Adora was quick to rise the next morning. The smell of fresh coffee filled the bark lined halls of the house. She couldn’t understand why Clementine loved the stuff, but apparently this was a pretty common point of view among adults. The sound of something sizzling on the stove finally drove her to fight out of the mountain of soft pillows and blankets that made her bed. The wooden floor was warm beneath her feet as she padded out the hall and down the stairs, back into the kitchen.

“Ah, there you are. I was starting to think you didn’t want to come any more.”

Adora grunted her disagreement as she sat at the table. She rested her head on the table, causing her red hair to spread out into jumble that did not look far off from an overturned mop that had been dipped in wine.

“That old witch must have given me triple the normal work for a day. Are you sure I’m out only one?”

“Yes I’m sure, and don’t speak that ill of your teacher. Respect the profession if not the person. Watch your head.”

The clank of Clementine setting Adora’s plate down on the table caused the girl to reluctantly raise her head. She was rewarded for her minimal effort with a scrambled egg, fresh biscuit, and a few strips of thick cut bacon. She pulled the plate forward with a grin.

“Now, watch yourself and give it a moment to cool. That bacon is fresh off the grill. Now get yourself something to drink, eat, then wash up. If you want to come with me to the market, you need to hurry up. I have other things I need to do today and don’t want to waste time here.”

With exaggerated effort Adora got up from the table, grabbed a small stubby glass, and walked to the series of vines hanging above the sink. Positioning the glass below the vine, she squeezed one with casual practice, filling the cup with cold orange juice. The other two would have either dispensed apple juice or water, but Adora always thought that water tasted odd no matter how much Clementine tweaked the plant. She turned and sat back down to set upon the breakfast that still hadn’t cooled enough to be eaten without peril.

Breakfast finished, and her dishes placed into the wood basin of the sink, Adora headed upstairs to the bathroom. The same type of vine like plant that had given her juice now sloshed the slightly tangy water that Adora used to wash her face and brush her teeth. Sure that she would hear Clementine drive away in the truck at any moment, Adora returned to her room to toss on some clothes.

She kicked at the school uniform that she had left on the ground disdainfully as she tossed on a tan muscle shirt and some dark blue cargo pants. Both showed wear from the time she spent helping Clementine in the fields, as did the boots she dutifully strapped on. On a whim she picked up her recycled bag and slung it across her shoulder. One could never be sure what treasures might turn up at the market.

“You done yet?”

“Coming now.”

“Better hurry, still might leave you behind yet.”

Adora stalked out her room, only pausing long enough to scoop up a hair tie and toss it around her wrist like an elastic bracelet. She bounded down the stairs and out the door to the canopy, letting the warm morning sun wash over her. Clementine was already sitting in the transport absently looking at her P-comm’s screen while waiting for Adora. Most likely she was scanning the local news feed for weather info. Clementine was always worried about the weather.

“About time, slow poke.”

“Would you rather me a little late, or a lot of mess?”

“Careful now, especially with your hair looking like that.”

Clementine eased forward the throttle as soon as Adora was secure in the transport, cutting short any rebuttal the girl might have given about the crack toward her hair. Instead Adora let a a humph and set about subjugating her crimson tangles into something that approached a low slung ponytail. Clementine made a few quick swipes on the P-comm’s screen and the buzz of the news feed started to come through the cabin’s speakers.

“... activity last night. Colony and Corporate authorities are insisting any irregular readings were anomalies, and that there is no need for concern.

Now for the weather. According to the Equinox Bureau of Weather Control the central Colony has minimal risk for any unscheduled rainfall while the agriculture sectors will be receiving the normal daily shower at 1300 standard time. Later this week, the Bureau oracles are reporting a greater likelihood of solar activity which will disrupt the Bureau’s published weather schedule. Adjustments to the schedule will be made as needed to minimize impact.

In other new the Colony Governor has announced an initiative,”

Clementine cut the news short with a swipe on the controls, replacing the baritone voice of the anchorman with the smooth riff of a blues guitar.

“Well, can’t say I have much faith in those Sparks, but they’ve been a lot more right than wrong this month. Sounds like we have until after lunch to get back from the market. Should be plenty of time for you to see the sights and me get my supplies.”

The towering spire of the spaceport came into view a full twenty minutes before they could see the market. It’s massive checkerboard profile a familiar site to adora. Countless stories of steel covered in ceramic plating and separated by rents to allow the wind to flow through without toppling the tower were responsible for the unique exterior. It was crowned with landing pads and based with the small shipyards for repairs. Both were connected by the dozens of elevator shafts that filled the interior of the spire.

