Jupiter was tempted to just roll Gan into the sea. The big manisaur was sure to be buoyant.

‘He’d float, but still drown,’ Jupiter said.

Breeze pulled at him. ‘Joop… Joop…’

‘I can’t leave him here.’ Then he saw what Breeze worried about. A large galley pulled fast towards them.

‘Can you swim?’

‘Water… like water.’

‘Okay then. Help me…’ Jupiter and Breeze pushed and prodded Gan’s limp body through the hatch opening. He did not need to lift the marine, the hatch, though low, had been set at the same level as the deck. Maybe used for loading goods of some sort.

‘Just as well.’ Jupiter grunted with exertion. ‘You might be light for your size, but you still weigh more than me.’

The marine teetered on the edge, then toppled. Breeze chittered, then leapt out into open space, his motion pulled Gan the rest of the way. Jupiter had held onto the manisaur by his weapon sash so together the three fell towards the harbour waters.

‘Maaaaggs!’ Jupiter yelled until he clamped his mouth closed when he hit the water.

His breath was knocked out of him, and he had had little to begin with. The gems shoved inside his wetsuit stabbed into him all over, and he found it hard to bend his arms and legs. Seconds ticked by and he ached to take a breath. All was dark. Even with eyes open to the sting ing salty water he saw blackness everywhere.

Which way is up?

His heart thudded and his head ached, ears hurting from the increase of pressure as he fell deeper. He twisted, searching, then focussed on a shimmer of light, stroked towards it, and soon broke the surface. He treaded water with powerful kicks, the heavy bulging gems dragged him down and impeded his movements. He spluttered as water got up his nose. The salty water tasted… he did not want to think what could be in the water… Not good.

‘Breeze?’ Jupiter rubbed water from his eyes. The imp sat on top of the floating manisaur’s body. Waves rocked Gan, he floated like a boat. ‘Okay. That’s weird. But yeah… they do float.’ He swam over and made sure the manisaur still breathed, his face clear of the water.

‘Jupiter?’ Maggie’s call came from nearby.

‘Here.’ Jupiter blinked and spun about, then the splashes of her paddle strokes came to him over the whistle of the rising wind.

‘He’s not dead is he?’ Maggie squatted in the bow of the outrigger and stroked closer. The lowered sail flapped in the wind, and the Jupiter spun, then slid sideways. Maggie made a quick series of pulls until Jupiter could reach out and grab the hull.

Breeze pulled himself aboard with a happy chittering warble — ‘Safe… happy… good…’

‘Alive then…’ Maggie sounded relieved.

Together, the three pushed, pulled, and prodded the big manisaur into bow of the hull, then rolled him into the recovery position… Jupiter knew that was what you did with humans — but manisaurs? Who knew? He took a deep breath then coughed out some seawater.

‘Jupiter…’ Maggie said. ‘The galley. It’s coming!’

‘Couldn’t leave Gan behind…’ Jupiter coughed again, then checked that Gan still breathed okay.

‘This is madness…’ Maggie wailed.

‘Get padding, anything to get some distance between us until we can get up to speed.’

Jupiter raised the mainsail up tight, then slipped back along the outrigger platform to the stern and took hold of the tiller. Breeze already sat at the kheel and with Jupiter’s signal began to spin it up.

‘Come back now Maggs, close to the kheel. And keep low. They might have guns, or bows… or whatever…’

The mainsail snapped as wind filled it, and The Jupiter began to respond to Jupiter’s steering.

‘They’re getting very close.’

Jupiter didn’t even turn. He could hear them, smell them. Any second an arrow might plunge into his back — but he focussed on sailing. He pumped the rudder to speed The Jupiter’s change in heading away from the flight-works. The dark water flowed past in an increasing blur. But the quicker they went, the faster the wind changed direction. It was crazy. The wind kept veering even as they sped on.

Cool. Induced apparent wind!

Jupiter pulled the sail tighter to keep wind full and flowing across it. Then with the kheel spinning fast, and the apparent windspeed mounting, they tilted. The main hull lifted from the water, the press of acceleration, and they were on just the one outrigger.

Adjust the heading a little. Nudge the tiller. Turn the bow close to the wind.

Jupiter’s thoughts lay only on getting the best speed as he raced like never before.

