“Is it now…” Lil said quietly.
She looked over the box. It was just a simple crate, maybe a foot and a half cubed. The only thing that distinguished it from the rest was an apparent lack of care in its construction, as the slats each had a marginally larger gap between them than in the other such crates. Lil peered through one of the gaps, then slipped out her knife and probed it. Just inside there was a layer or two of tightly woven black mesh, keeping her from spying anything inside. The Wind Breaker crew had learned a few tricks from Nikita and Wink, though. Lil reached down and tapped out a message with her knuckle.
If you were in this box, you responded, she tapped, using the stilted syntax the inspectors had been taught.
This one was in the box, came the reply.
“What’s wrong, Lil?” asked Nita.
The engineer gave a knowing glance. Lil returned it. This was certainly the box they were looking for.
If Nita had been the one to discover the box, or the captain or Gunner for that matter, a slow, subtle investigation as to the details of its presence and who was responsible for it might have begun. The Coopers, however, were far more direct than that.
“Hey Mr. Inventory,” Lil called, thumping the top of the box, “what’re you packin’ a critter for?”
“A critter?” Digger replied, confusion apparent on his face. He paced over and looked at an inventory label that had been hastily pasted on the side of the crate. “According to my manifest, this is under ‘infrastructure and inspection apparatus.’ That was part of a rather large gathering of cargo we were able to… ahem… acquire shortly before your arrival. I’ve got nothing here about a ‘critter’ of any kind.”
“I’m pretty sure there’s a critter in here,” Lil said. “Mind if I pop it open to see what’s what?”
“No harm in a little visual confirmation,” Digger said.
Lil wedged her knife under the edge of the crate’s lid and deftly levered it open. Digger, Lil, Nita, and two of the nearby grunts peered inside. An aye-aye, and a rather portly one at that, huddled in the bottom of the crate. Beside it was a half-eaten wad of some unrecognizable foodstuff and a damp sponge. Though to a trained eye the creatures could be quite expressive, one didn’t need any training to see that this creature was miserable. Nonetheless it averted its eyes and tapped its claws against the floor of the crate.
They told this one where the main pole was. This one did not reported, it said, stretching its limited language skills to their limits.
Lil felt Nikita begin to tap out a reply, but she touched her hand to her jacket to quiet her.
“Oh, an inspector!” Digger said, clearly pleased. “Delightful. This is a tremendous boon!”
“Why exactly is this a tremendous boon?” Lil asked.
“Because now we shall have thorough inspections without risking our own people for the purpose, clearly,” Digger said.
“This seems to be a surprise to you,” Nita said.
“I was unaware we’d been able to secure one.”
“Are you sure we need it?” Nita asked.
“We can certainly use it,” Digger said.
“Maybe so, but we’ll have to keep it alive during the journey. That means days more. I don’t see food or water enough in that crate to keep it alive that long. And if I’ve understood your concerns, keeping ourselves alive is going to be task enough without caring for a creature we’d not planned for.”
“Yeah. And besides. I can understand having one of these assigned to an airship,” Lil said. “Something rots through on one of those, you fall a thousand feet into the ocean or smash open on the land. This inspector is going to be responsible for what? Tapping on a few walls?”
“Plenty of big factories and the like all over the fug have inspectors. If we’re hoping to set up something that can take on the other industries down in the south, I say we keep the thing. Don’t know when we’ll be able to find another,” said Bludo.
The other fug folk rumbled with approval.
“This is a sign of legitimacy. A tremendous windfall for our cause,” Digger said.
Lil and Nita scanned the faces of those in attendance. All were either confused, pleased, or disinterested with this development.
“So who’s going to take care of it? Any of you folk got any experience with that?” Lil asked.
Digger looked about. When none of his men were forthcoming, he turned back to Lil and Nita.
“As seasoned members of an airship crew, I imagine at least one of you must have had some sort of experience in the matter. They are standard issue to all airships, are they not? Mandatory, if memory serves. Oh! But then they say you’ve killed yours, is that right?”
“That’s right, they say that,” Lil said.
“But prior to that, you must have had some experience.”
“Look, if the question is do I know how to look after one of these critters, the answer is yes. If the question is would I mind looking after this critter, the answer is heck yes I mind, because that wasn’t part of the deal. I joined up to help Nita here hammer on them carts, then do some exploring, and help you folk help us folk get some much needed phlogiston. Nowhere in that plan was there any talk of me being nursemaid to a little critter.”
“I genuinely apologize. Surely the requirements aren’t so taxing. Perhaps you could instruct one of the others in the proper means.”
“Or maybe we could just leave it here.”
“I suppose, if it is truly a sticking point for you, we could do so, but the facility will be operating on a skeleton crew for the foreseeable future. A dedicated full-time inspector that works for no more than food and water would allow us to be considerably more efficient.”
Lil crossed her arms. “I don’t like when plans change. It makes me ornery. And all you folks with bruises that match my knuckles ought to know you don’t want an ornery Cooper floating about if you can avoid it.”
Nita turned to Digger. “Let me talk to her. She gets like this sometimes. A moment of privacy if you would?”
