James Scotson - Planets Falling

“Well, we ought to make ourselves at home. Etch probably won’t come looking for us until the weather improves.” Gorian sits in a large chair lined with fur.

I find a large cotton blanket lined with something that looks like soft wool. It feels delightful on my frozen skin.

“Look what I found.” Bets clutches two bottles of honey wine to her chest. “English would’ve been pleased.”

We all look down. The thought of our companion’s fate is too hard to process.

The snow doesn’t stop falling. It’s been two weeks and we’ve drifted into a placid routine. When the snow permits, Bets spends her days in the woods searching for small game. The rabbits and deer are plentiful and no match with the Fuerst’s weapons in her hands. I’ve managed to find some winter herbs and mushrooms in the woods and spend a fair amount of time preparing the meat that Bets brings in. Theo finds an axe and provides us with plenty of wood.

Our two non-earth companions are faring less well with winter. Gorian’s sick, particularly in the morning. I suspect that she has a child on the way, but I’m unsure how to approach her about this. Her appetite’s good at dinnertime, so she’ll be fine. I’m less sure about Iggy. His skin’s pale and his wheezing has grown worse. He doesn’t eat the same food as us. While we humans are enjoying the stores left to us by the hunters and the bounty of the frozen — but not at all dead — forest around us, the nauron is starving. The green goop he slurps from the pouches we gathered from the shuttle is running low. I’ve no idea where I can find the same material in the woods.

My dreams have been mercifully dull and rare, as if the snow’s forced my mind into hibernation along with the squirrels in the trees. Or perhaps, the departure of the Raven quieted my travels. I can only hope that Thresh’s power has waned. Maybe Magarat was able to overcome that horrible woman and free my Eliza.

More than a month has passed and the snow’s nearly at the depth of my waist in places. Blue, crisp skies have replaced the grey, woeful fluff. The sunshine is blinding at high noon, although this is welcome given the brevity of the days. This morning, Gorian approaches me. “Amy, I’m pregnant.”

“I know, Gorian.”

“How long?” Gorian seems surprised.

“At least a month. It’s been pretty obvious.”

“I thought I had a virus. Perhaps something I caught from Iggy. I’m starting to show and haven’t had a cycle in quite some time. I thought it was the stress, but I can’t ignore this.” She touches her belly.

“You people. You’ve lost touch with everything. Even your own nature.” I shake my head.

“I’m not supposed to get pregnant.”

“Gorian, it’s pretty obvious how you end up with a child.”

“No, Amy, not that.” Gorian laughs. “I was controlling my reproductive cycle to avoid pregnancy. Apparently, my meds wore out. Or there’s something about this planet…”

“Who’s the father?” I ask, knowing the answer but trying to be polite.

“Etch.”

I’m aghast and apparently Gorian notices. She smiles. “Good mars, you’re gullible. Grey’s the dad. He’ll be overjoyed.”

Our companions find the news about the coming baby refreshing and exciting. Iggy stirs more than usual. Even Bets smiles broadly. Theo takes the role of doting caretaker seriously, much like he did when I was carrying Eliza. It makes me feel happy and sad — such conflicting emotions. I almost wish I could retake Thresh’s mind to see my daughter again.

It’s a particularly cold and unforgiving night outside and I’m having trouble sleeping. I finally drift off and there’s a large, lumbering creature in my dreams. At first, I expect that it’s Fromer, but the being’s much too big. Once my vision focuses, I’m delighted to see Etch before me.

“There you are,” he says, his deep bass voice reverberating in the dream void. “I have been trying to perfect this technique in the pilot house for months.”

“Etch. I’d like to say that I’m happy to see you. But this means that the Raven wasn’t responsible for my ability to travel outside my body.”

“You are right Amy. It is the portal that is fueling this. I do not know how much time I have. There is much for you to know.”

“Are you coming to rescue us?”

“We cannot do so right now. We have our own troubles. I trust you are well?”

“All except Iggy. I’m not sure he’s going to make it.”

“That is horrible. But take heart my dearest friend. Iggy is stronger than you can imagine. He has the power of both sexes to draw on.” Etch chortles.

I consider telling Etch that Gorian’s with child. However, I’m unsure how Grey might respond, particularly if they are having trouble. “Etch, I’m guessing that Thresh found you?”

“Her dead ones reached us first, as you warned us they would.” He grumbles in disgust. “They were pretty ragged and smelled awful. We dispatched them easily with our light weapons. However, they communicated our location to Thresh. A month later the damned creatures you call grubs arrived. They began attacking our containment field.”

“What about Thresh?”

“She and her human companions arrived shortly after the grubs. They set up an encampment to the south of our location. Grey and Minns worked tirelessly to determine ways to enforce our protective field. However, the grubs were relentless and fueled by a constant trickle of that infernal fog. They breached the field on the seventh day.”

“My gods, Etch. What did you do?”

“We sought refuge in the Fuerst. I powered the engines and lifted off. Two grubs grabbed the hull. We were about 200 meters in the air when one of the damned monsters ripped off the bow thruster. In space, I could have easily compensated. However, with the gravitational pull of the planet and the wind, I began to lose control.”

I sense the pain of my limb being torn off. My time spent in communion with the Raven has given me empathy for the Fuerst. “That’s horrible.”

“It was indeed horrific for us and the poor vessel. I had two options. I could crash the Fuerst into the land, where the grubs and Thresh would quickly find us. The other option was to send the Fuerst into the deep ocean. As you might guess, that is where we are right now — 100 meters below the surface.”

“Did the grubs follow you?”

“No. The two bastards evaporated when we hit the water. Apparently the fog is unable to stay formed as beings in liquid. Very good, indeed.”

“Good? You’ve been swallowed by the ocean.”

“Amy, do you not recall that we have Iggy’s children with us? They have matured considerably and are learning to communicate with us through sign language and crude transmitters. They can spend considerable time outside of the ship conducting repairs. The problem is that we need to completely refabricate the thruster, which will take at least two months given our lack of supplies.”

“That means we won’t see you until spring.”

“Correct. Can you hold out until then?”

“Well, most of us, with the exception of Iggy. And then there’s Gorian. She’s with child.”

Etch whoops and whirs. “That is some wonderful news. I will tell Grey. He has something to hope for.”

The cheer suddenly drains. A third presence joins us — one that I recognize too well. “So, Amy Marksman, we’re reunited. Who’s this here with you? We haven’t met face to face. I’m Thresh.”

“It is always useful to meet one’s adversary on the field of battle.” Etch growls. “You will find that I am a relentless and merciless enemy.”

“So relentless that you had to hide in the water with your tail between your legs,” Thresh taunts. “Amy, I know that you’re in the mountains. My scouts are headed for you. The fog’s also creeping across the range from the portal. We’ll be there before your friend — Etch is it? — can reach you. Once I fetch you, we can travel to the opening together.”