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Eden narrowed her eyes as she stared at the main display of the hunter ship. She leaned forward, then back, in an effort to change her perspective. As far as she could see in any direction there was water. Nothing but calm, blueish-green water.
“Did you mean to emerge in the middle of the ocean?” She didn’t know enough about traveling through hyperspace, or the geography of Torret, to determine if the destination had been intentional or not.
“Ninety-three percent of Torret is covered in water,” Tandor told her as he made some sort of adjustment with the holographic controls in front of him. The males sat side by side in the front of the ship. Jobek was piloting the vessel while Tandor acted as navigator. “We are right where we are supposed to be.”
“Developing underwater habitats is not significantly different than building in space,” Tandor informed. Eden wasn’t sure if he was just a bookworm or if he had been highly educated, but he seemed to know everything about their star system. “In fact, in some ways underwater outposts are easier.”
“In what ways?” she asked, happy for the distraction.
“Most of the cities on Torret are powered by hydroelectric generators. They harness the perpetual motion of the waves. And obviously, water is never a problem like it is in space. Also they are literally surrounded by nutritious food, even more so than land dwelling communities.”
She really was fascinated by the unusual environment, so she took advantage of his willingness to share information. “Aren’t the oceans salty like they are on Earth? And what about the pressure?”
“They don’t build deep enough for the pressure to be a problem and desalination is a simple process that Torretians perfected long ago.”
She stared at the display with new interest, trying to detect some sign of the promised civilization. The ship suddenly dove into the water and Eden gasped. It was so strange, so unexpected. This was a spaceship, not a submarine. Yet the aerodynamic shape allowed Jobek to maneuver just as easily in the ocean as he had in space. The water darkened as they descended, but they didn’t go far. Below them, a domed complex spread across the ocean floor. The city followed the natural undulation rather than digging into it. There were six large domes and at least a dozen smaller ones. Most were connected by passageways, but four of the small domes were isolated.
“That,” Jobek pointed toward one of the solitary domes, “is Mercelon Palace. We are relatively sure the room you saw is located there.”
“How are you going to approach without being confronted?” There was nothing near the palace, no passageways or shuttle lots. Any ship that flew near the dome would be spotted long before it arrived.
“We’re going to land the ship there.” Tandor pointed out one of the six large domes. It was surrounded by multi-level arrival and departure lots. Both were peppered with small vessels. Larger ships lined up perpendicular to the dome and some sort of docking tube was being utilized to offload passengers and cargo. “That’s the commerce center of the city and we’re posing as buyers for a Houkdi retailer.”
“I understand that,” she assured him. “But how are you getting from the market area to the palace?”
“Zevon’s contact works in the palace kitchens,” Ansley explained. She sat beside Eden in the row of seats behind her mates. “Once we’re inside the complex, it should be pretty straightforward.”
“There are passages beneath the sea floor. They are used to move supplies and staff members,” Jobek added. “That’s how we’ll enter the palace. Then it’s just a matter of finding Neloff. We’re hoping if he realizes we’re in the building the stubborn fool will communicate with us telepathically.”
“And you guys know the detention level’s layout from when you worked for Jevara,” Eden concluded just to sum things up in her own mind. They made it sound so easy, but rescue missions were seldom as ‘straightforward’ as Ansley and her mates made it sound. “What if he’s not down there?” She was trying not to succumb to all the pessimistic images twisting through her imagination, but it was hard when she could barely sense the mind link. Neloff had stopped feeding energy into the connection and it was fading fast.
“Then we’ll return to the ship and you can figure out where he is. That’s why Zevon insisted on you coming with us,” Ansley reminded.
She sounded annoyed and Eden didn’t understand her reaction. “Why does my being here upset you?”
Ansley looked at her, gaze filled with hurt and disbelief. “You’re my best friend and this is seriously dangerous. I have no doubt you’ll belong to a powerful triad soon, but you don’t right now. You’re not ready for this. How could you be? Zevon sent you into battle without a weapon. That’s so unfair.”
The explanation melted Eden’s irritation. “I’m sorry I misjudged you. I should have known better.”
Ansley reached over and gave Eden’s forearm a squeeze. “We’re all on edge today. Don’t worry about it.”
The hunter’s ship was cleared to land and Jobek flew directly toward the dome. To Eden’s surprise they passed right through the seemingly solid barrier.
“The domes aren’t solid?” She sounded as astonished as she felt.
“The energy repels the water on a molecular level,” Tandor explained. “The system’s AI nullifies the effect for the exact shape and size of each ship, allowing it to pass through the field without damaging either.”
“I should have paid more attention in science class,” she muttered. “All of this tech is making me feel ignorant.”
“True ignorance is characterized by the complete disinterest in learning,” Tandor defended. “You are clearly hungry for knowledge and understanding, which means you are far from ignorant.”
Eden smiled and nodded her thanks. Ansley had done well. Eden approved of her friend’s choice.
The lots were arranged in staggered levels, the larger ships on the bottom. Tandor found their assigned lot and skillfully landed the ship. Eden’s curiosity was whirling like a child’s pinwheel. She desperately wanted to see the actual market. But this wasn’t a tourist trip. They had a specific and important purpose: get Neloff out and safely away from the people determined to break him.
“Would you like to view some images and videos of the markets?”
She wasn’t sure if Tandor had read her mind or just her expression, but she was thrilled by the suggestion. “I’d love that.”