As they sped off in a broad reach Jupiter slid out onto the outrigger platform. The tilting sail and hull steadied, everything felt just right. Humming. A quick flick of his body out, a twisting thrust, popped the outrigger from of the water. The hum increased and he realized did not come just from the rigging, the hull, and the kheel. Somehow the feeling pulsed within himself. He glanced at Breeze and saw the imps eyes closed, his hands resting on the gunwale. Jupiter grinned.

The boat steadied. The throbbing hum changed pitch again as if singing a new chorus. The susurrating water rushed away from the stern. Behind him twin plumes of foam sprayed in the wake of the two rudders. The receding galley framed in white, oars dipped in quick succession, but the rhythm of the strokes became uneven as they pushed themselves too fast.

Eyes forward again Jupiter considered their marine companion. Just the manisaur’s head remained visible. The feather hair flickered in the moonlight. Before it had been concealed under a helmet that had come off in the water.

‘See if you can rouse him.’ Jupiter scanned across the waters. ‘I have no idea where to go now.’ He now pulled gems from his suit, tumbled them into the bottom of the hull, and rubbed the spots where the sharp facets had dug into his skin. They shone green and dark, so precious, yet so many.

‘Just keep us away from that galley,’ Maggie said.

The moon had risen higher now. In its light the shape of Narushkam — Moon Haven revealed itself. The two guarding towers of Shavaqa — the neck were tall unequal forms against the clouds away to the left. One shone bright in the moonlight, the other dark and lit only by a great orange glow-like fire from its peak. Jupiter steered to put the Shavaqa behind them and used the wide turn to scan the rest of Narushkam for the situation. Ahead now lay the towering pylons of Vanukam. A battle raged there lit by the rising crescent of a blood moon.

‘Jupiter,’ said Maggie. ‘Why are you heading towards where the fighting is?’

‘Wasn’t that the idea? To help the rebels?’

‘We’ve done that. And just barely got out. I’ve had enough of war, and fighting, and… everything.’

‘We’ve not even started…’

‘No Jupiter. We turn. Now.’

Instead Jupiter pulled the sail in tighter and swept over his attention points — luff of the sail, masthead wind indicator, the heel of the boat, a glance to windward, another to leeward… and then back to the shape of the sail.

‘I mean it. I…’ Maggie paused then. ‘My uncle fought in North Africa. You don’t know what war is. Death, and loss, and heartache. Nothing good comes from war.’

‘Except defeating the enemy.’ Jupiter stared ahead.

‘But whose enemy?’

‘I almost wish Qhawana was here.’

‘But he’s not. Just us kids.’ Maggie’s voice broke.

‘And a grumpy manisaur. And now he’s coming to.’

Gan sat up in a rush, the outrigger wobbled, and Jupiter eased the sail a little.

‘Where? Away…’ Gan garbled nonsense then. Even with Jupiter’s sense of connexion the manisaur remained too confused to make much sense.

Gan stared at him. Jupiter saw his aura reflected pale red in the moonlight, just enough to show the colors shifting.

‘We’re all okay. Safe now,’ said Maggie. Breeze ducked his head behind the kheel but gave it a spin as he did so.

At first Jupiter thought that Gan did not know them, did not remember, and might even attack. But then the manisaur seemed to steady. He looked at the Narushkam, at The Jupiter, and at the two humans.

‘It is well. And the flight-works? Last I recall I broke open…’ he fell silent.

‘Jupiter got you out, you were unconscious.’

‘We failed then! We have to go back.’

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‘You mean did we get this?’ Jupiter clamped the mainsheet with his foot, and reached down into the hull. He held a green shiny gem.

‘Just the one?’ Gan said.

‘Many. All of them.’ Jupiter smiled.

‘This is good. But…’ Gan fell silent and instead looked across Narushkam. ‘Karakatun...’

‘Your skyship?’ Maggie said. She pointed away to where the rebel skyship had landed in the fringing docks in a trader district. ‘I’m not sure, but I think the galley that tried to attack it was overrun by the skyship crew before they landed. But then the galley that came to aid them turned for us.’

‘And we blew them off.’ Jupiter grinned.

’The skyship and crew are far from Vanukam — no gharumal can tow them back into action now. Instead they will have to flee before the storm arrives.’ Gan made to stand.

