‘I thought these people were your friends,’ Jupiter said.

He stood at a narrow window high in the clan house overlooking the water court, late afternoon light made the stone walls of the buildings bright as the sun slipped towards the horizon. Beyond the gate across the waterways lay the huge harbour of the Narushkam. But he could still almost trace the route they had taken from between the watch towers of the neck. The stretch of water — the Shavaqa — that connected the inner harbour to the sea was choked with the afternoon flow of traders and fishermen returning from the open sea, or coasting around from the Zenska’s other settlements.

It had been a night and a day since their capture, and almost three weeks since they had arrived on Eoth. At least Jupiter could still see his sailing boat tied up in the water court below him.

‘Friends? You can never quite tell with quevantaqi,’ said Qhawana. Jupiter heard an undertone of bitterness and studied the old man. He wondered what had caused it.

‘You don’t say?’ Maggie stared at the ceiling as she lay on a low cot where she had slept the previous night. ‘Jupiter thinks he can read their faces like a book. Which is beyond crazy. I could never work out that Berg character… if he was on our side or not.’

‘I’ve known Bamrushi — Bergwash many years,’ said Qhawana. ‘Or so I thought.’ He sat on a narrow bench he had placed against the wall. He leaned upon the wall now to rest his back. ‘It seems to me he was always on his own side.’

‘We would have done better being held by the customs officials.’ Jupiter craned to see amongst the banners hung from spires over the buildings around the harbour the flag the clan-official had flown. ‘At least they might have fed us.’

‘Perhaps when the customs agents come to arrest us we can ask for a decent meal,’ Maggie said.

‘Is that likely? That we will be arrested for not reporting?’ Jupiter said.

Qhawana grunted but did not reply. It had been a long night, and now most of the day had passed and while they had been given water there had been no food.

‘Quevantaqi don’t need to eat as often as we do. It’s not that they are neglecting us. They just don’t consider it necessary.’

‘I thought friends would have some understanding of human needs and wants.’

‘They don’t need to eat? Manisaurs?’ Maggie’s wonder was mixed with fear.

‘It’s a mystery. But it is believed by savants the natives of Eoth are more suited somehow to the food of this realm. And that those of us humans, descended from people of Earth, have trouble eating Eoth food… perhaps.’

‘Perhaps?’

‘Apart from needing more of it, Eoth food seems to agree well with me.’ Qhawana rubbed his wide stomach. ‘I think perhaps they are just better at digesting any food. Their scat…’

‘Their what?’ Jupiter’s confusion stretched, and then understanding came to him, as it often did with the strange translation sense they had developed. ‘Poo.’

‘Indeed. All creatures of Eoth produce a damp scat but do not pass water.’

‘You’re taking the piss, right? They don’t go for a whiz?’

Then it was Qhawana’s turn to be confused. But after a time perhaps he got the gist. ‘That is correct. They, at least, know to give us water to drink…’

The door opened and a manisaur entered. She regarded them a short time and then started to close the door once more.

‘Some food,’ cried Maggie. ‘Or even some fruit. Please?’

The manisaur paused, and flashed her aura, which Jupiter took as agreement. Then to his surprise gave a small nod, just like a human.

After some time she returned with a basket of fruit, a pitcher of water, and what appeared to be a hard bread or biscuit wrapped in a cloth. Another manisaur joined them. They moved in at slow and careful pace but Jupiter found it impossible to know their age.

‘Apologies friends,’ the older manisaur said once the other manisaur had left. ‘I did not learn you were here until just now. My mavanya, work-helper, confirmed it. I can’t have you expiring for want of sustenance.’

Jupiter rolled his eyes. Somehow he could sense the manisaur’s speech pattern. ‘This has to be one of your friends Qhawana. He speaks the same way as you do.’

Qhawana ignored him.

‘Tharumiyo. Old friend.’ Qhawana stepped up to the manisaur and together they gripped both forearms in their hands.

The double thumbed grip of the manisaur looked lethal to Jupiter’s eye. Somehow he found it easier to accept the strange faces more than the two thumbed hand. Unlike others, the old manisaur clothes covered him from head to foot as if he tried to hide from the world the state of his old body. Most manisaurs that Jupiter had seen wore little clothing, only practical belts, webs and sashes to carry equipment and personal effects. The rich cloth perhaps set this manisaur out as special, as well as ancient.

Maggie had already found a banana in the basket and was peeling it when Jupiter joined her.

He ripped up a hunk of the bread. ‘Not quite the same as the bread from home but it tastes alright.’ He tore into it with his teeth. ‘But then I’m hungry.’ Jupiter plucked a grape-like fruit from the basket and bit into sweet flesh that somehow tasted of Turkish delight. ‘Choice. Like a huge mutant konini berry from home. But better.’

