Page 110



Summer frowned. This was something she had been doing quite a lot of recently: the Markets of Tempest were a perfect spot for the sell of many wears, except, it seemed, things you actually wore. Located on a island in the middle of an Ocean, it was far outside the borders of any Kingdom, making it a perfect place to trade in goods that were frowned upon anywhere else. Of course, the complete lack of any official authority also meant there was a very real risk of being robbed blind or even picked up by slavers. Such unsavory activities were generally kept in check, however, by the knowledge that any major disruptions to trade would be frowned upon by the many merchants there, many of whom had their own small armies. As a result of both, at any given time, Tempest probably had more armed individuals than most military bases.


The thing about Tempest, though, was that it was not a popular gathering place for Humanoids. The blistering temperatures, thin oxygen and horrid smell meant that only those with a stronger constitution than your baseline Human, like Summer, could comfortably visit the area. This made it very hard to sell coats made for Humanoids, for obvious reasons. She had already turned quite the profit in New Hollow, but she still had about half a dozen of Lord Arimathea’s custom coats left and the final buyer she had lined up was only interested in about half that many.


But for once, Summer’s frown had nothing to do with her lackluster profits. Instead, it was mostly because of the huge fireball that had just erupted in the distance, rising far above the cobbled-together stalls and mushroom-shaped stores of Tempest. While other Market patrons fled in all directions, Summer remained in her own rickety stand and examined the fireball, which had slowly dispersed and been replaced with a large cloud of black smoke. Someone must have been selling faulty equipment, with disastrous results.


Her attention was drawn back to the ground by a small figure darting through the streets, sprinting from the direction of the explosion. He weren’t running in a blind panic like everyone else, but in a very precise, stealthy manner, like he were trying avoid being seen. A saboteur perhaps?


Summer wasn’t any happier about disturbances than any of the other merchants here: if this person was responsible for that fireball, which in turn might have spooked off her final buyer, she wanted to know. Vaulting over her stand’s front, she fell in step behind the shadowy figure, silently keeping right behind him as he ran through the streets. The figure dodged in between stands and up and down alleys, maybe having realized he was being chased, or perhaps just trying to put distance between himself and the scene of the explosion. Finally, as Summer felt herself grow short of breath, she shouted for the figure to halt.


To her surprise, they did, skidding to a stop and slowly turning to face their pursuer. To her even greater surprise, she recognized the figure: Summer only had a moment to process the equally surprised face of her older sister, before she was almost knocked to the ground by said older sister tackle-hugging her.


“Summer! What in the name of the Rings are you doing here?” Rift declared excitedly, wrapping herself around her younger, but much taller, sister’s midsection. “Man, it’s been forever since I’ve seen you. I was looking for you actually, but I’ve forgotten why. Or would that be: Woman, it’s been forever since I’ve seen you? Dragon, it’s been forever since I’ve seen you, maybe? Ah whatever, the point is: I see you! What are you even doing here? Hold it, stupid question, you’d be finding work here of course. Courier, right? How cool is that! Just go from place to place and actually get paid for it! Not that it’s about the money, but money is nice when you have it, not so nice when you don’t. Is there really a big market for mailmen, women, dragon, whatever, here though? Well, there is a big market here I suppose, but that’s literal and not just for mail people. Are you selling mail? Is that legal? That doesn’t matter in Tempest I guess. Seems like it wouldn’t be though, shouldn’t be either, as that’d be rude and I’d disapprove. Unless of course that is what you’re doing, in which case I do approve and will help. If you have to go back to prison I want you to have some company after all, since I don’t think they’ll let Dawn Rider come with you. Nice coat by the way. Do you think…”


“RIFT!” Summer yelled, finally interrupting Rift’s hundred-word-a-minute greeting.


The two sisters broke their embrace and studied one another. Well, Summer studied Rift: she had obediently stopped talking but was now just standing there, hands held behind her back and bouncing on her heels. It had been so long, Summer had forgotten just how high-energy she was.


