Soshe followed Tajlon to the control deck of the Sora.

"You should rest some more," he said.

"I want to look around," she replied. "Besides, I have a few questions for the bird."

"You mean Widhbo."

"Widhbo. Koutou. Bird."

Widhbo was busy tapping away at the controls when they got there and purposefully ignored them.

"Not a good time?" Soshe asked.

"We just started a nuclear war, Soshe. What do you think?" Widhbo said. "But I can spare a minute or two."

"What do you mean, started a war?" Tajlon asked.

"The bomb used on the battleship today did such a good imitation of a nuclear blast, it was taken at face value by all concerned."

"How do know that?"

"I've tapped all the communication lines. Busy day. We just lost Captain De'Marc. I was conserving his file when you interrupted me."

"No! Not De'Marc? What happened?" Tajlon demanded.

"The battleship blew up the Luca Luna while he was on it. Long story. He's dead now."

Tajlon was too stunned to speak for a moment.

"Well, aren't you the sentimental one?" Soshe cut in. "Were you not his lifelong companion and friend as Koutou?"

"I was. Koutou and De'Marc are both in the archives now. It's sad Soshe, but I can't get lost in reminiscing. The living are more important, don't you think?"

"I'll try to remember that the next time you die."

"Oh,I can't die. I'm immortal. Unless something kills me of course. Not likely."

That got Tajlon's attention and pulled him back to the present. "Immortal? How's that possible?"

"Energy beings don't age like you do. We can repair ourselves."

"So you could live through all of this and be fine. What about food?"

"All I need is a good energy source. Daylight will do the trick, just takes a little while."

Soshe was looking over the dials and controls on the console.

"Please don't touch anything," Widhbo said. He fluffed his feathers with annoyance.

"You could teach me to fly it?"

"I could, except you don't plan to stay. Waste of my time."

"Speaking of not staying, I want back on the sub."

"You should have thought of that when you left it," Tajlon said.

"And I'll never hear the end of it, will I?"

"I won't bring it up again. We can drop you off when we pick up the others."

Widhbo went back to the keyboard and checked a few charts before saying, "You'll have to wait for three quarters of another orbital cycle. Launch a transport at the wrong time, you'll miss your target, not to mention burning up on reentry. Inconvenient. I'm so sorry for the delay."

Jejliard came down from the deck above and walked over to them. "Feeling better, Soshe?"

"I am. Thanks for the rescue."

"I wish you'd reconsider and join us."

"I don't belong here. I'm going to the caves with Mara."

Tajlon was quietly brooding. He wished it wasn't possible to take Soshe back to the surface, but that would mean they couldn't pick up the others.

"It'll be just the two of you," Jejliard said.

"Nova's staying to drive the sub for them." Tajlon said.

Widhbo turned from the controls. "That's not what I've gathered. Nova told me he wants to come with us on the Sora and has an apprentice he's training to take over."

"What apprentice?" Tajlon asked.

"A boy."

"What boy?"

"Someone they picked up in Catspaw," Widhbo said. "Jealous, are we?"

"Nova can't teach someone how to pilot the sub," Tajlon replied.

"Apparently he can. And then there's Gengor, he's staying. The Raemolles haven't decided yet." Widhbo pointed to a stack of boxes off to one side.

"You should load those supplies and get the transport ready to leave."

"You want me to come along?" Jejliard asked.

"I do if Widhbo can spare you," Tajlon said.

Jeliard raised an eyebrow. "I think he can handle it." He started loading boxes on a cart.

Tajlon found another cart and loaded the rest. "Wait here for us, Soshe," he called out as they left for the transport deck.

***

Widhbo was lost in the controls again. "Only one shot at this. If we miss it, the sub won't be able to surface for a century or more," he said without looking up.

"What's in the boxes?" Soshe asked.

"Canned goods, batteries, solid fuel for cooking, the usual survival gear."

Soshe's face paled. "You've thought of everything haven't you."

"Yes. I also packed some optical tubing for you," Widhbo said.

"What's that?"

"Something not invented on Beldora yet. I've installed it on the Sora." He pointed to the soft glow of light surrounding them in the walls. "It will allow you to pipe sunlight down from the surface, assuming there is any. You might be able to grow some food."

"So I'll be dead before I see the light of day again?" Soshe said.

"Well, aren't we the little pessimist?" Widhbo fidgeted and tried to lose himself in the controls.

"It's the truth. What would you have me say?"