‘Why are we held here?’ Qhawana said.

‘I regret that I have no power to release you,’ said Tharumiyo.

‘This is my clan home. To be kept locked here like…’

The old manisaur held their hand up and waggled two thumbs. Jupiter was reminded how Berg had never used any human mannerisms. But this old-bird had to know humans well. He grinned at that thought. The ancient manisaur did have something bird-like in their movements. Or slow owlish head swivels at least.

‘Many things have changed since you left. Clan Upariha has felt misfortune.’ Tharumiyo sat down longways on another of the narrow benches, they swept their clothing into a pool that gathered on the floor surrounding them. Jupiter realized that a human chair would not work for manisaurs with the shape of their legs. ‘The human families have faded away or joined parent clans. The quevantaqi alone run commerce and trade now. And not well.’

‘So I learned.’ Qhawana sighed and moved his bench and sat as Tharumiyo sat but leaned forward, his elbows on his knees. ‘But that alone does not explain why we are prisoners.’

‘The rebellion has come closer to home in recent weeks.’

‘We are no rebels. I am an imperial jailor…’

‘Was. Now forgotten and convenient it is so.’ Tharumiyo hummed a bird-like trill but there seemed to be no meaning. Or maybe it was to emphasize their words.

’That may be. So many years ago now… Hamrabanarushi is not the leader… nor the quevantaqa they once were. They are trium.’

Hamrabanarushi. Jupiter recognized the formal name for Berg. And the word for manisaur — quevantaqa — he heard the word as Qhawana would use it. And underneath he sensed the meaning — two thumbed handed ones. But trium. It seemed almost a word he could understand. ‘The third place,’ he muttered under his breath as Tharumiyo continued.

‘That was the success of their downfall and decline to irrelevance… but so too did you… their jailor.’

‘Truth.’ Qhawana said. ‘It was a humiliation for Hamrabanarushi to be jailed by a human.’

‘And a useful retirement for an inconvenient human.’

Silence filled the room. Jupiter watched the two old people from where he had turned his back on the view. The sun warmed his shoulders, and he began to eat more of the fruit and bread to cover his interest in the conversation.

Jupiter had to stop himself from taking too much, while Qhawana had not eaten yet. From the interest in Maggie’s eye she too was fascinated with this insight into who Berg and Qhawana were. If he understood it right, Berg had been a leader in the Imperial Court.

‘So I have now exchanged one sort of prison for another,’ Qhawana said. ‘A jailor jailed is a forgotten man.’

This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.

‘Not forgotten… at least not the man. But perhaps his loyalties are unknown.’ The old manisaur raised their gaze to Qhawana’s and stared long and hard as if trying to understand the person within. ‘The jailor freed of his prison and prisoner might have mixed loyalties. How do they lie now?’

‘As ever, I am Qhawana, the witness that stands apart.’

‘The old poem is open to interpretation. But you must take sides here.’

‘How can I when I have stood away for so many years?’

The old manisaur huffed and shook their shoulders, and Jupiter had the impression of a bird fluffing its feathers.

‘You know enough. Little has changed in the Empire. Even if Clan Upariha has felt the winds of change, the storm wrought by the Emperor still blows in the same direction.’

‘As ever, Tharumiyo, your name is ambiguous… Storm Sanctuary. Is it a place of shelter from the storm or where storms find their home?’

‘How do you stand Qhawana?’

‘Apart no longer it seems.’ Qhawana sighed, then stood and turned to Jupiter and Maggie. ‘I fear the decisions I make here will affect you two young ones more than me. I am an old man, and I did not want to make any decisions. You though have your whole lives ahead of you.’

‘So everyone always tells us,’ Maggie said. ‘I have no opinion about the politics you’re talking about. We just want to get home.’

‘And where is that child?’ The old manisaur turned to them, but Jupiter got no sense or meaning from their muted aura. Perhaps that meant they were open to talking, silent and waiting. He had become so used to Berg’s flashing auras that the scrutiny of the old one’s dark gaze intimidated him somehow.

‘Earth.’ Maggie raised her chin. She stared back into the deep hooded eyes of the alien and Jupiter was glad the old manisaur had his attention on her.

The old manisaur Tharumiyo rocked back. They regarded first Maggie then Jupiter. Then they ‘frowned’ at Qhawana, and with a flash of aura showed disbelief.

‘They are of Earth? Newly arrived… nuvra — just-borns?’ The old manisaur shook their head in a manner that showed a long history living with humans. ‘But they have speech, the connexion.’

‘Yes, they are nuvra — newborn to this world. But have tulanvarqa… It is a wonder. However… true.’ Qhawana appeared to Jupiter almost as amazed as the old manisaur. ‘I can say no more… except ask you to trust and believe.’

