by Cheree Alsop
“Glad we found the right ship,” I said in a forcibly light tone.
“It’s the safest place I know of,” the captain replied. “And if we had clouds beneath us instead of the sea, I’d say you’d found the safest place in the world.” He shook his head. “But times have been hard and we’re about to be hit harder. If Hayes can’t find out the information we need, we could be in serious trouble.” He looked at Zyla. “I wish we’d found you at friendlier times.”
Zyla shook her head with a small smile. “And miss all this excitement?” She gave a light laugh. “Uncle, you know me better than that.”
He gave her a fond smile in return. “I guess I do.”
A horn sounded with a short blast followed by two long ones. There was a two-second break, and then the signal came again.
“All hands on deck,” Zyla answered my questioning look.
“Hayes must have some information,” Demetri said. “Let’s go.”
I rose to follow them.
“Rest,” the captain directed. “You’ve had a rough go of it.”
“I want to help,” I replied. I couldn’t sit on the couch while the ship fell under attack. “I might not remember who I am, but I can fight.”
Demetri nodded. “That I’ve seen.” He held out his hand. “We’re lucky to have you.”
I shook it. “Thanks for accepting me on board instead of letting that creature eat us.”
The captain chuckled. “It looked like you had it under control, though I don’t pretend to understand how.”
“I don’t understand it either,” I admitted.
He reached into a small closet and drew out a gray shirt. “Until we figure out what those are for, you should probably keep them covered up.” He shot Zyla a knowing look. “If Doc’s any indication, we don’t want to put greed to the test, and we don’t need a repeat of what happened on the Taurus.”
“No, we don’t,” she agreed.
“Join me on deck when you’re ready,” the captain said. He left and closed the door behind him.
I could feel Zyla watching me as I pulled on the shirt. The look on her face stopped me when I turned back around.
“What?” I asked self-consciously.
She opened her mouth, then shut it again and shook her head before she said, “Uncle said I shouldn’t tell you.”
Her words deflated something inside of me. I fought to keep the disappointment from my face. “I’m not a fan of secrets.”
Her face took on an expression of understanding. “Your life is sort of a secret right now.”
I nodded, unable to say how true her words were.
The horn sounded again.
Zyla sighed. “We’d better get going. I’ll tell you later. I promise.”
I followed her wordlessly up the hall. I paused where the sunlight filtered through the door. Zyla shot me an apologetic look and hurried out.
Captain Dawes and Hayes were in the middle of a discussion on the quarter deck. The rest of the crew watched from below.
“One for you, one for our scrapper here,” he gestured back toward me. “And another because he said something unsavory about my mother.”
The crew erupted into laughter.
“Isn’t your mother a lady of the night?” someone asked.
Hayes rolled his eyes. “It wasn’t about her profession. It was about her smell.” He threw Zyla a look as she joined them at the railing. “My mother was a very well-kept woman.”
“I can only imagine,” she replied.
That brought another laugh from the crew.
Captain Dawes ran a hand through his long white hair and then replaced his plumed hat. “Enough. What did you find out?”
Hayes’ tone became serious. “That we’re in trouble.”
I leaned against the wall and listened to their discussion about battle tactics. Though a lot of the jargon was unfamiliar, I had the distinct impression I had fought battles from a ship before. It was a settling feeling. The lives I had seen depended on their ships; the sensation of the wood beneath my feet, the sound of the masts in the breeze, and the smell of tarnish and sea salt was completely familiar and welcome.
I put a hand to my chest and felt the raised sides of the strange metallic tattoos. Each circle was a different size from three that were about a quarter the size of my palm to the smallest about the diameter of my fingertip. They didn’t hurt. They felt, well, complete, like I would be less of who I was without them. I lowered my hand. My fingers curled into a fist.
Nothing made sense. It was an incredibly helpless feeling to know that I relied on the kindness of strangers to not throw me overboard and leave me for the monsters of the deep. I had a very strong feeling my next encounter with the creatures wouldn’t end nearly as well. I hated the uncertainty and the knowledge that I didn’t belong, but also the understanding that there was truly nowhere else for me.
The door opened further. I stepped back and shielded my eyes.
“I’m thinking you’d be better off with these than those digits.”
I had assumed the person entering was a crewmate headed either to the captain’s quarters or the first mate’s room. The fact that he was addressing me took a moment to settle in.
I lowered my hand and was grateful to see that he had shut the door enough to shelter us from the sunlight.
“Pardon me?” I said.
A man half my size with a tall top hat and a fancy pair of spectacles looked up at me. He held something in one of his hands.
“I’m thinking those glowing eyes are nice and all, but Cap says you need these.”
He set what he had been carrying in my hand. I lifted them to see a strange-looking pair of goggles. They closed on the sides and were worked with brass. Small green rivets held the pieces together. The glass was tinted enough that I could barely see my hand through it. The blue from my gaze glared off the lenses.
“I’m thinking you should try them,” the small man suggested.
I slid the goggles over my head.
“I’m thinking you should kneel a bit.”
“You’re Jack,” I guessed as I lowered to my knees.
