yanked his hand back, startled at first by the sudden hiss the capsule let out as it retracted open.

The once seamless, metal pod swayed gently. Neto, who was as perplexed as could be, was now face to face with a sleeping woman.

She looked worried. Her brows butting up against one another in battle, and her cheeks sunken in with despair.

How can you worry so much while sleeping, Neto wondered.

He didn’t dream, actually, he never slept, he more so reset overnight. Still, whenever one of the Whereabouts spoke of a dream, it was about a fantastical ride on the back of a great shellback or sword fighting nasty Mister Trench, or even visiting the underwater city of Norodome. All of that sounded fun, nothing that would worry Neto.

He wanted to reach out, her high cheek bones pushed up against her sun-deprived skin. Her presence alone drew him in until he nearly tumbled down into the pod with her.

She reminded Neto of the legend of The Silent Maiden, a spirit who traversed the endless sea of Shinkai, still waiting for her loved one to return home.

It is said that if you cross paths with the Maiden, you are blessed with her never-ending patience, yet if you pull her attention away from the sea, you will be met the fierce Maiden’s fervor.

Neto hoped that he could avoid this maiden’s fervor.

The sleeping woman was dressed in a simple pair of beige slacks and a similarly bland wrapped, cloth top.

Could she be a prisoner, Neto considered, though he couldn’t imagine for what reason.

Her chest ever-so-slightly filled with air and then descended back down like the morning tide.

No, she couldn’t be a criminal on the run, she reminded him more of the High Lady of the Galeon Dynasty. The same way she carried herself, the same sublime way her hands were draped over one another in her lap.

As if sensing Neto’s anxiety, the woman’s breathing accelerated, her chest now more like a ship sailing through a storm’s choppy tide. Neto grabbed the woman by her shoulders trying to steady the now frenzied woman.

In the midst of the chaos, her eyes flickered open, locking in with Neto, sending the woman into a frantic cry.

Neto jumped back away from the pod. “It’s alright, it’s alright.” He said, not really knowing what else to say.

“Oh, no. Oh, no, no, no.” The woman scurried back up against the edge of her pod. “No, no, this can’t be real.”

Her fingers ran through her already pulled back hair, causing the pod to splash. Her eyes darted over the edge and in one frantic moment she came to realize where she was.

“Water…” Her voice dropped. “No, not water.” Her knuckles whitened as her death grip on the side of the pod tightened.

“This is only a dream, Surai.” She said to herself.

The woman, Surai, closed her eyes and sunk back down into the cradle of the pod. “It’ll pass in time, just keep your eyes closed and soon we’ll be on to a new one.”

Perhaps she wasn’t some graceful High Lady after all.

Surai’s arms were trembling as they wrapped around herself. Neto stood in shock, amazed that he had just been glazed over in this hectic moment.

“Uh, miss?” He called out. “Surai?”

The delirious nature of Surai seemed to take a pause as her gaze drew back on Neto.

“This isn’t some dream.” He hesitated, wondering if he should pinch himself just to make sure. “At least, I don’t think it is. Let me give you a hand before the water gets choppy.”

“Water?” Surai couldn’t help but call out. By the sea’s wrath, she didn’t know how to swim, not even in the pools back home, let alone this.

She had heard about the endless sea when she was younger but boy, did she underestimate its vastness.

The sun-kissed man leaned over, his arm extended out to her.

“You’re not from the surface, are you?” A quick smirk flashed on his face.

Surai could feel it now, the water, swaying ever so slightly. “I… I can’t swim.”

“I won’t let you fall in, trust me.”

She stretched her arm out, meeting his, carefully pulling herself up.

“I’m Neto by the way, you’re lucky I was running late today, otherwise you would have been stuck out here on your own.”

Well, that’s a terrifying thought, Surai considered. She let Neto pull her up onto his skiff.

“You’re from Norodome, then?” Neto asked, genuine curiosity flashing over his face.

Well, that was a loaded question.

“Yes.” Surai took a breath. “But I haven’t been there for nearly seven years now.” She noticed the lacerations on his skin, the synthetic material underneath. “Are you from Norodome too?”

She watched as Neto jerked his hand over the largest wound at his elbow joint. All the Synthetics in Norodome were stuck up and proud, Neto, though, suddenly seemed unsure and self-conscious.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to…” Surai’s voice trailed off.

“No, no, it’s fine, I don’t think I’m from the city. All I’ve ever known was life here on the surface.” Now it was time for him to pause. “The open sea is all I’ve ever known.”

Leaning up against the port side of the boat, Surai allowed herself to exhale. She was awake, back to reality. How did this even happen?

It was refreshing, yet surreal to breathe in such crisp, cool air, to feel the wind caress her skin.

“You said something about dreaming,” Neto cut in. “Is that what you were doing in that pod?”

Surai could only nod in agreement.

She watched as Neto inspected her pod. “So, this was some type of wellness pod or something?”

“You could say that. It’s called a Vision Pod. I…” Surai dropped her head down. “I, well, I had some issues back at home and the safest thing I thought I could do was to lock myself in one of these. The Blessed Eye certainly wasn’t looking over me.”

“The Blessed Eye.” Now it was all making sense to Neto. He’d heard of the Blessed Eye before. Mother Present had told the Whereabouts about its influence over the galaxy.

“Why let a machine dictate your life when you can do so yourself?” she once said to them, and Neto couldn’t help but agree.

“And you’ve been locked away in there this entire time?” Neto used his oar to point at the metallic container.

Surai twisted around, avoiding Neto’s eyes. “Seven years come next cycle.”

Seven salting years, Neto couldn’t imagine. “Well, just thank the sea that you didn’t end up in deep water with the dreadnaughts.”

Neto wanted to laugh as Surai’s eyes widened at the thought.

“That’s nothing to worry about now, though.” He added.

Stars began to faintly twinkle in the twilight of the sky. “We should get moving, though, it is getting late.”

Neto dunk the long, timber oar into the water and started to paddle.

This caused Surai to perk up. “But I… I need to wait for them to come and get me. I can’t go out into the world, I need to get back in there.” She pointed back at her dream pod.

“That thing?” Neto’s eyebrows shot up. “I don’t think that thing will be up and running any time soon.”

The non-responsive interior of the pod seemed to agree.

Surai’s jaw dropped open and then shut.

“You’ll be fine, we can get you fed and rested, and then we’ll find a way to get you back to where you belong.”

