Free Edge of Dark by Brenda Cooper

other every few years way out there.” Pi was a big man with a soft voice, almost as big as Manny with half the hair, all of it dark. He ran the repair docks at the spaceport for a living.
    â€œSomething’s changed,” Manny said, his face a study in scowling contemplation. “One theory is that it’s retaliation for winning so many of these fights.”
    â€œTaking a station seems like an overreaction to losing a ship.” Charlie reached for the bottle and poured more wine. “How long ago?”
    Manny squinted at his slate. “About a week. We’re just getting the news down here.” He sounded bitter about that.
    â€œWhere are the pirates now?”
    Manny shrugged. “Looting? They appear to be dragging the station out beyond the Ring.”
    â€œThey’re dragging a whole station out there?” Pi asked. “A whole station? Or just part?”
    â€œA whole station,” Manny said. “Whatever they didn’t destroy. You should all watch the video. It’s pretty brutal, but when they could have obliterated the station, they didn’t. They pulled back.”
    An awkward silence fell for a moment, and then Charlie asked, “Do you think they’re a threat to us ?”
    â€œThey’ve always been a threat.” Bonnie frowned and twisted her hair in her fingers.
    Amara passed around a bowl of nuts. “Not an immediate one. I suppose it’s still not immediate. But I’m worried.” She took a long sip of her wine and set the empty glass on the table. “Deeply worried.”
    Charlie agreed with her. Amara was wicked smart and quiet, and he’d learned to listen when she talked. “Any idea what they want?” he asked.
    â€œRevenge?” Pi offered.
    â€œSunshine,” Bonnie suggested.
    Manny frowned. “If they just wanted simple revenge, they’d have crippled the High Sweet Home, but they wouldn’t have taken it.”
    Charlie agreed. The ice pirates were more machine than human, and he had no idea how to read their intentions.
    One of the children came in to ask a question, which stopped the discussion. The rest of the night had an awkward, frightened feel to it, the energy so sour Charlie went out to the guesthouse early, taking Cricket with him.

    As they approached the falls, Charlie turned toward Nona. “Maybe you should stand up. It’s easy enough to keep your balance, and you’ll catch a better first glimpse of the falls that way.”
    She smiled and complied, the wind of their passage sending her multicolored hair streaming behind her. She had a jewel in her cheek which caught the sunlight and winked bright. He expected that it would be less distracting on a ship where the light was controlled. She had fewer decorations than most spacers, but there was the jewel and part of what was probably a dragon tattooed on her neck, and colorful lacework tats on her wrists. He had expected her to be pretty, and she was, in a slightly ethereal way.
    They flew just above a river of water from the falls. Nona pointed at a jumping fish and squealed at a huge waterbird. Each time she saw a new animal she tried to remember its name. He found himself rooting for her to get each one right.
    Even though Ollicle Falls wasn’t Charlie’s favorite place, he had to admit his trouble was with the crowds and not the falls. A shining stream of water plunged from a high, mossy cliff, hit two perfectly rounded rocks bigger than Manny’s house, split into two streams, and came back together in a way that almost looked like a heart before it fell into a perfectly round pool. Bright blue and yellow flowers festooned the cliff and lined the pool. He piloted the skimmer around three tall trees and hung in the air above the parking lot. “What do you think?”
    Her smile filled her whole face, and seemed to seep out from her into the small space they shared, touching him and the tongat.