The Risks of Dead Reckoning Felicia Watson (books for 9th graders .TXT) 📖

reprieve came a secondlater when a spout of purple blood drenched the formerly whitewing. She gasped aloud in relief, watching the animal wheel away,screeching in pain. The peerazu stayed visible in the sky abovethem, circling the area, while Decker prayed there was no fightleft in it. Upon seeing the animal suddenly soaring back downtowards them, she snarled, “Son of a bitch!” and readied her weaponagain.

When the peerazu headedneither for her nor for the group on the opposite side, but insteadplummeted towards the canyon, she whispered a brief prayer ofthankfulness. The respite was short-lived – the animal abruptlypulled up while ejecting a gushing stream of its acidic saliva atthe bridge. With that parting shot, it finally flew away. Deckerwatched helplessly as the bridge began to buckle, the entiremid-section finally crumpling into the chasm, ending up not too farfrom the natural land bridge it had been subbing for.

Finnegan ran over andlooked down into the crevasse. When she demanded, “How are we toget across now?” Decker had to remind herself that smacking thiskid was not an option open to her. She was still fighting the urge,when Con commed Deck to ask the same, though decidedly lessirritating, question.

After studying a map ofthe area on her hand scanner, Decker said, “We’ll have to backtrackto the path that leads down to the valley. We can hike through theforest there and meet up with you at that little waterfall not farfrom the Aurora.It’s actually a more direct route for us, so we should all getthere about the same time.”

“But, Deck, that takes youright through the heart of Featay land.”

“I know, but I don’t seethat we have any other choice – do you?”

Heaving a concerned sigh,Kennedy said, “No, I guess not. But I sure don’t like it. Let’scheck in with each other on a regular basis – okay?”

“Okay, but don’tworry too much –I have Kay with me and besides, the Featay can’t be worse thanfighting off a peerazu, right?” When Con conceded her point, Naicheadded, with a glance at Moira, “I don’t even think they’re gonna bemy biggest problem. Decker out.”

***

Once they had made it tothe forested area, Naiche and Kay were on high-alert for any signsof Featay. Meanwhile, Moira continued the steady stream ofcomplaints that had served as the background music for the entiretrip. The tremor they’d experienced along the way had been causefor additional frenzies and now the local fauna was her source ofdiscontent.

“These insects are stillbothering me,” she whined, swatting away the gnat-like bugs theforest was thick with.

Swallowing down herirritation, Deck forced out a reassuring answer. “I scanned themthoroughly – they’re no more harmful than those rabbit-like thingsyou were screaming about.”

“But they’re in my faceand I think one even flew up my nose! I can’t stand this; there areno insects on Jileesa.” Her voice increased in shrillness as shecommanded, “Aren’t you going to do something about it?”

“What do yousuggest?”

“I don’t know –something!”

Her patience tank empty atthis point, Deck snarked, “Sorry – I left my magic wand back onthe Lovelace.”

“You have a magic wand?My, I did not realize Earth’s technology had such—”

Deck paused to stare backat the girl. “Do you people actually not understandsarcasm?”

Finnegan put her hands onher hips and glared. “Polite people do not engage in it.” Her tonegrew haughty as she instructed, “We consider it to beextremely rude.”

“Yeah?” Shaking her head,Deck resumed progress through the forest, while asking, “Is whiningnon-stop for an hour considered rude? Or how about endangeringothers through your extreme histrionics – is that rude?”

“I suppose such a thingwould be worse than rude. Why? Who did that? Someone on theAurora?” With a sharpintake of breath, she asked, “What did I miss?”

Decker was later gratefulthat Kennedy checking in at that moment preempted her acerbicresponse. She reported that their progress was slow but steady andthey’d seen no sign of Featay.

As soon as Naiche signedoff, Moira, who had hurried to catch up and listen in on theconversation, said, “Commander Kennedy is highly concerned aboutour safety – is he not?”

“Yes, he is.”

“He seems a most skillfulleader – and quite kind-hearted.” Archly, Moira observed, “He’s alsoan extremely attractive man….”

“He sure is. He’s also avery happily married man.”

“Oh.” Moira’s pause wasthick with disappointment. In a somewhat defensive tone she said,“It’s just as well, I will most likely be coupled soon myself. To avery handsome, high-ranking man. Someone on this very mission.”After a moment of silence, she demanded, “Don’t you want to knowwho it is?”

With a resigned sigh, Decksaid, “No, but you’re gonna tell me anyway.”

Proving she was only halflistening, Finnegan proudly announced, “It’s First Mate PrinceCroker.”

That concerning news caughtDecker’s attention. She didn’t believe even this annoying,oblivious girl deserved such a calamitous fate. “Really? Whyhim?”

“Why?! Because he’s a mostdesirable match, of course. The Lignatians designated us as a goodgenetic fit and he’s well thought of. Didn’t you see how manypeople were vying for his attention last night atdinner?”

“Yeah – because he had thesupplies. How many people vie for his attention when he isn’thanding out the only food they’ve had in days?”

“Lots of people,” Finneganinsisted. “He’s very good-looking. Do you not think so?”

“I suppose so. He’s notreally my type – but that’s not my issue with him. He’s alsoa…umm….” She struggled for a nice way to say ‘buffoon’ but came upempty-handed. Instead she glanced down at the girl, urging, “Let’sjust say, you can do better.” She wanted to add that she couldhardly do worse but didn’t want to antagonize Moira and ruin anychance she had of carrying her point. “Wait until you get toUniterrae and have a look around first.”

Moira’s eyes grew wide andher mouth parted slightly. “You mean Earth, right? Is that wherewe’re going?”

“Ultimately,yes.”

“Oh, I’m glad we’re notstaying here, on Tolu. It’s a dreadful place – with those awfulpeerazu and all these quakes.”

“Yeah, I’m sure the peoplewho are already living hereon this world – and have been for millennia – areglad we’re leaving, too.”

Moira ignored that detailto ask, “Why is Earth called Uniterrae now?”

“Because that’s what theynamed it when most of the people united under onegovernment.”

“Why do you say‘most’?”

“Because some communities– like mine – chose