Catastrophe in the Firesnake Read online

  Rayner Ye

  Catastrophe in the

  Firesnake

  Catastrophe in the Firesnake

  Copyright © 2019 by Rayner Ye

  The following book is a fiction. Any names, characters, places, and incidents are the product of the author’s imagination. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

  All rights are reserved. No part of this publication may be

  reproduced, scanned, or transmitted in any form, digital or printed,

  without the written permission of the author.

  www.rayneryeauthor.com

  Dedication

  To my husband and children.

  Thank you for having faith in me

  and understanding that this is what I

  have to do.

  I love you.

  Contents Page

  Maps

  Chapter 1* Roobish

  Chapter 2*Aedre

  Chapter 3*Akachi

  Chapter 4*Somare

  Chapter 5*Noomy Foster

  Chapter 6*Roobish

  Chapter 7*YuFang

  Chapter 8*Akachi

  Chapter 10*Aedre

  Chapter 11*Akachi

  Chapter 12*Maharaanee and Roobish

  Chapter 13*Bamdar

  Chapter 14*Aedre

  Chapter 15*YuFang

  Chapter 16*Aedre

  Chapter 17*Noomy Foster

  Chapter 18*YuFu

  Chapter 19*Akachi

  Chapter 20*Delisa

  Chapter 21*Bamdar

  Chapter 22*Crowleen

  Chapter 23*Aedre

  Chapter 1* Roobish

  After hours of paddling through the treacherous rivers of the Mazi Pass, Mahar’s canoe reached the lowlands and meandered through a swamp of black mangroves and dark waters.

  Roobish relaxed in the humidity of the new terrain. Even though the elevated oxygen levels would eventually cause hyperoxia, the proximity to their hideout calmed her nerves. A comfortable bed and a cup of tea would go down nicely.

  With her light-intensifying goggles, Roobish saw many shapes and forms within the black and red terrain. She gazed at the swirling red and violet sky. Black and red monkeys played in the treetops, and birds fluttered above the canopy.

  Large figures lurked in the black water—crocodiles. Kaal’s torch, burning brightly in the elevated oxygen, kept the predators at a distance.

  Hopefully, their hideout would be comfortable and safe—away from the marshes and reptiles. Roobish didn’t want to ask Mahaar about it. She’d already put him and his children through enough.

  Mahaar used the oar to push the canoe to the riverbank, then jumped out with a rope in his hand, scrambled up the muddy ledge, and tied the boat to a tree. “We’re here. It’s too dangerous to stay on the ground. We need to climb a very tall tree. I’ll make a platform once I find my stashed toolkit.”

  Roobish smiled with a clenched jaw. Why hadn’t Mahaar already prepared their hideout? She and the children were exhausted. They needed rest.

  “Kaal, toss me the ropes,” he said to his son.

  Kaal threw him one of the two canvas bags, and Mahaar yanked out a long rope, coiled it around his waist, and fastened it tightly.

  Roobish and Kala followed the men onto the bank. Roobish was empty-handed, and Kala hauled the second canvas bag on her back.

  Mahaar pointed at Roobish. “You hold the torch. You’re much taller than us, so you’ll ward off more crocodiles.” He leaned back to spy the treetops. “Scared of heights?”

  “Not after living in the Mazi Pass with the Sky People for so long.” Roobish didn’t mention that living in the branches of the tree felt unstable.

  Still dizzy from her time travel, she accepted the torch from Kaal and held it high. Her breath came shallow as she followed them into the woods.

  Mahaar stopped before a large tree. “This one will do.” He sat on a log and slipped off his muddy boots, then climbed barefoot up the thick trunk. He gripped his tiny hands into the grooves of the bark, pushed with his toes, and lifted himself towards the lowest bough, ten-metres high.

  With the children and Roobish looking up at him, Mahaar tied the end of the rope around the bough, fastened a complicated knot, then let the rest fall to the ground.

  “Roobish!” Mahaar yelled. “Climb up first!”

