Koreshi Chronicles - Chapter IV: Two Halves Don’t Make a Whole

12 Summer, 1926

The knock on the door broke her mood. Todd was out – Lyta hadn’t asked where – which meant that she was alone to answer unwelcome interruption. She pressed a button on her data-pad and stood up, checked the peephole, sighed, and opened the door.

Jimmy Croyden strode through like he owned the place. “Have you got the fuckin’ case open yet?” he asked without preamble.

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Koreshi Chronicles - Chapter VI: Southern Comfort

Lyta breathed deep in the cool evening air. She hadn’t expected there to be a stop so close to Lance Point, but homesteads were paying customers, and this one had booked a shipment. The longrunners were stopped for an hour or so, enough time to offload supplies and take payment, and for the passengers to stretch their legs, if they wanted.

Lyta wanted. She was tired of being cooped up, tired of being in close quarters with Ennik’s depression, Katchelli’s madness, and the Croydens’ quiet seething. She had found a ridge where she had a view of the caravan, enough to make sure they didn’t leave without her, but where she had relative privacy from prying eyes. She extended her staff and began twirling it in slow circles around her, letting her muscles loosen from being tight for too long, and letting her limbering muscles relax her mind.

She thought about Alain.

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Koreshi Chronicles - Chapter VI: One Swallow Does Not Make a Summer

The vast expanse of the Westridge Range was at their left as they snaked northwards, towards Lance Point. The city wasn't visible, not yet, but Bev had assured them they were barely a day away from their destination. They'd picked up more sedatives, for Baakov and for Katchelli, and there was even enough that Lyta had managed a few hours of blissfully dreamless sleep.

She was alone in her room. Todd had gone off to do... something, she hadn't asked. Maybe just to sit somewhere else while he read his books. She still hadn't made it more than ten pages into the one he'd given her, and the letters dancing around the page suggested that she wouldn't get any further today.

Her data-pad buzzed.

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Koreshi Chronicles - Chapter VI: Point Of View

“I’m fine” Todd was repeating as Lyta looked over his wounds. He let her work,because it kept her busy and he was afraid that if she kept fidgeting over Lukas’ bandages she would reopen something. Lukas’ legs were in a bad way and Todd wondered if he would be left with a permanent limp. Feeling the sand blow across his bare arms and legs, he realised Lukas had taken those bullets to save his unprotected skin.

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Fools rush in

Lukas was tired. He had barely slept in--what was it? 48 hours? 60? It felt like days, but another hour should see the job done.

He knew his edge was slipping. Jumping Vulpei may have been a fatal miscalculation. Sending him to help Todd may have been. Double-crossing Dawn may have been.

Self-doubt? Lukas mentally chided himself. Self-indulgence.

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