Stepping out of the yards, she had ten minutes to make it to the family docks. Her gut was twisting with anticipation as she took a measure of the harbor’s semi-chaotic churn of machines and people. The late morning sun’s yellow light, turned orange by the coal haze, painted the entirely whitewashed port an almost mystical glow. Seagulls flitted and screamed their challenges, diving for the morsels the fishmongers tossed back into the ocean. Thousands of tanned, sweaty, and heavily muscled dockers in a rainbow of family-colored kilts, with open shirts showing off chiseled hairy chests, as they shifted cargoes with steam-powered cranes or lifting skeletons kept the unending line of lorries moving.
More than a few workmen eyed her as she strolled by. She knew she was attractive and ignored the attention. Although not against a fine evening with a pretty man, she’d yet to find a man engaging enough to spend time with beyond a few trysts. Right now, the only man that held any of her interest was the Vibrius. The Vibrius held the keys to her redemption or utter ruination. In ten minutes, she’d finally be able to see him up close and begin to understand what happened and discover the paths the Star Empresses had made for her.
Normally Janali enjoyed the harbor. It never changed. Dock managers in calf length working-skirts, tall well-worn boots, and laced up vests yelled their unending coordinating commands mixed with a steady stream of insults and curses. Dock mistresses in the imperial green and red trousered uniforms shouted orders and inspected every item against their manifest-filled clipboards. The air sang with the familiar chaotic melody of merchants calling bids and competing for the best goods as sailors and fishers held up samples of what their boats promised. Trade house ladies with their barber perfect short business hair, assistants, and pressed business jackets over multi-colored lace-trimmed high neck shirts with matching leather gloves cruised effortlessly through the throng as merchants, dockers, and sailors moved out of their way, leaving visible wakes in the chaos.
Today the bustle only served to slow her down, and she moved as fast as she could without attracting attention. Janali passed alone through the turbulence leaving her own wake. Sailors and business women she’d previously dealt with recognized her and barked out their inventory trying to gain her attention. She ignored them, keeping her face neutral to discourage any specific attention. The Vibrius’s return was all she cared about.
Something was new, different. Dozens of people ignored her, and everyone without an immediate task was looking up. A few people were even pointing. She slowed enough to examine the sky for what could hold so many people’s attention. It didn’t take her long to spot the blazing new star in the western sky domain of Star Empress Gwenna Duianna, the patron goddess of the empire. In the day, only a few of the western sky domain’s stars produced enough light to be seen. At night, it was the most glorious of all the sky domains that surrounded Terra. The church described the sky domains as thousands of golden crystal cities nestled in emerald green fields. For a moment, she again considered pointing her telescope at the goddess’s domain to see if she could see the amazing cities. A shiver ran down her as she wondered what Star Empress Gwenna Duianna would do to her for such audacity.
When her eyes dropped back to Terra, she spied Kasen Clint, one of the louder and more annoying merchants and castatan for House Clint. Kasen was sitting at a harbor cafe and sipping a steaming cup of tea. Kasen, unlike most other unoccupied people, was not looking at the new star. Instead, she was watching the throng of people moving past her. Janali changed course to avoid her but not fast enough. Kasen spotted her and jumped up to walk beside her.
“I saw one of your mother’s ships coming in late. Is it the northern or southern route vessel?” Kasen’s voice was a rich alto that sliced through any level of noise clearly and cleanly. Janali was unsure if she detected a slight pleading whine in the question through the noise.
Janali fought to keep from jerking away; she must not give any personal offense to the Clint family castatan. Instead, she frowned, looking directly ahead and lengthening her strides. Thinking better of her, behavior she slowed, trying to school her face to neutrality; it wouldn’t hurt business to spread the news of the Vibrius’s return. If the ship weren't empty, the unique nature of the voyage could help make up for losses.
“It’s the Vibrius.”
“I thought that ship was lost. It’s six months overdue,” Kasen said, grabbing Janali’s arm.
That stopped her. She glared at Kasen’s hand on her arm.
“Very sorry. I’m surprised and…happy for you.” Kasen removed her hand and bowed slightly.
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There wasn’t anyone close enough to hear if she spoke confidentially. “Why would you care?”
Kasen’s soft, brown eyes came up to look her eye to eye. “Jan, we were friends once. You know that I’m a second daughter, too.”
As Kasen said this, she glanced up at the western sky domain, and her eyes looked on the new point of light. The movement was so familiar, Janali felt they were young girls again for a second. Kasen was always checking the sky domains for astrological signs. She’d studied every astrological treatise and believed every word to the point of becoming a well-known horary astrologist in the circles of their like-minded friends.
