The First Sin

by Jessica Brawner

  Marie began deploying the extendable gangplank, cranking the large lever. I backed over to where our prisoner was standing and took hold of the rope. "You first." I nodded in the direction of the Dreadnought.

  He took a deep breath, grabbed the rope and swung across the dizzying space. I landed moments after he did. "Luma, Marco? Where are you?" Daron called out. I heard the click of a pistol behind me.

  "Luma, don't!" Daron shouted. This woman he called Luma was a pale woman with filthy black hair and a well-worn pistol. Tyler and Seamus swung over, landing behind her, pistols out.

  "If you want your crew members back alive, stay out of our way, and we will be gone in short order." She spat in my face. I sighed and shrugged wiping spittle from my cheek. "Tyler if you please."

  Tyler reversed his grip on his pistol and hit her in the back of the head. I caught her as she slumped forward and eased her down onto the deck, taking the pistol away. I was surprised to see that it wasn’t loaded. Marie had extended the gangplank and joined us. "Marie, you and I will disable the ship. Maybe you can find that catalyst pin you need. Tyler, you and Seamus work with Daron to get the crew back over here." I looked over at Daron.

  “Help them move the bodies over." Daron, still pale and sweating, nodded fervently.

  "Which way to the engine room?" I asked before releasing him into Tyler's custody.

  He pointed below decks and stammered. "Down below… All the way to the stern."

  Marie and I set off below decks. Most airships had at least a few similarities, and the location of the engine room was one of those. They tended to be at the back of the ship so that smoke didn't blow across the deck.

  Once in the hold, I pointed out several devices that looked like they should be deployed through the hull. "Are those what I think they are?"

  “Lightning cannons!” Marie said excitedly. She ran her hands over one of them, fingering the delicate levers, and coper wiring.

  "Capt. do you think we could take just one." A strange lust filled Marie's eyes.

  "Marie, we're in a hurry. The Raven isn't far behind us."

  "Yes, but Captain, a lightning cannon."

  "Fine. Let’s disable the engine, then take one of these." I gestured down the hallway to the engine room.

  "This is a beautiful machine,” Marie said, marveling at the great set of chrome and bronze pistons and cogs before her. A giant central shaft spun slowly, powering multiple smaller shafts within the structure. “It seems a shame to have to damage it." Marie took a wrench off her belt and began unscrewing bolts from several long pieces of pipe. She then pulled a lever and jammed it into place, breaking the handle off at its base. Reaching between two large gears she freed a long metal pin with square spokes at different intervals.

  "That should about do it, Captain. They'll have a very hard time steering without a steering column. They'll do nothing but go in circles for a long while. And once they figured that out, someone has to replace all of the bolts." She had a smug look on her face. “And we now have our catalyst pin.

  I clapped her on the back. "Good. And now let’s get that lightning cannon."

  The cannon was heavy and bolted to the floor on a rail that allowed it to slide out the gun port. But with a spanner and some determination, we managed to drag it inelegantly up to the deck, where Tyler, Seamus, and Daron had just finished bringing the Dreadnought’s crew back over.

  I nodded to Daron. "They should all wake up in a few hours. I don't ever want to see your ugly face again." From the fear in his eyes I could tell this was a warning he would heed.

  We dragged the lightning cannon back across the gangplank and disengaged from the Dreadnought. Henri was tending to Nina when we got back. She had a large bruise covering half her face. "How long until she wakes?"

  Henri shook his head. "I'm not sure."

  “Let me know as soon as she is up. In the meantime, I'll be at the wheel."

  Our course and heading were still laid in. I called down to Marie. "Fire her up, let's get underway."

  Slowly we pulled away from the derelict Rover’s vessel and headed to Crete.

  An hour later Tyler joined me on the steering deck. "Do you think the Dreadnought will follow us, Captain?" He leaned on the railing while he stared out at the vast ocean below us.

