Free Swallow the Sky: A Space Opera by Chris Mead Page B

example.
    They huddled for fifteen
minutes as the buggy reported the progress of Security’s search, expecting at
any moment to see the Asima’s craft drop out of the darkened sky. Finally,
still booming demands, the fleet disappeared round the bulk of the mountain.
    “Let’s get away from here
before we start the ascent” Carson told the buggy. “Take yourself up just
enough to clear the rocks and head for the shoreline.”
    They started skimming
across the chaotic landscape. The craft’s sensing equipment was far superior to
their night vision and scene displayed on the buggy’s globular walls gave them
their first clear view of Kaimana’s exterior. Above them the mountain reared
into the night sky terminating in a thin band of light escaping from the edge
of the crater shield. Ahead the landscape flattened and gave way to beaches of
black volcanic sand. Lines of white foam marked the shoreline.
    “We’ll head about forty
kilometers out to sea then – oh God!” As he spoke the silhouette of another
Security vehicle rose above the edge of the mountain. There was no time to figure
out what had happened. Snatching control from the buggy he accelerated down the
slope and on across the open water flying so low sea spray flicked the bottom
of the craft. Two kilometers past the shoreline they plunged through the
ocean’s surface.
    “Is craft this submersible?”
yelled Aiyana.
    “We’ll soon find out” he
laughed, but seeing her alarm added “Don’t worry, it’s designed to handle
waterborne landings.”
    For an hour they hovered
in the waters beneath the reticulating surface, but all that appeared was
drifting seaweed and the occasional shoal of fish. Carson was quietly bringing
the buggy up to date when Aiyana let out an ear-puncturing scream. They were
staring into a monstrous eye. Simultaneously the cabin filled with a cacophony
of clicks and whistles.
    The Leviathan was the
biggest animal Carson had ever seen. It must have been over a hundred meters
long from bulbous head to giant tail.
    “Can you translate any of
this?” he yelled to the buggy above the din.
    A slurred voice filled
the cabin. “You play game?” it asked.
    Carson shook his head in
wonderment. Meta-Cetaceans had evolved independently all over the galaxy yet
every single one of them wanted to play.
    “Yes” he shouted “hide
and seek!”
    In retrospect, sarcasm
was not a good idea.
    “I help” piped the huge
creature and before Carson could say another word it opened its gigantic mouth
and swallowed the buggy.
    He sank his head into his
hands. “Oh great, great, great”
    “No” said Aiyana “it
really is trying to help. Relax – it’s just holding us in its mouth. Meta-Cetaceans
don’t eat anything bigger than plankton.”
    “Relax! She says relax!” he
cried, apparently addressing the heavens.
    Aiyana ignored him. “Hey,
Leviathan” she shouted “can you still hear me?”
    “Yes – we hide” the
creature replied.
    “That’s right” Aiyana
yelled in triumph “we play game!”
    “We’re moving further out
to sea” the buggy announced, adding more ominously “and we’re diving.”
    Carson and Aiyana eyed
each other nervously.
    “Hey my friend, not too
deep” shouted Aiyana, but the huge creature simply hummed a song.
    “Can we take the
pressure?” she asked.
    Carson shrugged, then had
an idea. “Hey buggy, can we rig inertial dampening to generate a
counter-pressure?”
    “I’m on it chief!”
    Two hours later the buggy
announced that they were finally ascending. By now they were some thirty
kilometers out to sea. Unless Mitan Security’s capabilities were superior to
anything they had witnessed, it was safe to assume that they had lost the
trail. To their vast relief the Leviathan opened its mouth and spat them onto
the ocean surface.
    “We play again?”
    “Not today” replied
Aiyana “we leave now. Goodbye, blessings to you and your pod.”
    “Blessings to you Aiyana
and your pod” the