“I’m glad to see you too, sister” Summer finally said, returning Rift’s grin, which grew even bigger in response. “Though I have to ask: did you have anything to do with that explosion a few minutes ago?”


“Explosion? That was a kitchen malfunction!” Rift replied sincerely. “Trident Pirate guild was trying to hire me, and I was trying to explain that I’m no good with anything but music, and they were making me cook for them, and I was trying to find the shut-off for the stove, and they were-”


“Alright, alright: I don’t need the full biography” Summer said, cutting her off before she could start another ramble. “Come on back to my stall and we’ll catch up.”


Summer really couldn’t blame Rift for the explosion now, especially since her buyer called to reassure her that their deal was still on. After all, she saw no moral problems with accidentally blowing up a slaver ship. No one else in Tempest seemed to have connected Rift with the ‘crime’, so the two sisters were free to leisurely walk back to Summer’s stall, as they talked about all that had happened since they had last seen one another, right before Summer had been released. Of course, this being Rift, that meant Summer spent the walk doing a lot more listening than talking herself.


“... And that’s why I’m at Tempest!” Rift finished with a flourish. “Well, it’s not actually. I’m just here to pick up a new violin, but I really wanted to tell you about the Scrap Giant, and the fish, and the Monarch’s sixty seven sons and oh! I’ve just missed you so much little sis! That reminds me: I meant to give you this as soon as you got out, but I was busy in the Gem Graveyards of Port Far at the time and kind of forgot ‘till just now.”


She had to jump to reach the top of Summer’s head, swiping the dark black beanie off her own head and sticking it on her sister’s. Rift beamed at Summer as she pulled it off and studied it doubtfully.


“Your beanie? You’ve had this since we were kids!” Summer said. “I can’t take this… “


“Ah, don't worry about it, I want you to have it” Rift said with a wave of her hand as they came to Summer’s stall. “Besides, Matthias gave me an even better hat!”


“Matthias? Who’s that?” Summer asked, still staring at the beanie.


In answer, Rift pointed behind Summer, towards the back of her stall. Summer almost had a heart attack when she turned and came face to face with a grim, dark haired man.


“Matthias Book: son of Luna Book, daughter of Saul Book” Rift said proudly. “One of the mighty men whom Father had: The man of Ramoth that sat in the seat, chief among the Paladin’s captains; the same was Half-light the Fell: he lifted up his sword against eight hundred, whom he slew at one time. Also, he might be my husband: neither of us are very clear on that.”


The man, Matthias apparently, gave Summer a curt nod: he was as tall as she was, dressed in a dark green cloak and rugged light armor. His dark blue eyes were keen and he sported a scratchy half beard, which added to his ‘well-worn’ look, completed with a series of scars running across his face and hands. With the prominence of advanced medical technology and the healing arts that could’ve easily erased said scars, they must have meant something to him. Given that Summer could also see the hilts of about a dozen different blades of all shapes and sizes partially concealed on his person, she quickly decided he was not a man to cross.


“It’s, um, nice to meet you sir” Summer said, extending a hand in greeting.


Instead of taking it, Matthias gave her a steep bow and then just walked out of the stall, slipping a dark wide-brimmed hat on Rift’s head as he passed her.


“See? New hat!” Rift said happily, tipping it at an angle. “The beanie’s yours: you’ve earned it.”


Summer, still slightly taken aback by Matthias’s sudden appearance and departure, still had to scoff at that.


“Yeah, I don’t think I’ve ‘earned’ much over the last few years” She muttered.


“Stop being stupid” Rift told her bluntly. “You’ve made a few mistakes, sure, but you’ve still grown into a strong, wise young man and I couldn’t be prouder of you.”


“... I’m a woman” Summer reminded her.


“Hmm? Oh, of course, my mistake. Humans confuse me” Rift said absentmindedly, suddenly transfixed by a bug on the stall’s counter.


“... I’m not Human either.”