Surai didn’t have the energy to disagree, she pulled her knees up against her chest and laid her head down as Neto steered the boat onward.

八

Looking out over the far-reaching sea, Surai couldn’t imagine how long it would take to get to wherever Neto called home. Growing up, all she had heard were stories about scalawags and scoundrels sailing the open sea, reigning terror down on those who would dare get in their way.

Perhaps Neto was taking her back to a large three-mast ship to hold her captive, run by a slimy sleaze-ball of a captain. The sudden thought made Surai consider plunging herself back into the water and running for it, despite her inability to swim.

No, she thought, those are old wife’s tales, we are all people of Shinkai, regardless of how different Norodome was to…she surveyed the open sea…whatever this was.

She knew all too well about the prejudices that city folk held over seafarers. She had to give Neto a chance. After all, he did help her when he could have just kept on rowing.

The massive expanse of the sea soon welcomed colossal stone hooks jutting out of the water, or could those be bones? Surai didn’t want to consider what type of creature could be that immense in size. Instead, she stood in wonder as the skiff drifted towards a capsized ship.

Surai couldn’t help but laugh. “He is taking me to a ship.” She whispered. “Just not quite what I expected.”

Tendrils of chains stretched out from the ship to four of the curved monoliths, seemingly there to keep the capsized vessel from drifting away. Each chain link that dragged through the water was nearly as wide as Surai’s waist and just as tall as her.

Faint light glowed from beneath the ship, some sort of flotation device Surai assumed, and hand-drawn hempen ladders draped the side of the hull leading to various hatches.

“Welcome to Far Gully.”

The golden calligraphy of the ship’s once grandiose name was worn away and written back over in less than perfect handwriting.

Neto pulled his oar back into the skiff, letting the current guide them in now. As they bumped up against the upside-down ship, Neto weighed whether to bring Surai immediately in or to have her wait while he checked in on the boys.

Not that he didn’t want to help her right away, no, he just didn’t trust the boys to act accordingly.

Once Neto could feel the skiff’s polarity bolts latch to Far Gully, he hopped over the ledge and onto the dock.

“Why don’t you give me a second to…” Neto struggled to figure out a good excuse. “To make sure it’s not a complete mess inside before you come in?” Or at least that the boys weren’t at one another’s throats.

He could see the hesitation in Surai’s piercing, gray eyes. They bore through Neto in protest. He knew what it was like to be a stranger here, he went through this with each one of the boys.

“I know.” He acknowledged her unspoken squabble. “I promise I’ll be quick.”

Without another word he pulled open the hatch door and stepped inside.

“Well, there you are.” A voice immediately met Neto. “What’s been holding you up?”

A boy, about chest high was waiting, very impatiently for him.

“Oh, Brine, sorry, I ran into Mister Trench at the Pearl and on my way back -“

“Yeah, where’ve you been?” Another voice echoed out. “You had us all worried sick!”

It was Syd. He hated it when things were thrown off schedule, and most importantly hated it when he didn’t know why.

Syd stormed in, standing shoulder to shoulder with Brine. Both boy’s hair was a little too long and looked as if a big gust of wind had just blown by.

Similarly to Neto, their clothes were not in the best shape, tattered in the most worn-out spots, and a general sheen of dirt and sweat lined each one of the boys.

“So, are you going to answer me or not?” Brine pestered him. “Where’ve been? Castian is boiling up.”

Neto slung his bag off his shoulder as he snaked his way through the corridor, the two boys following close behind.

“I told you both, Mister Trench was causing trouble at Sovi’s and -“

“Bloody ol’ Trench.” A third, deeper voice butted in.

Neto looked up to see Skylark slung up in his hammock, one leg dangling out. It was dim here in their common room, but Neto could already tell it was a mess.

“Mister Stench nearly caught me and Finny today at the market, but it was all worth it in the end. We’ve gotten some pretty juicy gossip to sell-off tomorrow.”

“Aye, well that’s good, now. There’s nothing more valuable than properly placed hearsay, isn’t there.”

Neto noticed that Skylark would talk about nothing but business nowadays. He thought that soon enough Skylark would be off on his own, providing for himself, running his own newsline at the market.

“Where is Finn, now, anyway?” Neto inquired.

Skylark sighed as if Neto should know the answer. “You know how that boy be, he’s over with Castian now watching over him.”

“Good.” Neto said more to himself than to any of the other three. He dug through his bag to find the bowl of herbs Sovi had given him. “Here.” He reached out towards Syd. “Go boil some water with this in it and give Castian a cup once its settled.”

The scrawny boy’s eyebrows furrowed at the request, but he didn’t complain or ask any questions, he just nodded his head and left for the galley.

“That boy has been trouble ever since we’ve taken him in.” Skylark griped. He now sat up in the hammock.

“So were you, not so long ago.” Neto retorted.

Was this what happened when boys came of age, Neto wondered. Did they have to challenge every thought, every idea you had.

“He’ll be running newsline at Sundry Rose before you know it, Sky, now why don’t you – “

Neto was going to suggest they helped clean up, but Skylark’s face looked as if he’d suddenly seen a ghost. Brine, who was never short on words, seemed to have lost his gift of gab as well.

“Neto?” A soft voice, Surai’s voice called out from behind him.

Brine was the first one to break the silence. “Who in the high seas are you lady?”

A look of panic rushed onto Neto’s face, but Surai couldn’t just stand around and do nothing outside. “I’m sorry to barge in, but there was someone…something approaching. A craft of some sorts.”

“Approaching?” Skylark called out. “Who even knows we’re here?”

“I can think of one.” Neto grunted.

Syd had returned, scurrying back into the room, looking as if he had just spilled a pot of water on himself.

How many unkempt boys lived on this ship, Surai mused.

A bang at the door seemed to shake the entire room, jolting half of the boys up in the air. They all turned to Neto.

“Who, who could it be?” Brine asked.

The entire room held its breath in apprehension before Neto finally declared, “Trench.”

The boys ran in every which direction, bumping and banging into one another.

Skylark barked orders or at least tried to bark orders at the rest of the gang but failed miserably to find any sort of order amidst the wild rumpus.

What a wonder one name held over these boys by simply hearing it.

Brine hid behind a tall, winged back chair, his slingshot pulled at the ready, and Syd popped out from behind the doorway, a metal pot pulled over his head like a make-shift helmet.

Neto immediately moved into action, turning back and ordering, “Stay hidden and quiet for now, and whatever you do, keep her safe,” and then left for his date with Mister Trench.

