The Broken Kingdom (9 page)

Vann went straight to the Commander’s office
after that. He was going to be summoned there anyway, considering
what the fish people had done.

He arrived to find Commander Reista had been
expecting him. The Commander had an unusually sombre expression on
his face, and he almost looked worried as he greeted Vann.

‘I suppose you have an explanation for me.’
The Commander stated.

‘Yes, sir.’ Vann nodded curtly. ‘Zap Zap was
trying to contact me, but he wasn’t able to find me.’

‘I hear you’ve been fishing. I would think
being so near the ocean you’d be quite easy for them to find.’

‘I don’t think Zap Zap was looking in the
boats, sir.’

‘Very well. And why did the fish people want
to see you?’

‘They’re worried sir, they think Molk’s
Master is coming to Coastside.’ Vann lied.

The Commander sat up straighter at that.
‘You mean something stronger than Molk?’

‘Very likely, sir.’

‘Surely the ehlkrid in the oceans would
finish it.’

‘Perhaps. But the ehlkrid are not so common
in the oceans as on land. That’s why we haven’t had many problems
with them in the submarines yet. But even if Molk’s master doesn’t
get here, Zap Zap wanted to warn us.’

‘Well, we’ll start preparing.’

‘Sir, I think… perhaps I could join the
submariners again.’

‘You know I just put you on leave.’ The
Commander said, his eyes brightening.

‘Yes, sir, I know.’

‘Well. I think we’d be very glad to have you
back, submariner.’

Vann managed a smile. ‘Thank you, sir.’

‘Let’s start slowly, hmm? I don’t think
we’ll be putting you on a sub right away.’

‘No, sir.’

‘That’ll be all, Vann. Go down to the
blocks, your old bed has been waiting for you.’

Vann didn’t do quite that. He waited a bit
for word to spread he was rejoining the submariners. And then he
started collecting supplies. Food and water he could get from
anywhere, but if he was going to be travelling outside of
Coastside, he wanted some weaponry.

The next morning Vann went out on his
fishing boat. He made some noise about wanting one last fish before
this part of his life was over.

And he sailed out into the open. He had his
supplies. He had a lightning rod and a SIGPEW. He’d also managed to
get some extra charges and a recharger. He did not have to wait
long after he was out of the bay for Zap Zap to show up.

‘Vann here!’ Zap Zap cried in pleasure.

‘I’m here. Let’s go Zap Zap. Lead the
way.’

‘Yes! Vann follow!’

Zap Zap splashed off into the lead. Vann
turned the boat. A moment later Zap Zap splashed back.

‘What taking Vann so long?’

‘Sorry Zap Zap, the wind isn’t so good.’

‘Ok. Zap Zap help. Give Zap Zap rope.’

‘What?’

‘Zap Zap pull Vann.’

‘You can’t pull my boat!’

‘Not alone!’

And then a half dozen other fish people
bobbed to the surface.

Vann looked at them for a moment. Then he
gathered some rope, tied it to his boat and threw it into the
water.

In seconds he was speeding along.

Vann didn’t know how long they could keep it
up, but the sooner they got away from Coastside the better.

Chapter 12

T
he fish people began
angling back into shore, but away from Coastside. By the time they
were near the shore Coastside was no longer in sight. They had not
pulled him the entire way, but their stamina amazed Vann.

Once they were closer to shore Vann spotted
a large group of fish people. Zap Zap swam over to them. When he
returned Riley was with them.

‘Strong Swimmer, Riley, not strong swimmer
anymore.’ Zap Zap said. ‘Keep him, her, close to shore.’

As Vann looked at the grey, slimy fish man
that claimed to be Riley he felt a dangerous spark of hope. It
couldn’t possibly be true. But if it was? If Riley was really
alive?

Those thoughts were too hard to deal with,
so he shut them away.

‘We go now, Zap Zap help Riley. Not all come
with us. Too many attract danger. But if too few can’t defend if
danger comes.’

They headed off again. About five other fish
people accompanied them. It was difficult for Vann to count how
many there were. They all looked very similar to him and kept
darting away beneath the waves.

But soon they had to stop. Even with Zap
Zap’s help, Riley really wasn’t a good swimmer. Occasionally she
would show a burst of inspired, graceful swimming. Then she would
be splashing about, nearly drowning. And she didn’t like to put her
head under the water.

‘Try teach.’ Zap Zap sighed. ‘But she not
good. Something wrong.’

‘Well, if it really isn’t her body.’

Zap Zap nodded dolefully. ‘Yes. Makes
sense.’

‘Can she come in the boat?’ Vann
suggested.

‘Mm…’ he splashed thoughtfully. ‘Yes, but
have to keep her wet.’

Vann helped Riley, who was extremely heavy,
up into the boat. Zap Zap jumped up too. He could jump surprisingly
high out of the water.

‘What are you doing up here?’ Vann asked
with a smile. ‘Getting tired?’

Zap Zap grinned, showing his pointy teeth.
‘Zap Zap help keep wet. Maybe watch. See how Vann swims.’

