Skyside: Book Five of The Channel Riders

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d out across the open water towards the ship yard. While on Earth, the few channel riding shipyards looked like

na it looked like something out of a nineteenth century engraving. Men worked using hand tools, the hulls of new ships slowly forming around them. Several of the men wore o

help her step onto the sandy shore. "Does your arrival have so

u have the time to speak

could almost feel Thompson's eyes watching the pages as Akashi gathered them and set them off to the side. He offered Elena a seat while he took the other. Thompson stood behind Elena'

location at the end of the season, "

eing watched by the government because the Coun

e to view. "Unfortunately many of my ships are in need of off season repairs. We will be ferrying goo

airs and you would assist with

w that you are probably well st

e we have no pilots who can open and close the new channel, we have limi

n drop lists of requested supplies with him when you are ready. And for the future, if you don't have enough ship

list she compiled and handed it to him. Akashi took out a notepad and began copying the information down

"We can accommodate all of these. We will get a schedule to your Harbor M

rk to do and she didn't want Thompson to linger any longer than necessary at the ship yard, Elena sa

ilots to open the c

the ships not piloting

any families shunned the afflicted pilots. When Elena, herself a pilot grounded by the Calling, found ways to return to the ship and started to form her own House, a large number of the similarly affli

account that they had no pilots of their own who could open the channel for emergencies. The elderly counc

lf. "No sense in starving them out." Thompson seemed satisfied

dules and made sure that everything she was responsible for was settled. The entire time, Thompson followed he

s they settled in the mess hall for dinner. She didn't know how people like Peter and

tter for her long rest. Mateo, Kiera, Lucas and Melanie filled out the rest of the table. Both doctors were relieved when her symptoms faded o

ility that someone else might, so she agreed to write down what she knew and hope it was ne

with the morning tide, " She announced. "I want to try to get some trade agreements in place before the others

r. "Consuelo has already taken control of t

said. "So don't try to leave m

ur sight today has been when I wen

, " Kiera said, cutting off whatever comment Thompson was

shipping out with me sleeping on the Storm Chaser, " Elena said. "That way we'll

her. "Very few people grabbed a change of clothes.

rty fast out here,

on space for peo

still haven't filled up all of the worker's hou

ps to go around?" Elena said

I was beginning to think I was just candy deprived. Oh, speaking of which. I wouldn't s

t things, " K

we even put the honey on the fruit. What we don't have are ch

yourself, " Elena said with a laugh. "I'

luff. Oh, or nougat." Mateo smacked his lips and gazed off into the distance as though wat

tra day of rest, Elena found herself moving around the small village, checking on her pilots and making sure everyone was settled. Word spread through the group of her stretching the Marta

found herself eager to escape. The starry-eyed looks they gave her when she first told them how to deal

to air out from the smell of too many passengers. Elena pulled fresh sheets from the cabinet and re-made her bed as the fresh wind blew through her cabin. On the trip out she gave her cabin over to a large fa