CHAPTER 4

Peregrine Wickwrackrum and Scriber Jaqueramaphan observe Flenserist forces arrayed to ambush the newly crashed aliens. The attack begins without parley: arrows drop one alien, waves of infantry overrun the site, and flamers ignite the “flying house.” Servants (whitejackets) carefully collect alien bodies and small “pups,” and set strong sentries.

Seeing one shot alien member still breathing, Scriber presses to attempt a rescue. The pair infiltrate the sea of wounded and fragments; the chaotic minds nearly overwhelm them. While scavenging uniforms, a grieving fragment attacks. Peregrine kills it but his Rum is mortally eviscerated. As Peregrine disintegrates toward a trio, a huge scarred infantry fragment begs to join; they partially merge, and Peregrine reforms as Wickwrackscar.

Determined to save the survivor, Peregrine and Scriber trail a Servant hauling the living alien on a travois. A bluff fails; the Servant moves to kill the alien. Scriber’s bow strike and Peregrine’s charge kill the Servant completely. They seize the alien, then descend toward the harbor, planning the near-impossible: escape by sea.

At the fort, Tyrathect appears under Flenser’s personal banner and orders an Incalling, fixing everyone’s attention uphill. Exploiting the distraction, Peregrine and Scriber reach the piers, break scuttle knockouts on bow hulls to sink the multiboat’s front ranks, cut lashings, and load the alien onto a fast bow-starboard twinhull.

As troops finally react, archers volley from shore. Peregrine’s agile handling dodges fire; sunk bows strand the pursuers’ catapults and boats. They clear the harbor, slip past Hidden Island’s towers and the narrows—lightly manned and under repair—shouting in triumph as they escape south with the rescued alien.