Surai felt everyone’s eyes lock on to her as she froze in place, stuck in the eye of the storm.

Finally, Skylark barked over, “Hey lady, get down, quick.”

Breaking free of her daze, she hurried to the closest piece of furniture she could find, the winged-back chair Brine was hidden behind.

“I hope you don’t mind sharing your spot with me.” Surai turned to say to Brine but the sogging boy was gone.

These damned boys couldn’t stay still for one moment.

Peering up over the chair, Surai could see the three boys inching towards the door, trying to get a good listen.

“Hey, get back here.” Surai called out, knowing full well that most young boys had an innate ability to tune out any adult’s voice.

The Whereabouts did stop in their tracks, but not because of Surai, it was the hatch door opening that scared them stiff.

It was indeed Mister Trench. The towering man looked down on Neto as he opened the hatch. Nothing more than Trench’s rotten scowl peeked out from behind his tricorne hat.

“Mister Trench, what a pleasant surprise.”

Neto could hear the Whereabouts stumbling to a halt in the next room over. He just prayed that the boys would stay quiet long enough to keep Mister Trench from getting suspicious.

“Somehow I doubt that matey.” The wind tore through the tails of his coat, the leather clattering against itself.  “There be some odd happenstances going on around today, did you seem to notice?”

Red, piercing lights flickered on from behind the tilted cap as Trench peered over Neto’s shoulder.

“Nothing strange happening ’round here, now, is there?” His beard blew to one side as the wind intensified.

“No strange things happening around here.” Neto bounced back and forth on his feet. “Actually, I’m surprised you came out all this way asking about such vaguely strange things when it looks like a storm’s coming.”

Neto leaned forward, glaring out at the night sky. “Nope, doesn’t look good at all.”

“Enough with ya.” A blade jammed into the side of door frame. “I ain’t afraid of no bad weather, now.”

Barnacle! Was that a harpoon arm?

“Ah, I see you’ve got your hunting arm on.” Neto stammered through. “How long has it been since you’ve lost your arm, now? Four years? Five? Is it true you lost it fighting a big old dreadnaught?”

“Enough with it!” Trench barked.

Even though Neto couldn’t see them, he could hear the two oxy-grafts suctioning up against Trench’s neck as his breathing intensified.

“I be here on behalf of the ForeCyte Corporation. They be searching for one of their clients who went missing from one of their, what do you call ’em? Vision Pods. And they be paying a happy sum for whoever finds the fugitive.”

A deadly grin curled up on Trench’s face. “And it just so happens that steel casket was found just a few klicks west of here. Now if you so happen to know anything that can help me with this, I may be so gracious as to give you a percentage of the bounty.”

A bounty? That didn’t sound like just a missing patient. It must be a pretty large sum for Trench to even offer him anything. Either this ForeCyte company took their business very seriously or someone who pays them does.

“I’ve never even heard of those, what do you call ’em? Vision Pods.” Neto couldn’t help but mimic Trench. “But I do like myself some extra marks if it’s worth my time. What do you have on the missing client? What’s his name?”

“It be a she.” Mister Trench grimaced. “Surai Chea of Norodome.”

Good, he took the bait, Neto thought, better to throw him off the scent.

A violet light appeared in Trench’s good hand. A holovid of Surai rotated above a small, metallic disc. She looked younger, much younger, although the look in her eyes made it seem as if her heart was not with her.

Neto bent down, closely examining Surai. Despite all this information, there was still one important detail missing, why go through all of this trouble to find her?

No matter what, even if she wanted to be a frozen dreamsicle, he’d never turn her over to Trench.

“Weird.” Neto curiously hummed to himself. “I always pictured Norodomans…or is it Domites, to look weird-like with translucent skin and glowing skeletons. Or…”

He jutted his pointer finger up, as if he’d just thought of a brilliant idea. “Or some sort of cybernetic monster that lurked in the ocean depths.” Neto paused before adding. “Sort of like you.”

“Why you scurvy dog, I should feed you to the fish.” Trench cursed, spittle clinging to his wild beard.

“And under what charge, Mister Trench? I’ve done nothing wrong.” He knew Mister Trench would abide by the law. That was the only good thing about old Trenchy, he abides by the law whenever he was on duty.

Mister Trench yanked the blade of his harpoon arm out of the wood. “So, you haven’t seen the woman, then, now?”

Neto shrugged. “You think I’d pass up any marks if I have?”

“Then I’ll be on my way, now, but I swear if you be lying to me, I’ll have your head.”

Trench turned around, diving into the water without any hesitation. Off in the distance, his imposing ship, Dew Process, awaited its captain’s return.

Before Neto could even return to the common room, the three boys burst into a frenzy of questions.

“You’re from Norodome?”

“What’s it like down there?”

“Why’d you come up to the surface?”

“Why is Trenchy looking for you?”

“Are you some type of princess down there?”

“What’s a Vision Pod?”

It was a fury of questions that Surai wasn’t sure she was ready to answer. Luckily for her, Neto came in before any more questions were asked.

“Enough, alright?” He ordered. “She’s had a long day, haven’t you Surai?”

“You didn’t tell us she was from Norodome.” Skylark argued.

“Or that Mister Trench was after her!” Brine added.

Neto held his hands up in the air. “I’m curious too,” he glanced at Surai, “But that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t help. If you’d given me a chance, I would have explained everything before Trench arrived. She was alone, stranded in the middle of the ocean, what was I supposed to do, leave her by herself?”

“No, that’s not what us Whereabouts do! We help those in need.” Syd answered, and the other two boys nodded.

“That’s right, and we’re here to help you, Surai.” Neto said.

Brine grunted. “But I still wanna know about Norodome…”

“Be courteous to our guest, Brine, she’ll talk when she’s ready.”

Surai now realized just how young some of these boys were. All these boys, orphaned, living on their own…

She fought back the emotions that welled up inside of her. It’d been so long since she’d actually felt, well, anything. It felt good.

Curious eyes were fixated on her. She wondered what her life could have been.

“I’ll make a deal.” She said, surprising everyone in the room. “I’ll tell you about myself, if you all promise to tell me each of your stories.”

“Our stories?” Skylark asked. “There ain’t nothing special about us.”

“Of course there is, you’re all helping me, aren’t you? And you all help one another. I’d say that’s pretty special.” Surai replied.

They all looked at one another in silent deliberation.