  "Not if they're smart." I was more worried for Nina and concerned that Charles might locate us. I was kicking myself for not having posted a watch earlier – the Dreadnought used the same tactics we had, flying in out of the sun in our blind spot, and I knew better. There had been no sign of the Blue Raven but he was out there. The Dreadnought, barring Nina’s injury, was an inconvenience, no more.

  Charles

  Damn the woman, Charles though. She kept slipping through his fingers. First the storm, then evading the guards at The Flaming Mug, then throwing off their attack at the airfield. Assuming he was correct about her identity he was seeing that her reputation was deserved. She was not some flutter headed noble. He also had no idea where she might head next and cursed the guards that let her get away.

  Pulling out a map, Charles studied the available options. The Indiana had seen significant damage during the storm, he had noted as much when they boarded her. She wouldn’t be going far, and that limited the options dramatically. Three small islands on the map seemed likely, but they were in opposite directions. Two of the islands were within a day’s sailing distance, and the third, nearly a two-day journey. He slammed his fist onto the table next to the map, gritting his teeth in frustration. “Where are you going Jac?” he muttered staring at the map. He didn’t want to face the men above without a plan so he paced his quarters, coming back to stare at the three small islands. But which one? He didn’t have enough men with him to search all three, and every moment he hesitated The Indiana got further away.

  “Captain!” Charles recognized the first mate’s voice as the man pounded on the door to his quarters. “Captain, you need to come out and see this.” Charles emerged from his quarters and joined Yusef on deck.

  Two guards had a dirty, scruffy looking man restrained between them. “Sir, please. Can you help us?”

  Yusef handed Charles a spyglass and pointed to the southwest. “I’ve been watching that ship for the past half an hour Captain, and it does nothing but go in circles. This man tried to board us using a nearly derelict airphopper.”

  Charles studied the ship. Dreadnought. The ship was in poor shape and at a glance probably belonged to that class of pirate called Rovers – men and women without a code that preyed on the upper airways and ships that ventured outside of established routes. The deck was deserted, and the ship circled aimlessly. The man must be in dire straits to try and board the Blue Raven.

  “Is that your ship, man?” Charles asked.

  “Aye, sir. Well – the Captain’s dead. The rest of the crew have been drugged, and the ship’s been disabled. We need help sir, please.” The scruffy man looked frightened. Unusual. Rovers were known to be cutthroat and merciless.

  “How did this happen?” Charles asked, facing the man.

  “We. Ah.”

  Charles could see that the man was trying to come up with a lie and hadn’t thought this through in advance.

  “Speak up, man. We are on a mission from Rome and cannot afford much delay. Let me help you – you were clearly defeated in battle. Who were you fighting?”

  The man slumped. “The Indiana disabled us. The crew – our crew – didn’t want to fight them, but our Captain insisted. He’s dead now.”

  “Today is your lucky day then sir. I am not going to arrest you for piracy, if you tell us which direction they went.” Charles said. “Though I suggest you reconsider your life choices.”

  The scruffy looking Rover pointed out a heading. Charles smiled in satisfaction. God was on his side and had provided a direction. He knew which way Jac had gone.

  “Thank you. Yusef, please put this man back on his airhopper with some food and basic medical supplies. I’m afraid th
ey’ll have to figure out their mechanical problems themselves.”

  Summoning the crew Charles said, “Men! We have thus far failed to capture this notorious felon, despite circumstances being in our favor on several occasions. I think some extra incentive is in order.” Charles paced the deck in front of the assembled men.

  “I believe they are headed to Crete. Given the extensive damage that their ship has taken, they cannot have flown further than that. Divide up into three Squadrons to cover more of the island. The crew that finds The Indiana, or its captain will be rewarded well. The crew that captures The Indiana or it’s captain will understand what the full generosity of Rome means.”

  Pausing he said, “Squad leaders prepare your men and your ships, then meet in my quarters. Dismissed.”