The market itself sat just outside of the gates into the port. It was a sprawling mass of hastily erected stalls made from the leftover materials that had been used to make the port itself. Laid out in a fanning semi circle, it looked like a small city of junk. Adora couldn’t help but smile as the transport swooped in from the far side of the colony to take its place with the other vehicles already parked.

With the transport parked, Adora scrambled out. She stood at the front of the vehicle tapping her feet while waiting for Clementine to get out as well.

“I have to go to the fab yard for some building materials I can’t grow, and back to the feed trader for some seed stock that they didn’t have yesterday. I assume you want to wander about?” Adora nodded enthusiastically. “Well I know you can look after yourself here, so let’s meet back up for lunch at that kabob vendor you like.”

“Sounds good to me. Ummmm…”

Clementine sighed then pulled some small flat metal bars from her pocket. She tossed them slightly in the air so Adora could hear the coins clink together.

“Yes, I suppose you can have some spending money,” she said as she held out the coins, before pulling them back for a moment. “But this is all you get.”

“Thanks, Clem. You are literally the best.”

Adora didn’t look back as she rushed out into the market, stashing the coins in her bag as she went. There was a pattern to the market she had become familiar with long ago. The first that she was rushing through was the food vendors who hoped to peddle their goods to colony citizens on their way in or out. Next would be the trade goods vendors. This would be as far in as Clementine was likely to go. It was the third and fourth tiers, though, that held Adora’s interest. This is where the tech vendors and shipyards were tucked away.

The deeper she got into the market the more exotic both the goods and the people got. Unlike the rest of the colony, it wasn’t uncommon to see non-humans here in the market. The charter may have been written to preserve Human purity, but the founders sure didn’t mind the currency and trade non-humans brought. It was half the reason liked coming to the market.

“Watch where you’re going, primate.”

The call came as Adora bounced off a large reptilian with three legs. She was in the midst of the tech vendors now and saw countless devices and view screens everywhere proudly showing the corporate logos of whatever goods were being sold. One stall even had replacement eyes and limbs that Adora knew were illegal on Equinox. The vendor covered them as she passed, but it wasn’t the first time she had seen contraband. She knew the colony peacekeepers would most likely not cast a favorable eye on some of the more exotic plant blends Clementine used.

She paused for a moment to look at the Personal Communication Arrays that one vendor had. These weren’t the dated P-Comm Clementine, but instead were the newest models from the Transcoptic Collective. The stall belonged to an Artificial who was talking to a female Malkian. Her eyes darted to Adora, before tossing some currency to the vendor and walking away.

“See anything of interest, young human?”

The humming voice of the Artificial came from the speakers of several of the display models. It must have been connected to all of them. Adora felt the heft of the money Clementine gave her and sighed. She still need to replace the old P-Comm she had broken a few weeks back but knew she couldn’t afford any of these high end models. The Artificial was now close enough for Adora to see its smooth metal frame. Several clear sections revealed complex gear-work and circuitry that kept the man like machine moving. Its face was a featureless curved metal lacking both eyes or mouth.

“Sorry, but I think your stuff is a little too much for me.”

It bowed its head slightly then promptly moved on to another possible customer who was walking by. Adora took the hint and turned back to her original destination, the shipyards that were waiting for her just a few more rows toward the port. She walked slowly toward the threshold. It was both her favorite and most hated place in the market. One final step and the pains of the past were cleared away by the sight of all the ships.

“It really is a sight isn’t it?”

Adora turned from the view with a start. Standing next to her was a tall human boy easily a few years older than her. He was wearing long shorts and little else, showing off a deep tan and a series of intricate tattoos that reminded her of the one’s Clementine had on her arms. He was smiling broadly without looking away from the ships.

“Which one’s yours?”

“Pardon?”

“Which one’s your ship. You’re a Worthy, aren’t you?”

The boy glanced sideways at Adora and raised an eyebrow.

“Certainly well informed for a young local. Didn’t think you Equinox kids were big on all this.”

“I live with a mage, and my dad was a spacer.”

“Well that explains that,” he turned and held her hand out to her. “Name’s Cassius, and yes I’m a Worthy.”

“Adora.”

She reached out and shook his hand.

“Well a pleasure to meet you, and to answer your question I’m with the Chrysanthemum. At least that is what the captain is calling her for now.”

Cassius pointed as he spoke out to the ship furthest away, past the smaller merchant free traders and slow barreling brigs, to the green and black cruiser.

“You crew that Cooperton? I saw your approach yesterday. Never seen anything here move like that.”

“Want to take a look?”