He gave a half-snort, half-grunt in reply. “I’m a jack of all trades who became simply a jack.” He adjusted the straps on either side of the goggles for a moment. “I’m thinking the dark is a strange place to find eyes like yours.” He stepped back. “And I’m thinking that fit should be perfect, or I’m not Jack, which I am.”
I moved my head. The goggles stayed firmly in place.
Jack put a hand to the door. “I’m thinking now is as good as any time to test them out.”
He shoved the door open before I could turn away and the light flooded over me. I froze. Instead of pain, there was merely a brighter darkness. I blinked and found that I could see the captain and Zyla clearly despite the light of the sun that was setting behind them.
“That’s great,” I said with a sigh of relief. “Thank you, Jack.”
“I’m thinking there’s no need to thank me,” the man replied as he left through the door. “High atmosphere welding goggles aren’t exactly a luxury item,” he spoke over his shoulder as he walked past the captain and down the stairs. “I’m thinking maybe I should specialize in ordinary items people are highly grateful for. I’m thinking I could get used to that. I also have other items that may be of use to you. I’m thinking you should catch me later.”
“I’ll do that. Thank you,” I told him.
A horn sounded. The low note was followed by a high note, then repeated.
“A ship?” Zyla said. “They’re early.”
The captain called up to the spotter, “Where is it?”
“On the horizon but closing quickly,” the man with a geared telescope shouted down. “And he’s not alone.”
The man’s words sent talking through the crew.
“Explain,” Captain Dawes shouted.
“They’ve got trawlers. Three of them, to be exact.”
“Me
rcenaries,” Hayes muttered. “I hate mercenaries.”
Captain Dawes looked at his crew. “We have a plan. It may be the only thing that separates us from the toothy deep, so stick to it.” He looked at Zyla. “To the fall of Orion.”
“And the rise of our freedom,” she replied.
“Independence forever!” someone shouted below.
The cry was taken up by the rest of the shipmates.
Zyla looked back at me. A tight smile touched her lips.
“Ready?” she asked.
I nodded. I would fight whatever came at her. I was lost and she was the only light at the end of the tunnel I could see.
Chapter Five
Zyla
She could see on her uncle’s face that the news of trawlers was disheartening. The Circinus was a Hauler. It was equipped for minor skirmishes, and certainly Uncle Demetri had added more guns than the standard issue, but she knew of Captain Lapero. He flew the Gunner Airship Fornax. The man was a legend for taking down Revolters; he didn’t care if they were Lunarians or Solariats. Both were fair game for the captain. His greed for bounties was known throughout the world, and it wasn’t unheard of for him to hire mercenaries, though three trawlers seemed a bit much.
“Where do you need me?”
Zyla turned to see Orion talking to her uncle. The goggles glowed blue with his protected eyesight. She had to admit that they suited him. He stood talking strategy with Uncle Demetri and Hayes without any sign of the beating he had taken. It was obvious he had no idea what he was getting into, but he didn’t cower away from the coming battle. His courage gave her courage.
“We’re going for a different strategy than our usual,” Captain Dawes said, raising his voice. “There are too many ships. We can’t hope to fight back against their arms, and so we have another tactic. But it will be dangerous,” he warned.
“Not more dangerous than Lapero,” Skulk, a man with tattoos covering his entire body, shouted.
“I’d rather be resting at the bottom of the sea than in his clutches,” Cherian, a woman Zyla had known since she was very young, agreed.
Captain Dawes tipped his head. “You may get your wish yet, but I refuse to go down without a fight.”
“What’s the plan?” someone asked from the main deck.
“We’re going to fake being dead in the water, disable their ships, steal a few energy canisters, and be on our way before they can chase us. And if there are a few explosions slowing them down,” the captain gave a nonchalant shrug. “I’ll count it as a win.”
A roar of approval sounded from the men and women below. Talking erupted as Hayes began to divide them into groups. Captain Dawes turned.
“I wish we had found each other at a more opportune time,” he told his niece. His eyes moved to Orion. “And for you as well. I’m sorry to say you’ve found us in a situation where the odds are stacked against us pretty heavily.” He looked back at his crew. Guns were being brought up and hidden, the cannons readied and covered in canvas to look like simple stores, and golden wind-up grenades were stacked carefully in one corner and hidden beneath a net. “At least you’re guaranteed an interesting show.”
Barnaby the weapons smith came up the steps carrying several blades. He held out one in a finely worked sheath to the captain. Demetri buckled it on.
“It’ll be more than a show,” Zyla told him as she took the opportunity to look through the weapons. “We’re fighting at your side.”
“Your father would be very disappointed in me,” Demetri replied. “We have other options. We could take you both prisoner.”
Orion watched him closely. “What good would that do?”
“Lapero might think you’re prisoners of war and let you go,” he said with a hint of a question in his voice.
Zyla shook her head. “There’s no way he’ll fall for it. I’d rather fight.” She glanced at Orion. He nodded in agreement.
Zyla selected a cutlass the length of her arm and tested it. The blade was sure without any imperfections that she could see. Satisfied, she held it out to Orion. “I think this will suit you,” she told him.
Amusement softened some of her tension when he accepted the cutlass with a wary expression. He sliced through the air several times, then nodded with a surprised look.