“I think that’s a fair deal.” Neto finally answered.

“But you first.” Brine insisted.

Surai nodded. “Me first.” It’s alright Surai, she told herself. “Where do I start?” she asked out loud. “Well…”

“It was a nightmare. A nightmare that drove me to seek refuge in that Vision Pod. Actually, that’s not true.” Just say it, Surai, get it off your chest. “I should say, I was the nightmare, and I was trying to keep everyone safe from me.”

That certainly gave pause to everyone around her.

Don’t worry boys, I’m no spooky witch or anything, she said to herself, just my own worst enemy.

“When I was younger, much younger, I fell in love with a boy named Ravy. He was my first kiss, my first love, he was everything to me, but he was never one to stay in one place too long. He was a sailor at heart, you see, from a family of seafarers, and called the sea, not Norodome home.”

This caused an oh and an ah.

“We found out we were to be parents right before Ravy’s last trip…one which he never returned.”

“Well, that’s it? We can help you find your old man.” Syd suggested.

“No, that was just the start of it.” Surai took a deep breath. “I tried to stay strong. My parents, despite their reservations about Ravy, helped here and there until I gave birth to a beautiful baby boy. I named him Ravesh, after his father. Then the Divine Seer came…”

Surai paused, trying to compose herself.

“The damned Seer and the Blessed Eye. My parents insisted on the matter, that it was part of my duty. The future I saw for my son…I couldn’t put him through that, I couldn’t allow him to suffer.”

Skylark butted in. “So, what did you see? Was he sick or something?”

“No, he was miserable…alone. Despising who he was, where he was, and everything around him. He was malnourished, struggling to live day to day, and all because of me. To him, I was useless…dead even. It was made clear that I was not cut out for life as a mother. That I’d ruin this innocent boy’s life. So, for his own good, I sent him off to his grandparents and booked the first Vision Pod I could get my hands on.”

Brine leaned back on the chair he had “So you chewed on ice all this time just for your kid?”

Surai nodded.

“But, how do you know even with all you did that he’s alright?” Syd asked.

Boy, was that the one question Surai had asked herself over and over again.

“I don’t, but I did what I had control over.” And if any of these boys had seen what I’d seen, they would have done the same.

Skylark stretched up as if he had just taken a nap. “And you believe this computer garbage? That you look into this all-seeing Eye and it tells you the future?”

“Well, yes.” She hadn’t heard such an obscene question in all her life. Why wouldn’t she trust the Blessed Eye, even with what it had shown her?

“So, all we have to do is help you find your boy and all will be good.” Neto proclaimed. “Maybe even Ravy is somewhere around here.”

“What? No, no, not at all. I need to get back in the Vision Pod as soon as possible.”

“But don’t you think your son misses you at all?” Syd asked.

“I could only imagine…” Surai let her voice trail off.

Footsteps came rushing into the room. A fourth boy came running in. He was nearly as tall as Skylark and only half as wide as the broad-shouldered boy.

“Finn, what’s wrong?” Neto asked.

“It’s Castian.” Finn said through deep breaths. “He’s gotten worse. He started to shiver, and now, now he’s foaming from the mouth.”

The poor boy looked like he was on the verge of tears.

Neto launched himself up. “Quick, grab Castian, we’re going to Mother Present.”

八

“Steady, steady!” Neto called out, guiding the skiff through the ever-growing waves.

Rain started to trickle down from the nighttime sky as if warning those still sailing that a storm was on its way. The moons overhead were only a quarter crescent, the sea much darker than usual.

Neto had rushed to grab Castian after Surai had bundled him up in a blanket, all while the rest of the Whereabouts scurried outside to prepare the skiff. Despite the urgency of the matter, he was able to let out a jolly-good laugh as Surai’s jaw dropped at the newly expanded, ionic engine skiff that the boy had prepped.

Yes, leisurely paddles through the open sea were great and all, Neto thought, but sometimes you just needed a little ionic overdrive.

Surai sat next to the young boy, Castian, arm wrapped around him. Nothing but the boy’s face and the chain to his cherished locket visible outside of the blanket.

It wasn’t until the last few minutes that the poor young boy had finally stopped shivering and was now fast asleep.

“This Mother Present, she’ll be able to help the boy?” Surai wouldn’t dare take her eyes off Castian.

“If anyone on the open sea can save Castian, it’s her.” Neto said reassuringly. “She – hey!” He turned his attention to Brine who had got into a shoving match with Skylark. “Will you two quit it, you’re going to start rocking the boat.”

The sudden shout drew Surai’s attention to the back of the boat where the boys wrestled. A splash of water on Surai’s back was a rude reminder of the raging waves. She readjusted herself, lying Castian completely down, while trying to find two steady handholds.

Neto smiled at her from the stern, one hand on the rudder. “She might even be able to help you get back to Norodome if you want. That could be a good start in getting you back to your pod.”

The boat crested a wave and dropped back down. Surai nodded, trying to stop her stomach from rising any further into her throat. The four boys continued to push back and forth, clearly having trouble figuring out exactly what to do.

This is what I’m missing, I suppose, Surai thought, a dirty, sweaty boy rough housing with his friends.

Skylark, who didn’t seem to be paying any attention to the water at all, was grappled down to the deck by Brine.

The boat began to climb yet another wave. Higher and higher it rose until she swore the skiff teetered on top of the crest before plunging down. The two entangled boys rumbled towards the bow, colliding with Surai before she even knew what had hit her.

In a flash Surai was gone, completely submerged in the sea. Skylark and Brine coming to a screeching halt at the sound of the splash.

Without a moment’s hesitation, Neto shouted to Skylark to drop anchor before he dove in after Surai.

All he could think of was how Surai couldn’t swim. That would make any rescue just as dangerous for her and as it would be for him.

Not knowing what to do can lead to panic. Panic can lead to losing your breath quicker, which can then lead to flaying arms and legs that can pull Neto down under just as quickly.

That’s not worth worrying about now, he told himself just before he pierced the dark water.

He could feel the saltwater envelope him as he pushed forward in haste. Just out of reach, there she was, Surai, plummeting fast.

The sea wants her back, Neto thought.

Descending into the depths with short, powerful strokes, Neto chased after Surai’s fading silhouette. The muffled sounds from the world above grew faint as he swam deeper.

With each passing moment, Neto could feel the weight of the water pressing down on him, threatening to crush him beneath its relentless force. His hydraulic joints painstakingly working to reach Surai in time.