Janali’s throat tightened as she regarded the woman who had replaced her childhood friend. They’d drifted apart when Janali spent those years off in the Crelna Institute of Science.
“Star Empress Gwenna Duianna has awakened,” Kasen said, bringing Janali back to the busy harbor. “The Vibrius’s return is blessed under the sky domains.”
“Why would she care about the Vibrius now? Really, Kasen, your astrology signs are very ambiguous. They could mean anything or nothing.”
“Only to those unwilling to listen and believe,” Kasen said, putting her hands on her hips and staring Janali in the eye with her jaw set tight.
Janali returned the stare, and after a moment, they both laughed at each other.
“This is an old argument,” Janali said.
“Yes and I miss it...and you,” Kasen confided.
“Kasy, you told me you wouldn’t leave the Clint Family House.”
Instead of replying, Kasen opened her trade book. Flipping through the pages, she stopped and held it open for Janali to examine. Taking the clean leather-bound handbook, she read. The page was dated eleven months ago, a date she would never forget; it was the day the Vibrius had left Vental. Scanning the tidy, small characters, she noted the ship’s departure was recorded along with the surprisingly accurate entry ‘55s spice+iron stock-JJ’.
Janali’s blood went cold. “How...?” she choked out. If her family discovered she’d conducted private business, she’d be disowned. If others were to learn of this, Janali could be brought up on charges reducing her to a kitchen servant at best.
“It’s hard to spend that much silver and not leave a trail. Don’t worry. I’ve told no one. I really do want you to succeed. I even gave ten pence to the temples to bless your efforts. It’d be yet another Janali Jedalor miracle.” The lovely voice was tinted with a few drops of envy.
“Miracle?” Her mind bounced back and forth trying to find some firm footing. She pulled herself back from the edge of the mental cliff and gave Kasen her full attention.
Kasen pulled a large velvet pouch out of her leather satchel. From that, she produced a lovely expanding hand telescope made of rosewood and brass. “You can’t tell me this invention came from your sister.”
“Our family will do well with those.” She tried to stop it, but the urge to smirk was too powerful as her eyes traced every line of the optical device. It was one of an experimental set of five she’d produced that had twelve-times instead of the six-times magnification of the current production model. The process was so expensive she decided to see if they could sell them at a profit before ordering the factory to be retooled. It was the best Janali could produce with the available lens glass; anything stronger couldn’t be clearly focused no matter what she did.
Kasen smiled and took her notebook back. “Oh no doubt. I hear Cybele has been invited to more than one dinner at the imperial palace, and temples too, because of the success of the earlier model you’re selling everywhere.”
The mention of her sister’s name, and the higher circles she was moving in burned. “It’s good for my family.” A hissing lorry drove past, steam escaping from the pressure release valves. Realizing she’d been standing still, she started moving again. Kasen fell into step with her.
Glancing sideways, she frowned. “Kasy, thank you. But I do need to inspect the ship.”
Kasen’s smile widened. “Of course you do, and I can’t wait to see what they brought back. Fair rates.”
“You were waiting for me. You knew which ship it was.”
“I always said you were the smartest person I knew. You should be careful how many of these marvelous telescopes you sell. I bought all five exclusively for the Clint family. So I doubt anyone else can see the ship’s altered line clearly, yet. I only spotted it because you were looking at it so carefully.”
A cold chill snapped through Janali’s neck. “Because I was what?”
“You’re smart, Jana. But, you’re not that good at business. It wasn’t until I bought my own telescope that I figured out how you were doing so well. We can’t all have such excellently high perches.”
A new rumble was moving through the crowd, and many people were moving towards the waterline, pointing out into the harbor.
Janali looked up, and the Vibrius was clearly entering the main harbor, ahead of her estimation. She needed to move it. But still Kasen could report Janali to the other houses and that could cause a lot of troubles.
“Kasy, I didn’t...”
Kasen held up her hand. “Oh I would have done it, too. And I’ve ordered tarps for the Clint yards. Let the other houses figure it out for themselves I say.”
Momentary relief filled her. She glanced at the inbound ship. “Did you really give ten pence to the church charity to bless my success?”
“Yes, I did. It was all I had in incidental coin. It isn’t in any official record if you’re worried about that.”
Sighing, Janali was pretty sure Kasen wouldn’t tell her family what she’d done. But she couldn’t be sure, and that was precisely what Kasen was hoping for. It was a good negotiating tactic to have something on the lady to help push things your way. “First bid, but not exclusive. Come. We have to run now.”