Sparky's Arc

Chapter 7 of 10

The cat returned. It dropped from the sky in a streak of blue and landed near the pavilion steps, its tail twitching wildly. Sparks jumped from its fur. A small storm had tangled itself in that long, shimmering tail, and the cat hissed in panic. Sparky knelt and spoke low. He needed to calm it before the lightning broke loose over the guests. He pulled a golden cradle from behind the pavilion and set it on the grass. Soft cushions lined the inside. Sparky lifted the cat gently and settled it in, then tucked a fluffy kitten against its side. The comet cat's breathing slowed. Its tail uncurled across the cradle's edge like a ribbon of starlight. With its tail still glowing, the cat flicked the trapped storm upward in one clean arc. The lightning shot into the dome's copper net overhead. Sparky raised his magnet rod and guided the captured charge across the field, into a rusted old weather station at the edge of the grounds. The storm crackled inside its walls and went quiet. The sky cleared. Melody Starling lowered the microphone and watched fresh ships drift down toward the open field. Sparky wiped his hands on his coat. New guests were arriving, and now there was room and calm to greet them.