| Phase 8 � Hey Kris!� I looked over the edge and down from where I was sharpening the blades (which are actually the metal sheets between the frames that serve to make Axyl fly) of Axyl�s left wing. She had it nearly horizontal, but none of the other technicians were willing to get up and do themselves. They didn�t trust her and I couldn�t blame them. Axyl was very particular about how much you sharpened them; she didn�t want the metal to get so thin that she couldn�t fly and I made sure to keep track of how worn they got. � Yeah?� � There�s a box behind your chair and it�s in our way.� I frowned. I didn�t have a box . . . � Can you get it out?� � Yeah. Hang on.� The technician disappeared, returning with a rather small package. � I think it was under your seat and the battle loosened it so it came out.� � Okay. Just set it down over there and I�ll look at it in a second. Thanks.� I finished the one section of Axyl�s wing and slid down to the repair shelf. I went to the box, which Bart was examining curiously. � Any guesses?� � You don�t know?� � They said it was under my seat. I�ve never even looked under my seat, let alone put anything there.� He picked it up. � Hm. Light.� He gave it a good, hard shake. When it rattled dully, he said, � Not an explosive.� In a controlled show of strength, he ripped the box in half (it�s only cardboard). We watched a black case plop to the floor and stared at it. He looked at me and grinned. � Bombs away.� I frowned. � A parachute?� � What it looks like.� I picked it up. The harness was common for such things--having circles of fabric for your arms and legs, connected around the back and down the sides--except that a little band went across the upper area of the shoulder straps. In the center of the band was a small button, the same black as the rest of it. � Gonna try it?� � Hell no. What if it didn�t work?� � I�d catch you.� � Yeah. More like you�d break my fall.� Curiosity getting the better of me, I pressed the button. There was a shrill whoosh of air. � Whoa, shit!� Bart looked over his shoulder at me. � So if it really had been a bomb, you would�ve let me get blown away?� � Royalty first,� I replied as I peeked around him, my head pressed against his ribs, to look at the . . . Wings?! � Neat!� I picked them up. They were a large set of dragon wings with a very long and real-looking tail attached. The wings� frame was pliable metal covered by scales from an actual dragon and the skin between was the thin, tough skin of hob-gobs that was also shielded in dragon scales. The span looked to be nine to thirteen sharls. � How do you work these things?� � May I take a look at them?� I looked over at Citan, Fei, Sig, and Maison as they came across the bay floor. � Help yourself. I�m clueless.� � Duh.� � Shut up, Bart!� He snickered. Citan played with the wings only for a moment. � I think I figured it out. There are sensors on the inside here that I believe pick up brain waves--mental signals. Like how you make your arms and legs move.� � Okay.� I stepped into the harness and fit my arms in, then pulled my vest back on. I didn�t need to do any adjusting; it fit exactly. � Now how to test them . . .� Citan mused. I commanded the tail to raise and grabbed it, playing with it until Bart suggested, � How about actual flying?� � Yes!� I replied. � No!� Fei, Sig, and Maison said at the same time. I ran to Axyl. � Axyl! Pick me up!� Since she couldn�t bend down because of the repair shelf, she lowered her right wing. I grabbed onto the frame and hung on for dear life as she lifted me to her shoulder. � Thanks, Axyl!� I climbed up to her head and looked down. � Hi, guys!� Bart waved in return. Fei and Citan warned me to be careful. � Come down from there this instant, Krista!� Maison ordered, using my proper first name. � What if it doesn�t work?� Sig yelled. � Bart said he�d catch me!� With that, I leapt up and out and then plummeted to the floor. Barely five sharls from certain death, I had the wings spread and banked to the left. I spiralled up, then arced downward and glided at a dangerously high speed straight at Bart. He stood still--smirking back at me--and locked gazes with me, trusting . . . knowing . . . that I wouldn�t hit him. Fei dove to the floor and covered his head and Citan, Sig, and Maison backed out of my path. I pulled up at the last minute and the wings beat once to stop me, causing a strong breeze to stir up and ruffle everyone�s clothing and hair. I was hardly six rhals from Bart and the wings extended far behind him. He never flinched once. � Those are almost too big for you,� he remarked. I humphed and sank the few rhals to the floor. � Lets me go faster.� I pressed the button on the band and the wings and tail quickly folded themselves up and slid back under the vest to the pack without doing any damage to the vest at all. Sig stomped over. � Don�t do that again! Especially not inside!� � Why? Afraid I�ll hurt someone?� � Or yourself!� He reached up to my right bang lock and grabbed it momentarily, then let go and held blackened fingers in my face. I recognized the smell of grease that I�d probably gotten from a joint in Axyl�s neck. � This could�ve been a piece of metal or glass and it could�ve been in your eye!� I sighed and pulled an oil rag out of my pocket, then proceeded to wipe his fi- ngers off. � Okay, fine. I�m sorry I scared you so bad. I won�t do it anymore.� He stepped forward so we were not quite nose to nose and glared warningly. I tensed at his proximity and ducked away, but he followed. I began to shake and it was then that Bart finally intervened, pushing Sig away and keeping him there with a locked arm. � Back off, Sig. She gets it.