His respiratory motor kicked in, restarting its cycle, faintly reminding Neto that Surai did not have the luxury of having a Synthetic’s respiratory system.

He reached out, Surai just out of arm’s reach, but her once flaying arms abruptly dropped to her side.

No, no, no, Neto swore.

This had to be it, he needed to reach her now. With one final lunge, Neto drove through the water, wrapping his arms around Surai. Her head and arms, dangling in his grasp.

With a renewed vigor, they reached the surface, furiously piercing through, gasping for air. All four Whereabouts anxiously waiting aboard the skiff.

“Quick, get the blanket ready for her.” Neto called up.

Working in tandem, Skylark and Finn reached down for Surai while Syd and Brine unfurled Castian’s blanket.

The boys pulled her in as Neto looked back out at the water.

“Please let her be alright.” He begged the sea.

At last, he dragged himself up to find Surai wrapped tightly next to Castian, the two resting side by side on the deck.

All four boys, Skylark, Finn, Brine, and Syd sat hunched over them, watching carefully.

Neto looked on proudly. Yes, he thought, maybe all they’ve needed this entire time was a mother to care for.

八

Surai’s eyes fluttered open to the inside of an ominous-looking cave. Fire light glimmered from a scant nook that was cut into the cavern’s jagged wall.

An older woman, her shoulders hunched like a gargoyle, stood over Castian. Her hair was stark white, and wrinkles spread across her face like a spider’s web.

All four of the boys sat cross-legged around their sick friend, waiting for a miracle from Mother Present.

The last thing Surai could remember was – She gasped reflexively.

The water!

She could feel the burning sensation of the saltwater flooding her lungs once more.

How did she survive?

She felt a hand lock on to hers. “Hey, hey, you’re safe now, we made it.” Neto whispered.

She hadn’t noticed him kneeling next to her earlier.

Surai wanted to say thank you or anything really. Neto had now saved her life twice in one day, but she was too exhausted to say anything.

The Synthetic nodded at Surai as if he understood and Surai dropped back down to the cold cavern floor.

Mother Present was now mixing a strange concoction in a weathered clay bowl and muttered something inaudible to Finn. The boy carefully removed Castian’s shirt, revealing the golden chain Surai had noticed on the skiff. A circular locket dangled from its end before Finn removed that too, gingerly placing it on top of the sweat-stained shirt.

The older woman, crouched down to one knee and began sweeping the newly mixed ointment across Castian’s chest, each one of the Whereabouts watching her in wonder. A strange mist hovered in the air around the old woman and her patient, filling the room with a calming aroma.

Surai could feel the warmth of Neto leave as he stood up and approached Mother Present. The old woman’s eyes scanned across the four boys. “He’ll be well so long as you lot let him rest.”

Each one of the Whereabouts sat silently, nodding in agreement, astonishing Surai with their behavior. Had they lost the four boys who were on the boat with her and found four new, well-behaved ones in their place?

Neto patiently waited next to Mother Present as she cleaned up before bending over and whispering in her ear, turning her milky white eyes turned to Surai. The glare sent a shiver down Surai’s spine.

The crone crept towards Surai like a spirit in the wind, Neto following behind. Her gnarled hand reached down to Surai, surprisingly soft to the touch, and traced along her face.

“Why would someone still so young and beautiful ever want to waste away in an enclosure?”

Her eyes bore into Surai, peering deep down into her soul.

“It’s not about me…” Surai didn’t know what else to say.

“It always is, dear, it should always be about you first and foremost.” The tone of her voice sounded unfamiliar to Surai. She certainly wasn’t from Norodome, Surai thought. “There is no better place to live in than the present, and that starts with you. Focus on yourself and then you will find harmony in the now.”

“But my son.” Surai protested.

“Your son will prosper when you are a better self.”

Still, Surai couldn’t get the images of what her Seeing out of her mind.

As if reading her mind, Mother Present leaned in, entwining her hand with Surai’s. “Your son is fine…will be fine. Don’t make the same mistake I made. I waited too long to live my own life, don’t waste yours. Let the water flow and you can follow.”

Lightning struck outside, thunder rattling the rocky terrain, turning Mother Present’s attention towards the cave’s opening.

“You must leave at once.” There was a sense of terror in her voice. “Otherwise, you’ll lose your greatest treasure of all.”

And then Surai realized that wasn’t thunder, it was canon fire.

“Mister Trench…” Neto murmured. “He must have followed us here.”

“But how?” Surai panted. She was already up gathering her the blanket and Castian’s belongings.

“It doesn’t matter now.” Neto said and then turned to Skylark. “We need to be ready for a scuffle if it comes to that.”

Skylark grinned a devilish grin, unsheathing his cutlass. “Alright lads, on your guard.” He ordered.

“This way, quick.” Mother Present led them to a concealed corridor. “This leads back down to the dock, should Trench be looking at the cave mouth, this could buy you a few seconds.”

Neto thanked Mother Present, Castian slung in his arms, and ran off into the dark, winding tunnel.

Once again, Surai was on the run today. Was this how I found harmony with myself, she quipped to herself.

八

It was a torrential downpour now, the rain obscuring any possible line of sight. It wasn’t until another flash of lighting that they could see Dew Process on the other end of Mother Present’s cove.

They were just close enough to see Mister Trench’s infrared eyes breaking through the storming mist.

“Lucky me, lads, I’ve found myself Neto and the lass.” Mister Trench bellowed out. “I be a lucky man tonight, now, don’t I?” 

A gaggle of laughter echoed out from the lorcha.

“You won’t get away from me this time, lad.”

Damned sand in my boots, Neto thought, they’re too close.

“Syd, ready the ion thrusters.” Neto began to count heads. “Let’s get moving, everyone is here, we’ll need the wind at our backs if we’re to get out of this alive.”

It was like organized chaos, at least it felt that way to Surai. The boys hectically ran back and forth in what space they had. By the time she settled against the rail, the mooring line was already drawn in and they were casting off.

“We need more power” Neto urged them on.

Syd scrambled towards the center of the hull, digging deep into a leather satchel, rain drops smattering against the back of his head as he leaned forward.

To Surai’s surprise the scrawny boy pulled out a metal cylinder nearly half of his side and scurried to the stern.

Brine met Syd there, a diabolical smile on his face. Lifting the large contraption, the two boys attached the barrel-like apparatus to the ship.

It wasn’t until Skylark barked, “Hold tight!” that Surai realized exactly what they were doing. In haste she grabbed what she could before the booster was ignited.