“Bipeds still confuse me.”


“Rift, you’re a biped.”


“You know, life in general confuses me, but that’s not the point” Rift said in irritation. “The point is, I’m giving you my beanie because you’re an awesome little sister who, yes, may have a short temper, criminal tendencies and a ridiculous habit of dwelling on the past, but is still. My. sister. Got that?”


Summer couldn’t answer for the emotions welling up in her throat. When she could finally speak, she said a quick thank you, while shoving the beanie in her pocket. She then gave a very unconvincing excuse about how she had to go meet her buyer, despite it being an hour earlier than they had planned. It was enough to satisfy Rift though and she eagerly volunteered to tag along and ‘help’.


Summer, though still very glad to see Rift again, was understandably hesitant and made her promise that there wouldn’t be any fires before she let her tag along. Rift was quick to do so and eagerly helped her gather up the coats, carrying most of them for her as they set out through the shady streets of Tempest. They were mostly empty now, Rift’s explosion having driven most of the customers home for the day.


“So this ‘Matthias’: How did you two meet?” Summer asked after a few minutes of uncharismatic silence from her sister.


Rift, who had been busy cloud gazing, gave Summer a huge grin and launched into an epic, half hour explanation. She spoke so quickly that Summer wasn’t one hundred percent sure she caught everything, but the general story was that the two had met while looking into the same rogue sect of Crustaceans. Several weeks, many hijinks and one unfortunate encounter with a crazed Dwarf later and the two had somehow been accidentally married three times, each time under more and more suspect circumstances. Neither Paladin Captain or Traveler was at all sure if they were actually husband and wife now, but they apparently enjoyed one another’s company enough that it really didn’t matter too them. Somehow, this seemed a very appropriate wedding story for Rift.


“Not sure what we can do for a honeymoon” Rift mused. “We both ‘work on the road’ so to speak, and spend so much time traveling it seems redundant, you know? Maybe for a honeymoon we can stay in one place for a few weeks! Nah, that sounds unbearably dull. There’s this moon a few systems over I’ve been meaning to check out: I wonder if he’s equipped for space travel? Probably not, the Paladins are pretty old fashioned. He’s absolute rubbish with a gun you know, but you should see him with a bow! Or maybe we… oh, is this it?”


Summer nodded, stopping at the front door of a white and red building strongly reminiscent of a giant amanita mushroom. She wrung the electronic door chime and only had to wait a few moments before the door slid open to reveal Summer’s buyer.


He was a member of the Ra, a (loosely) humanoid species of birds. He had glossy, obsidian-colored skin, a smooth crescent head with no visible mouth or eyes, long feathery hair that reached his waist and long, bony arms. Due to the arid climate, He wore nothing but a long royal cape and an airy tunic.


“Ah, Lady Summer” He hoarsely chirped, waving her indoors. “Please, do come in. The atmosphere is leaking.”


Inside the building it was very steamy and humid, but no cooler. Ra hailed from a string of tropical islands to the east of Tempest, with a much wetter and fertile environment. Summer’s buyer had clearly done his best to replicate his home here, with countless potted plants and small animals filling his store slash home.


“Mahershalalhashbaz at your service, though you can just call me Maher” The buyer said, pushing aside a hanging curtain of vines to allow the sisters into the main room of his shop. “I’d like to see those coats now: if their environmental systems are as good as you say they are, they’ll be invaluable to me. Tempest will be a good deal more bearable with them.”


“I’m also told they’re the height of fashion” Summer said in her best bussiness tone, taking the top coat off the pile and handing it to Maher. “They were designed by Lord Arimathea of the Threshings Skyway himself.”


“Old Arim, eh?” Maher said while slipping on the coat. “I hear he’s a painfully straightlaced fellow, impossible to make any kind of a reasonable underhanded deal with. This does seem to work perfectly though, although I don’t give a waterback about how it looks.”