“Certainly,” he said.
“Askin’ me to see to the little critter,” Lil muttered under her breath as Nita led her a short distance away.
When they were out of earshot, Lil whispered to Nita. “What do you think? Think if I keep play acting I’m all upset, they’ll let us leave it?”
“You’re overplaying the part a bit, if you don’t mind the criticism. But I don’t think it’s worth the effort of alienating yourself and burning through the good will you’ve earned.”
“You don’t believe that little bugger just happened to be part of the cargo they stole. It’s a spy, plain as day.”
“There’s little doubt of that. But I think you’ll agree, none of the fug folk seem upset at its discovery. It if this was deceit, surely the person responsible would have shown some reaction.”
“Could be they didn’t know. Could be someone planted it, and they’re finding out same as us.”
“That would be a terrible gamble. The creature could have starved to death before we discovered it, and then all of its surveillance would have been for naught.”
“Then it could be that fug folk are top of the heap, bar none when it comes to lying through their teeth with a smile on their faces. Except for a few folk we met since we arrived at Skykeep, I never spoke to one fugger who wouldn’t put a knife in my back as soon as look at me.”
“And if that is the case, then I have no doubt whoever smuggled it this far would have no trouble smuggling farther. Better that we keep an eye on it. We’ve been able to reason with Wink and Nikita. Perhaps we can reason with this one too. Even if we can’t, having it with us will require the person or people responsible for planting it to take it away in order to put it to use, and then we’ll know who we are up against.”
Lil tipped her head back and forth. “Fair enough. But you’re doing the tending, then. I already got one to take care of. And we ain’t keeping this one are we?”
“I don’t imagine we
will.”
“Good. Wink’s fine, and Nikita’s a sweetheart, but if we keep this up, the ship’ll be overrun.”
“Agreed.”
“All right then. Let’s get back to it,” Lil said. She spun on her heel and raised her voice. “Fine! We’ll keep the little critter with us. But I ain’t happy. You folk spring any more surprises like that and I ain’t gonna be so obliging. Nita here’ll be doing the looking after. Now let’s get the rest of these boxes loaded!”
Nita walked to the crate and slowly reached for the aye-aye. It scampered to the far corner of the crate but didn’t put up a fight as she lifted it. As aye-ayes go, this one was quite heavy. At least half again as heavy as Wink. He seemed to go limp when lifted in some sort of passive resistance to being handled. She maneuvered him until he finally clung to her side, staring up at her distrustfully.
Digger approached. “Nita?” he said.
“Yes?”
“Your partner seems a bit… volatile.”
“You hadn’t made that determination from the scuffle at the last meeting?”
“I suppose that was an indication, but some level of provocation was undeniably to blame. But… I’m not sure how to put this delicately… can she be trusted with the rest of the crew? She brought both rifle and pistol, and she seemed rather proficient with that larger mounted weapon. We here in the fug have justifiably roused the ire of the surface dwellers for quite some time. She’s not likely to take this expedition as an opportunity to take out her frustrations, is she?”
“Between the heist, the dreadnought, and Skykeep, I’m quite sure her thirst for destruction has been quenched. She can be trusted to do her job, don’t worry.”
“I’ve always wondered why you killed your inspector. Not you specifically, of course, but your crew. I suppose I’d always assumed you were a ravening bunch of bloodthirsty pirates, capable of anything.” He raised his hand in placation. “Not to offend you, of course.”
“How could I possibly be offended by a statement like that?” Nita said sternly.
“Don’t get me wrong! What I’m trying to say is that what I’ve seen of you has led me to believe the crew is a bit saner than that…”
A short outburst from near one of the mostly loaded carts drew their attention. Lil had climbed onto the very top of the pile to help haul one of the long, heavy struts onto the cart. Her light frame and the weight of the strut required an act of combined acrobatics and contortion to cantilever it into place. The final tug actually required her to hang from the bottom of the strut and plant her boots against the barbed top of the wall to drag it into place. Some silver coins were changing hands between the grunts. Lil hooked her legs over the strut and hung down to accept a handful of her own.
“Told you I could do it. Don’t you ever bet against Lil Cooper!”
“… Perhaps not saner, but more measured,” Digger said. “The point being, simply disposing of an inspector seems a frivolous and bloodthirsty act for a group who seems to have reasons for everything they do.”
“Digger, the fug is full of secrets. No doubt over our time in collaboration I’ll find my way to a question that you simply can’t bring yourself to answer. When that time comes, if it isn’t crucial to the success of the job you would have us do, I will allow you your privacy. On this point, I’ll ask you to do me the same courtesy.”
“As you wish.” He took a deep breath. “It appears we shall have the final materials loaded within the hour. That means very shortly you and I will part ways. Bludo and I will remain behind to organize a second crew for when the chemist arrives. Kent shall be acting foreman in my absence. He’s handled things well in my absence in the past. You will be the one handling your side of things, won’t you?”
“I believe we’ll be dividing the tasks. I’m fair bit handier with a wrench than she. She’s more capable in matters best served by… volatility.”