The skiff was sent flying. The boys howled in excitement, Castian moaned and groaned in his slumber, and Surai just prayed her grip would hold.

They roared out from Mother Present’s refuge, bursting into the open sea, water crashing up against the bow as the rain splattered down on their heads.

The thrill of the launch screeched to a halt as the skiff smashed into an invisible wall and then yanked backwards.

“His harpoon!” Neto wailed.

All eyes darted back to see a taut, steel cord leading all the way back to the Dew Process. The engines rumbled, trying their best to push forward, but they were stalled to a point where the skiff was barely able hold its own ground.

“Twin Sol’s fury!” Brine cursed.

“Brine!” Surai couldn’t help but call out in shock of the boy’s curse.

“Brine, language!” Neto forced himself to reprimand the boy.

Forget the damned salty language, Neto thought, there were bigger fish to fry.

Yet despite the salty language. Despite the thumping of the rain. Despite the roar of the engines, Neto could still hear Trench’s growl over it all. “I’ve got you now, matey.”

The sharp, claw-like blade that was driven deep into the skiff stared back up at Neto.

What to do, what to do, he wondered.

Surai was huddled over Castian, shielding him from harm’s way. Brine and Finn hurried back to grab their slog-gobs, chucking orbs at the oncoming ship with their sling shots.

As each of the orbs was catapulted at the menacing ship, the small globs expanding nearly ten times its size as it hit the water. Each foam-like buoy knocked Trench’s vessel off course.

The steel tether twanged, bringing Neto’s attention back to Trench, his penetrating, red eyes fixated on him.

“Now is the time.” Neto whispered to himself.

Grabbing hold of the steel, Neto gathered himself up on the steel cord, and balancing like a high wire act he scurried over to meet his maker.

Neto focused on the ship ahead, if he fell this time, the sea might finally get the best of him. He climbed up the rope, the thrust of their skiff keeping the crossing stable enough for him to balance.

He hurried along the crossing, meeting a woman figurehead at the end of the line, a gold filigreed blindfold wrapped around her eyes, a hammer in one hand and a scale in the other.

“Hello love.” Neto greeted her with a kiss. “Wish me luck…or justice, you know, whatever you think best.”

Unsheathing his sword, he clutched the blade between his teeth before flinging himself onto the deck.

A horde of good-for-nothing, grease-stained, toothless scoundrels were there to greet Neto.

“The lot of you must really make your mothers proud.” Neto welcomed the scalawags. “Proud that she’d given you all up to the sea!”

The mob grunted and growled, blasters and blades both pointing at Neto.

“Stand down.” A deep voice cut through the mass of bodies, Trench’s voice. “He’s mine.”

The crowd split like a ship’s hull cutting through the rabid sea. Swiping his long coat back, Mister Trench withdrew his rapier. With bloodthirst in his eyes, the sword’s blade trickled with electricity.

“It be about time, now, ladey, don’t you think?”

The sleek alloy of his exoskeleton suit glistened in the flickering light on deck. It was said that Trench was able to swim to the deepest of depths in that suit without breaking a sweat. The crazed man wanted to be more fish than man, Neto thought.

Neto could feel the ship sway as another slog-gob hit the hull.

“So, it seems.” Neto clutched the hilt of his cutlass.

For wind and will I sure hope the boys remember the plan, Neto prayed. 

Surai couldn’t believe her eyes, what in the Sekaaran galaxy was Neto doing? The two ships were close enough now that Surai could see Mister Trench’s wicked smile through that unkempt beard of his as his gang of brutes surrounded Neto.

Out of his mound of blankets, Castian mumbled incoherently. Surai caressed the boy’s squished, soft face. The poor boy has no one but me to protect him in the middle of this chaos.

The tide seemed to be against the two ships now, waves picking up and dropping the two like a distracted toddler discarding a toy.

“Wait a minute,” Surai could hear Finn call out. “This isn’t the right way. Where are we going, Skylark?”

Surai jerked her head back at the two boys, now coming to the realization that her life was now in the hands of a bunch of prepubescent boys.

“What do you mean?” Surai inquired.

Finn pointed up at the stars, tracing along a path before it reached the three moons far out behind the skiff.

“That’s the way we should be heading. In the direction we’re going, we’re heading to…” But it was as if the boy was too afraid to say what he wanted to say.

“Don’t be dense, Finn.” Skylark barked before turning his attention to Surai. “Do you really think boss would want us to lead old Mister Trench back to the hideout?”

Well, that was a valid point, Surai thought.

“No.” Skylark continued, a little too gruff for Surai’s liking. “I’m just following boss’s plans for if we were ever chased by Trench, here.”

A plan, well at least there was one, Surai considered.

Before she could ask what exactly the plan was, a colossal mass breached the horizon far up ahead before crashing back down. From this vantage point, the shadowy beast appeared larger than lorcha chasing them and they were still a good forty klicks away from it.

“Sinking ship! What was that?” Surai gasped.

“Language!” Brine gleefully called back at Surai.

Blade strikes sparked in the night sky over Brine’s shoulder as the fight raged on. Twin Sol’s fury, language is out the window once we start sailing with beasts the size of Solar Sailers.

Back on Dew Process, Neto wasn’t really fighting more than he was waiting for his cue. He’d lunge to parry Trench’s attack and then pull back and run off again.

There were plenty of barrels and bodies to weave in and out of before stopping again to parry once more, and boy, between those barrels and men, it reeked of alcohol and explosives.

“Come on, Trenchy, what are you losing a step?” Neto urged his rival on.

“You flee-ridden pest!” Trench scowled as he hurtled towards Neto.

Wait for it, Neto told himself, wait for it…

Just before Trench got within range, Neto slashed his cutlass at the captain’s feet, swiftly activating the sword’s torrent edge. The blade released a spray of water, its alloy nearly imperceptible from the liquid, dowsing the pathway in front of Mister Trench and, in all his haste, knocking him off his feet.

Trench’s rapier clattered down on himself, electrifying the exoskeleton suit to a nearly comical point.

Trench flopped on the deck like a fish out of water.

“Easy there, Trenchy.” Neto egged him on.

Two of Trench’s men grappled Neto from behind, knocking him to his knees.

“Oh, come on, what happened to one on one?”

Finally standing, Mister Trench raised his rapier to Neto’s neck. He could feel the electric charge coming from the hilt.

