The Bird and The Dragon

The dinner was accompanied by vivid discussion. Jiir surprised Miss Ohanu with the education conflicting with his looks.

“I must thank you for the proceedings that resulted in me meeting Jiir,” Bladewater told Miss Ohanu.

“Really? How was I involved?”

Jonathan tried to behave politely, but the attention the Veringe kid was receiving from women disturbed him. Stephanem’s presence reminded him of Jenet and this dinner was not taking him one step closer to locating the living memory.

“Jiir was saved from airship Serenia’s wreck, and I was there to pick him up,” the navigator explained.

“So, you are the famous only survivor?”

“Unfortunately so. This scar is all I got for that service.”

Ohanu, Jiir, and Bladewater continued their discussion about airships and trade. Esrau touched Jonathan’s elbow politely to get his attention.

“Have we met before, mister Byrd? You seem familiar.”

“Have you perhaps traveled to the north in recent years?” Jonathan played along.

“Indeed, I have. I took a group of visitors there. Maybe we met then?”

“It might be. Have you been in contact with Cassine?” Jonathan asked casually observing the nocturna.

“He was the guard who ran away? No, I haven’t had any kind of contact with him. I can assure you we didn’t know each other before that journey.”

“Was that so? I understood you were their escort.”

“Only an escort, as you said. I was there for the wells and returned with Toshin as you without doubt were reported.”

A short laugh escaped Jonathan’s lips. “No, I don’t receive such reports.”

“Too bad. What made you return to the South? The fabrics trade?”

“I wish, but those days are past. My wife died a year ago.”

Esrau said his condolences sounding honest.

“I am hoping to find our common friend Cassine, for I have some unfished business with him,” Jonathan continued.

“Is he supposed to be here?”

“That is what I read, from a report, you know. But the tracks have cooled down.”

“I was left with a bad impression of that man. I might be of assistance if you provide some details.” Esrau set his utensils neatly down and sipped from his glass. He moved gracefully for a man of his size.

“I am afraid my clues are good only for fish baits. A house with seashell decorations on Sepia Street. There is no Sepia Street and I have seen no seashells in the city.”

“I may have an idea. I’ll contact you later.”

“Thank you. This is unconventional.”

The nocturna met his eyes. “If my memory serves me right, your clues connect Cassine to a certain type of fanaticism, which roots I want to investigate in detail for my reasons.”

The evening went on in a relaxed atmosphere. At one point Jonathan got a moment to ask Bladewater about Esrau. “We got to know each other when he traveled with Odysseia. Esrau serves the Three Kings. He was on a science mission to the reefs in Crater.” Bladewater knew Esrau as a scientist, which fitted Jonathan’s impression of the nocturna’s role.

“The place is called the Land of the Three Kings,” Jonathan corrected.

“Bird. It is their land.”

“And did your new best friend mention these kings?”

“Don’t they teach the kids anymore…the guide, the doctrine, and the people. The building blocks of the nocturna society.” Bladewater shook her bald head in dismay.

“Right.” Jonathan had a distant memory of hearing something like this earlier, but he hadn’t associated it with the nocturna.

“You are still a mess, Bird,” Bladewater murmured. Jonathan could only agree, the navigator knew him better than anyone alive. The sorrows were lighter to carry when she was present and Jonathan vowed to arrange his life to allow regularly meeting his friend.

The kids had enjoyed their tour in the theater and wanted more. Andraka had promised them seats in a rehearsal resulting in Jonathan being busy arguing with kids and ensuring the safety of the second theater visit he knew was inevitable in the future.

Esrau’s message came as a pleasant surprise. One and half days after the dinner in Ohanu’s place Jonathan was walking with Esrau on a road by a channel. The nocturna was more than a head taller than medium-sized Jonathan. The light time had started, and the heat evaporated the dark time’s moisture from the roads and buildings.

“What Cassine was doing in New Freedom?” Esrau said. His habit of going straight to the business was like Patrik’s.

“He was in love, he tried to murder someone and he failed,” Jonathan said like he was talking about the weather. He had positioned himself to the shadow of the nocturna and suppressed a grin when thinking about this living arrangement for a parasol.

“Do you mind giving some details?”

“Only if you tell me why you were there,” Jonathan tilted his chin upwards to look at Esrau. Sunshine put a reddish glow in nocturna’s black eyes. Like an extra membrane or two were hiding inside.

“Very well,” Esrau said. “I was supervising Toshin to prevent any irreversible biological catastrophes from happening. I didn’t arrange Cassine’s presence.”

“But you knew about him?” Jonathan continued trying to put the puzzle together.

“I was ordered to ensure his safe arrival to the north and forget what happened after that. The wells were my priority.”

“And whose orders you were following?”

“Not so fast. Now is your turn to tell me why Cassine was expelled and why are you tracking him?”