And so they kept going. Zap Zap leant over
the side of the boat, splashing himself and Riley all the while.
Every now and then he would launch himself from the boat and back
into the water, leaving the boat rocking dangerously. He seemed to
think that was funny. Then he would jump back in.

Eventually Vann handed him a bucket. ‘Zap
Zap, I can’t sail and pail at the same time.’

‘Pail?’

‘The boat will sink if you get any more
water in here.’ His supplies were in a relatively waterproof bag,
so he wasn’t too concerned about them.

‘Really?’

‘Yes.’

‘Oh, Zap Zap help.’

And so he used the bucket to pour water that
was already in the boat over Riley. Sometimes he’d chuck it out and
get fresh seawater.

Night came. Zap Zap told Vann to rest. The
fish people would look after them.

Vann thought there must be more not too far
away, surely the fish people slept too?

And little by little, they approached Harsh
Wave.

‘Zap Zap,’ Vann began on their third day
out.’

‘Vann?’

‘What’s your fishperson name?’ he asked.

‘Oh. I was Smalltail of Broken Wave, then
they made a new position, and I became Strange Sounds of Broken
Wave.’

‘Position?’

Zap Zap nodded. ‘Yes. I was the Smalltail
for Broken Wave. Riley is the Strong Swimmer for Harsh Wave. Though
if she keeps swimming like this, she will have to change
position.’

‘She hasn’t lost it yet?’

‘No. Don’t lose position if sick or
something wrong.’

‘Wait, I want to know your name not your
position.’

‘Same. Clans have positions, each clan has a
Strong Swimmer and a Smalltail and a Fierce Fighter and Wise
Speaker and Shinytail… many, many positions. Change over time.
Clans made new position for Zap Zap, because he talk to humans.
Strange Sounds.’

‘So you don’t have names?’ It was as if he
was known only as Second in Command of the Bad Luck, and then was
known only as Apprentice Fisher once he quit the submariners.

Zap Zap shook his head. ‘Not like Vann.’

‘Well, I think I’ll just call you Zap Zap
then.’

Zap Zap splashed happily.

Vann glanced over his shoulder at Riley.
‘How are you going, Riley?’ He asked. She had spoken very little
these last few days, and moved less. Zap Zap had forced her into
the water a few times. She didn’t like it.

She didn’t respond.

Zap Zap nudged her. ‘How Riley? Vann want to
know.’

Nothing.

Concerned, Vann moved away from what he was
supposed to be doing.

‘Riley?’ He grabbed her slimy shoulders.

She didn’t even look at him.

He shook her, ‘Riley, say something, flap
your tail!’

Nothing. Vann slapped her hard. When she
still didn’t even blink Vann looked to Zap Zap. ‘What’s
wrong?!’

‘She wet. Not that.’ Zap Zap replied.

Suddenly he grabbed her and launched himself
over the side of the boat. Vann was nearly thrown overboard.

When he regained his balance he rushed to
the side of his small vessel. The other fish people were near the
surface, but there was no sign of Zap Zap or Riley.

He waited. Every second was agony.

Then they burst from the water.

His heart nearly burst in relief. She was
thrashing and making angry noises. Zap Zap had a tight hold on her.
How he managed to avoid getting his head knocked off, Vann didn’t
know.

Eventually, she calmed down.

Zap Zap brought her over to the side of the
boat. He didn’t look happy.

‘Need to focus, no going away.’

‘Riley, what happened?’ Vann demanded.

‘N-not… my… body…’ she rasped.

‘Make swim now,’ Zap Zap said, ‘make
stay.’

Riley didn’t reply, but she was still
moving. So that was enough.

For the next hour Zap Zap forced her to
swim. Then he allowed her back into the boat for less than half
that time. He talked to her the entire time. He made her respond,
when she didn’t he poked and nudged and hit her. Then he took her
back in the water.

They did that the entire day.

When night came Vann took over. He told Zap
Zap to rest. Fish people towed the boat, and Vann talked to
Riley.

Talking wasn’t always enough. He had to be
increasingly violent to her.

Riley complained, saying she wanted to
sleep.

Vann didn’t think they could risk that.

The next day was better. They didn’t have to
hit her as often or as hard. By the end of the day, talking was
enough.

Night came again. Vann didn’t really sleep,
he needed to keep Riley awake.

They were looking up at the moon. Well, Vann
was looking up at the moon.

They were having a rather pointless, and one
sided, conversation about faces in the moon.

‘What about a submarine, do you think it
looks like a submarine?’

Riley grunted in response and flapped her
tail to appease him. This was not the kind of conversation she
liked.

‘I think it looks like a submarine. What do
you think it looks like?’

‘A… moon….’

‘Besides that.’

Vann fervently hoped they arrived soon. He
didn’t know how long he and Riley could keep this up. At least he
could nap sometimes when Zap Zap took over, Riley though… she had
to be awake all the time.

The lap of the water was peaceful. Maybe he
couldn’t be a submariner anymore, but that didn’t change his love
of the ocean.

‘Riley?’

‘A…moon!’

‘I’m going to keep asking til you give me a
different answer.’