Planet Walkers

Chapter 7

Chapter Five

A Touch of Ice

Duvät Gok wrapped his warmest cloak tighter and kept watch for predators while Huldar knelt and buried his hands beneath the snow. The Qalān of a planet manifested itself in a network of wormholes, and with his palms pressed against the ground Huldar felt for these channels. When the Uri’madu arrived on a new assignment his first priority was to set up a transport grid. Without tuned portals, the team could not properly traverse the planet – they wouldn’t get far on foot! – but the work was arduous and he was nearing exhaustion.

“I’m freezing!” said Duvät Gok. “What’s taking so long?”

“I can’t understand why you wanted to do this now,” Huldar muttered. “We’re still setting up camp, for Breath’s sake!”

“Just hurry.”

“We should head back – leave this till later in the thaw,” Huldar said. “If we go further north, the cold will be far worse. We’ll be risking our lives.”

“Is that why you made me come?”

“Someone had to.”

I wish I’d never left the comforts of Giahn, Duvät Gok moaned.

Then why did you? Huldar asked impatiently.

None of your business, the Overlord snapped.

Huldar laughed to himself. Word was that Duvät Gok had some serious marital issues. Perhaps this was the way he’d chosen to escape them.

Before them was just the sort of strong nexus he needed. With a determined breath, he pushed back his tiredness and honed his senses to feel the flow. Through psychic touch, he followed the streams and tributaries of the planet’s network until he found a path that would take them directly to an island on the southern coast of the northern continent.

The Mark on his cheek tingled as he set his voice to resonate with the song of Qalān … soothing, smoothing, asking permission. At first the nexus was reluctant. It had many strong branches. And why should it obey this request to shut them off? Huldar refined his pitch to convey the benefits of harmony. Every time the gate was used the web would be strengthened, he explained, not reduced.

Abruptly, the pact was sealed and the portal was opened. The thrill of permission granted never paled. He stood and brushed the snow from his hands.

Duvät Gok grunted. “Don’t you feel the cold?”

“Yes,” Huldar said.

“You’re not shivering.”

“I accept it.” He shrugged. “The cold is not my concern right now.”

“You ignore it.” Duvät nodded as if he understood.

“No, I accept it.” Huldar knew the Tiamäti could never grasp it.

“Whatever.” Duvät rolled his eyes. “Are we going north now?”

“Are you sure this is what you want? It will be dangerously cold.”

“Just go.”

A pulse of bloody-mindedness tightened Huldar’s lips. Although a direct order from the Overlord could be ignored where the welfare of the crew was an issue, Duvät Gok should see what he meant when he said something was unsafe. “Stand closer would you? This is hard enough as it is.”

With a sullen grunt, Duvät huddled nearer and together they stepped onto the side of a mountain deep in snow. Here, it was sunrise, and pale new light sparkled over creaking glaciers. Far away, the ocean bulged as an ice-river calved into its turgid, floe-bound waters. There was no sign of life. No ebb and flow of psychic conversation, no emotional under-stories, nothing to not-hear or shield his thoughts from; only peace. For a moment, Huldar stood and bathed in the stillness.

Duvät hugged himself tight, shocked by the raw power of the cold. “By the Breath, Huldar! Get me out of here before I freeze solid!”

Huldar wrapped his scarf around his face. His limbs were already starting ache.

“Get on with it!” Duvät snapped.

“Breathless moron,” Huldar muttered to himself. “Maybe next time he’ll understand.” But his anger was as much for himself. For the sake of giving the Overlord a shake-up he might have killed them both.

He spotted a bright point in the local energy field and started toward it. He’d hoped the walk would warm them up, but the result was disappointing.

Once more, he immersed himself in planetary Qalān, seeking a quick exit to warmer climes. During previous negotiations he’d sensed the possibility of a gate that would return them directly to the Central Continent. Duvät’s impatience beat against him, but the process could not be hurried. Engrossed in his work, Huldar could hardly feel the ferocious cold, but soon it was as if a thick blanket muffled his thinking, growing heavier by the second.

The branch was there. He forced himself to focus, each step thorough and sure. If the portal was not correctly negotiated they could end up lost in Qalān, unable to extricate themselves, and they would die there.

“Come on!” Duvät rasped, but Huldar barely heard. He was tired. He wanted to sleep so badly. Something slumped into the snow beside him. A voice was singing and he was almost surprised to find it was his.

Suddenly, the way was open. He grasped Duvät Gok’s arm and dragged him, half falling through the gate and stumbled into darkness.

His teeth were beyond chattering.

Far ahead he could see the orange glow of a fire and his mind reached out, Casco! Help!

When Casco answered, Huldar was so relieved he could have wept. It didn’t seem right to die on the very first day of their new assignment.

On our way! Casco answered. Stay with me … just trying to locate … got you! We’ll be there soon!

He had an impression of Casco and the two healers running, but didn’t have the strength to keep the contact open.

Duvät Gok lay unconscious in his arms. He looked down at his face; limp hair pale in the light of the moons, skin tinged blue with cold. High, flat cheekbones and fleshy hooked nose, heavy eyebrows and coarse lips … features typical of Clan Gok. He strained to find beauty there. The effort was too much.

He felt as if weights were pulling his eyes closed. He wanted to sleep but knew he mustn’t. His mind wandered to their new diviner … had they played the tent-rope trick on her?

“Casco won’t make her sleep outside,” he murmured. “No, he wouldn’t. When I get back I’ll tell her the charm … but she’s smarter than you think, my friend, she might have worked it out by herself.”

He hugged the Overlord, trying to find warmth, but his strength was fading. “I should have turned back,” he whispered. No one should be this cold …