Tharumiyo’s dark face remained blank, his silence stretched longer, until Jupiter wondered if something was wrong with the old manisaur.

‘How do you stand?’ Tharumiyo regarded Qhawana.

Jupiter was bemused the old quevantaqa had let the subject drop and now repeated a third time his question to Qhawana. They would not get distracted.

Qhawana stood and took a step towards the seated manisaur. ‘With you. Dhakara — my captain . And so, like you I believe, in revolt against the Empire.’

‘As is fitting.’ Tharumiyo rocked forward and cocked their head. ‘The Emperor brought you down along with Bamrushi. You’re a crazy old man Qhawana, but I did not doubt, or only a little, that you would not remain loyal to this Emperor.’

‘Understand that this is dangerous talk.’ Qhawana said this with a low hissing whisper as if he feared to be overheard.

‘It was easy for you to remain aloof… and yes to stand apart… when on your prison island with that evil old manisaur.’

‘Bamrushi has changed.’

‘Indeed they have.’ Tharumiyo blinked in owl-like slowness. ‘We made them so.’

‘Ah… So it was you…’

‘The rebels at least. They have been in communication with Bamrushi for many years. Visiting in secret.’

‘But never me?’

‘No. Humans are so hard to read. They never trusted you. But a manisaur entering triaj… a transition that when managed…’

‘So you believed I was immutable even as Bamrushi was like clay to be moulded?’

‘Our natures are different. Humans ossify and resist change in old age, but the strength of we quevantaqi is that in the third age of life we can be born anew. That was the hope, and the fear… and another reason some of us manipulated you, a human, as jailor. The court of the new Emperor believed you would not, and could not, affect him. That under a human, the great Hamrabanarushi would become, like you, old bread… stale and worthless.’

‘And Bamrushi is not?’

‘Indeed no. And clan Upariha will raise a navy to bring rebellion to Naruham… the luminous city.’

Qhawana sat down. Jupiter realized the whole conversation had led to this moment. Tharumiyo wanted to confirm where Qhawana’s loyalties laid, and to explain their imprisonment. There was honour in the old bird.

‘How can a clan in interdict raise a navy against the capital of an Empire?’

‘Tomorrow night. We attack the Vanziyaq skyships in the docklands of the Vanukam. So you shall remain prisoners. The rebels do not trust the Emperor’s jailor. But I could not keep you prisoner without at least telling you why.’

‘So, Dhakara. You intend to keep us locked up here?’

‘Yes. But to a purpose. You at least have an excellent view of the attack.’ Tharumiyo stood.

Qhawana smiled and said, ‘Vil'qhai qharaqa jharaqashi pajaqami nepimavasha.’

Jupiter felt dizzy as he listened to the poem. And then he understood. ‘A view from on high is of no worth unless you know where to look.’

Tharumiyo cocked his head to gaze at Jupiter. ‘Just so.’

Later the three were alone and had finished the little food that remained after Maggie and Jupiter had first eaten.

‘We’re still prisoners here,’ Jupiter said. ‘No matter the nice things that old-bird… Tharumiyo said.’

Qhawana glared at Jupiter. ‘You should have more respect for Tharumiyo.’

‘Sorry. But they were no help at all.’

‘I disagree. We now know where to look.’

‘And what does that mean?’

‘He told us where our loyalties should lie, and it is clear to him at least we are not the enemy. We have Qharaqa — a vantage point to understand why we are held here. I at least can understand it now. And can accept it.’

‘Protective custody?’

Qhawana blinked as he processed that notion. ‘Not so much. More that we should accept our position for our own good.’

‘But it is not getting us home.’ Maggie crossed her arms.

‘There is no way for you to do so… at present. Accept your situation.’

‘Yeah, nah. We’re not going to do that.’ Jupiter moved to the open window and gazed out over the bright city. Skyships shone like clouds as they floated on the wind towards the Vanukam harbour. Long ropes streamed to the water where lines of rowing galleys moved across Narushkam. He guessed that they rowed in these close quarters of the harbour against the trade winds when sailing would just blow them about. He watched as the skyships headed to docking ports on the pylon in the naval base.

Out of the corner of his eye he saw a movement across a roof top. He stared at the roof not quite sure what he had seen. The sun shone brilliant and hot in a pale blue sky and he found it hard to keep a constant gaze on one bright spot. Manisaurs were good climbers, but it seemed even they kept to the ground and stairs when moving about these buildings. Otherwise there would be more handholds and fewer stairs.

He saw it again, in the shadows. A figure crouched there, and Jupiter felt sure it stared back at him.

‘Breeze!’ Jupiter shouted. Only an imp would crouch like that on a roof. The figure slipped down and away from the tiled rooftop and was lost from view. ‘If it was him, he’s gone again. I wish I could climb like he can.’

