The four guardsmen saluted and ran off in opposite directions.
Charles was shoving two clean uniforms into his pack when his second in command, a tiny man stuck his head in the door.
"Come in Dupaul. The Holy Father has tasked me with bringing these criminals to justice. I'll be taking three air squadrons with me. Should this go past a few days, in my absence, you are in charge of the Pope’s guard."
Dupaul saluted. "I'll keep everything in line while you're gone Captain. You've got nothing to worry about. Did you feel the earth shaking today? That's got the people more worried than this theft."
Charles did not know Dupal as well as he would have liked. Of all the Pope’s guard, Dupal seemed the most inclined to work with him, but they were still feeling each other out. "I did feel it. Perhaps God is not pleased about today's events. Do not let anyone into the Holy Father’s section of the palace who has not been thoroughly investigated.”
He shook his head and clapped Dupaul on the shoulder. "I'll send word if we find anything. Double the guard in my absence and keep a sharp watch."
Three squadrons of Swiss Guard, Charles at the head, arrived at the airfield in Rome within half an hour of his audience with His Holiness. They were close enough to the airfield that they heard the docking clamps clang into place, anchoring the ships in their berths.
Three ships floated free above airfield docking mechanisms, each with their turbines engaged, making haste away from Rome. Charles swore. “Airfield Master – which ships are those, and what are their home ports? Did any register their next destination with you?”
Waiting for the Airfield Master to find the information he studied the airship outlines. One was a hauler, fat bellied and slow, used for long distance transport. They were hard to maneuver but could withstand the worst hurricanes. The other two were lighter, more maneuverable ships. Pulling out his spyglass he studied the rudders and sails on the two vessels. “Fire the cannon!” he barked at his squad leaders. “Aim between those two ships.”
“Captain?” the guardsman standing beside him said in confusion. “Fire. The. Canon. Are you deaf man? Before they’re out of range. Don’t try to hit them. We just want to see which of them drop ballast to gain altitude quickly.”
“Yes sir!” The guardsman saluted, and shortly there was the loud boom of cannonade.
Charles watched, but neither of the ships dropped ballast. He swore softly to himself. The ship on the left – the Sirena Bellissimo had some subtle but unusual modifications, and the outline, base model ship fit at least one known pirate ship, so he made his decision.
“Squadron one, you have been briefed on the item in question – search the ships still in port. Once your search is complete, send a messenger with a status update. Squadron two, get in the air immediately. Split into two cadres, catch and board those ships and search them from stem to stern.” He pointed at the hauler and the other, lighter ship in the distance. “Squadron three, you are with me. We are going after that ship.” Charles pointed at the ship headed west. “The Sirena Bellissimo resembles a known pirate ship. Captain Jac and her crew are known for high-profile theft. We do not know for sure if this is her work, but I have a strong suspicion it is. This Captain Jac, is known to prefer the lower lanes, and she is very good a disappearing suddenly. I suspect she will jump to the upper lanes.”
The Airfield Master popped up at his elbow suddenly. “The Sirena Bellissimo, Captain, out of Milan. The other two are English: The King’s Grace and The Enterprise, none of them filed their destinations with us.” Charles digested the information while directing his remaining troops.
“I need two volunteers to stay here to run messenger duty and relay the results of the search here.” Turning to the Airfield Master he said, “Thank you for your assistance - my men will handle searching the ships.”
The Vatican owned a section of the airfield and had row upon row of docked vessels. Sleek blue airships with white crosshatching, built for speed, were docked beside larger airships used for carrying supplies and more ornate airships used for transporting Vatican passengers. A smaller section had vessels known as ‘airhoppers’ – single or double passenger vehicles intended for short journeys. Charles and his squadron took one of the smaller airships – a crew of six could easily man the ship, and he had double that. He saw the other squadrons splitting themselves between one of the small airships and several of the airhoppers and nodded with approval. Here on the ground the blue and white coloring of the airships made them stand out and looked faintly ridiculous, but once in the sky they were near invisible from the ground. From below the ship would look like blue sky, and from above it would look like a passing cloud. It made them hard to see from the deck of a moving ship.
