This wasn’t the first time Erica had come from the woods soaked and looking like she’d been dug up. This time, however, she’d done so mostly upright and on a sprained ankle. Sarah hit her midriff like a truck and wrapped her arms around her waist. “Ow,” she wheezed. Maybe that rib was broken after all.

  “You had us worried,” Danielle said. She still clutched the rifle with both arms like a beloved teddy bear.

  “Where's daddy?” Sarah asked.

  “He's- He’s gone, sweetheart. He's not coming back this time. He wanted me to tell you that he loved us both very much.” Sarah sobbed quietly into her sister’s dress.

  “He was a good man. We're here now because of him,” Geddis said.

  “Yes, we certainly are.” Erica replied.

  “I, er, don't wish to intrude upon your grief, but what about the others? Parnell and lardy were up there, and that Edevane prick.”

  “Corelious died saving my life. He didn't have to do it, but he did. Parnell and Edevane were at the front of the ship when whatever the hell that thing was ate it. I imagine they're gone, too.”

  “Corelious was always full of surprises,” Danielle said. “But I didn’t see that one coming.”

  Everyone looked at Geddis expectantly. “Oh, right, you want me to tell you about the thing? I don't rightly know what it was. The Gate operates on a frequency, you know, like a two-way radio or something. There are lots of other frequencies and places the Gate could open into, most of which a vacuum, or the occasional ecological dead-zone filled with radiation that that tosspot Sykes still felt the need to send people into.”

  “Which is why you have the Anchors,” Erica said.

  “Yeah. The Gates aren't stable because the frequencies fluctuate, so we use the Anchors to track the frequencies we want and readjust on the fly. Without a working Anchor, who knows where the Gate pointed.”

  “Will it come back?”

  “Only in my nightmares, love. Come on, let's get inside. The Tirrens have gone a little crazy in the kitchen. I've never seen so many sandwiches.”

  ***

  Sunlight drifted through the Tirren’s kitchen window, and outside it atop the bins, sat a large rat and roughly two-dozen mice, which you could have counted had they not been in a constant state of frenzy over a plate of sandwiches.

  “There is a long road ahead of us, my friends,” Rasmus said. He made it a point to stand, though his leg still disagreed. “A lot of debris to clear and bodies to attend to.” He whispered the last part and slid another sandwich across the counter into Harry's mouth to avoid any awkward questions.

  Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.

  Bridget set down an enormous pot of coffee in amongst the already plentiful selection of drinks; Between Danielle and Geddis, it might have lasted thirty seconds. “What about our guests?” she asked.

  Danielle looked at Geddis and made a face he made no claims of understanding, then turned back to Bridget. “We'll be going home soon,” she said.

  “You should stay!” Sarah blurted through a mouthful of sandwich.

  “I wish we could. With Parnell and Corelious gone, there might be a chance for some real news for a change. Still not too late to turn things around.”

  “I hate to agree with her, because that's our thing, but she's right,” Geddis said. “Corelious never fully signed off on me being stripped of the Directorship. Sykes is a stickler for the rules – his own neurosis won't allow otherwise, which is both hilarious and deeply tragic, but it's especially useful. Without the backing of the gruesome twosome, I have as much say as he does over the Gate project. And without the funding, we'll have to shut it down for good. Besides, we have some uglies to take back with us, can’t keep them tied up forever.”

  Harry sidled around the table and gave Geddis a hug. This was mostly in part of him being a dear friend, but also because he had run out of sandwiches on his own side of the table and had already chanced his arm with Sarah. Isla looked at the young dog with the saddest face it was physically possible to make with a beak and held her wings out. He flicked a couple of sandwiches her way and went back to eating. “Lettuce. You little terror!”

  Bosco stood and fumbled for a glass. “After everything you've both done for us, I'd say you've earned your place here. If you ever come back, then know you are welcome in our home and our lives. To new friends.”

  “To new friends,” the table repeated mostly in unison. The clinking of glasses and the squashing of sandwiches filled the air.

  “Speaking of friends and homes,” Rasmus added. “Peter has taken up residence in mine, and Isla is in desperate need of a new one.

  “I’ll get started first thing tomorrow,” Bosco said.

  “Not with that arm, you won’t,” Bridget corrected. “Next week at least. Isla can stay with us until then.”

  “Ooh, maybe I can borrow your sowing machine. I reckons that would be so much fun. I could maybe fix some of those dresses of yours.” All the blood in Bridget’s head went on strike and decamped to her feet. She smiled anaemically at Isla and poured herself another glass of orange juice.

  “Wait, who's Peter?” Geddis asked.

  “Robot man,” Sarah said between bites.

  “Pilot Fish,” Erica corrected during a bite.

  “Like the ones we shoved through the Gate years ago? Must be looking a little grotty by now. Suppose we could take it back with us if you like. Don’t much fancy trying to drag the reprobates back through the Gate myself.”

  “I’m not sure he’d let you,” Erica said.

  “That’s about right. Never could do what you told them to. So, what about you? Pretty sure you've got an aunt or two somewhere. I'm sure the roving reporter here could do a fine job of tracking them down. Could even probably get the budget together to send you back when you were done.”

  “We haven’t had much luck with our extended family, so I think it’s best we knock the idea of any more reunions on the head. I was born there, Doctor Geddis, but that doesn’t make it my home, and it was never Sarah’s in the first place. The Son of Albian, I think it was Parnell’s twisted way of saying he belonged, like he was a part of something, that he had something to fight for. Well, we belong, too; we belong here. We're daughters of Cadia, and we're not going anywhere.”