Page 43 of Daughter of the Deep

The island takes my breath away.

The central volcanic peak rises three hundred feet, jagged and crumbly like a heap of burnt brown sugar. Surrounding it isa turquoise lagoon, ringed by an atoll maybe a mile in diameter, with sandy white beaches hugging a spine of thick vegetation. Off our starboard side, a break in the atoll forms a natural gateway into the lagoon.

No dynamic camouflage in the world should be good enough to render this island invisible at point-blank range. Yet here it is.

‘We did it,’ Gem marvels.

A woman’s voice crackles over our intercom. ‘Varuna, this is Lincoln Base.’

She sounds a bit cranky. ‘Your visit was not scheduled. Stand by for harbour drone guidance. Make any sign of aggressive intent, and you will be destroyed. If we do not see Ana Dakkar aboard, safe and unharmed, you will be destroyed.’

Okay. Maybe she sounds alotcranky.

A garbled noise comes over the feed, as if someone else is speaking to her in the background.

‘Fine,’ the woman growls slightly off mic. Then to us: ‘You will advise the drone how many will be joining us for dinner. Jupiter is baking lasagne. Lincoln Base out.’

Given the choice between destruction or lasagne, I will choose lasagne every time.

Whoever Jupiter is, I hope he can cook enough for twenty extra people. (Dr Hewett makes twenty-one, but his diet is presently being administered through an IV.)

I scan the lagoon entrance for the pilot drone. I guess I’m expecting something large, like a tugboat. I don’t even see the drone until it buzzes past my ear and settles on the navigation console.

An alt-tech dragonfly flutters its copper-and-crystal wings. Its segmented eyes gleam like tiny Fabergé eggs. I’m glad no one tried to swat it. I’m pretty sure that would count as a sign of aggressive intent.

Top barks.

The drone turns its head and makes apopof static electricity between its front legs. Top whimpers and hides behind Ester.

‘Hi, there,’ I tell the dragonfly. I try to sound calm, like I talk to mechanical bugs every day. ‘I’m Ana Dakkar. As you can see, I’m safe and unharmed. We have a crew of twenty for dinner, please. Also, we need urgent medical care for Dr Hewett. He’s comatose in the sickbay.’

The dragonfly wriggles its antennae. A copper thread unspools from its mouth and snakes its way into our auto-nav console.

‘Okay,’ Tia Romero mutters. ‘I’m sure that’s fine.’

The ship’s engines rumble to life.

Pilot Bug steers us to starboard and guides us into the lagoon.

We have arrived in a heavily weaponized paradise.

Along the perimeter of the atoll, turret guns peek from the brambles. They swivel to follow our progress. Targeting lasers wink and flicker along our hull. Whatever projectors control the island’s impressive camouflage system, I imagine they are also hidden in the vegetation.

I’ve spent the last three days struggling to believe this place could exist. Now that we’re here, I still can’t believe it.

Socrates, fearless as usual, leads the way into the lagoon. Two local dolphins swim over to meet him. Within moments, they are leaping around together, chattering happily. So much for my friend being a loner.

The water is so clear that I can see a labyrinth of jagged reefs below the surface. Schools of tropical fish swirl through the evening light like jets of coloured paint. I want to dive in that lagoon so badly I can feel the ache in my teeth.

We cruise towards the central volcanic isle. It has no shore to speak of – just dark cliffs that plunge straight into the lagoon. The only sign of habitation is a single wooden dock, with a small shack anchored at the base of the rocks. The structure looks so flimsy I imagine it would break off in the first strong storm. It certainly doesn’t look big enough for twenty people.

Nevertheless, Pilot Bug guides us towards it. Twenty feet out, it cuts the engines.

‘Tia, make ready the moorings,’ I say. ‘Pilot Bug, permission to come ashore?’

The drone retracts its wire tongue, spits another spark of electricity and flies away. I decide to take that as a yes.

The crew ties off theVaruna. I’m the first one off the ship, followed by Gem, Ester and Top.

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