“They know now,” he’d told her. “And yes, woman-I-love, it was worth the risk. There at the last, it was the quetzals who saved me. I’m not certain if it was Rocket or Demon or maybe both, but I wasn’t the one who threw myself sideways at the last instant. We have a workable compromise.”

And he’d given her a wink. “One as good as making a new pot from a shattered one. And thank you. While you paved the way, I had to figure out a novel strategy that let me put your pavement on a different road.”

On hearing that, Talina had grinned, feeling, for the first time since Cap died that she wasn’t entirely on her own.

Hearing the shower water come on, she stepped over and grabbed up the mic. Keyed it. “What have you got, Two Spot?”

“Tal? That you?”

“As Kylee would say, well, duh.”

Silence. Then: “Oh, right. That’s that girl out at Briggs’s place. Dek there? I need to talk to him.”

“He’s here. He’s in the shower. Anything I can help you with?”

“Maritime Unit’s offline. Kalico was wondering if she could get Dek to fly her out in his airplane. Can’t set a shuttle down on the Pod, and it’s too far for the airtrucks. Dek’s airplane has vertical takeoff and landing capabilities, and it has the range.”

“Got it. I’ll go ask.” She checked her watch. “It’s too late to get back today. Ask Kalico if this can wait until morning. We’ve had a tough couple of days. Let us get a meal and a night’s sleep.”

“Roger that. I’ll tell Kalico. Have a nice meal. Off.”

Talina pulled her tangled and filthy hair back, arched an eyebrow at the now-silent radio. For a half second she wondered if she was right to have volunteered Dek’s help and airplane, only to smile at herself for being a fool. Of course he’d fly Kalico out. Like he’d said. That was being the man he wanted to be.

And, besides, after the blade monster and two days in the forest, what the hell could a little trouble at Maritime Unit amount to?

81

The entire Pod shook as the Underwater Bay flooded.

Michaela—with a killer headache—clutched the table with her good hand, as if it would keep her from disaster. The entire cafeteria jolted, chairs rattling, the sound of cookware and utensils clattering in the kitchen. Might have been a quake the way the Pod rocked. Her people at the table tensed, grabbing on to steady themselves.

Her first thought: The supporting pilings had given way just as Kel said they would. But the Pod didn’t drop, it stabilized after the first hard shake. As it did, a puff of air blew in from the central hallway. Michaela’s ears reacted to the pressure spike.