Widhbo kept tapping at the keys and flicked out one wing to make his point. "That you'll get to live out a normal lifespan in the caves instead of dying like everyone on the surface who wasn't fortunate enough to find a sanctuary."

Soshe drew in sharp breath and crossed her arms in front of her. "I won't be able to find a husband and if I do, our grandchildren will inherit a dead planet. I don't feel so very fortunate, Widhbo."

"I'd be happy to upload a copy of you to the Sora. Then I could teach you to fly this wonderful ship," Widhbo said, glancing to see if she were tempted. "With a sample of your genetic material I could regenerate you someday. We're bound to find a suitable planet eventually."

"No thanks," Soshe said, tears forming in her eyes.

"You're the first human I've met, Soshe, who can dismiss immortality as if it were nothing more than a dish of cold lamb stew. Blah. No thanks."

"So Tajlon lied to me. This ship isn't coming back?"

"Not in your lifetime."

* * *

They buried De'Marc at sea. Mara conducted a simple ceremony recalling his life and deeds. Each of his friends said a few words of farewell.

Ben clung to Danlea, suddenly shy. She encouraged him to say goodbye with the rest of them.

"Goodbye Captain," he said. "It was a privilege to serve under your command." Ben hesitated. "Nova says goodbye too. He says you were the best sailor to cross the Sora Seas."

"I will always remember you fondly, Captain. You and your rude bird," Danlea said and glanced at her husband.

Raemolle came forward and gave a salute. "It's the journey they say. I hope mine can be half as remarkable as yours, Captain De'Marc."

Hal bound the body in the Novaland flag. It didn't seem enough, but it was all they had. He knew Dane would understand. It was what he wanted, to be buried at sea. "Words can't express how much you'll be missed, Captain. I learned more from you in a week than I did in six years at the academy."

He looked over at Greyla, still unconscious from her injury. "You plucked Greyla from the ruins of war, taught her to shoot straight and how to be a survivor. For that and bringing her to Novaland. I sincerely thank you. I promise to take care of her."

Mara ended with a final verse from her prayer journal. "To every sunrise, comes a sunset. The brightest days may all be gone, but Mother Sea, always waits to welcome you back home."

***

They dared not surface with the battleship so close. They lowered De'Marc's body through to Gengor who guided the shrouded remains out of a dive port. Gengor watched as it sank into the depths. It brought back the pain of his own death as well as the memory of his time trapped alone in the wreck. Gengor hadn't known De'Marc, but their brief encounter on the Luca Luna defined the man's character and earned Gengor's respect. He heart filled with sorrow, and he mourned with the others.

***

Hal and Mara stayed by Greyla's side while Danlea and Raemolle sat by the sub's radio waiting for word from the Sora. Ben settled in a corner pouring over a set of manuals.

"What have you got there?" Danlea asked going over to sit beside Ben. "You haven't looked up from those books for hours."

"I'm studying for my license."

"Your license?"

"Yes. Nova says I have to pass the test before I can get my pilot's license."

"Nova says?"

"Yes. He's a good teacher."

"Ben, I know these last couple of days have been really tough, but let's not be silly."

Raemolle was listening on the other side of the room. "Tough is an understatement, Danlea. Maybe we should all learn to pilot the sub. It would be good diversion to get our minds off things."

"I absolutely agree, William," Danlea said. "Have you been 'talking' to Nova as well?"

"No, but apparently he and Ben have some sort of connection."

"Doesn't he talk to you?" Ben asked.

"No, dear," Danlea answered. "I'm sorry, but I think you're old enough to sort reality from make believe."

"I wouldn't come to such a hasty conclusion, Danlea," Raemolle said. "Noting that our lives depend on the leopard currently piloting this sub."

"He's a good pilot," Ben insisted, coming to Nova's defense.

"I suppose I must admit he is that," Danlea replied. "I'm glad if you can communicate with him, Ben."

"I have to pass my test," Ben said. "Nova wants to go with Tajlon on the transport, but there's so much to learn and my reading is not so good. What if I can't do it in time?"

"Let me help you, Ben," Raemolle suggested. "I studied navigation in Trabest and De'Marc taught us quite a lot while we were on the Sea Grinder. I just need to learn the controls for the sub."

"Nova taught me how to read dials and everything. I can show you."

"What if I took the test and we got our license together?" Raemolle asked.

Ben grinned. "Nova would say we cheated."

"Sometimes we have to bend the rules. I'll speak to Nova."

Danlea shook her head. "Whatever happened to my husband the skeptic?"

"If Dane taught me anything, it was to accept the implausible."