Read Online ARC: Under Nameless Stars by Christian Schoon - Free Book Online Page A

ship bound for Mu Arae in the past year. It went missing. One of the vanished Indra craft, you understand. I intend to find her. It matters.”
    “Jules, I’m so sorry.”
    Zenn had met only one or two others who’d lost anyone on a hijacked Indra-drive ship. The ships had been disappearing periodically for two decades, leaving no trace or any indication of the cause. Lately, the frequency of these events had increased alarmingly. It was getting bad enough to start threatening communications and trade with some of the outlying planets of the Accord.
    “Yes, the vanishing of Indra-type spaceships in our Local Accord is a serious and growing dilemma. And yet, all investigations have produced to date no hope of a resolution.”
    “I know. But people are trying,” Zenn said. “My mother, Mai, was actually working on the Indra problem when she… when she was lost. She specialized in treating Indra.”
    “I am saddened to hear of her passing. When was this terrible event?”
    “Four Mars years ago. Almost eight Earth years. I was only nine. I don’t remember all of it. No.” She stopped herself. “I do remember. I just don’t want to.”
    “Then we will not speak of it.”
    “So,” she said then, more than willing to change the subject. “By First Promised, you mean promised as in marriage, to have a family, that kind of ‘promised’?”
    “A family? No, I think not. But as in marriage and lifemate, yes. Inga was scheduled to be my first wife, you see.” He stepped over to the bowl of fruit and began unwrapping bits of dried fish. He popped several into his mouth, swallowing them whole. “The first is the most important of the wives that will follow. It makes the most sense.”
    “I’m sure it does,” Zenn told him, determined not to be judgmental about cetacean mating customs.
    “So you see it concerns me intensely that I find her.”
    “Of course. But, Jules, do you have any information to go on? The missing ships – they just disappear. No real leads have been found about the cause. Do you have some reason to think you’ll learn where she is when you get to Mu Arae?”
    “No. No good reason, actually.” Another morsel of fish. “It is the one clue I possess, however. There seems to be no other place that makes the most sense to go looking. Where would you look?”
    He appeared genuinely interested in her opinion on the matter, which made Zenn feel even sorrier for him.
    “No, I’m sure you’re doing the right thing. It just seems… It must be very difficult for you.”
    “It is difficult. She is an outstanding mate prospect, and we became very good friends before she went on her voyage. She overlooks my wearing of the walksuit and going about on land, which others of my kind criticize me for. But I belabor my own problems, which is rude behavior, isn’t it? I will speak of something else.” He looked around the room, as if he might spot something that would suggest another topic of conversation. The last piece of fish disappeared into his smiling face with a clack of his jaws.
    “This Skirni, the one you followed here,” he said. “You saw in your dream-sight that he was with your father? And you believe your father could also be aboard this ship?”
    “I don’t know. Maybe. At first, Dad was in his office, I think, on Enchara, in the… dream-sight. And then he was in some room with medical equipment.”
    “But what of this Liam Tucker person? He is helping to locate your father?”
    “Not really. Liam has his own reasons for wanting to get off Mars. It’s kind of a long story.”
    “Are you thinking of finding this Liam? Could he help in your searching?”
    “Well, yes, I’d like to find him. I mean, yes, he has tried to help me before. And I can use all the help I can get if I’m going to track down my dad.”
    “I have a concept to aid in your searching,” Jules said. “I will put a tail on the Skirni.”
    “A tail?”
    “It is an expression of craft in certain of the