Read Starfishers Volume 1: Shadowline for Free Online Page A

disaster. To understate, the girl was not Lucifer’s type.
    Lucifer was one of Storm’s favorite children, despite his efforts to complicate his father’s life. Lucifer’s talents were musical and poetic. He did not have the good sense to pursue them. He wanted to be a soldier.
    Storm did not want his children to follow in his footsteps. His profession was a dead end, an historical/social anomaly that would soon correct itself. He saw no future or glamour in his trade. But he could not deny the boys if they chose to remain with the Legion.
    Several had become key members of his staff.
    Of the men who had created the Legion only a handful survived. Grim old Cassius. The spooky brothers Wulf and Helmut Darksword. A few sergeants. His father, Boris, and his father’s brothers and brothers of his own—William, Howard. Verge, and so many more—all had found their deaths-without-resurrection.
    The family aged and grew weaker. And the enemy behind the night grew stronger . . . Storm grunted. Enough of this. He was becoming the plaything of his own obsession with fate.
    “He’s bringing her back, Cassius.” Storm, smiled secretively.
    Pollyanna was an adventuress. She had married Lucifer more to get close to men like Storm than out of any affection for the poet. Michael had had no trouble manipulating her unsatisfied lust for action.
    “But, you see, when he added it all up he was more scared of me than he thought. I caught up with him on The Big Rock Candy Mountain three weeks ago. We had a long talk, just him and me. I think the knife did the trick. He’s vain about his face. And he still worries about Fearchild.”
    Mouse did his best to remain small. His father’s gaze had passed over him several times, a little frown clicking on and off each time. There would be an explosion eventually.
    “You? Tortured? Dee?” Cassius could not express his incredulity as a sentence. “You’re sure this isn’t something he’s cooked up to boost his ratings?”
    Storm smiled. His smile was a cruel thing. Mouse did not like it. It reminded him that his father had a side that was almost inhuman.
    “Centuries together, Cassius. And still you don’t understand me. Of course Michael has an angle. That’s his nature. And why do you think torture is out of character for me? I promised Michael I would protect him. All that means, and he knows it, is that I won’t kill him myself. And I won’t let him be killed with my knowledge.”
    “But . . . ”
    “When he crosses me I still have options. I showed him that on The Mountain.”
    Mouse shuddered as a narrow, wicked smile of understanding captured Cassius’s lips. Cassius could not fathom the bond between the half-brothers. It pleased him that Storm had circumvented its limitations.
    Cassius was amused whenever a Dee came to grief. He had his grievances. Fearchild was still paying for the hand.
    These are truly cruel men , Mouse thought, half-surprised. My own people. I never really realized  . . . 
    He had been gone too long. He had forgotten their dark sides.
    “To business,” Cassius said. “If Michael has Pollyanna, and Richard is after him, there’ll be shooting. We belong down in Combat.”
    “I was about to suggest that we go there.” Storm rose. “Before my idiot sons rid me of this plague called Michael Dee.” He laughed. He had paraphrased Lucifer, who had stolen the line from Henry II, speaking of Becket. “And poor pretty Pollyanna along with him.”
    Poor Lucifer , Mouse thought. He’ll be the only real loser if he manages to keep Michael from docking .
    Storm whistled. “Geri! Freki! Here!” The dogs ceased their restless pacing, crowded him expectantly. They were free to range the Fortress, but did so only in the company of their master.
    Storm donned the long grey uniform cloak he affected, took a ravenshrike on one arm, strode off. Cassius trailed him by a half-step. Mouse hurried along behind them. The dogs ranged ahead, searching for the