  Jacqueline

  Early the next morning we could see the coastline of Crete, with massive cliffs along a rocky shore. Small towns dotted the coastline, shining white in the shimmering heat, tucked back into the cliffs, sheltered by white sand beaches. We sailed high, looking for a secluded cove to put in at, preferably one with a small creek or river for water.

  Marie caught me right after breakfast. "Maybe it would be okay if we took a few days away from the ship?" Marie asked a hint of longing in her voice.

  "Maybe.” I replied, focused on the coastline. "Let’s see what we find when we get there."

  She nodded and sighed, turning her gaze to the shore.

  I could see that the crew needed to rest. We had been running thin for too long, and they were exhausted. They were starting to make small mistakes, letting things slip that shouldn’t.

  We landed near the city of Xaviá and found a quiet cove not far from the city. The fine sandy beach surrounded by the deep blue waters of the Mediterranean was peaceful.

  “Marie, deploy the canopy balloons. Let’s see if we can change our profile from a distance” The balloons were the best I could think of. They held up a large netting that covered the entire ship, making it hard to distinguish our features. The balloons and netting were inconvenient and required the entire crew to deploy. Once the netting was in place we set up a small camp with a fire pit and spent the afternoon sunning and swimming.

  David sat next to me on the sand, not saying much, just twirling a lock of my hair in his fingers. I twitched, restless. I felt like a sitting duck, waiting for Charles to find us. “Jac, I can see as well as you that the crew needs time to rest.” David had the knack of reading my thoughts on occasion.

  “I know. And we have to repair the ship, and this is as secluded a spot as I could find that would allow us to do so. I still feel like we have a giant target painted on us, and it makes me twitch.”

  David rubbed my shoulders and neck, kneading out the knots that formed there. “You’ve taken all the precautions you can.”

  For the next three days we worked on the ship and didn't see anyone except a couple of local fishermen out on their small boats hunting for crabs.

  Once the repairs were completed, I told Marie she could take the few days leave she had requested. She took the second air hopper and left for the city, a smile on her face. To my surprise, she did not ask Henri to accompany her.

  Propping my cabin door open to catch a breeze, I pulled down A History of Angels, a book on Church legend and lore and started reading. The author had a talent for making even the most interesting subject matter dry, and my mind kept wandering away from the pages. I found I had to drag my attention back, and after the fourth time I found myself staring off into space, I put the book down with disgust. I did not enjoy being earthbound.

  I caught sight of Nina walking out on deck, and with sudden resolution I called out, “Nina! How would you feel about going a few rounds? I haven’t sparred in far too long.” Her face was turning motley colors from the bruise, but she seemed to be feeling better.

  Nina stuck her head in the cabin door. “It's been a while,” she replied. “On deck, five minutes?”

  Nodding I took off my jacket and set it aside neatly, going out to join her. Nina stood and stretched, then with no warning came at me with a flying roundhouse kick. This was not my first time sparring with Nina, so I ducked and caught her leg midair. "You shouldn't lead with that every time."

  She laughed and wrapped her other leg around me as she was falling, taking me to the deck with her. "You talk too much Captain."

  We sparred for the better part of an hour, until we were both dripping in sweat and exhausted. Niccolò came to watch, as did David, and Seamus. After letting us wear ourselves out, Seamus began instructing and correcting our form. When I could barely lift my arms for another round Seamus called a halt.

  "I wish I could get you two to practice like this several times a week, but your form is still looking pretty good. You two go wash up, Niccolò and I will get dinner."

  I laughed and turned to Nina. "Do you think it will be safe to eat?"

  She chuckled as we made our way to the bathing room. There was a small hole in the floor to let water escape, but that same hole also created an unpleasant draft when it was chilly out. I dipped the clean cloth in the barrel and sponged myself off quickly, then rubbed myself dry with another towel, feeling refreshed after our exertions.

  Stumbling with weariness I wrapped the towel around me, gathered up my sweaty clothes and made my way back to my cabin.

