Shatterworld (Shatterworld Trilogy Book 1) by Lelia Rose Foreman

Author:Lelia Rose Foreman [Foreman, Lelia Rose]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Breath of Life
Published: 2016-04-22T22:00:00+00:00

• • •

Brother Zystra nosed the Sea Squirt into a cleft on Bull’s-Eye Island. “Close enough,” Brother Hancock said, and stepped off the boat. He clambered up the steep sides of the island and disappeared over a ridge.

Brother Zystra looked back. With binoculars he could barely make out the bright orange, three-meter flag attached to a buoy that marked the hexacrab cluster. He checked his watch. “Resolved,” he called out, “Ur-Veena should be at First City now. We’re going to be late.”

“In a minute!” Brother Hancock’s voice came faintly. Several minutes later, his head popped up over the ridge. “Nope, no new plants or animals.” The boat ducked as he stepped into it. “Maybe the next island.”

“We need to get back.”

“I know. I know. Though I don’t know how much the hexacrabs will get out of his visit. I don’t think they’ve completely grasped the concept of talking to each other long-distance.”

“When they hear Ur-Veena talk about our city and they can’t see him, they’ll get it.”

Brother Hancock’s eyes crinkled above his filter mask. “Let’s head back, then.”

The motor purred at half-speed, which was faster now than top speed had been when Rejoice became lost. The men sat without speaking, their faces shaded by broad-brimmed hats, Brother Zystra resting his hand lightly on the vibrating tiller. Brother Hancock hunched over, watching through the clear space in the hull.

“Hold it,” Brother Hancock said. “Would you look at this?”

Two meters under them undulated a field of blue stars, five-pointed, finely fringed, with a golden dot in each center, set on spindly stems that broadened to a bulb at the base.

“I can’t believe how beautiful those are,” Brother Zystra said.

Brother Hancock slipped off his hat and unbuttoned his overalls. “I’m getting a specimen.”

“We’ll be late.”

“Something might eat them before we get back. Will you help buckle on the back?” He donned his scuba gear, picked up a knife and a collection jar, and flipped over the side. When his bare feet touched the oozy bottom, the blue stars retracted part way. Hancock reached for one, hesitated, and wriggled on one of the rubber gloves tucked in his belt. Then he reached with his gloved hand, grasped a blue star, and tugged. The star shrank into a lump. He sliced under the bulbous base with his knife and jerked out the blue star.

A shrill whistle disconcerted both men. Brother Hancock dropped his jar.

Ur-Nissi enfolded him and coiled a tentacle around the man’s knife. The hexacrab plunged his blade into Brother Hancock’s arm. Brother Hancock rolled back, and a red cloud swirled around him.

Brother Zystra punched the emergency button and shouted. “The hexacrabs! They’re killing Brother Hancock!” He seized the harvesting pole and thunked it on Ur-Nissi’s shell.

Ur-Nissi slashed Brother Hancock’s air hose and bit into the man’s side. Blood clouded the sea.

Brother Hancock jackknifed and pushed off from Ur-Nissi’s shell. He groped and caught the harvest pole. The hexacrab and man grappled for the pole. Brother Hancock kicked Ur-Nissi’s eyes. With the arm not slashed he pulled toward the surface.

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