Angel Arias by Marianne de Pierres

go back!’ gasped Naif finally. ‘I’ll look for her.’
    ‘No, wait!’ Markes choked out. ‘The gas – it’s worse. Ruzalia’s men will go down. They all have masks on the ship.’
    The gas was making it hard for Naif to catch her breath now. If Mesree had survived her fall, Naif wouldn’t be able to lift her. Or help her. She could hardly breathe.
    Turning back, she forced her legs to move upward again, labouring until she reached a narrow gap in the rock wall that was just large enough to crawl through.
    She urged Markes and Charlonge through first, and as she dropped to her hands and knees to take her turn, she felt a welcome gust of cool, clean air.
    It was trumped only by the sight of glittering stars.

 
    R uzalia paced the cabin of the airship as she waited for Plank to return. Naif, Markes and Charlonge watched her as they rested side by side in the armchairs.
    The pirate had barely spoken since she’d picked them up from the mouth of the cave at dawn and heard their story.
    ‘I’m sorry,’ said Naif, unable to bear the silence any longer. ‘I should have gone down when she fell.’
    Ruzalia looked up from staring down at the mouth of the cave. They floated, shifting in the wind just above it. ‘No. The boy was right. The gas would have killed you. Plank has a mask to protect him. And weapons.’ She said the last in a grim tone.
    Naif leaned towards the window. She, Markes and Charlonge had spoken little since their explanation of events to Ruzalia, though Markes’s knee had brushed hers several times as they sat close.
    Staring below, she saw a movement. ‘It’s Plank!’ she cried.
    Ruzalia shifted closer to the window. Her crewman stood at the cave-mouth holding Mesree’s lifeless body in his arms.
    A moan escaped Ruzalia’s lips. She beat her fist into her chest as if to crush it. ‘La, lower the ship and the gurney!’ she ordered into the speech-pipe that ran to the propeller room.
    The airship dipped down quickly and the platform that had lifted them to safety on Ixion settled near Plank. He laid Mesree on the cot attached to it and then climbed alongside.
    Those above waited in solemn silence as the platform retracted. Sadness and despair welled inside Naif. Mesree had surely saved all their lives last night.
    Ruzalia disappeared to the second level of the ship and didn’t return for a long while. In her wake there seemed nothing to say.
    Charlonge closed her eyes but Markes was pale and agitated. Naif leaned across to his chair and slipped her arm along his shoulder. Markes rested his head against her and she could see the trace of tears on his face.
    ‘We have to stop this. I’m going back with you. Grave has the answers,’ he said in the same grim tone Ruzalia had used.
    ‘Grave,’ agreed Naif.

     
    Ruzalia had sent El Lobos back to scout the island and picked him up from the northern cove around mid-morning. The entire crew then sat together to eat a frugal meal of haloumi, bread and figs.
    ‘They’ve taken your rooms, Captain. Got a stock of clubs and knives. Must have been planning it for a while. Still, wouldn’t take more than a dozen men to get it back from them.’
    ‘What of those who aren’t involved?’
    ‘Hiding out in their rooms. A few have taken to the beach caves. Long-Li’s moved the boat to the reef, out of harm’s way.’
    She nodded. ‘Well done, El. We’ll go down on dusk and bury Mesree. Did you tell him?’
    La nodded. ‘Didn’t take it so good. I’d be fearing for those young ’uns.’
    ‘We can’t be killing those we’ve risked all to save.’ Ruzalia seemed to say it to herself, almost.
    Naif forced herself to speak up. ‘They are dying. Some believe they would rather have that happen on Ixion than here. They want their freedom.’
    ‘No! Best thing is that I bring in some more men and clean the troublemakers out.’
    ‘Others may get hurt in the meantime,’ cried Charlonge.
    Ruzalia’s face set in a stubborn expression. ‘How