Excerpt: Bones of the Sky

Cormac McCuil slipped quietly down the walkway towards the service shute, puzzling over the odd prickling sensation on the back of his neck. The girl had looked harmless enough, but he knew full well the danger of not listening to the wisdom of the Sight. And his Sight was telling him that the girl with the artificial arm was trouble. Or the harbinger of the same.
Using corridors known to only a few, and none of whom were Outsiders, he beat the group of archaeologists to the Port Security Office. He strode in quietly and settled himself in the most comfortable chair in the Chief’s office, which just happened to be the one behind the Chief’s desk.
Arbit Mulholland, the Chief of Port Security for Olhare SpacePort, paused in the act of refilling his mug at the beverage dispenser. He scowled at Cormac and opened his mouth to say something – no doubt, Cormac thought, something rude. Cailleigh, who still perched on Cormac’s shoulder, squawked and fixed the Chief with a penetrating, one-eyed stare. Not surprisingly, Mulholland subsided.
“I hadn’t been made aware that you were coming.”
Cormac crossed booted feet in front of him, leaned back in the chair. He liked the way it molded to him, the way he sort of sank into it. Then wondered what a chair like this would cost in human money, and if his masters would approve of one like it in his living space. “There was no need to make you aware. But you should have worked it out that I would be here. These people need to learn the rules. And given the reputation of this Rene Marrapace, they need to be kept on a short leash. So naturally, it behooves the Elders to make sure there is someone here who can hold that leash.”
Mulholland crossed the office cautiously, one eye on the raven, and came to sit on the corner of his broad, faux mahogany desk. “Surely the Council trusts that I can handle the simple administrative task of getting their paperwork filled out and so forth.”
Calliegh squawked again, cocking her head at the Chief. Cormac could feel her tense, as though she meant to fly off, and his hand went quickly to her back, smoothing the ruffled feathers.
Mulholland swallowed, but remarkably kept his composure. Cormac had seen grown men of hardier stock wither under the raven’s contemptuous stare. “That bird better not crap on my carpet.”
Cormac allowed himself a smile – if Calliegh wanted to ‘crap’ on the Chief’s carpet, Cormac surely wouldn’t object. He watched the raven’s head swivel towards the door, providing him with a fine opportunity to avoid answering Mulholland’s question about the faith the Council might or might not have in him. “Our guests are here.” He pointed with his chin towards the outer offices as the sound of a door squeaking open in came to them.
Mulholland stood, adjusted his suit jacket, smoothed his salt and pepper ponytail. He was smiling as the first of the outsiders strode in, putting Cormac in mind of a crocodile working to convince the antelope to come closer to the watering hole. Mulholland stepped forward and stuck out his hand. “Dr. Marrapace. I’m Arbit Mulholland, Chief of Port Security. Welcome to Old Terra..”
Cormac was a man rarely surprised, but his first glimpse of Rene Marrapace was nothing he’d expected. Instead of the cantankerous, gray haired, academe he’d come to associate with archaeologists, Marrapace was lean, fit and, Cormac figured, by most women’s standards, attractive. There was intelligence in those rather intense blue eyes, and more than a little sense of self-awareness.
Marrapace moved into the office, then shepherded his flock of students in after him, putting off shaking Mulholland’s hand just long enough to make the Chief look foolish, standing there with his hand outstretched.
“Chief Mulholland. My pleasure.” His hand shake was firm, Cormac noticed, but quickly relinquished.
“I—“
Marrapace interrupted Mulholland smoothly, and Cormac almost smiled again. He was beginning to think he might like this fellow, even if he was an outsider. “I understand there is some difficulty? I’m hoping we can resolve it quickly – as you can imagine, my team is very tired, it’s been a long journey and I’m hoping to get them to the hotel in time to get them some dinner.”
Cormac stood, finally, and he watched as Marrapace noticed him, took in his cloak and boots, then at long last notice Calliegh. Not a flicker of surprise showed on his face, though surely he must have felt some.
Mulholland jumped into the momentary silence. “Dr. Marrapace, may I present your local liaison, Cormac McCuil. He’ll be escorting you to the site in the morning, and will be handling any arrangements and negotiations for you while you’re on planet.”
