Under a Starless Sky novel Chapter 60

They sat on the deck, back against the wall, drinking ale. TL had repaired the injuries of the day. Orton was quiet, not quite sulking, but definitely keeping to himself.

“You okay?” Arne asked after the first round.

“I have killed more people in this world than any previous world I have been to,” Shen said.

“You have also lived here longer than you have on any other world,” TL said.

“How many worlds are there? There is here, and the underworld. Do you count the islands as worlds?” Arne asked.

“Do you get tired of the wars and killing?” Shen asked Arne.

“I get tired of stupidity,” Arne said. “The next portal, I promise Orton is off this ship.”

“That’s not helpful,” Shen said. “He’s just been schooled and if you replace him, there is risk of someone else wanting proof.”

“I will not allow such disrespect for my authority again,” Arne said.

“Fuck you. You wanted to see me kill someone just as much as they!” Shen snapped.

“Brother, I did not want this. You were challenged. You responded appropriately. You told them what would happen and you followed through with your word. There are now sufficient witnesses to your skills that I can intervene and hold the counsel of the group. The group caries some weight. Everyone here, in full light, with the exception of Orton, will support you if you chose not to fight,” Arne said.

Shen accepted this. He scratched his head. “I am so tired of this anger,” he lamented. “Were they good men?”

“They were men,” Arne said. “That’s enough.”

Someone shouted land.

They went forwards to see two islands in the distance. As they drew closer, they could see that each was defined by a single mountain, volcanic in appearance. Each mountain had a temple. A pretty good rule of thumb was: where there is a temple, there is a portal. Arne recommended they land on the right island, simply out of proximity preference. Both islands had rocky shores. The ship was brought in with oars, and rested on the only soft part of the beach. They disembarked and began a walk up to the grassy plain that led to the mountain.

“I don’t like this place,” Erico said.

“No trees bother me, too,” Torny said.

“Stop,” TL said. Shen stopped immediately. Shen tracked what TL was tracking, after the fact: a security field. They were in it. If it were a trap, it was already triggered. “We should withdraw.”

Arne looked at her. Torny, Yaffa, and Jerica went to full alert.

“You heard the lady,” Arne said. “Back to the ship.”

“Fuck that, I am going to the temple,” Orton said. “And going home.”

“You can’t operate the gate without our keys,” Torny said.

“We don’t even know if there is a gate,” Jerica said.

“There’s a temple, there’s a gate,” Orton said. “Come on. Tree spirit is spooked because there is no trees.” Men were confused; likely because of they knew if a ghost was spooked, they should be weary, not because of loyalty to Arne.

“Back to the ship. Leaving without you Orton,” Arne said.

“Get down!” TL directed. Men didn’t listen, not understanding what was coming.

Stone structures placed along the beach, inviting visitors to embark on the easiest path towards the temple suddenly revealed themselves for what they were- batteries. Beach defense turrets. Metal extended from the turning stone, firing a stream of hot metal. TL and Shen ran forward with their Torches, not manifesting swords, but shields. Together they made a gap, and dug their feet in holding against the barrage of hot metal. The sisters lit their staffs and created a similar barrier, but not as wide as what TL and Shen had made. Men who were in the projectile shadow fell behind the shield bearers. Those outside of the shadow fell due to injury or death. The noise was thunderous.

“Jon, I am sorry, I didn’t see this for what it was till it was too late,” TL said.

“Focus,” Shen reminded her. “Resolution options.”

“How can I help?” Arne asked.

“Hold this, like this,” TL said, handing her Torch to Arne. “Hold here. Jon, I need you.”

“Erico!” Shen said. Erico came to him. “Hold this, like this, hold here.”

Shen fell back to TL and followed her out, just a hairline under the fire line, barely protected by dune. The fire stream would like cut through the sand and hit them. She passed up several dead for someone she could save. “I am going to have to remove the bullet and re-inflate a lung,” she said, manifesting tools.

“Dirty?” Shen asked.

“If he’s going to live, yeah,” TL said.

A guy that had been wounded sat up.

“No!” TL yelled, pointing at him. “Stay down!”

His head exploded.

“Fucking tell your guys to lay still!” Shen said.

A door opened in the earth. Men in riffles came out of the bunker, firing. A rocket launcher shot a fat projectile with flaming, smoking tail- suggesting dirty, unstable fuel. Crudely, or hastily assembled, it was effective. The Aslog exploded. Splinters and burning pieces of sails rained down.

Shen ran to Erico and took his Torch back, shoved his head into the sand, ‘Stay down!” With shield he charged the soldiers. They concentrated fire on him, while their rocket launcher guy prepared another round. When upon them he exchange shield for sword. One of the soldiers got a good shot into his back. His uniform protected him, but he went to his knees. The blade took out one guy’s legs as Shen rolled. The remaining solders retreated back into the bunker, firing. The stump guy was struggling to get back- yelling for his friends to help. They closed the door on him, leaving him behind. Shen killed him and took his grenade belt. He flipped sword to shield. He took out a turret by dropping a grenade into the structure after cutting a hole in it with his sword. He took out a second turret in a similar fashion; two more remained. He ran to the next. His sword melted through the extended weapon. He rushed to the other as it was withdrawing into the stone. The stone lowered, closing on stone. He push his sword through the lower stone, and a moment later there was an explosion that blew the head off the turret and sent him flying back. His Torch extinguished. He lay, stunned, until Arne came to get him. Arne pulled him back to the dune. Fourteen men, 4 women, huddled on the beach. Shen came to.

“You need to stop hogging all the action,” Arne said. “Teach me to use this.”

“What?” Shen asked. Fuck, he thought, I am deaf. He heard TL in his head translating- and she affirmed his hearing was impaired, but would return.

TL captured an orb she had launched and came closer. “The way I see it, we can leave by water, or by portal. But we need to do this before dark. They will have regained their confidence by then.”

“They lost their confidence?” Yaffa asked.

“They were not expecting us to resist with magic and tech,” TL said. “I have gathered some intel. They have been at war with the neighboring island for a hundred years. They live their lives in the bunkers and continue to exchange fire with the other island. That’s why there is nothing here but grass and rubble.” She became more serious. “Jon, there are no women on this island. They are using cloning tech. If I understood the intel right, the island with the enemy, they’re all female. This is war of the sexes, and it’s been going on for generations.”

“Why couldn’t we have landed on the women’s island,” Erico lamented.

“Shut up,” Arne said.