  She passed the torch to Kaal and yanked on the rope. She pressed a foot against the trunk and pulled herself up. But she lacked upper-body-strength, and her foot skidded, causing her to graze her leg. She tried again, but her body swung from side to side as she lost her footing again.

  “Kala!” Mahaar called to his daughter. “Tie the rope around Roobish so Kaal and I can haul her up?”

  “Sure.” Kala put her bag on the ground. She wove the rope around Roobish’s waist, between her legs, over her shoulders and under her armpits.

  Roobish flushed as she watched.

  “The bag!” Kaal yelled. “A crocodile’s snatched it!” He yanked his dagger out of its sheath and ran through the brush with the flaming torch.

  “No!” his father called after him. “It’s not worth it! We can easily find more food! It’s dangerous! Kaal!”

  Either Kaal couldn’t hear or ignored his pleas.

  Mahaar slid down the rope and ran in the direction Kaal had gone, yelling at Kala on the way, “Get up that tree, and try to haul Roobish up.”

  With panicked eyes, Kala did as told, and Roobish managed to climb as Kala lifted her to the lowest bough. Luckily Satsangs had superior arm strength for gliding.

  Roobish’s pulse thundered in her ears. She struggled for breath and peered down at the river: nothing but calm water. The swampland was silent — no panicked shouts. No voices. Perhaps father and son were talking calmly and returning to the tree.

  Kala gripped the trunk and panted, tears in her eyes.

  It seemed like hours had passed by the time Mahaar returned without Kaal.

  Roobish held her hand to her mouth. Her heart sank.

  Kala wailed, scaring birds from the trees. They flocked skywards.

  Mahaar joined the women on the bough. Tears wet his face. Kala’s sobs grew quieter, and they waited for him to speak. “By the time I reached the water’s edge, he’d disappeared. The extinguished torch was floating in the river, and so was the empty bag...”

  He rubbed his small hand over his large shapeless face. “It wasn’t possible to see blood in the water. Everything's so black. I searched the river banks. I saw marks in the mud. His body must’ve been dragged into the water by the crocodiles.”

  Kala burst into tears again, and her father embraced her.

  “He’s gone!” she wailed. “I felt him die.”

  “Oh, no!” Mahaar cried. “Please don’t say that. Your twin could still be alive.”

  “He’s dead, Father. Just like you said.”

  “I’m sorry,” Roobish said. “It’s all my fault.”

  They didn’t reply, confirming she spoke the truth. “I wish my memory had never come back so I could’ve stayed in Glass City forever.”

  When she first lived with the Satsang Sky People in Artheus, while time stood still in the Firesnake, Kaal was the son she’d never had. The twin’s mother died giving birth. Roobish had been their mother figure.

  She’d missed out on Kala and Kaal growing up when she’d gone back to the Firesnake a million years in the future, but once her memory returned, her love had too. Her love had never dwindled, even with twenty years of amnesia.

  She had no right to speak these words anymore. Mahaar had known his son better, and Kala had known her twin brother the best of all. Had. Was he dead? So quick, like that? His flame snuffed like the extingu
ished torch. Where was his body? In a crocodile?

  She should never have allowed them to take her to the lowlands. Mahaaraanee may never forgive Roobish for her secrets and deceit, but she would have forgiven her son and her grandchildren. Now, Kaal was dead on a mission to protect her from Mahaaraanee.

  Roobish would have to find a key to Mount Alimaz’s pyramid. Then, she could go back in time so Kaal could live again. It didn’t matter what the crow had told her all those years ago. It didn’t matter if the whole of Plan8 went into chaos. She had to make him live again. She had to find a key and fix time before his death. She’d lose her memory like before, but that didn’t matter. But where could she find a key?

  “I picked some fruit, nuts, and edible blossoms,” Mahaar said, breaking into her thoughts. He undid a square cloth to reveal the treasures. Her stomach rumbled, but she didn’t reach out, allowing Kala to have the first pick. Usually, they’d insist Roobish eat, but they ignored her and ate their fill, then left half for her.

  She sobbed as she chewed on the fruit. How could she eat during this terrible time?

  “I’m gonna look for Kaal,” Mahaar said.

