“Every day, I mean cycle, we did something new.We went shopping, to the beach.We helped Marcus on his farm and swam in his pool.We went dancing and to the movies.Camryn taught us how to cook different Earth foods.We cooked our food outside.They call that a barbecue.I met Olivia, and she took me shopping and showed me about makeup.”
Amusement bubbled up in him.So much enthusiasm and zest for life.The feline who claimed her would be a lucky man.His feline gave a silent snarl, which Ellard ignored.Maybe he should ask Jarlath and Keira for names of eligible felines for her to meet.
“We could have a special day.”Gweneth’s excitement burst through his reluctant thoughts.“A day of celebration to spend with our friends and families.I wonder if Lynx would agree to a holiday so everyone can celebrate.And maybe during blacklight, we could have a dance or music in the square outside the castle gates.”
“That’s not a bad idea.”
“You think?”
“Yes.You should suggest it to Lynx and Shiloh.Did Jannike enjoy your holiday?”
“We all did.Ry said we can visit Earth again, but that won’t be until their child is born and is older.”
The ship dropped without warning—a series of bumps causing his stomach to plunge.
“Whoa,” Gweneth said.“That’s one good thing about deep space flight.No turbulence.”
Ellard scanned the controls.“Computer, report on the storm.”
“The storm remains on this side of the planet in the upper atmosphere.”
“That’s what the instruments are telling me.It looks safe enough to fly over the search area.Computer, is the turbulence caused by the debris storm or the resonance the dragons mentioned?”
“The predominant cause is the resonance.However, conditions seem more unstable than usual due to the debris field, which has drifted closer to Narenda,” the computer stated.
“There is something odd about that debris field,” Ellard said.“It seemed to have an energy field of its own rather than just debris drifting through space.”
“Do you think it’s safe?”Gweneth asked.
“I’ll try to go lower.Maybe we can get below the turbulence.”
“Ten mins before we enter our search area.I’ll watch the heat seeker and let you concentrate on flying.What is that?”Gweneth asked, gesturing at the screen that registered their position and the landscape.
Ellard studied the shimmering blob on the screen.He scanned their surroundings through the viewport and saw nothing but the slate-gray sky and putrid mustard-colored streaks that dissected their path.“Computer, identify anomaly on screen.”
“Checking…checking… Anomaly unknown,” the computer announced.
“I can’t see it outside, only on the screen,” Gweneth said.“It’s getting bigger.”
Their ship bumped through another spurt of turbulence.Ellard took the ship off autopilot, wanting the illusion of control.His hands gripped the controls, the knuckles of his good hand turning pale with each rapid buck of their vessel.
The last plunging dive swept them into a blanket of mustard-colored clouds.Ellard cursed, holding their ship steady through a series of gut-swooping bumps.
“Computer, what course should we set?”he demanded.
“Checking…checking…”
Ellard gritted his teeth, muscles and his Stores arm straining to hold the ship level.At least, he thought they were flying straight.Difficult to tell with this barlarkos-soup atmosphere.“Computer?”
“Checking…checking…”
“The screen has gone blank.”Gweneth thumped her hand on the screen.“Nothing.Computer?”
“Checking…checking…checking…”
“I don’t think it’s working.All the instruments are blinking out,” Gweneth said.
Ellard peered through the viewport.“I think we’re exiting the cloud.The cloud is— Phrull, what is that?”