“Cassine maneuvered himself in the suitable social circles, commenced a failed murder attempt, lost his memory, and was sent to the south in the first ship. The intention was to follow him to find his commander.”

“Did you happen to look after him in Sandau?”

“I might have done that.” The men looked at each other, and both smiled a bit.

“Cassine’s commander has proven to be too independent and harsh in her actions. I’ll let you be my wingman in this case because you are also involved.” Esrau said at last.

“Thanks, I appreciate it. What role are you playing in that seashell house?”

“Captain Frenk. They know me. What about you?”

“Kvenrei from Sandau. That is the name Cassine may recognize. So, what did you find out?”

“The seashells are inside, in the lobby.”

“This is very relevant,” Jonathan laughed.

“I have the address and we are walking there. Sepia Street is an old name for the alley.”

“Why they can’t be coherent in their names?”

“I agree, it would make all the infiltration and inquiry so much easier. Maybe they have learned the crazy naming practices from the ainadu.”

“One name is enough. Requiring more of them is pretentious.“

Esrau shook his head slightly: “A company called Shibasa Umbra owns the house. They make paints for artists, but it is just a cover,” Esrau said.

“I have tested those paints. They are quite good.”

“Umbra is an organization leaning heavily towards old Bright. Cassine is one of them.”

“Bright? The killer of artificials? Are we talking about the people who infuse their wallpapers with metal nets to filter out the mind control rays from space?” Cassine’s fanaticism towards Agiisha was getting clarified by every word.

“In the big picture, you are right, but the decorative details are not important.”

“What in the name of the bottomless waters do you have to do with them?” Jonathan was astonished.

“Personally nothing. But someone did cooperate with them, and it has led to…a difficult situation.” Esrau’s hands formed the sign of the Leipzig’s tree seemingly on their own accord.

“Right. Where did you get your rank, by the way?”

“I have served my time here and there.” Esrau smiled and refused to tell more.

Jonathan walked on. He had no reason to question Esrau’s words. He was familiar with Watergate’s beliefs about the old ones and had heard old Bright mentioned. In the blooming time in Haven, some inventions had even been handy as the fine metal net in doorframes and windows gathered most of the spores during the electric storms.

“But the nocturna are sided with the old technology and not against it?” Jonathan finally asked.

“Unfortunately, my people are not a hive mind with only one vision and purpose.”

They left the channel they had followed and turned to walk along a shallow waterway. It was only a dug dead end leading to a tiny marketplace, now empty of sellers. Esrau led Jonathan to an alley.

“The building we are looking for is the three-story one, whose façade needs plaster and paint,” Esrau said without pointing.

“Do we need a plan?”

“We walk inside and ask for an audience.”

“Pigment manufacturing in the daytime, cult activities during the night. Aren’t we visiting at the wrong time?”

“We can always make a revisit,” Esrau said dryly.

The city was plagued by constant floods and the outside door to the building was on top of short stairs. The paint on the wooden door was fresh but the handle was dented. The first thing Jonathan noticed inside was the seashell motif in the scuffed floor tiles. On the left was an open door to the paint store. The other door in front of them was locked. Esrau stepped into the store where an old woman stood behind a counter.

“Good day. Could you please open the door? I have an urgent need to meet Klinger.”

The woman set aside the book she was leafing and looked at the men.

“Do you have an appointment?” the woman asked.

“No, I come in the Three’s business.”

“I’ll need your names. Please.”

“Captain Esrau Frenk.” The woman took another book below the counter, carefully searched the right page, and took her time to write down the name neatly. She looked at Jonathan questioningly.

“Kvenrei or something like that. His language skills are poor,” Esrau said, and the woman wrote the name down. As carefully as she had taken the book out, she returned it to its original place. The woman closed the other book, set it in a self, and rose slowly. She walked to the wall and pulled a rope disappearing inside the wall. Jonathan was already at the door but halted when she noticed the woman had frozen in place.

“After you?” Esrau said.

”The visitors without an appointment are announced with two rings,” the woman stated quoting something she had learned by heart.

“That’s clever. Please, do go on.” Esrau said.

“A break is held between the rings,” the woman continued keeping her eyes on the box of brushes on the counter. Jonathan gazed out, Esrau glued his eyes to a poster showing the different shades of green. After dragging ninety seconds the woman pulled the cord again and Esrau stepped towards the door. The woman was not moving.

“Shall we?” the nocturna said.

“After the second ring has been commenced a wait will take place.”

Jonathan was shifting his weight. After five minutes the woman walked to the counter, took a key, and proceeded towards the lobby. She closed the store door behind her back in mechanical movements before turning towards the closed door, right next to her. She opened it.

“Thank you and have a nice day,” Esrau said. Jonathan repeated the wishes in his language and the woman responded in faultless phrases in the same speech closing the door. Jonathan heard it being locked.