“Ah… Yes, playing to strengths. Quite wise.” He cleared his throat. “Would you be comfortable discussing broad strokes of the plan moving forward, or should Lil be present?”
“If something requires her attention, I’ll fetch her.”
“Good, good. If I understand correctly, the journey to the ichor well should take three to five days. That makes for a round trip of, at worst, ten days. A return trip would arrive five days later. There is plenty of water available along the way, and The Thicket has very good hunting, but you’ve got twenty days of provisions, by my accounting. When you arrive, after an appropriate period of refueling and recuperation, I’ve asked that two of my men return on one of these carts to resupply and report upon the status of the project. If all goes without difficulty with the rest of your crew, by the time the resupply carts arrive here, we will have the chemist. And thus, provided the prognosis from those responsible for the supply run is good, we will be able to transport the chemist to the facility in time for defenses and harvesting equipment to be completed. Then it will simply be a matter of having her guide you through the creation of the refinement of the ichor. Does that meet with your approval?”
“It sounds a bit optimistic with regard to the timetable, but I see no problem with it as long as you are comfortable if things are running behind.”
“We shall adjust as necessary.”
“And am I correct in assuming that the completion and activation of the defenses will make you more comfortable with the concept of the Wind Breaker arriving directly?”
Digger hesitated.
“With the number of guns you’d have us install, you should be able to fend off a fairly substantial attack from ground or air. So the discovery of your source wouldn’t be much of a threat any longer.”
“I would just as soon avoid any direct contact with the site by air.”
“So when everything is operational, you would have Lil and I trek out through The Thicket by land again? And how shall we receive our initial payment and any subsequent resupplies, if not directly by air?”
“We’ve not… fully completed that portion of the plan. It being contingent on the successful application of our current plan, it seemed more prudent to devote our time and energy to establishing the necessary infrastructure.”
“For you, certainly. But while my captain is a good man, he is not helping you out of the goodness of his heart. So now that you’ve got our aid and your plans are on the verge of being carried out, this would be a good time to explain just how you intend to hold up your end of the bargain.”
“Of course, of course. We’ve discussed a number of potential means to establish a supply line to you. The stranglehold the industry has on most surface ports means conducting our business in any of the more notable cities would end poorly for us. It has been suggested, however, that in the process of securing the lumber for the construction of the ichor well fortifications, a landing pad of sorts could be established. Something far enough away from the well to avoid endangering its discovery. There we could keep a small stockpile of burn-slow and phlogiston, and conduct our business with you.”
“You do realize one of the reasons you sought our help was our ability to travel undetected. You trust the Wind Breaker to ferry your chemist about, but not to pick up the payment for doing so.”
“This is not a matter of trust,” Digger said. “It is simple reality. The more often something approaches from above, the greater chance there is it will be seen by others. And until we have had time to grow and thrive from the proper utilization of the ichor, even with defenses that under your supervision shall no doubt be peerless, we cannot guarantee the continuity of the supply line. Miss Graus, please, if you’ve got superior recommendations, I am eager to hear them. But some compromises simply must be made.”
Nita crossed her arms and mulled over the plan.
“The timeline worries me a bit in that, again assuming the rest of the crew performs as expected, you’ll have the chemist on her way, and if all is ideal, we’ll be loading ourselves onto a cart and heading back here. That leaves t
he rest of the crew waiting six to ten days for us to arrive.”
“Will that be a problem?”
“As Lil has illustrated, the Wind Breaker crew has a habit of getting into trouble when left to their own devices,” she said. “Couldn’t they deliver the chemist directly and pick us up?”
“Again, we can’t risk it.”
“We aren’t talking about repeated trips in and out to resupply. We’re talking about a single arrival and departure.”
“I just don’t feel comfortable with that.”
Nita narrowed her eyes slightly. “It seems like we are the ones doing most of the compromising on this job.”
“Miss Graus, I must respectfully disagree. By even speaking with you we have put ourselves in terrible danger of reprisal by those in power. By providing you with even the single canister we already have, we’ve violated a very strict embargo. And by making this deal, let alone laying claim to a previously unknown ichor well, we are by most measures traitors to our own people. Every last one of these men and women, if their actions are discovered, will be pariahs at best and fugitives at worst if we don’t succeed. I owe it to them to take every reasonable precaution, and many that to you may seem unreasonable. And again, not to offend you, but the relationship between our people is mutual in its hostility. I have as many reasons to distrust you as you have to distrust me. It is possible neither of our motives is entirely clean. I can appreciate you suspect me, or even all of us, of subterfuge. I would be a fool not to adopt a similarly pragmatic approach toward your plans.”
Nita smirked. “I can respect that. And as neither of us stands to gain anything if we don’t reach the ichor well, unless you’ve got any other points to discuss, I should lend a hand.”
“By all means,” Digger said.
The engineer walked toward the other workers. As she did, she muttered quietly to the chubby little creature clinging to her coat.
“It seems like everyone is keeping an eye on everyone. I’m beginning to understand why Caldera cut off contact with this continent so long ago. The environment isn’t conducive to friendly discourse.”
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