The Blue Raven, rumbled underfoot as they took to the sky. Charles was surprised to see how much distance the ship ahead of him had gained as they carefully navigated out of the airfield. Once clear, they deployed the turbines, great, large fans that would propel them forward in pursuit.
Jacqueline
“Nina, running hot.” I yelled over my shoulder. “Take us out low, and then raise altitude to the upper lanes as soon as we’re out of sight. They won’t expect that.”
“Running hot, aye!” she called back, and pulled a lever beside her console. I heard the flame jets roar into the balloons above us, and the ship gained altitude more quickly. “Niccolò, give Marie a hand in the engine room.”
Taking one last look at the receding ground, he scampered below decks, moving nimbly down the ladder. I joined Nina on the steering deck and pointed out the mass of guardsmen.
Rome had a busy airfield and a host of other ships were departing as we were. Nina maneuvered The Indiana skillfully between two passenger liners, using their bulk to temporarily hide us as we cleared the airfield. “What happened Captain? Why are we leaving before the job is done?”
“An unlooked-for opportunity. The Miter is onboard. I’ll tell everyone the story once we’re clear. Someone in the Vatican was helping us.”
Nina raised an eyebrow and nodded. “I look forward to hearing the tale.”
I heard the docking mechanisms lock down and clang against the ships in berth. The lockdowns were controlled by the Airfield Master and would prevent any of the ships still in berth from taking off. It was intended of course to prevent criminals from escaping, or people who hadn't paid their airfield fees.
A contingent of The Swiss Guard, tiny from our vantage, ran to the docks of the departing ships, one squad of six for each ship, swarming like ants, shouting for us to land. Nina, ignoring the drama below, engaged the propellers. We sailed out of the airfield just as the announcement closing the city came over the loudspeakers. Swinging my spyglass around towards The Vatican, I could see the air patrols massing. Canon fire rang out and I pressed my lips together in a thin line. He was trying to get us to drop ballast and reveal ourselves. Smart. The ship that did would be the one they chased, and pursuit wouldn't be long in coming.
I stood at the stern looking behind us. I had been watching for some time. The lack of Vatican ships was beginning to unnerve me. There was nothing but blue sky, a few clouds, and the vast ocean. Nina was at the helm and Tyler watched beside me. "Nina, find us a safe altitude and maintain course. Tyler, gather the crew."
"Yes Captain," they said in unison.
I retrieved the Miter and joined the crew in the common room. "My apologies for our abrupt departure, but we got what we came for." I set the tall ornate hat down on the table and related the story of the day's adventure. Tyler looked shocked. "But... you just walked out with it? How does that even happen? "
“It doesn’t. And it shouldn’t. And this priest, Father Michael, seemed to know what I had done and helped us. It makes no sense. The patrols were massing as we left. They will be coming after us." I prowled around the confined space. "They will start by sending out small patrols to pursue all of the ships departing with us—but they only have our name, not our description. Tyler r
un up the English colors. Marie, put out the Bessie Quinn name plate. It won't fool anyone who knows what the ship looks like, but it might throw them off if they don't.
How far until we are out of Rome’s airspace?" I asked, chewing on my thumbnail.
"Another hour at least," Nina replied.
"Then let's stay on the move and hope they pass us by. Be on the alert people. Remember, we're a perfectly honest crew, flying from Naples to Corsica looking for work." I grinned, and despite the tension around the table I saw answering grins on most of the faces. Adventure was adventure, and we were good at those.
"Also, we have a new crew member. You've all met Niccolò. He'll be our new ship’s boy."
The crew took turns slapping him on the back in congratulations, as they left to swap the colors. Marie beckoned to Niccolò to follow her, “I’m going to show you the mechanism for the nameplates so you can help change them.” I heard her say.
Seamus pulled me aside as they filed out, "Ye took great risk stealin’ the hat that way Captain," he said.