Tricky, tricky Trenchy, bet he didn’t think that blade would be used against him today, now did he?

“Aye, you lost your right to a lawful duel, now, haven’t you?”

Hoots and howlers called out in favor of Trench’s declaration. The stillness of the sea, too, now made Neto smile as well. He recognized that stillness.

“Well then what about an unlawful duel?” Neto snickered.

The unruly crowd quieted as a behemoth creature, the same one as before, pierced the surface of the sea and came slamming down. The monstrous beast was so close it nearly capsized both ships.

“A dreadnaught…” Mister Trench muttered.

His two stooges who held Neto hostage released their grasp, standing slack-jawed like the rest of the crew.

“Yes.” Neto’s lips curled into a smile. “A dreadnaught.”

No better time than now, Neto thought before spinning free and breaking for the bulkhead of the ship.

“Cut the cord!” He shouted over Madam Justice’s carved head.

He could hear the oncoming stampede approaching. Without thinking he spun around and aimed his once hidden blaster at a pile of barrels.

Why isn’t anyone doing anything, Surai thought. Neto definitely said cut the cord, didn’t he?

Surai felt like a swamped ship that’s taken in too much water. The anxiety was nearly overwhelming.

Before she could think, she was already at Skylark’s side, pulling his sword out of its scabbard.

“Hey!” Skylark barked but Surai kept marching on.

With a quick swipe Surai drew the cutlass down with all her might. To her surprise, the blade easily cut through the steel cord, sending it whipping back into the water.

A blaster shot echoed out from the trailing ship.

Oh no, Surai thought, Neto…

In a sudden shock, the ship erupted in a deafening cacophony of thunderous blasts, fiery debris was sent hurtling in all directions. The engulfing flames lit up the night sky with a hellish glow, the roar of the explosion reverberating against the waves, the stench of alcohol flooding the air.

“That’s our signal!” Skylark called out. “Thrusters, now!”

Tremors rumbled from below, the waves pushing away from both ships, eerily manipulating the water. The same eerie feeling that ushered in the last beast.

Metal and wood groaned, twisting under the force of the blow, shattered fragments flew outward causing Surai and the Whereabouts to duck for cover.

“Wait!” Surai cried as the skiff jetted forward. “What about Neto?”

“We’re all on our own now, misses, it’s boss’s orders.” Skylark stayed focused. “Get everyone home safe. I’ll worry about myself, he said.”

The skiff was pulled forward as the water swelled into a crested wave.

Finn looked out over the stern at what was left of Mister Trench’s ship.

“Bubbles.” Finn said. “Here she comes.”

Surai swore she heard Skylark mutter something along the lines of making it out far enough, but before she could ask him why, she saw why.

The colossal beast who had pierced the surface twice before, broke once more, closer than ever. The dreadnaught…

Its massive jaw was open as the creature breached the water, its hooked teeth, each one the size of their skiff, jutted out of its bulbous maw.

Mister Trench’s emblazoned ship looked like a tiny speck in the abyss of the dreadnaught’s mouth as the ocean funneled down into its gullet.

Its jaw clenched together, closing in on itself before the beast smashed back down into the sea.

Syd leaned up against Surai. “She can’t smell for nothing, but she sure loves light.”

“Sail the ocean depths, extinguishing all light, or face the unknowing beast if you fail to fall out of sight.” Brine ominously added.

“Enough with that, ease the thrusters.” Skylark ordered. The two younger boys scoured away from Surai and back to the stern.

Castian groaned from beneath the blankets, drawing Surai’s attention. He wriggled around in the blankets.

Bad dream, Surai thought, poor baby, I know the feeling.

The moons were now directly overheard, spotlighting the skiff below. Two arms burst out of the sea, thrashing at the water, jolting all five of them out of their seats.

The two hands reached up out of the depths, clinging onto the ledge, each one of the Whereabouts holding their breath in anticipation.

The bearded face of Mister Trench peered over.

“Hello me mateys!” The explosion had burned half of his face, half of his hair charred off, his tricorne hat nowhere to be found.

A collective scream was released as the boys stumbled to their feet, scrambling for their weapons.

Before Trench could pull himself up and over, two more arms lunged up around Trench’s neck, holding him back. Two calcium speckled arms.

“Neto!” Surai called out.

Neto wrestled with Mister Trench as the boys cheered on their leader, the two plummeting under water as everyone ran over to look on.

Bubbles hurried to the surface as silhouettes of the two men grappled below.

Surai felt herself reflexively holding her breath, anxiously awaiting.

The two dove further and further down until the bubbles had disappeared altogether and all that could be heard was the panting of everyone’s breath.

No one wanted to say a word or move a muscle. They were all frozen in time, waiting with bated breath.

Two bloodied oxy-graft bladders plopped up, gently bumping up against the skiff. Finally, Neto, much worse for the wear, bobbed up from below.

Leaning back in the tide, Neto kicked up his feet and stretched his arms behind his head.

He smiled up at the skiff, knowing he’d done what he set out to do, keep Surai and the boys safe.

“Job well done boys.” He called out and the boys burst out in celebration.

八

Fire crackled atop Far Gully as the boys triumphantly gathered around a bonfire.

Surai was overcome with emotions. Not sad or dreary emotions, but joy, true and actual joy.

Joy to see all the boys back home safe. Joy to see how happy they made one another. Yet that joy was short-lived, for she knew that she had to leave them soon, or at least she thought she should, and that would hurt most of all.

She lifted a pot of tea off the fire, confident it had brewed long enough, and began to fill everyone’s cup.

Brine sat up, with his knees pulled up to his chest, holding out his mug.

“Thank you, Miss Surai.” He squeaked.

All of the boys had suddenly become quiet around her. Perhaps it was her salty language back on the skiff or maybe it was her taking charge and cutting through the steel cord. Or perhaps, she thought, she had finally been accepted as one of their own.

“I told you all, just Surai is fine, but you’re welcome.”

She poured the hot tea into his clay mug, she could see the cuts and bruises that he had picked up that night. Poor boy.

“Okay Just Surai.” Brine burst out in laughter. The rest of the Whereabouts joined in chorus.

As she moved on to Syd, she could see the boy had something on his mind, his eyes dancing around like little fireflies.

“Surai…” He finally looked up at her. “Won’t you please stay with us? I know you want to get back to that metal box of yours and Neto is great and all, but it’s just not the same as having a real mother around. A mother like you.” His eyelashes fluttered, trying to tempt her with his puppy-dog eyes.