Adora nodded enthusiastically. the two walked together past the much less interesting ships until they were standing directly under the sweeping hull of the Chrysanthemum. It’s paint job was even more striking up close. The black was so dark it absorbed the light around it and dimmed everything else, except for the vibrant neon green that was placed sporadically and seemingly at random. That paint practically glowed. From the ground Adora could barely make out the glass windows that made up the view port into the Nest.

“So your old man went out into the stars? What does he do?”

Adora’s lip quivered slightly at the question.

“He was an engineer.”

“Merchant or military?”

Instead of answering, Adora walked slowly around the perimeter of the the ship. At the end of her circuit she stopped at the open rear ramp. The massive engines rested above the opening giving Adora the impression of the eyes the Artificial was missing earlier. Up the ramp she could see the cargo hold of the ship. It looked light, so they must have unloaded whatever cargo brought them to Equinox instead of being here to pick up a shipment leaving the agriculture colony.

“I’d offer to give you a look around inside, but I’m pretty sure the captain would skin me if I brought a civvie on board without her consent. I do meant that literally. She can be a bit intense.”

“It’s okay. I’m just happy to be next to it. Helps me remember.”

Cassius must have noticed something on Adora’s face as he spoke, because the older boy walked quickly up the ramp and motioned for her to follow.

“Now that I think about it I’m sure we have enough time for you to at least get a little tour of the hold.”

“Are you sure?”

“What’s the point of being a Worthy if you don’t abuse the rank a little?”

Adora smiled and walked up into the ship. This wasn’t her first time on a ship, but it was her first time on one that looked so well maintained. Whoever else was on the crew with Cassius, they must have been more diligent than he appeared to be. She glanced back over at the young mage. He certainly wasn’t what she had pictured when her father told her stories about a ship’s mage.

The tour of the hold turned into a tour of the engine room, and then a tour of the bridge. Cassius cut a path for them that wove through the innards for a ship. She got to see the arcane circuitry that Cassius used to power the high energy systems, as well as the mess hall. They were in the rec room when the entire thing was cut short by the arrival of the Malkian woman Adora had seen earlier. He striped fur was bristling and the claws on her left hand were extended. At her side she was wearing a cutlass that hadn’t been there back in the market.

“Is there some reason you’ve brought this young woman aboard my ship, Mr. Brandt?”

The color drained from Cassius’s face at the sound of his employer’s voice.

“Err, Captain. No reason. She’s a fellow spacer’s kid. Just thought she’d want to see the inside of a real ship.”

“Well see that she finds her way off. As soon as Brachen and Corrs are back we’re shipping out. I expect you to see to your duties before that happens.”

The captain nodded curtly to Adora then spun on her heel and headed off to the bridge. Adora noticed that the claws were retracted.

“You weren’t kidding when you said she was intense.”

“Shhh, she might hear you. Let’s just get you out of here. If we’re making way soon, I have things I need to do. Let’s get you back on your way.”

Cassius left Adora outside the ramp of the Chrysanthemum to find her own way back. She stayed long enough to see the ship get pulled into one of the elevator bay’s and begin its ascent to the departure pads on the crown of the tower. By the time she made it back to the kebab stall Clementine was already there waiting for her with a load of goods on a hand truck.

“I was starting to worry I would have to go find you myself, little girl. Cutting it real close, don’t you think?”

“Sorry, I got held up at the shipyard. I can buy lunch to make it up to you”

Clementine held up some skewered meat for Adora.

“Too late for that, I’m afraid. Incidentally I knew exactly where you got held up. I said I would find you, not that it would take long. See anything interesting?”

“I saw that cruiser I told you about yesterday.”

“And?”

“I was right. It was a Cooperton. Nice and clean too.”

“You snuck inside?”

“Calm down, Clem. I was invited on by the ship’s Worthy. He was really nice.”

“I’m not sure that’s much better than you sneaking aboard.”

“It was a nice ship, totally worth the possible kidnapping.”

Clementine glared at her ward for a moment before laughing slightly.

“Just don’t do it again kid, just because he has the tattoos doesn’t make someone trustworthy.”

“Fine, fine. I promise I won’t go on to an awesome ship again unless you’re with me. Better?”

Clementine paused for a second to consider the best way to make sure her reprimand stuck, when the sky above them went dark. Adora looked up to see a massive shadow sweep in low between the top of the tower and the sun. On the horizon, if Clementine had looked she would have seen that she was missing the forecasted shower. Instead her attention was entirely on the shadow that was growing even larger by the second.

“Adora, you need to run for the transport. Now!”

Before either could move, the massive unknown ship released its payload. A barrage of kinetic weapons rained down on the market, but missing the tower itself. A wall of debris was thrown into the sky and hurtled toward the feeble kebab stall. Just before it hit Adora saw a flash of green arcane light and found herself wrapped in a protective shell of foliage.