Maher set the coat’s controls and sighed as a cool breeze emitted from it, while Rift set the remaining merchandise down and wandered about the store. It was fairly typical for a Tempest general goods store, with plenty of canned provisions, garden tools, computer parts and illegal firearms. No violins though.


“So we have a deal?” Summer asked the storekeeper, still basking in the glorious artificial breeze.


“Hmm? Oh, yes, yes” Maher replied, before giving a harsh screech.


Another Ra, much smaller and with bright red skin, stumbled in from one of the back rooms. For the second time that day, Summer was surprised to see a being covered in scars, though these were much deeper and fresher than the old wounds Matthias carried. Both sisters watched as the second Ra approached Maher, gaze downcast and shuffling along in obvious submissiveness.


Maher, for his part, smacked her upside the head and harshly rebuked her for taking so long, before ordering her to retrieve his Coin chest from behind the counter.


“I don’t mean to be rude,” Rift said, earning her a warning look from Summer, which she ignored. “But your slave doesn’t look well. I think she could probably use a rest, maybe a healer.”


“Slave?” Maher gave a high pitched peal of laughter. “That’s my daughter! And she’s just fine. She won’t be taking any breaks, unless she wants to end up like her mother and brothers.”


The red Ra glanced at a large jar on a nearby shelf, before fearfully pulling out the Coin chest and hobbling back to Maher as fast as she could. The sisters both looked at the jar and their stomachs churned: it contained what looked suspiciously like the severed head of a Ra.


“Mister Mahershalalhashbaz sir,” Rift said again. “I think Lady Summer need to talk things over in private real quick.”


“You’re not backing out of our deal, are you?” Maher asked warningly, his hand moving towards what looked like the handle of an energy whip stored in his belt. “I have a lot of friends on Tempest, you know. Could be dangerous, going back on your word…”


“Oh no, nothing like that” Rift said brightly, though Summer was suddenly unnerved by her sister’s wide smile, which did not reach her eyes. “I’m just so inspired by your world-class display of fatherly discipline that I want to renegotiate my terms of service with Lady Summer: clearly, she is far too soft with me.”


While Maher tried to figure out if he had been insulted or not, rift grabbed Summer by the arm and dragged her into the store’s entryway, grabbing the coats as she went.


“Okay, I know you’re expecting a lot of Coin from this sale” Rift carefully whispered to Summer, meeting her gaze directly. “But I think we need to get involved here. Or report this guy, or… or something! This is sick, sis. We can’t just-”


“Oh come on: who do you think I am?” Summer demanded, interrupting her. “Of course we’re going to get involved. It’s high time I gave these things field test anyways.”


She grabbed a jet black coat and pulled it on. She looked surprisingly professional in it, military even. As long as you ignored the cut off jeans, T-shirt and beanie, which she pulled from her pocket and put on as well.


“You can have one too: consider it repayment for the hat” She told Rift.


Her sister squealed in delight and immediately grabbed the most garish one there, a chocolate brown with pink trim affair, and eagerly donned it.


“Alright: what’s the plan here?” Summer asked an empty room.


Rift had already bounded back into the main store room, catching Maher just as he was picking his daughter up by the throat and giving her a lecture in proper floor cleaning. The Ra looked very surprised when Rift came flying out of nowhere and decked him in the face. Not as surprised as Rift though, who had not taken the natural armor plating on a Ra’s head into account.


“Lady Summer, I demand you control your servant” Maher said nonchalantly, while Rift stumbled off, nursing her bruised hand. “I can instruct you in a number of highly painful and effective techniques if you-”


“Oh, shut up” Summer snapped, punching him herself.


Although Summer knew Rift was a better fighter overall, she had a number of advantages over her older sister: first, she was bigger. Second, she was meaner. Third, she was wearing brass knuckles.