I leaned against the wall, watching the crew. "Oui, I know, but it was too good an opportunity to pass up. That's why I had to bring Niccolò along with us."
He nodded. "The lad will do just fine with the crew."
"If we've got pursuit, there will be plenty of fun to be had." A welter of emotions ran through me as the adrenaline surge wore off, and I smiled. "For now let's get back to France and lie low for a week. The Airfield Master at Marseille always treats us well, and keeps his mouth shut. We should be safe there. We don't have to be back in Sicily for another two weeks at least."
He scratched behind his ear and was silent for a moment. "Ay. That’s sensible. Italians won't be happy about losing their fancy hat."
I grinned at him. "No, they won't. And I do wonder why that priest helped us out, and where the pursuit is. It almost feels like it isn’t a proper robbery without a chase. Let's get to Marseille before we start celebrating, though."
Jacqueline
Two hours that felt like eternity slipped by, and we were nearly out of Rome's airspace. They slipped over the horizon just as we passed the invisible border of Rome’s territory. I counted eight, studying them with my spyglass. The patrol rode sleek, black airhoppers, small airships designed more for short distances than long journeys. They were followed by a Vatican airship with contours built for speed and endurance. The Blue Raven. The presence of the ship meant the airhoppers would be able to re-fuel and travel longer distances. If we ran, they would suspect us. If we didn't run, we would be boarded.
On the deck of the Blue Raven, one man caught my eye, and I raised the spyglass to get a better view. Merde. It was the guard Captain from the palace, Charles. I gathered the crew.
"We have a problem. As expected, they sent patrols out after all ships that departed with us. I recognize one of the members of this particular patrol—he is the one who helped me when I 'fainted' at the Vatican this morning. I feel certain he will recognize me."
"Tyler, you will have to be the Captain. The papers for the Bessie Quinn are registered to one Bethesda Peterson. You know where they're kept. I'll hide up in the grand poche with the Miter.
Tyler and Nina nodded, calm. “Just like Perin-noir, eh Captain?” This wasn't the first time we'd had to do this.
“Oui.” I chuckled. Perin-Noir was a chateau on the border of France and Switzerland. We had ‘borrowed’ the castle, and convinced a visiting lord that Nina was a duchess, whilst we liberated certain documents from his possession.
I looked over to Marie. She had a wide smile on her face. She loved this part, the chase and the escape but was not good at dissembling in the slightest. She was really not suited for crime but was such a genius mechanic that we had found ways to work around her particular weaknesses. "Marie, stay down in the engine room. Keep Niccolò with you. No need for you to pretend to be anything other than an excellent engineer." She gulped and nodded, scurrying out. I looked to Nina and Tyler. This con depended on them, but I had great faith in their talents.
"Captain, you best get that hat and get out of sight." Nina winked, and I rolled my eyes. Trust Nina to think being boarded was fun. I raced to my quarters and retrieved the hat from its hidden compartment, shoving it in a satchel that I tied across my back. I heard the ship being hailed, and Nina’s reply. Merde. They arrived faster than I had anticipated. If I exited my cabin by the door, I would be seen right away.
Three of the four floor to ceiling windows on the back wall of my chamber were fixed in place, but the fourth had a small section that opened to allow for airflow on hot days. I opened the casement carefully and looked out. Peaceful clouds floated beneath us, but I shuddered at the drop. A small ledge ran the length of the window, not more than eight inches wide. I could hear the propulsion fan whirring and rumbling under the ship, it’s blades rotating at an incredible rate. On either side of the window, following the line of the ship up and out, was a decorative post carved with mythical creatures of the air: sprites, winged fairies, the North Wind. These helped hold the window in place and ran up the outside of the ship to the upper deck. Steeling myself, I crouched down on the interior window ledge and slid through the open window, pulling it nearly shut behind me. Pausing for a moment to get my bearings I noted just how small eight inches really was as I slid my feet carefully to the left, inching my way to the carven post, my nails digging into the casement around the windows.
I am going to have a ladder installed here as soon as we get a chance.