‘No. Sit down.’

‘I need no aid from nuvra. You have no part in this.’

‘I said… sit down.’

‘You dare order me?’

‘I am Jupiter… Captain…’ Jupiter said. ‘I do so dare.’

Gan aimed his face and stern aura right at Jupiter.

Then the tension broke, and the manisaur laughed. Or Jupiter hoped that’s what the chittering screech meant.

‘And so Joopah Captain… I sit.’ Gan put his back to the bow. In the wind the feather hair on his head rippled. ‘However, I am Lana-Lankhaka, and I rule on military matters…’

‘We’re getting away from here,’ said Maggie. ‘Not to the fight in the naval docks. We want to leave with the Karakatun.’

‘But… With the speed of this craft… We can…’ Gan paused. ‘Very well. We will go now to Karakatun.’ Gan turned to face the bow. ‘Joopah Captain. If you please, sail with all speed… to there.’ Gan pointed to the skyship.

Jupiter pulled the tiller towards him, nodded to Breeze to spin up the kheel again, and set the bow towards the Karakatun. If the skyship had no attackers it could get them south, and away from this fight.

‘You owe me Gan,’ Jupiter said in determination.

The manisaur cocked his head towards Jupiter.

‘I saved your life, and got the gems.’ Jupiter turned his gaze on the manisaur. ‘Not only am I the captain… Vam’lama. You owe me!’

‘In your own way you are right,’ Gan said. He faced towards the Karakatun. ‘I will repay you Joopah-Tah-Drayk. Do not fear.’

Jupiter settled back on the outrigger platform, trimmed the sail, and eased his way towards the stern to balance the weight of Gan in the bow. The outrigger steadied as if she had a her own mind and knew the way across Narushkam. But Jupiter sensed they flew on an edge and stayed very wary of the elements, and of the balanced forces he used to sail The Jupiter across the harbour.

Soon they drew close to shore, the rebel skyship loomed large now in the increasing light of the rising moon. glowglobes were strung on the vessel to light the decks. Fighting between the gallery and the crew had subsided, with the galley cast adrift. Jupiter slowed but as they came near to shore something hit the rudder with a bang. The rudder blade swung up from the water, and with the sudden loss of steering Jupiter struggled to stop the outrigger from veering into the dock. He reached his foot out to the spinning kheel to slow it and The Jupiter fell into the water with a splash. The jolt set Maggie and Gan grabbing for handholds. Breeze slipped next to Jupiter and hung on. They slowed, but still moved fast towards the stone side of the dock.

The Karakatun had crashed down on the praya — the level expanse of cargo area next to a row of warehouses. Boxes of cargo had spilled like dice across the flat. The skyship had bent and busted some of its smaller lower spars and the crew were busying with clearing away broken rigging. Jupiter heard orders and shouts amongst the curses. All were strange terms that he did not understand, but he sensed enough. They were about to depart.

‘Jupiter! Behind you,’ Maggie cried.

He followed her gaze. ‘You’ve got good eyes Maggs.’

A galley rowed closer and would reach them within minutes.

‘I’ve been keeping an eye on that galley,’ she said. ‘That’s the one that chased us from the flight works.’

‘And you didn’t tell us before now…’ Jupiter said.

‘I want us to escape on that skyship.’

‘Explains why the skyship crew is in a rush.’ Jupiter caught the eye of a work party of sailors. When they spotted The Jupiter they set up a hooting cry of alarm.

A group soldiers took up what to Jupiter were firing positions with something like guns to their shoulders. They now leaned forward sighting with care.

‘Uh oh… Gan?’ Jupiter imagined a bullet ripping into him. ‘Gan!’

‘Get down humans,’ cried Gan. He stood tall in the bow and let out an almighty caterwauling cry that ululated and echoed from the shore-side warehouses and trading shops.

The soldiers brought their somethings from their shoulders and stood at the ready. Dumbfounded, Jupiter eyed the devices warily. He did not know very much about firearms, but he thought they were meant to be straight, and not have a curious curve like these.

‘What the heck are those things?’ Jupiter said.

Gan cried out his name and rank. And then to Jupiter’s amazement he continued. ‘I am with friends. And this one I pledge qharanlusha — my life blood. For he took me from danger and has delivered me to you. I owe him my life, my clan owes him qharazhan.’