“Oh…I…” Surai stumbled through her words.

Should I? She thought. Should I just stay and forget it all? No, I can’t forget it, but what if I lived to honor Ravy and my little Ravesh.

She laid the pot back down on a hot plate, trying to distract herself for a moment just as someone called out.

“Hey, what about me?”

It was a new voice. The faintest and softest of the bunch.

Castian.

He sat up on his elbows, holding out a spare bowl he had found on the floor.

The boy’s pale, gray eyes were transfixed on her. Such light eyes compared to the rest of the boys.

The flames of the bonfire warmed Surai’s face, lighting it up in the darkness of the night as she bent down for the teapot once more.

Turning to fill the youngest of the boys’ cup, she was stopped in her tracks as Castian’s eyes widened.

“It’s her…it’s her!” He struggled to get up out of the wrap of blankets.

“Easy Castian, easy.” Finn said. “Yeah, it’s Surai, she’s been with us all day.”

“Yeah, even helped take down old Trenchy!” Skylark added.

“No, it’s her.” Castian reached up around his neck but found nothing. “It’s the woman from my locket.”

Locket? Surai thought. She scurried through her pocket to reveal Castian’s gold chain she had snatched while leaving Mother Present’s.

It was the first time she’d gotten a chance to actually look at the chain, and there, dangling on the end of it was a circular locket.

“It can’t be…” She whispered. She traced her fingers along a ‘C’ that was embossed on the locket’s cover.

“C?” She asked, as if already knowing the answer.

“Aye, when we found Castian, he hadn’t known his name, said whoever took care of him just called him boy.” Neto started. “I found that locket on him, but the rascal wouldn’t let me get close enough to see the inside. Best I could see was that C across its face, so I named him myself…Castian.”

Surai caressed the locket. Her heart began to pound up against her chest.

“C for Chea…” she said softly. “Surai Chea.”

Her hands shook as she went to open the locket. It couldn’t be, could it?

The rusted clamp of the pendant snapped open as Surai carefully peeked inside. There she was, staring back up at herself. Younger, happier. And there on the other side was Ravy, longingly looking at Surai.

Surai could remember the day Ravy had given her the locket. The day before he left for his final expedition.

“So that I’m always here with you, even when I’m gone.” He had said to her.

She could still feel his strong hands tracing down her back. That one last warm kiss on her neck, and his final good-bye to her and Ravesh, who had just started to grow in her belly.

“It can’t be…” Surai finally said to the boys.

She hadn’t realized it, but they had all gathered around her, staring down at the picture of her younger self.

“Where did you get this?” She asked Castian.

The boy looked as if he were too scared to speak, as if he’d just gotten caught red-handed, but he answered.

“It was given to me, before I was sent to the surface. To…to help find my father. They said he was up here. That I’d be better off with him.” Castian looked down in shame. “But I couldn’t find him. I haven’t found him.”

“I thought I lost this…” Surai could feel her blood boiling. “Who gave this to you? Who sent you here?”

“The…the…” Castian stuttered through in fright. “The Marquis and his lady, the Marchioness of Nevoy. They looked after me before sending me here to find my father.”

“The Marquis?!” Surai shouted. “Marquis Chea of Nevoy! He couldn’t even let you call him grandfather?!”

“I knew she was some sort of princess!” Syd blurted out before Skylark elbowed him.

Surai dropped down to one knee, now staring Castian in the eyes. It was him. It was like looking at him for the first time once more.

She was filled with such pride after childbirth, just as she was now, before the damned Blessed Eye and its Seeing.

Her parents hated Ravy so much they couldn’t love their own grandson. She cursed herself for putting him in their care. She cursed herself for ever thinking they would fully love the son of a lowly sailor. They never approved of Ravy, why would she have thought they would his son?

If they couldn’t stand the poor boy, how was she supposed to trust the Blessed Eye? The Blessed Eye that they had insisted on. Every sovereign of Nevoy must do it, they had said.

She had put her son through more hardship by not being there for him than had she stayed.

Surai brought her hands up to the boy’s face. Her hands running along his smooth cheeks. “It really is you, my Ravesh.”

“They said…they told me that you didn’t survive childbirth.” He muttered.

She wanted to slam her fist against the ground or even better, into her damned parents’ faces.

She should just go straight back to Norodome and tell her good-for-nothing, snob of parents off. But what would any of that accomplish now? She had her son with her, and most importantly, he was happy, and he was healthy, and that was all she needed.

“No, I’m here, dear, I’m here. I’ll never leave you again.”

The boy jumped into Surai’s arms, squeezing his mother tightly. This, now, was a feeling both Surai and the boy once known as Castian had never felt before. A mother’s warm embrace.

Mother Present was right, Surai thought, my greatest treasure was right here all along.

八

Twin Sol shined down on Sundar Rose Floating Market as the mid-afternoon rush piled into one stand after another.

A newly painted sign hung over Sovinara’s Pearl, painted by Neto and the Whereabouts. It was Neto who wanted to keep the stand’s name after he had taken it over from Sovi. She was, after all, the one who had brought them all together, one way or another.

Despite Mister Trench’s recent absence from the market, Sovi did in fact feel like it was time to retire from those long grueling days that the market typically wrought. Although, she did still stop by every once in a while, to see how the boys were doing.

Surai for the most part ran the colorfully draped stand, using Neto and the boys as her help. She felt healthier and happier now more than ever despite the busy crowd that waited in line for some of her Norodome specialty dishes.

They had decided early on that they should put their own twist on the Pearl and Surai’s cooking was just that. From algae fritters to coral rolls or crustacean stew, it was clear to Surai that life, and cuisine, was much different here on the open sea than it was back home, and surprisingly enough, there seemed to be a mutual interest in it from the seafarers.

She could feel her son nuzzle up against her as she finished up with one of their guests.

“Mom,” he called up to her. “If we were able to find one another, isn’t there a chance that dad is still out there?”

This wasn’t the first time Surai had thought about that. The slim chance Ravy was alive somewhere on the surface. It was a slim chance but still, there was a possibility. She admired the boy’s optimism. 

She looked out past the market to the open sea, thinking of her new family, of her new self, and couldn’t help but smile.

“Could be dear, could be. But for now, wherever the water flows, we will follow it.”

Those were words she took to heart nowadays, words worth living by. After all this was better than any dream she’d ever had before.

Copyright William Meier Jr. 2024 ©