  “Don’t, Father. I told you he’s dead. How will you fend off beasts without a torch?”

  “Don’t worry. I have a stash of tools and weapons. I need to look for them if I’m to build us a tree-dwelling. You two should be safe in this tree.”

  Roobish wanted to say no but held her tongue.

  “How long will you be, Father?”

  “Not long. Two hours.”

  “We’ll be all right, won’t we, Roobish?”

  Roobish nodded. “The danger’s down there. We’re safe here.”

  ***

  Twilight never darkened, which was a good thing, but after some time passed, the monkeys around them grew rowdy. The dominant male screeched and lashed out at other monkeys. He ran up to females and mated with them. Then, he jumped onto the tree bough with Kala and Roobish.

  They ignored him at first, so he approached them, yanked their hair and clawed their faces.

  Kala shouted, “Go away!”

  Time stood still for Roobish as the monkey bared his teeth, hissed, and screeched. He plunged towards Kala and bit her neck. Blood gushed out and soaked her clothes.

  Roobish ground her teeth and knocked him off the bough.

  He somersaulted, landed on another branch, and swung to the branch above them.

  He grabbed a giant fruit and dangled on it until it loosened and tumbled down, almost knocking the women from the tree.

  Dozens of monkeys gathered near and cheered. They threw sticks at Roobish and Kala.

  “I’m so scared,” Kala said. “They want to kill us. Perhaps if I glide to another tree, they’ll follow me and leave you alone.”

  “We can’t split up. Your brother’s already dead. I don’t know what’s happened to your father.”

  “These monkeys are worse than crocodiles. In any case, I can go and get help, find Father.”

  “Go, then, before that monkey bites you again.”

  Kala glided away.

  Roobish swallowed back tears and glared at the monkeys stalking her, on alert for another attack.

  Chapter 2*Aedre

  The stink of laundry in the dark lorry burned the insides of Aedre’s nostrils. Yasmin’s leg pressed against hers as YuFang’s rasping breaths came in spurts over the rumble of the engine. His shadowy form hunched over the dead gangster.

  “Spider,” Aedre mind-spoke. “Are you there?”

  “Yep. Watch out for YuFang. He kills too easily.”

  “Probably a gangster too. Don’t wanna kill another person, though.”

  “There’s chaos at the Yiksaan. Android maids have rebelled and are freeing slaves.”

  “That’s great! Glad I deactivated their devices.”

  “Great to an extent, but the place is on fire. Many have died. Mostly innocents—karaoke-goers, clubbers, and slaves. Smoke inhalation and crushing mostly.”

  Aedre’s heart rattled in her ribcage. She put her head in her hands and sobbed. She should’ve listened to Spider in the first place and left with the evidence instead of meddling to save Yasmin.

  “What’s wrong?” Yasmin asked.

  “Feel awful I killed the gangster in the basement.”

  “He raped me.” Yasmin’s voice cracked. “Wish I’d killed him myself.”

  Aedre rubbed Yasmin’s back as YuFang sucked in a sharp breath. Whether from pain or shock, Aedre couldn’t tell.

  “Listen. Send those files to the Mayleedian Interstellar Police, MIP, before the Inarmuzzan police ransack the joint for treasure and let Bamdar off the hook.”

  “Send How?”

  “Go in person. That’s what my book says.”

  “Huh?”

  “I’ll explain another time.”

  “I travel now?”

  “Yep. But don’t fly there! You don’t have time. Hang on first. Let me look for you.”

  How could she vanish without YuFang noticing? Was it dark enough? Perhaps if she went to the other side of the container first.

  “I’m back,” Spider said. “There’s a public toilet up the street from MIP. Appear from inside an empty cubicle. Give your intent.”

  “What form shall I take?”

  “You know what Fenuks look like?”

  “Purple skin?”

  “Dark indigo skin. Thin, glossy, black hair. Purple eyes, flat noses—”

  “Don’t worry, I know. I’ve watched plenty of Mayleedian sitcoms.”

  “Make sure you don’t look like a famous actor.”

