by C. Litka
02
By the time we reached the lake shore beyond the old smoke house, the clouds were clearing and the sky gave every appearance of a day dawning. A day that never quite dawns.
Looking towards the town, we found that the Black Mask Gang was out in full force along the strand, lounging around the barge on their lopemounts. It was hard to see from the smokehouse and through the screen of bandits, what the exact status of the barge was. Had they captured it? Or were they just screening it, waiting for us to make our eventual break for it? I counted some 17 riders.
'Mom knows what is what,' said Barn. 'If your new crew kept watch like they was supposed to, I don't see how they could take the Shadow Bird. Mom would put a slug into anyone she didn't want on board. And Ol'King may be old, but he can move fast when he wants to. I wouldn't care to take him on, springer in hand or not.'
'Well, I rather suspect that between the blast that opened the safe and the subsequent eviction of the Palace's customers, the Captain would've been up and have learned what was going on, and would have been alert for trouble, especially since half her crew was missing - when the rest were turned out, she'd be doubly on guard,' added KaRaya.
Still, attempting to take the barge and deny us an escape was not beyond the boldness of the gang. But as Barn pointed out, the bandits would have to somehow get aboard the barge on the broad gravel strand without any cover. To do so, they'd have to face springer slugs delivered from the top of the deckhouse. A bold man on a lopemount might be able to reach the top of the deckhouse with a leap. But to do so in the face of three springers would take a very bold or desperate man, unlikely in your run-of-the-mill bandit working for wages. That, anyway, was what we concluded as we crouched in the damp bushes next to the smokehouse and considered our next move.
'I could saunter up there and have a closer look,' suggested Cookie.
'It's the same gang that robbed you and planned to murder you. Some of them might recognize you,' I said.
'I can trim my beard close. I don't think they'll recognize me. It was dark, back in the woods, and well, if I can get on board, we could be off as soon as they raised steam.'
'Just a quick look. I rather doubt they're letting anyone near it...' I started to say, before the shriek of the Shadow Bird's steam whistle, cut me short. 'Well, they've got steam up.'
They had, and still blowing their whistle, the drive propellers started to spin. The Shadow Bird seemed about to take off. The noise and movement of the barge scattered the calm of the strand, sending riders bounding away to get clear of the whirling blades. Disregarding the bandits, the barge plunged along the strand, picking up speed. It doesn't need much speed to get airborne in Daeri's light gravity, a run of less than a hundred meters. Once airborne, Captain DenMons, or ol'King sailed low over the strand to the far end to swing around and headed back, still meters off the ground, directly at the knot of bandits gathered on the strand. They apparently had annoyed Mom DenMons. The Black Mask Gang, or at least their mounts, decided they didn't care to tangle with a barge and its spinning propellers, and scattered, racing up towards the town.
'I bet she's out looking for us,' exclaimed KaRaya. 'Let's get out and show ourselves.'
We tumbled out of the bushes and started to wave, as the Shadow Bird approached our end of the strand. Captain DenMons, at the railings beside the bridge house saw us and waved back. I don't know if ol'King or Gil had the helm, but she turned and gave them an order to veer off and come about. She'd have to land with the barge facing the town if she wanted to get it off again.
DenMons wasn't the only one to see us. The Black Masks did as well. They rallied their mounts and started lopping down the strand, whooping and hollering, springers in hand. It looked to be a close run affair. Cookie and the boys knelt and started to sending slugs their way. A hundred rounds in the gold fields had apparently given them a great deal of practice, as several of the gang members dropped off, others reigned in and several mounts rearing up and then racing away, riderless. The charge of the Black Masks slowed considerably. Their returning springer fire from their jittery mounts was so wild that it was of little danger. Or so I told myself. Still they rallied once more and slowly advanced, pausing only to pump their pistols. Things would be getting iffy soon.
With the occasional slug stirring the gravel or buzzing by, it seemed to take forever for the Shadow Bird to swing out over the lake and come in just over our heads. We took off as soon as its whirling propeller passed us by. King or Gil brought her down, fifty meters ahead of us. We and the Black Masks set off, racing for the barge.
We were closer and reached it first, but not by much. As soon as we all had tumbled on board the deck, the barge lurched ahead, as the bandits surged around the barge, their slugs pinging off its hull and deck. Lying flat on the deck, we'd only time to return a shot before the barge had risen too high to get another shot off. They were out of sight below the level of the deck.
'Get inside you idiots!' called out Captain DenMons, with more eagerness than anger. Her boys were home. 'We still got a cargo to deliver.'
Seconds later, the barge once more settled on the gravel and rolled to a stop in front of Chasm Lake. We climbed to our feet, and hurried through the door in the deck house that Sap had opened. Hissi hurried up to see ol'King, no doubt to spin tales of her night's adventures. The boys and Cookie hurried up to greet a broadly smiling Mom. KaRaya headed to the top of the deck-house to take pot shots at any Black Masks who dared to get in range, while I went down, collected my big darter and joined her. The gang now elected to stand off the heavily reinforced barge.
'Quite a night,' said KaRaya sitting down against the low bulwark.
'Yes. I think I've had my fill of gold rush towns,' I replied, keeping a wary eye on the clump of riders on the strand. 'I think I've had my fill of being a bargee as well. What do you think of returning to the wide-sky?'
She looked away. 'Well, Wilitang, Vere and I are considering settling down for a while... You know, just the two of us.'
'Of course. I understand. Settling down is exactly what I set out to do, some thousands of rounds ago...'
'But we're partners, so I won't leave you in the lurch. We'll go up to Daedora and I'll make sure you get a good, safe berth before we part company. That's a promise. And we'll keep in touch. We'll set up a mail box at one of the taverns where we can mail letters to...' she looked at me. 'You're good with that, aren't you? We've been through too much together to part with any ill feelings.'
'Raya, you're a sister to me. A big sister who's looked after me for half a thousand rounds now. I actually have an older sister already, she's a ship's captain like me. But you're one, too. So if Vere's your man, go with him with my blessings. You've earned some happiness with all that karma you've built up being good, cheerful, brave and helpful. Thanks, sis.' And I meant it all.
'You're just sweet talking me, Litang,' she said, with moist eyes. She gave me a peck on my cheek. 'I know you have your doubts about Vere, but he's a good man and he's willing to settle down and manage a joint like he has here - only in some civilized place. I can look after myself, so don't worry.'
'He is a good man, and I'll not worry.'