‘Why do I have the feeling he’s about to sing a song,’ said Jupiter. Maggie grinned.

‘They do that, don’t they?’ Maggie laughed.

‘A lot.’ To Jupiter’s bewilderment, Gan instead issued orders to a group of soldiers who ran to the edge of the praya. A pack of the dog-like beasts swarmed towards them.

‘Steer for those of my tarkham — troupe.’

‘Sure… but it’s not going to be easy to tie up.’

‘We’re not tying up,’ Gan said. ‘We sail for Vanukam.’

‘The naval dockyards?’ Maggie shook her head. ‘Jupiter…’

‘The battle is still fought,’ said Gan. ‘And we must aid our forces. The Karakatun skyship will flee, it is damaged… that is plain to see.’

‘Lana-Lankhaka Ganarasha,’ boomed a voice. Jupiter saw the tall form of a human. Even in the light of the bright blood moon, with glowglobes about them, he saw all were tall and imposing. There seemed something familiar about them. The dog-beasts bounced in excitement. ‘When you swung down from Karakatun to free the ropes lost from the hauling Gharumal, I thought you wanted nothing less than to run from me. But now you return.’

‘Jupiter… That voice. Isn’t that Red-Back?’ said Maggie. ‘The pirate?’

Jupiter shook his head. ‘I didn’t recognize them at first without the red-sash. But somehow this all makes a strange sort of sense.’

‘What do you mean? Sense? Nothing makes sense in this place.’

‘But it’s still a good thing Red-Back doesn’t know us, never even saw us.’

‘That means Berg must be here,’ said Maggie.

‘Was that your plan Ganarasha?’ Red-Back called from the dock. ‘To escape your obligation?’

‘Not at all Vam’lama — my captain.’ Gan said in a mocking tone. ‘By your side I will fight to the end of time.’

Jupiter recognized a quote when he heard one.

Gan continued — ‘Except when I am needed elsewhere.’

‘How so?’

‘This human rescued me. I know not how. He brought me from the flight-works where I had fallen.’

‘So the flight-works is not breeched?’

‘It is entirely unmanned. But I will have a ship.’ Gan roared out another complex cry and his troupe of marines swung on ropes down the stonewalled edge of the praya dock close to the water. ‘Joopah, steer for my tarkham.’

‘Jupiter. No!’ Maggie moved towards Jupiter. ‘We can’t.’ Her harsh whisper shocked him. ‘We’re safe here. And this skyship can take us to Qhayanpa in the south.’

‘I know. But will they? Is that where they are going?’ Jupiter hissed in reply. ‘And where is Qhawana? Without him to guide us… you want to trust yourself to some cut-throat pirate?’

‘Berg must be here? We saw him escape with these pirates. Willingly. Perhaps they are allies?’

‘You said you did not like or trust him.’

Maggie glared at him. When Jupiter met her gaze saw tears were not far away. ‘Let’s not argue,’ he said. ‘I’m not sure we have a choice.’

‘What?’ Maggie said with defiance. But then, in a voice close to breaking she continued. ‘You’re going to sail away, to fight with Gan and his marine troupe? And get killed, or sunk, or lost?’

Jupiter fell silent.

’Why do you always do this?’ Maggie said. ‘Don’t you ever do what is best for yourself?’

Jupiter was torn. The excitement of the chase. The urgency. The feeling of doing something important. All made him feel alive, that he belonged here somehow.

Into the silence Maggie shouted. ‘Gan!’ Jupiter’s eyes flicked to Maggie. ‘The galley,’ she cried out.

Jupiter saw where Maggie pointed. The navy galley had pulled up, and now sat offshore. The wind drifted in closer. Manisaur soldiers lined the ship’s side. The warriors intended to rush the attack by coming alongside the praya, side on.

Gan grunted. ‘Joopah. Bring your boat to my troupe.’ The command in his voice as much felt as heard.

Jupiter let the sail out and steered for the high wall of the praya’s edge. At the last second he swung The Jupiter so it came alongside, speed diminished, sail flapping.

‘Better make up your mind,’ said Jupiter. ‘We’re about to become meat in this manisaur sandwich.’

‘Not safe… flee… danger…’ Breeze bounced up and down, and then reached one hand out to Jupiter, the other to Maggie.