Maher reeled from the blow but recovered quickly enough, flying at Summer with a flurry of claws and spit. The two fiercely tore at each other, before Rift re-entered the fight, bashing Maher over the head from behind with one of his own shock sticks (Now only four coin a piece!). The Ra jumped back from the sisters, pulling the energy whip from his belt. It’s long, electric-blue tendril sprang to life, giving off a menacing buzz: the store owner flipped it to it’s highest power setting and swung at the sisters. It missed, effortlessly cutting through one of the shops metal support beams instead.


The light and agile Rift effortlessly danced around the attacks, dodging blow after blow as she ran circles around the Ra. Summer was slower and less lucky, soon enough feeling the sting of the whip as it slashed across her midsection, almost bisecting her. She crumpled to the ground and Rift jumped in between her motionless body and Maher, fixing him with a fierce look of defiance. And then… she smiled. Maher’s smug look of victory was replaced with blind rage at her utter disregard for him, drawing his arm back for another lethal blow.


It never came: without warning, a shining blade came soaring through the air out of a dark corner of the room, catching the Ra’s arm at the perfect angle and severed it completely. Maher gave a howl of pain and stumbled towards the counter, while a weatherbeaten Paladin stepped out of the shadows, supporting another, even more beaten juvenile Ra.


“Matthias!” Rift exclaimed. “What are you doing here?”


He wordlessly gestured towards his turquoise-skinned companion, before pointing morosely to Summer’s body.


“Oh, don’t worry about her” Rift said with alarming indifference. “Not Human, remember? She’s a healer to boot! Even regrew her head once, that was exciting!”


“Not for me” Summer grunted, voice muffled as she stayed laying face down on the floor. “And no, please: don’t worry about me at all! I’m just fine! Sure, I’ve been nearly cut in half, but that’s no reason to be concerned. After all, it won’t kill me! And that definitely means it doesn’t hurt!”


Rift gave a dramatic sigh, but helped her sister up and to a nearby chair anyways. The wound did look bad, and would have probably been fatal for any of Summer’s sisters, but her natural talent with healing was already taking it’s effect, enveloping the wound in a light golden glow and easing the pain considerably.


Rift was not paying attention to this: instead, she was focused on Matthias’s throwing blade, which had had the misfortune of destroying a few bottles of unmarked chemicals before sticking in the wall. Which had had the misfortune of spilling down on a faulty generator. Which had had the misfortune of starting a small fire, that was quickly growing bigger.


“Um, Summer?” Rift said hesitantly. “Remember when I promised no more explosions…”


Summer groaned and pulled herself to her feet.


“Of course” she grumbled, swaying in place but managing to stay on her feet. “Grab the kid and we’ll get out of here.”


With Rift supporting the daughter and Matthias supporting what they assumed was the son (For all the sisters knew, he could have picked up an entirely different abused Ra on the way over), they made their way out of the store, which was quickly filling with smoke and flame. Summer grabbed the pile of coats on her way out: none of them paid any mind to the still howling Maher, leaning on the counter and trying to work his communicator.


Once out on the streets, Matthias handed the son off to the Rift (The daughter was well enough to walk on her own, now that the shock of her rescue had worn off) and quickly signed something to her before running off. Summer was just about to ask her what he had said, when the heavy tramping of boots caught both their attention: a troop of very angry Trident Guild Pirates were marching up the street, in their direction.


“Uh-oh” Said Rift. “I think they’re here for my performance review. I warned them I couldn’t cook!”


“Never mind that,” Summer ordered as a hail of poorly aimed shots began flying over their heads. “Run!”


Fear proved a powerful motivator and, despite three of their number being badly wounded, the sisters and Ra siblings made good time through the streets of Tempest, pirates hot on their heels all the way to the Dawn Rider. The welcome sight of the courier ship was instantly ruined, however, by the unwelcome sight of another crew of outlaws waiting for them at the landing pad.


“Who are they?” Rift asked, even while dodging fire from the Pirates.


“Oh, blast it” Summer hissed. “Those would be the dock workers: I was kind of counting on Maher’s payment for the mooring fees. This could be a problem.”