� They had a staring contest and Sig eventually spun around and left. Bart turned to me and briefly touched my face with the tips of his fingers. � You okay?� I nodded, but he hugged me anyhow. � That was just a little too overboard. He didn�t need to do that and next time he does, just deck him. I give you permission.� I snorted to keep from laughing. He patted my back. � You better load Axyl onto the ship. We�re leaving soon and I don�t want to leave her behind.� *>*<* Fei peered into the red Gear�s open cockpit. � Bart?� The blond prince was balanced precariously on the back of the cockpit chair, his upper half stuck inside the Gear�s body. � Hm?� He stepped inside and leaned against the frame. � Why did Kris get so upset earlier?� The clinking above Fei ceased and after a moment, Bart sat down where he had been standing. � Kris has always had a thing about how close people can get to her. If she knows you, she�ll let you stand as close as you like, but with strangers they need to stay at least two sharls away.� � Why?� He shrugged. � Don�t know. Kris has never told anyone what happened to her before we found her. Seeing the way she acts around everyone, I�m honestly afraid to hear the truth. I just can�t imagine someone hurting her just because they can. It�s not a possibility to me.� � I thought you and Kris told each other everything.� He humphed. � I talk, she listens. That�s the sum of it.� � She doesn�t . . .?� He shook his head. � Every time I try, she gets upset and leaves.� � Do you think---� � Don�t,� he interrupted. � I know you�re her brother, but she and I are as close as brother and sister and if she won�t tell me, she probably won�t tell you either. I�m not trying to keep you away from her, but I am trying to save you trouble. I don�t know how she�ll respond if you ask. She might yell at you like she does with me, or she may actually tell you. It�s your decision what you do, but I wouldn�t.� Fei turned and looked back outside. Kris stood on the bay floor, yelling up at Axyl, who was refusing to get on the Yggdrasil. � I can imagine it. And I hate the whole thing.� � Huh?� � You said you couldn�t imagine why someone would want to hurt her,� he answered without taking his eyes off his sister. � And I say I can.� � Why?� � Look at her.� Bart did so and shrugged. � So she�s a work of art. So what?� � That�s precisely the reason. Because that�s what she is, you�d want her as a playtoy, right?� � Hey! I�m not like that!� � Sorry. I meant it in hypothetical terms.� � Oh. Well in that case, yeah, I guess so.� Fei nodded. � She has a lot of spirit too. Just think of all the sick people who would try to abuse it out of her so they could have a perfectly obedient toy to use or throw away at their leisure.� Bart swallowed the lump in his throat and watched Kris threaten her Gear. Imagining her as a fear-filled slave of five or six made him ill. � That�s . . .� � Disgusting, I know,� Fei filled in for him. � But that�s all I could think of. It�s the only thing that makes sense. The only thing that corresponds with the way she acts.� � Then why wouldn�t she tell me?� � Maybe because she thinks you wouldn�t understand.� � What wouldn�t I understand?� � Possibly the feeling of terror. Another girl could identify with a fear like that. She might think you�d tell her to suck it up and get over it.� Kris stalked over to Axyl and kicked the Gear�s foot, still shouting. If it hurt her, she didn�t let on. Axyl only looked down at her pilot, then picked her up and held her face to face. The Gear beeped and clicked rapidly. � Damn it, Axyl! You stayed there for four years and you�re still afraid of it after all this time?!� More clicks and beeps. � Oh, is that how it is? Fine! Put me down and I�ll fix your problem!� As soon as she touched the floor, she yelled, � Axyl, Standard!� and climbed up the now unmoving Gear�s leg to the cockpit. From there she piloted Axyl up into the Yggdrasil and to a free stall. Bart shook his head. � You�d never know . . .� Fei nodded his agreement. � It�s why I worry about her. I mean, how much does it cost her to keep a normal appearance in front of us?� � I don�t want to know.� � Why?� � I don�t want to find out how much pressure she has to be under before she cuts loose and kills someone.� � Kills someone?� � Kris doesn�t cry like other girls do. When she gets mad, she gets violent. She could easily destroy this entire hideout before she calms down and thinks about what she�s just done. And once she does, she gets upset all over again. So I just prefer to keep from making her angry. It�s better for everyone, including herself.� Bart stood and resumed his work, not ending the conversation, but putting it aside for the time being as Kris reappeared from the ship and made a beeline for Brigandier. She peeked in the cockpit and noticed her brother right away. � Oh, hi Fei. What�re you doing here?� � Just talking to Bart.� She turned skeptical eyes to the prince�s visible half. � That�s a surprise, considering that he�s working on his precious baby. Oh yeah, Fei. Don�t touch the consol. That�s his rule.� Fei blinked. � Isn�t that a little possessive?� Kris shook her head and said matter-of-factly, � He�s possessive about a lot of things. The only way to find out what is and what isn�t is to put your hand on it. He doesn�t even have to see it to know when you have.� � Hey,� Bart protested, � I�m not that bad.� � See?� Kris waved her hand. � He�s admitting it.� <--Phase 7 Phase 9--> |