I reached the post and dug my fingers in, trying to find a stable grip. It was as wide around as my two hands, and the carvings left ample purchase, but I would have to lift myself by my arms, hand over hand to get to the top. A sudden brief gust of wind flung my hair about wildly, and I clutched at the post as the world spun below me. Clinging to the outside of The Indiana like a sea barnacle for more than a few minutes wasn't an option. My fingers would tire long before Charles departed my ship.
Taking a deep breath, I swung out, my fingers grasping and straining, my entire body dangling for a moment with nothing but clouds and sea beneath me before my feet found purchase. If I thought about what I was about to attempt, I would fail, and I would die. Taking a leap of faith, I unlocked the fingers on my right hand and launched myself upward, seeking my next handhold. I repeated this over and over, inching up. My arms burned. The Miter grew heavier with every passing moment. I heard a ‘thunk’ a sound no Captain wants to hear. Grappling hooks hitting the wood of the railing. The entire ship lurched and my left hand slipped, leaving me dangling, holding on by only a few fingers, my legs dangling free. Trying not to panic I pulled up with all of my strength, the grasping fingers of my left hand finding railing instead of carven post. I breathed a sigh of relief.
I hauled myself up, scrambling over the railing and lying flat on the rooftop deck. Feeling the solid wood beneath me I curled into a ball and began to shake as a delayed reaction to terror and adrenalin took over. The sway of the ship calmed me, and slowly I uncurled from the fetal position.
The grand poche was another fifteen feet above me. I crawled over to the edge of the platform. The ship’s main deck spread out below me. I could see Tyler and Nina talking with the patrol, but I couldn’t hear them. I backed away from the edge of the deck and considered my options.
Waiting until the patrol headed below decks, I climbed the ladder that led up to the envelope above. Quietly I opened the trap door leading to the maintenance platform. This led directly to the balloon itself and was not easily visible from anywhere else on the ship.
The vast interior of the grand poche opened above me. Narrow rope bridges ran from one end to the other, attached to the interior balloons containing the gasses that kept us afloat.
When I purchased The Indiana, I upgraded her flotation system to the double-walled German construction we currently had. The ship was kept afloat by a combination of helium and hot air. The overarching grand poche formed an envelope that contai
ned a series of smaller balloons grouped into sections and then tied off to the rigging. If something were to happen to one section, or one series of balloons, it wouldn't be a total disaster.
I heard voices below me, coming from the upper deck of the ship.
"Captain Peterson, thank you for your cooperation. I'm sure you understand our need to be thorough. We will be done shortly." It was Charles's voice, growing closer, speaking passable English.
Merde. What now? I thought silently. Lacking a better idea, I stood on top of the maintenance platform’s trapdoor, holding on to the handholds to either side, hoping to weigh it down. I'm not a large woman, but nine stone is a fair bit to lift straight up when you're not expecting it.
"It seems to be stuck." I heard Charles growl.
"Aye, yes. It's been stuck for a while now. I keep meaning to have it fixed, but it hardly seems worth the money they want to charge me to do it." Tyler said smoothly. “Why at the last port, they wanted one hundred pounds just to unstick it, not even to fix the mechanism."
"Here, Sam, you try. Put your shoulder into it," I heard Charles call out. I never did see Sam, but he had quite the shoulder on him. I willed myself to be heavier, and felt the trapdoor give underneath me with the force of Sam's blow. A sudden gust of wind and a crackle of electricity made the hair on the back of my neck stand on end. I instinctively flattened myself on the platform, trying to make myself small.
"Hey now, I'm happy to be cooperative and help you find your criminals, but kindly don't break my ship to kindling!" Tyler said in dismay. A giant crack of thunder crashed out of the clear sky.
I heard cursing and swearing as Charles called Sam down. "You're right of course Captain."
"It looks like we're about to get a big blow..." the rest of Tyler's words were lost, carried away by the noisy gust of wind. The trapdoor below banged shut, and faster than I believed possible the sky was pitch black around us.
The First Sin Page 8