The two locked eyes.

‘You’re not going to sail with Gan!’

Jupiter nodded. ‘I think I have to. How else will I save The Jupiter from the galley?’

‘Why? Why would you do that?’

The outrigger lurched as Gan’s tarkham stepped onto the outrigger platform.

‘Stay with these pirates then.’ Jupiter searched her face.

‘Don’t go.’ Maggie said with determination. ‘Don’t you see? This is our chance to get away. Back home.’

Jupiter hung his head. ‘I’m not going with you. There’s something…’

Maggie stood up, turned her back on him, and stepped to the edge of the outrigger. ‘What? Something heroic to do?’

She held her hand up to one of Gan’s troupe.

‘Pull me up please.’

Puzzled at first, Gan’s trouper reached down, lifted her up, and onto shore at his side.

‘Jupiter. You must come with me.’ Maggie said almost with command. ‘Going home doesn’t mean we need to risk our lives here and now.’

But Jupiter had already turned his mind to getting The Jupiter sailing again. ‘Five Gan. We can only take five of your tarkham.’

‘Get that imp off and we can take a sixth!’ Gan said.

‘Breeze stays… if he wants.’

The imp slipped back next to Jupiter and took his hand.

‘Why would you do this?’ Maggie said. ‘Your priority has to be getting away from this fighting safely, and then home.’

Jupiter ignored her and busied himself with keeping the position alongside the praya sea wall.

Resignation slumped her shoulders. ‘Don’t you dare get yourself killed.’ Maggie stepped away from the edge of the praya and out of Jupiter’s line of sight.

‘Push away,’ Jupiter yelled. ‘No. Only five.’ He directed this order to a manisaur about to step aboard. ‘You can not come.’ To his wonder the marine obeyed him and instead stretched a long leg out and gave The Jupiter a push off.

Perhaps the marine had some knowledge of boats because the bow of The Jupiter swung away from the stone wall of the praya edge. The sail flapped, and Jupiter pumped the rudder. But the steering did not work right. He had to pump harder to get the bow pointed away from the wind. He hauled the sail in and got some forward movement.

‘Breeze?’

The imp slid into the hull behind the kheel and gave it a spin.

‘That’s it. Spin it up Breeze. There’s no time at all.’

Jupiter took a last look back at the pirate skyship. But he saw no sign of Maggie. She did stay to wave farewell. When once he had wanted to sail alone he feared now he might not ever sail with Maggie again.

Gan had arranged his troupe so that two lay flat on each of the outrigger platforms. Then placed one low and behind the mast while he took up a position in the bow. He alone stood and drew his knife or sword. He let out a shriek and an answering cry arose from the pirate skyship.

The galley had blown close now. The sailors there had drawn the oars inboard in readiness for their attack. They cried out in reply and thumped their swords against the side of the galley sure they were about to get The Jupiter. The wind had risen. But the huge galley now sheltered The Jupiter from most of its strength. They were almost becalmed.

‘What’s wrong with the steering?’ Jupiter cursed.

Enough wind now reached the top of The Jupiter’s sails. At first slow but with gathering speed, The Jupiter slipped along the edge of the praya away from the approach of the galley. But the outrigger remained unresponsive to his steering.

Over the stern, one of the rudders, the one from the Starling, rose out of the water. A dent on the underside showed where it had hit something and been pivoted up. He threw himself at the rudder, pushed it down in the water, and slipped back into position in the hull.

Then, as they exited the wind shadow of the galley, The Jupiter tilted over, he had to move even quicker to counter balance the tilt even with the extra passengers. The Jupiter steadied and he pulled the sail in tight.

‘Full spin now Breeze.’ And the imp slapped hard at the kheel.

One or several of the troupe of marines moaned as The Jupiter heeled over and leapt forward when the hulls rose from the water. Like a shot, the acceleration hit the passengers. With cries of wonder and excitement they were off leaving behind shouts of frustration from the galley.

The sound of battle merged into those cries and, as The Jupiter flew away, were lost in the roar of wind and spray of foam. Jupiter now aimed for Vanukam lit now by the high bright crescent moon.

‘Miss her… Maggs… Why?’

‘I know Breeze.’ Jupiter said. ‘Nothing we could have done.’

But Jupiter knew that was not true.