Chapter 10: Carnage, Part 2

"Do not worry my new friend. But the one thing that could get you off the surface of our lovely land is if you would take a passenger."

"A passenger?" I was instantly suspicious. My flute is not very roomy though it is designed to accommodate a second man. "I guess I could do it. But why don't you just send him with one of your corsairs?"

"Nobody wants to take him," quietly.

"Well you don't seem to have any qualms about murder, why don't you just kill him?"

Fater could not look me in the eye, his color too had dimmed.

"What is it? You appear to be afraid of this man."

Ping! a bubble bursts. I did not see Fater move, but he was on me like a hawk on a lizard-flenser out and his left hand pinned my throat like a steel claw to the bench. I also had my finger razor on a pulsing vein in his neck; we would both lose, though he probably did not know.

"Scared, did you say?" He released my windpipe and stood up as quickly; sheathing flenser smoothly in my leg." I suppose I am scared of something, but it's not for you to remind me. Four years ago you would have been dead for taking that liberty. I'm not the man I was; or perhaps I'm just becoming mature and practical-a sure path to the cold locker."

I caught my breath and searched for my voice. I noticed with pleasure a faint slice and a thin thread of blood seeping from Fater's neck. He felt it too and as he brushed it away his eyes widened again.

"I was going to ask if this traveler was male or female," I croaked.

"He's---Male". pause- "Not much more murderous than I. ---They say he has death perception."

"Death perception?"

"You heard me. I'm not particularly afraid to die-but I don't want to know when it will be ---. Vuud also appears to have other dark skills and abilities. He is old; old and pale and dusty like dead skin-but still very vigorous and poisonous. All men shudder to be in his presence. He is full of blackness."

"I must say you're making him sound like an attractive companion for a long trip on the darkstream. What if I say forget it, and wait for a more appealing opportunity?"

"There are no other opportunities except to drop you on the street of fair Okland below my house where you might take 25 steps before you saw the wink of a separator."

"Persuasive argument. When would I pick up this traveler?

"I'll take you back to the port tomorrow and we'll hope your flute is darkstream worthy."

********

Next morning I dressed myself in a turtle slickskin to cover the vivid bruising on my neck. I still felt angry at Fater for that-I had a strong urge to get even, even a little but---

We had a brief breakfast and he led me to his Kraler. He appeared to be full of good spirits, probably deadly encounters are so common that the people of this place forget them quickly-like dogs. The Kraler picked up speed and soon we were at the Warren as they called the Streamport. I was anxious to see if my beautiful flute would even be there; the inhabitants of Carnage are great thieves. One of their typical sayings is: "Food seized tastes better than food received."

"Don't worry Mica, I want you on your way with your cargo."

"Some day you'll have to tell me how you know what I'm thinking."

He gave a low chuckle.

We were hustling down the tunnel ways passing the secured vessels and receiving very hostile looks from ones who seemed to be security or something. I had to hurry to keep up with Fater; I was eyeing a nice little Cockerell and as I turned back, Slam! I ran into the unyielding hatch of a side tunnel. The side of my head and ear hurt terribly. Fater came running back and put his hand on my head with surprising tenderness. "Are you alright?"

"Yes, but that hurt like crazy."

"You really shouldn't say that," he said and then laughed. "But I like your heart Mica."

"Well you can't have it. But I like your heart too."

We continued through the tunnel, and suddenly, there was Merkury! I was so happy I could have shouted for sheer delight; it was almost like seeing Olive herself. Her yellow hull still shone brightly.

"Well here you are, Mica and here's your passenger. Have a safe swift passage." And before I could respond, he had almost run off.

I looked to see who he had referred to and saw no one. Then with a soundless rustle, a part of the old tunnel wall appeared to separate itself. This Vuud was dressed in a voluminous dark gray cloak sort of garment with long rippling folds like the wings of a hanging large bat. His face was darkskinned yet pale seeming as if from some sickness. His head was tall and narrow; long with large ears. A long nose overhung a small mouth with thick lips. Eyes of a catlike yellow. This head was supported by an unusually long neck and looked vulnerable there. But there was nothing vulnerable about his stare which was piercing and watchful.

He held out a hand to me with what I supposed was a polite smile, but it just looked knowing, insinuating. I don't know if I smiled in return; his hand was soft and cool and enclosed mine completely. I was aware that I could not retrieve it if he didn't want me to. He released it and half bowed.

I turned away to inspect my lovely ship. Opened the hatch and entered, something I had feared I might never do again, and marveled. The engineers who had minutely examined the flute had meticulously put her back together. I couldn't imagine a team on Carnage working together without major butchery occurring, but at least they had left no blood visible. I think that their respect and excitement over ships caused them to put aside their constant rage and allow them to cooperate; if there had been blood, it was washed away. There was the wheelhouse and the galley-so missed.

"Ah, permission to come aboard?"

"Oh---of course. Your name is--?"

"Vuud." Long hollow vowel sound.

"Yes, come aboard, I'm Mica- I didn't mean to be rude-I'm just so happy to see her."

"Of course, yes I completely understand."

I showed Vuud around the vessel although I rather felt he might be leaving a film of some dread dust, like mushroom spores.

He moved with a limp, but quickly and strongly an impression of weakness and strength battling each other.

He stowed his one wrinkled skin bag in his sleep net bunk.. Followed me as I showed him round the boat.

He seemed pleased and his hand brushed bulkhead and screen, touched controls with apparent understanding.

"And this is the crew's seat where you can help us when we're out of the darkstream. It's also a detachable escape bubble."

"I suppose that's where you could put a person if you wanted to get rid of him quickly?"

"I suppose."