  “What should I do, just go into MIP and hand the file to a receptionist?”

  “Or head straight for the Human Trafficking Sector instead of the toilet cubicle...” He sounded unsure. “Ah, here it says your files must be copied to a downloader.”

  “But I don’t have my aurashield remote. It’s in my hand at Haunted River.”

  “They won’t need your remote. But the MIP will want to scan your aurashield. The book says it’ll work on your normal aura. But you should have an aurashield and remote, so it looks real.”

  “Just intend it?”

  “You know how it’s done.”

  “Give it to the receptionist or go through security clearance?”

  “We’ll discuss that when we’re there. Meet me in the toilet cubicle first.”

  “YuFang will find out I vanished.”

  “If you don’t wanna kill him, tell him. You won’t get where you intend without shape-shifting. He’ll find out anyway.”

  She didn’t want anyone else to find out. But it would be impossible to hide it. “YuFang. I’m a shape-shifter.”

  “And I’m a Urian windsurfer.”

  “Fine. Don’t believe me. I’m gonna vanish for half an hour to take evidence to the Mayleedian Interstellar Police.”

  Yasmin looked at her with wide eyes, and YuFang laughed.

  “I intend—”

  “Wait. Make sure you have sound transformers to block out the gas giant’s vibrations. Fenuks can’t cope without them on Mayleeda’s tidally locked side, which constantly faces their gas giant.”

  “I intend to appear as a Fenuk man in a public toilet cubicle up the street from the Mayleedian Interstellar Police Office. Give my ears sound transformers.”

  She appeared alone in a large white room. Rather than stinking of urine, the area was fresh and scented lemon and lavender. Different devices lined the walls. How could this be a public toilet? Didn’t they have a hole in the ground to shit through?

  She eyed her naked, purple torso. Six black nipples in two lines of three dotted her muscular pectorals and upper and lower abdominals. “I intend to wear smart spray-on clothing, popular amongst Fenuk males in, wherever I am.”

  Spider laughed. “Forgot to ask for clothing? You’re in the city Fa Sher, in Teeyen, by the way.”

  A silver gown tied at the waist with a golden rope appeared on her new body, and
black silk slippers covered her feet.

  “Your hairstyle needs fixing. Ask for a long ponytail.”

  “Please give me a long ponytail like other Fenuk males in Fa Sher.”

  Sleek, black hair fell over her shoulder, down to her waist.

  “In case the MIP ask, say your name’s Dien. I’ve copied a Dien’s identity and put it in your aurashield. You look similar enough. It’s raining, so activate your aurashield now. It’ll work like a real one.”

  “Please give me an aurashield for rain protection.”

  “Get the identity of this Mayleedian citizenship number: Ka5nay6a.”

  Aedre gave her intention. “Hope the real person doesn’t get into trouble.”

  “Nah. Time to go, before YuFang hits the wall.”

  “What’s he doing?”

  “Don’t worry. Nothing dangerous. Hurry, though.”

  Aedre turned the handle and gazed in awe as she stepped onto a wide pedestrian street, made from what looked like black marble. Humanoids of different ethnicities strolled or floated on hoverboards, hoverchairs or hovershoes between the row of offices and shops.

  Green towers on either side stretched up to the gas giant, Tushing, which spanned a third of the sky. The purple and golden planet with rings looked surreal. Storm spots swirled in shades of desert sand and mauve.

  A sweet and gentle breeze caressed her new body trough her silk gown as she looked all about her.

  Gardeners levitated up and down the towers, attending to foliage which wove around the chloroplastic green-tinted windows. Some harvested fruit while others organised pollinating insects around blooms. Sunlight beamed through the vegetation and green glass, twinkling on the pedestrians below. Robotic disks swept over the black street, sucking up fallen greenery and dispensing it into hatches in the road.

  “The MIP office is across the street,” Spider said. “Good luck.”

  Only the entrance contained clear glass. The rest of the tower used chloroplastic windows for photosynthesis. Aedre walked up the black marble steps and searched for a handle. None. She touched the glass, it snapped open, and she approached the reception desk in the centre of a black and white hall.