Marrapace flashed him a smile that never reached his eyes. But in that intense gaze, Cormac noted a hefty dose of curiousity. “McCuil. That’s an ancestral name, isn’t it, from one of the Celtic colonies.”
“It is ancestral. From Eire, to be precise.”
Marrapace nodded. “Then you’re a long way from home, son.”
Cormac gave a small shrug. “A relative thing, I’d say. You’re perhaps a longer way.”
Marrapace laughed. “Indeed. Indeed I am.” He gestured back at his team. “Very well then. Chief? Perhaps you could tell me what the problem is, now, so I can get my team to the hotel.”
Mulholland pressed his hands together and sent a look in Cormac’s direction. “Ah, that perhaps is better explained by McCuil here.”
Marrapace’s eyebrow arched. “Indeed? Mr. McCuil?”
Cormac moved slowly around the desk, crossed his arms in front of him and examined the crew he as to be charge of. Children, most of them. Oh, old enough in his culture to be considered adults, but lacking any real life experience that would qualify them as such. The one woman, with the short cropped dark hair and the manufactured arm, the one who had seen him on the cross walk, continued to interest him. She was watching him – and Calleigh – intently, and Cormac noticed with some amusement, Calleigh was watching back.
“I’m sure, Dr. Marrapace, that you were given the briefing packet outlining the various rules and laws governing the activities of Off-Planet Visitors.”
“Yes. I’ve read it, and so has every member of my team.”
“Good. You may not understand well, however, that these regulations are strictly enforced here on Old Terra. That is where I come in. I will be your liaison while you’re here. I will advise you of what is and is not permissible, I will advise you when your actions are close to crossing a line, and I will be the one who reports on your actions to the managing council.”
“Yes, yes, that was all in the briefing. I had assumed you’d turn up at the hotel in the morning. Or perhaps be awaiting us there tonight.” There was an edge of irritation in Marrapace’s voice.
Cormac gestured to Mulholland. “Mr. Mulholland has a number of forms that each of you must sign, and then you will each receive a small tracking device.” There was a series of flinches from the children and Cormac pursed his lips in annoyance. “It will not be painful, and it is not invasive. A small design, printed on the skin of the arm, that is all.”
Marrapace’s inquisitive nature surfaced again. “Some sort of electromagnetic ink or something?”
“Or something. The ink, if you will, should wear off in about six months. Consider it a temporary tattoo, a keepsake of your trip here.”
“And how long will all of this take? And could it not be accomplished more comfortably at the hotel?”
“It will take far less time if you stop asking questions. And no one will leave this port until they have officially agreed in writing to the laws they must follow and have been marked. Not only is this to help our authorities keep tabs on visitors, but also to help liaisons like me keep the visitors in my charge safe and out of harm’s way.”
Marrapace’s temper was starting to rise. “I fail to—“
Cormac raised a hand. “Dr. Marrapace. I understand your concerns about your charges. I will see that a meal is brought for all of you, as this may take an hour or so. After that, I will have you shuttled to the hotel.” He made sure he looked into each one of the seven team members’ faces, gauging their reactions. Most were predictable – annoyance, frustration, even anger. The girl’s however was more interesting. She appeared curious, even mildly excited.
Marrapace looked somewhat mollified. He started to speak, but Calleigh interrupted with a squawk.
Cormac nodded. “Thank you, Calleigh. As I was saying, after we leave you can all get a good night’s sleep. Then, in the morning, after you’ve had time to break your fast, I have arranged a small sightseeing craft to take you on a tour of some of the more interesting sights this area of the continent has to offer.”
Marrapace looked surprised. “Why… that’s rather unexpected. But most welcome. Thank you…er, I’m not sure what form of address is appropriate – that wasn’t covered in the briefing.”
“You – all of you – can call me Mac. Now. Let’s get started. Mr. Mulholland will provide you with the data pads for your signature and bio print and I will take you one by one into another room for imprinting.” He offered a smile. “And as I said, it won’t hurt and it is just temporary. So, as one of my aboriginal friends would say, ‘no worries’.”
He waited until Mulholland had gathered up the data pad and the stylus, then went to stand in the door way. Knowing full well the answer, as he’d studied their biographies for weeks, he asked, “Now. Which of you is Kesra Laran? We’ll start with you, shall we?”