  "Jac, I need to go into town and purchase some parts for some new modifications I’m designing. Would you like to join me?” David asked over breakfast on the beach the following morning.

  “Oh good. I need to get some parts for the ship as well. I would love to join you. I’m hoping we have all of the repairs done by tomorrow.” I had a few things on my mind. There were so many unanswered threads to this tangle we found ourselves in. Whether it was pacing or walking, I always thought better on my feet, and though I didn’t want to say this to the crew, the fact that the Vatican ship hadn’t located us was bothering me. Crete was remote, but we were not that well-hidden.

  "Fantastic.” David sat up leaning on one elbow from his place in the sand, his bare chest gleaming in the sun.

  "Town isn't far." I stretched and drew my hair above my neck, letting the breeze play with the small curls that escaped.

  "Give me a moment to fetch a clean shirt."

  I watched him walk across the sand towards the ship, admiring his tall form. He was getting a tan from being underway with us, and it suited him.

  We strolled along the road leading to town hand-in-hand, occasionally passing locals carrying their shopping or taking their goods to the market. For a time we walked in silence, enjoying the scenery and the quiet company. Occasionally David would watch me from the corner of his eye, thinking I didn’t notice.

  Finally I said, "I wonder if the lore surrounding the Miter is true, and it is something powerful enough to destroy the church. If it is, that presents the question of what to do with the knowledge." I ran my free hand through my hair, pondering the possibilities.

  "It will be a hard decision to make. The church is corrupt and full of deceit within its ranks, but in the parishes many of the priests still do good works, and that cannot be wholly discounted." David stared off into the distance, thinking.

  "So is it better to save the church for the good it does, or destroy the church for the evil within it? Or alternately give the power to someone else to use as leverage." I took a deep breath, a strange tightness in my chest. “Beyond the theoretical, we have the more pressing problem of what to do about the Vatican pursuit. Charles, their commander, is not stupid, and he is tenacious. I anticipate he will find us.”

  “Yes, that seems likely,” David agreed, keeping pace with me.

  “If we continue to run, he will just keep following us. That becomes our life – always running – until eventually no port in Europe or the Americas is open to us. I do not relish that thought.”

  We reached the outskirts of town. Xaviá was a mid-sized town with several shop-lined streets. All of the roads me
t in the center, forming the town square, where a daily market held vendor stalls full of dates and olives, and a variety of other fruits and vegetables. Today they were having a small festival. There was a cheese maker, places to buy ribbons and bolts of fabric, and many other things from the useful and mundane to the fancy and impractical.

  “Perfect!” David said, as he saw the market. “I was hoping to lure you away from the ship. You force your crew to rest, but never take any time yourself.” I looked up at him, startled, and he chuckled.

  “Do you think I didn’t notice why we’ve been here so long. They are loyal to you, and you take care of them, even when they won’t take care of themselves. Someone must do the same for you my dear.”

  I flushed. “But I don’t need,” I trailed off. I had also been making mistakes. Underestimating Charles, the encounter with the Rovers, a multitude of other small things. David was right. He raised an eyebrow and I lifted my hands in surrender. “Okay, you are right.”

  He smiled. “Very well then. You will allow me to buy you lunch, and perhaps some ribbons for your hair, and we will enjoy the morning in the market. Then we will get the supplies and head back.”

  I bowed my head in mock acquiescence. “You win this round mon chéri.”

  David and I continued our discussion of the church as we walked, examining the booths and stalls. "Do you think the information could be used simply to remove those in the church who crave power and wealth rather than the good of the people?" He asked, returning to the earlier conversation.

  I pondered this question for a few minutes. "I'm afraid without knowing the nature of the message, it is impossible to determine." I picked up a blue ribbon from a ribbon seller and held it up for David's inspection. "What think you? Will it go with my hat?"

  "I think it's lovely." David held out a few coins for the vendor. I chuckled and smiled and kissed him on the cheek.