“This will be fine,” he agreed.
She selected another for herself. “Thanks, Barnaby. Your craftsmanship is, as always, superb.”
He grinned at the compliment, showing several golden teeth, before he left back down the stairs.
She joined her uncle to watch the activity below. The ships were now visible on the horizon. The Gunner was unmistakable, a Class Six that was close enough to the size of the Hauler but made for pure defense. Its iron hull and bristle of cannons made it look like some whale coming from the skies to take them. The trawlers on either side and trailing behind looked like the mismatched ships they were, crafted by mercenaries from the parts of any vessel they could scavenge.
Hayes came over to join them. “We’ve done what we can, but our only hope is that they believe we’re helpless in the water. We don’t have enough lift in our cannons to make a difference until they’re close enough to fill us full of holes.”
Grim silence fell over the group as they watched the dots in the darkening sky turn into the blue glow of orb-powered ships.
“What’s the fastest way to get them in the water?” Orion asked.
Everyone looked at him.
“Destroy the orbs,” Demetri replied, “But that puts anyone within proximity at risk.”
“How else?” Orion pressed.
Zyla didn’t interrupt. It looked as though he was forming a plan. At that point, anything was welcome.
Demetri ran his fingers down either side of his white mustache as he thought. “If you disconnect the power to the orbs, they won’t get the energy they need to run. But they’ll be equipped with secondary thrusters to keep the ships in the sky.”
“Secondary thrusters are usually powered by the backup lighting pods,” Zyla said, thinking aloud. “It’s the pods we need.”
“So we need to steal the pods first, then disconnect the power to the orbs to even give us a chance,” Hayes said. He looked at his captain. “Should we send up the white flag?”
Captain Dawes gave a snort of disgust. “Captain Lapero will still shoot us whether we surrender or not. He gets as much of a ransom for a head without a body attached as with, and he’s known to prefer boxes of salt over throwing prisoners in the brig. Our saving grace is that the Circinus is an old ship and not in the ledgers. He won’t know who’s on board until he lands.” He shook his head. “At least he won’t risk his bounty by blowing it up on sight.”
“What we need is time,” Zyla said. “It’ll take a few minutes to disconnect the lighting pods, and that’s if we can get to them without sounding the alarm.”
“I’ll distract him.”
Everyone looked at Orion.
“What are you talking about?” Demetri asked.
Orion met Zyla’s gaze. All she could see of his eyes behind his goggles was a wave of blue. “I was enough for two ships to go to war over.” His brow furrowed slightly. “There’s still a lot you’re not telling me. Entire ships were destroyed to possess whatever it is I have.”
Bitterness showed in his voice that he had kept at bay until that point. Zyla felt a pang of guilt for keeping him in the dark.
She opened her mouth to explain, but Orion shook his head. “I know now isn’t the time. For now, what if we give them what looks to be an empty ship with only a demon to greet them?”
“You’re not here for that,” Captain Dawes began.
Orion cut him off. “I refuse to sit by and watch another slaughter take place. You rescued us.”
“Zyla’s my niece,” Demetri pointed out with a troubled expression.
“And I’m a stranger,” Orion continued in the same steady tone. “Use me to protect your crew.”
Zyla shook
her head. “They’ll shoot you.”
“I’ll stall as long as I can,” Orion replied.
“And what of the crew?” Captain Dawes asked.
Zyla could tell he hated the idea, but they needed every advantage they could get. She couldn’t blame him for at least entertaining it.
“Over the side,” Hayes said, warming to the idea. “We can turn the ship and have them hang onto ropes from the starboard until we get to the pods. Jack and I—”
“And me,” Zyla said.
Hayes nodded. “And Zyla will use one of the gliders. It’s dark enough that they might not notice.”
“I’m thinking fog would be a good idea.”
Everyone looked at Jack in surprise.
“Where did you come from?” Orion asked.
Hayes rolled his eyes. “He’s always doing that.” He looked at the small man. “How fast can you get it running?”
“I’m thinking I can get it running immediately.” The man’s dark eyes gleamed from under his top hat. “I’m thinking fog will be the last thing they expect.” He rubbed his hands together and as he rushed off down the steps, they heard him say, “I knew I stored all that glycerin for a reason!”
“I guess we have fog. With the darkness, it might give us the edge,” Captain Dawes said. There was a faint glimmer of hope on his face. “Let’s get the crew in the water. Those ships will be getting close enough to see us with their scopes if we don’t hurry.”
“The crew’s not going to like it,” Hayes said.
“They’ll like it better than they like dying,” Demetri replied.
“Where will you be?” the first mate asked with suspicion in his voice.
“I’ll be waiting to raise Hades if they give Orion a hard time,” the captain answered.
“You should be in the water,” Orion told him.
Captain Dawes shook his head. “I stay with my ship and defend my crew, and I’ll not have you protecting them with your life if I can’t stand by your side.” He raised his voice. “All hands, tie ropes to the starboard and dive into the water.”
Everyone on the deck paused in what they were doing. Glances were exchanged, and then the crew went for the coils of ropes stacked neatly in the corner.