Claire ODell - The Ghost Dragons Daughter

This is a work of fiction. All of the characters, organizations, and events portrayed in this story are either products of the authors imagination or are used fictitiously.

All rights reserved.

First Edition: October 2015

Cover Design: Robert Bernobich

Were in the basement, the three of usme, Lili, and Mei. In the middle of the floor is the thing we call the monstrosity machine, aka, 50% of our final grade in magic and mathematics. Tonight we make our first trial run. Tomorrow we present our final progress report. Our deadline is three weeks away.

Did I mention were a little behind schedule?

Ai-ya. No pressure at all, as Lili would say.

Mei bends over the tangle of wires, double-checking each plug inside the machine. Lili is curled up on a pile of blankets, with an old-fashioned data writer in her lap. Im standing next to Mei, holding an oil lantern up high to illuminate the monstrositys interior. We would do better with real magic flux lampslots of thembut we dont have the cash for such luxuries. At least we have this basement, which is big and dry and only a little dusty. Meis mother has cleared out one corner for our project. She also keeps Meis little sisters and cousins away from our equipment.

Jun, are you sure about those equations? Mei asks.

I glance at the yellowed pages of my second-hand textbook, propped open on a table next to me. Im sure. Its just basic multiple integrals and

My dearest Jun, Lili drawls. As we all know, the terms basic and multiple integrals are inherently contradictory.

Lili is mimicking our teacher again. Shes good at it, too. She knows all of Feng Hsis favorite phrases, even that bit of dialect from south of the Seventy Kingdoms that pops out once in a while.

Very funny, Mei growls. After scrambling around underneath the machine, her clothes are a mess and her cheeks are smudged with dirt and oil. My hands itch to wipe away the grime. Truth be told, my hands itch to do a lot more, but while Im sure how I feel about Meialmost sureI dont know how she feels about me.

Idiot. Gschus voice echoes inside my skull. What makes you think shes interested in you or anyone else?

Gschu is my spirit companion. Shes a crocodile lizard, swift and prickly, and she has no patience with me.

Shut up, I tell her.

Gschu hissesI think she is laughing at mebut doesnt say anything more. Meanwhile, Mei wants an answer. The numbers are right, I say. Im sure.

Lili grins like a cata small, satisfied cat. No wonder her spirit companion is a lynx. Lilis supposed to be entering linguistics data for our monstrosity, but right now shes watching me with a look that makes my stomach flutter. I suspect she knows my feelings about Mei, but she hasnt said anything. Yet.

Fine, Mei says. Lets make our test.

She closes up the machine, then plugs in the special handheld scope that measures the frequency of magic flux. Hsi has loaned us the scope from her own personal laboratory. Its the latest technology, designed to monitor our magical inputs, down to the smallest increment. When Mei hands me the scope, I set the lamp to one side and cradle the device in my lap. Such a beauty, its nearly enough to make me forget Meis presence, geek girl that I am.

Readout filter, medium, Mei says.

I turn the filter dial to the middle range. We want enough detail to adjust any problems, but not so much we get lost in the flood of data.

Ready, I reply.

Lili says nothing. Her cat-face has disappeared, and she looks plain and anxious.

Mei presses the main power button. The device hums. Good, good. Humming means our monstrosity is powering up correctly. The air around us crackles with flux, and the scent of dust vanishes, overwhelmed by the sharper scent of magic flowing around and between us.

Once the power lights burn steadily, Mei flips the levers to initiate the startup sequence. Now a series of check lights flicker on and off. I can almost read our machines progress by their pattern. Internal clock initiated. Bootstrap program loaded. Memory check complete. Micro-systems functioning and ready for input.

Lili leans forward, her hands clutching at her blanket nest. I want to laugh, but my own heart beats faster as the monstrositys hum takes on the quality of a human voice. If all goes well, our device should speak the words Ready for input .

All at once, a loud crack splits the air. The lights go darkeven the oil lampand a noxious cloud rolls through the basement.

Nooooo, Lili wails.

Sh, sh, Mei says sharply. Jun, you have the scope?

I do. My voice shakes, though I try to control it.

Lets see what happened.

Lovely, competent Mei mutters a sequence of old-time syllables, in a rhythm both mathematical and mystical. Sparks leap from her fingertips to the oil lamp, which re-ignites. We have light, at least, if not illumination. Another of Hsis favorite sayings.

I haul the lamp up as high as I can. What it shows is not so encouraging. The monstrosity sits wreathed in black oily smoke, like a dragon, bellowing its irritation.

My fault, I think. I should have checked

No. My formulas are right, checked and double-checked. The same is true with Meis spells, now engraved on expensive copper plating. Maybe we should have taken the risk, bought those top-grade flux capacitors...

What happened? Lili says.

Mei and I bend over the scope. The read-out is a mess of numbers, but it seems one thing is clear.

The input current was too strong, I say, and Mei nods agreement. Her expression is so bleak, I immediately add, But its correctable.

? Really? Lili says. How much will that cost? And how much time?

Shes right. Hsi might grant us an extension, but only if we convince her that our original theory is plausible. Theres also the matter of expenses. Weve all borrowed as much as we dare from family and the city money-lenders. We dont have the credit to buy new components.

Were so close. We only need a little more time, a little more money.

Gschu is silent, but her presence hovers close. I sense the other spirit companions tooMeis Ning and Lilis Biyuall of them chattering in their private language. Then with a ping , their presence winks out, like snuffed candles, and its just me and Lili and Mei.

So, so, Mei says. We have three more weeks. Well present our interim findings tomorrow and see what our teacher says.

Tell the truth, I blurt out.

Both my partners stare at me. Mei seems insulted at the suggestion we might lie. Lili seems dismayed by the opposite.

I mean I mean we ought to

I know what you mean, Lili says. And youre right. Its just...

Her hand flutters up and around, taking in the monstrosity and its clouds of oily smoke. Her manner is just like those street players she loves, at once sardonic and silly. In spite of my bad mood, I have to smile. Just so. Honesty includes the excellent as well as the awful.

Another of Old Hsis favorite sayings. Lili snorts in recognition. Mei smiles, briefly. Lets clean up, she says. Ill write our report for Honored Teacher.

Lili hums, and shifts softly from foot to slippered foot. I know that dance. It means shes got somewhere to go. Somewhere secret. Lili calls these excursions extracurricular activities , but Mei and I both know that translates to a new love, someone not acceptable to Lilis merchant family. I huff out a sigh of resignation.

Mei is more gracious. Oh, not you. You have promises and obligations.

Thank you, Lili says. She slings her backpack over her shoulder and hurries up the basement steps. I hear her exchange a good night with Meis mother as she speeds out the front door.