As it turned out, the problem resolved itself in the form of gain rivalries: the cabal of smugglers in charge of this particular dock were old rivals of the Triad Guild and the two factions immediately opened fire on one another, the sisters forgotten, but caught in the crossfire. Rift pushed the Ra siblings to the ground while Summer threw herself in between them and the Dock Cabal, taking several painful shots.


“Blast it! We need to, *hnth, go!” Summer cried, falling to her knees and crawling forwards.


Keeping low, the group slowly made it’s way to the Dawn Rider as the firefight continued around them. The Pirates and Cabal had both mostly wiped each other out in the opening salvos, but those who were left had all taken cover, continuing to spray the docks with storms of blaster bolts and traditional bullets alike. Still, the group was almost to the starship and safety at last. That’s when a third party charged into the battle. Neither sister recognized the newcomers, made from Maher’s many friends and ‘partners’.


But they did recognize that they were mostly ignoring the Pirates and Cabal, instead focusing their fire on the sisters and Ra. Unable to stay in the open, they had to chance jumping to their feet and diving for cover behind the Dawn Rider. Just as they started to make a break for it however, the loud roar of an engine and panicked shouts abruptly cut off the hail of fire raining down on them. They turned to find Matthias flying towards them, having driven Rift’s motorcycle straight through Maher’s friends.


“I have no idea where you found this guy,” Summer said breathlessly, leaning against her ship. “But he’s definitely a keeper.”


Summer’s respite was short lived as Trident and Cabal reinforcements chose that moment to arrive, throwing the docks into a pitched, three-way battle. Rift pushed the Ra to the ground while Summer dug through her pockets, finally finding the controls for the departure ramp. As it lowered, Matthias drove circles around the Dawn Rider, finally rocketing up the ramp once it was low enough. He brought the bike to a skidding halt at the end of the cargo hold, barely waiting for the engine to turn off before jumping off and escorting the others on.


Summer went last and was just about to step aboard when the bolt from an overcharged blaster went flying past her head and ricocheted inside her ship. She whirled around to see a one-armed, slightly charred Maher marching towards the Dawn Rider, completely ignoring the battle storming around her, and taking aim at Summer and the others again.


“YOU DESTROYED MY STORE!” Maher screamed.


“Sis! Catch!” Rift yelled at the same time, pulling one of the shotguns from the weapon racks lining the cargobay and tossing it too her.


Summer and Maher fired at the same time, but Summer’s aim was better. The gun was blasted out of Maher’s hand, just as his shot went wild and missed the Dawn Rider entirely. A second shot slammed into his chest and he went down, this time for good. Summer stared at him briefly, before turning and retreating into her ship, closing the ramp behind her.


Ignoring her wounds, Summer pushed past the others and into the Dawn Rider’s cockpit, immediately beginning takeoff procedure. She knew the small arms fire glancing off her precious ship’s hull was entirely harmless, but still: the sooner they were off Tempest the better, as far as she was concerned. They were just lifting off when Rift entered the cockpit.


“Everyone’s okay back here. I can’t believe we pulled this off!” Rift said excitedly. “Nice place, by the way. The hull could do with a bit of color though…”


“You are not repainting my baby” Summer said flatly. “I like her just fine with the black hull.”


“Huh. Charlie also has a baby she doesn’t want painted, although I think it’s an actual kid, not a starship. That’s cool too” Rift replied thoughtfully.


It took her a few second to realize why Summer had stopped lifting off just a few feet above the ground and was staring open-mouthed at her.


“Oh! I remember why I was looking for you now: I found Charlie! Did I forget to mention that?” Rift said apologetically.


“Yes,” Summer said through gritted teeth, reluctantly turning back to the lift off. “Yes you did.”


“Oh, well: I found Charlie!” Rift said awkwardly. “...She has a kid now. Also can’t remember anything about the past three years. So… yeah.”





“Rift…” Summer began, before stopping and shaking her head. “Just… where is she?”

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