Pilot: Book One of the Channel Riders

Elena realized that the Council respected her enough to give her the privacy to answer personal ques

g Elena assumed he was recording the filing information that stated date,

name for the reco

e Calabrese, "

been absent from the Guild for

she re

ave no bearing upon the current matter. The Council is satisfied with her account." Peter shot a look at Alex

orm of financial support from members of yo

Ian and the military represented and go home. Riko smiled encouragingly at her and her grandfather refused

n or reward?" Peter asked, interrupting her thoughts. She f

replied. P

Friend to the Guild and has chosen to return without promise of monetary gain, nor under duress. She is therefore under Council law rega

while operating with the Guild instead of being bound to her grandfather's will. Normally such an honor and

ap of temper at the assumption that she would want to return. After all, they had not asked her. However, a sly though

t censor of the Council. Therese would no doubt find some way around it, but it would annoy her to no end. No doubt ther

self and Ian Jensen, a former Guild member under the House of Barton. Given the relatively public way in which this information was conveyed details were few. T

d her grandfather's knuckles go white when she mentioned her street corner abduction and caug

the Marta Channel is located, although Macmillan did point t

nity of the Marta Channel

Elena r

f in his estimation of

es

ow

have to actually see the channels to know where they ar

cording Riko's name. She didn't spare him a glance, but transferred her gaze from Peter di

nd from a channel an

e each Earth-bound channel rests. I have a harder time with those leading to channels on other worlds but if I have been there once, I can usual

The Gerta, the Yolanda, the Mei Ling, each named for the first woman known to pilot a ship through their waters. Elena clos

ket and began scrolling through. Elena opened her eyes. Riko ceased listing channels well before the list was exhausted and turned towards Siob

current depths in the s

ist the current figures, bu

Riko said. E

t her pride had been pricked. She had been a damn good pilot, one of the best if truth were stated. Having he

d soothingly. "No one here

Riko informed Peter. He nodd

ip through the Marta Channel?" Peter a

she r

y n

Channel would have been too shallow to allow passage for even a regular channel rider. The U

d but were trying to gather information?" Peter continued. Ele

ge. The only Channel it would have been able to pass through would be the Blood Channel and they would have had to go at least a month earlie

d for over 100 years, " Peter sai

mpleted passage would stop anyone from using it, but it is still a

, his desire to hear how his family fit int

briefly across his face. "Elena would you pleas

m the building I saw Ian wit

it was him?" A

and he turned towards

erced?" he shot

now, " she

thers have b

ssi

" Peter asked, cutting off A

and Ian and tried to hustle me towards the gate.

ter asked and Alex turned red with suppressed comments. E

id. Peter looked at his

ought up at this time. Are there any objections?" Silen

ear, in July, " he said with a smile, "Debris was found floating by the entrance to the Channel. Evidence suggests that it was much larger than a normal Channel rider and it was believed that s

na agreed, "But it do

ter asked. The laughter in his voic

of the Channel any pilot would sense the blockade and know that it was impassable. Th

ng warning. A pilot would have to be crazy." She b

nd crew would have been killed when the ship smashed into

ry and Ian. In this case I suggest that Ian be brought in for an accounting. All in favor?" Peter raised the motion and in half a breath it pass

." Elena fought not to roll her eyes. Peter could have just come to her apartment in the first place and

ly to a close. Thank you Ms.

tered to a halt, stood up and wheeled his machine out

said. The council members stood and Elena was momentarily uns

reakfast. Her grandfather smiled at her and for a second the stony mask of the Council member crumbled and she could see the relief written large in every line of his face. He offered her his arm and they fo