‘It’s a pretty big fall from this height.’ Maggie leaned out the window then looked down. ‘Three floors at least.’

‘That is why we were placed here,’ Qhawana said. ‘Our captors know of our fear of heights and inability to climb as they do.’

‘Or imps.’ Jupiter kept his lookout for more movement but saw nothing.

‘If we could get out, where would we go?’ Jupiter said from his place at the window.

Maggie sat on one of the uncomfortable manisaur bench seats. ‘Qhawana, you said the way home was here.’

‘The way home runs through Zenska, but the place between worlds not here.’

‘But that was the whole point of coming here.’ Maggie said, and Jupiter nodded agreement. ‘So we could get home.’

‘Indeed. But we needed to come here to first find Bergwash, then take passage on a larger vessel to where the way home may lie.’

‘I don’t know if you misled us or we misunderstood. But I thought we were almost home.’ Maggie hung her head and Jupiter got the impression she hid tears behind the fall of her hair. That made him angry.

‘Berg said you would help us. So how is being trapped up here helping us get home?’

‘I’m sorry for that. It has been too many years. I did not know how the clan relationships had changed, nor the desperation that would make clan Upariha join a rebellion against the Empire. Though I understand it.’

‘Enough arguing you two,’ said Maggie. ‘What can we do?’

‘What are the rebels going to do with the skyship? If they capture one.’

‘Sail to the outer islands in all likelihood,’ Qhawana said. ‘Some place where the Empire has fewer ships, and no bases as great as this trading port on Zenska.’

‘We need to get out of here,’ said Maggie. ‘We can not rely on the success or failure of the rebels attack tomorrow. How do we even know they will release us if they succeed? Or that the authorities would believe us innocent if they fail?’

‘We don’t. So we need to get out,’ said Jupiter. ‘Now. Before the raid… while they are distracted.’

‘They would never have locked us up if there was no raid due.’ Qhawana seemed older to Jupiter somehow.

‘And we’re not going to reveal their plans. Are we?’ said Maggie.

‘No. Indeed I wish them success.’ Qhawana smiled. ‘I would help them if I could.’

‘How were you planning to get us on a skyship to wherever the way home might be?’ said Maggie.

‘Your way home? I know enough to guess that it is south, in the cold of Qhayuhanpathi… the long land.’

‘And this Qhapathi…’ Maggie stumbled over the strange words.

Jupiter figured she should just call it the long land. The true sense of the meaning he got.

‘Qhayuhanpathi… most call it by a shorter name… Qhayanpa’

‘Qhayanpa… is another island, like Zenska?’

‘No indeed. Qhayanpa is the centre of the world. It is ten times ten times all the scattered isles of the world.’

‘So a continent, to the south of here?’ Jupiter stepped towards to them.

‘Yes. Qhayanpa… the continent.’

‘And on this Qhayanpa…’ said Maggie. That’s where the way home is? For real this time?’

‘I believe so. The priests would know.’

‘It’s a religious site?’

‘In Naruham — the capital…’

‘Naruham - City of Light? For real?’ Jupiter rolled his eyes as the tulanvarqa gave him a sense of the meaning - though perhaps it seemed closer to Luminous Place. But he heard the sense of a mountain in the name too somehow.

Qhawana did not get Jupiter’s reference to Paris. ‘In Naruham is a place of learning.’

‘A university then?’ Maggie turned to Jupiter and he nodded. ’Not priests.’

‘The phavara — the sages of Naruham, can guide you to the way home if anyone can.’

‘Why did we come here,’ said Jupiter. ‘Instead of directly to… the Long Land.’

‘Qhayanpa.’ Qhawana paused. ‘It would have been too far in a canoe.’

‘But not so far in The Jupiter now we know how well it sails.’

‘Perhaps not. But we were not to know.’

‘Why did you come with us, in the end?’ Maggie said.

’To escape…’

‘You could have hidden from the Blackbirders.’

‘In truth… I felt that Bamrushi - Bergwash would want me to look after you. You say he asked. And I believe that. And the shaquroa - talisman… I felt Zaj had also requested this by putting themselves in your care to deliver the message for them. Not only that I owed this. You are nuvra, children of Earth. How could I leave you if you would not stay on Nezhkara - Black Spire island?

‘And how were you planning for us to get to this Naruham place?’ Jupiter said.

Qhawana sighed then. ‘I do not know. But Naruham is many days, even by flight to the south. I intended that my clan Upariha would provide us passage on a skyship. But they are under interdict, and now worse. If they are part of the rebellion… however tonight fails or succeeds it is clear that Upariha will be no more.’

‘We’ve got to get out of here.’ Maggie said.

‘Or we’re toast.’

Qhawana’s quizzical look at Jupiter’s words morphed into understanding.

‘Indeed. Things will get hot for us very soon.’