Clockwork Immortal

by Sam Ryan

  “Tara said a few years ago,” Sophia said. “Though she only heard about it a short while ago herself.”

  Jezebel let out a long breath, her hands resting on her hips. “Have any clue who is behind it?” she asked.

  “No.” Sophia shook her head. “Though, I’m starting to think that it is someone in the Trevelian Government, going off of their response to our investigation thus far.”

  Jezebel clinched her fist, gritting her teeth in frustration and anger. “Then Trevelia just declared war with the Iron Rose,” she seethed. “I will see this entire nation burn. Even if it takes me a hundred years.” The look of anger then melted into a look of confusion. “You said this had something to do with a Legendary Relic?”

  “Maybe.” Sophia shrugged. “I know she was looking for one and we found a site that we think was caused by one being activated. Other than that though…” She shrugged again.

  “Strange,” Jezebel whispered, touching her chin as her gaze went someplace far off.

  “You have an idea?” Sophia asked.

  “Not a one,” Jezebel said in a soft voice. “And that might bother me the most.” Jezebel looked over at Madilyn and Max as if remembering that they were there. “But we can talk about this later,” she said, dropping her arms to her side, her hand resting on the hilt of her cutlass. “Commander Yates.” Her voice had a sudden air of command as she turned to her first officer. “Pull the men back. Make ready to leave Boulder. I feel that our time here is over. Make sure we leave this city as we found it. Boring and lacking any trace of us.”

  There was another uniformed war cry from the others.

  “Aye Captain.” Yates nodded. He turned and left the grand room, the wall sliding in place behind him.

  “Come.” Jezebel flashed Madilyn and Max a smile. “We should head back to my ship. Once there, you can tell me everything that’s happened. Skyler, give the knight back her sword and armor.” She snapped a finger at him that left her finger pointing at Madilyn.

  Without a moment’s hesitation or disdain, the large man handed Madilyn her sword, dropping it into her hand. He then set the armor down in front of her, letting her pick it up for herself.

  Jezebel held out an arm and began ushering them towards the passageway she had come through. The door led to a long tunnel that looked to have been carved out of the ground. Both Jezebel and Clementine grabbed lanterns off the wall and used them to illuminate their path as they walked depper in.

  “Are you really her granddaughter?” Max asked Clementine who was walking next to her.

  “That’s what she tells me anyway.” Clementine nodded. “She’s been saying so all my life, so I never really questioned it.”

  Max still did not look like she believed it. Not that Madilyn could blame her. She herself still could not believe any of this.

  “So then you grew up aboard an airship?” Max asked.

  “Since I was six,” Clementine said. “Not like I was the only one. Many of the crew bring their children with them.”

  “Really?” Max gasped, seeming abhorred by the idea.

  “Sure.” Jezebel nodded, having listened in on their conversation. “We travel all over, hardly ever going back the way we came. If someone wants to join up, chances are they will not be able to see their wives and children again until they retire. So they bring them along.”

  “Doesn’t that get cramped?” Max asked.

  “Sure.” Jezebel shrugged. “But it’s not like they just sit around all day gossiping about their neighbors. Everyone on board is considered part of the crew and is expected to pitch in however they can. Children especially have a knack for getting into tight places that would normally be inac-cessible. Moreover, when the kids grow up they often stick around, making my life easier because then I don’t have to be constantly training new shipmates all the time.”

  “And your entire crew knows that you’re a…” Max trailed off, not wanting to say the words out loud.

  “Immortal,” Jezebel finished, looking over her shoulder at Max. “Yes. They all know. There was a time I tried to keep it hidden but it got bother-some to always be taking on a new crew so they didn’t notice the fact that I never aged. If anything this puts the fear of the hell into them as many often first see me as some kind of demon.”

  “The thought had crossed my mind,” Max admitted with a cringe.

  Madilyn was not sure how long they walked down the tunnel but she was sure they were well outside the city by the time reached the other side. At the end of the tunnel was a small airship, slightly smaller than the Trinket had been and above the airship was a large hole, big enough for it to fly out of. The hole was covered in a brown net that Madilyn was sure was supposed to resemble dirt hiding the tunnel from anyone flying overhead.

  “Let me introduce to you.” Jezebel stepped out into the tunnel, holding her hands out to her sides as if about to embrace the airship in front of them. “The Rabbit. The fastest airship in the world.”

  Both Max and Madilyn frowned at the design of the airship. It was not shaped like a nautical vessel, though the wings jetting out of the top and large propellers made it clear what it was supposed to be. There was just one key thing missing that all airships had, no matter the size.

  “Where’s its balloon?” Max asked.

  “Doesn’t need one,” Jezebel stated. “The propellers generate enough lift to fly it.”

  “That would take a tremendous amount of steam though,” Max stated. “It would take tons of coal to generate enough heat to boil that much water.”

  “Yeah,” Jezebel sighed. “Lear is a century or so behind the times. They think their vast military is enough to hold onto their power. In truth, it is advanced weapons not numbers that will carry the day.”

  “What’s that supposed to mean?” Madilyn said, getting defensive and not really knowing why. Not like she expected a pirate to have nice things to say about Lear.

  “Only that you either change with the times or the times change without you,” Jezebel said, extinguishing the lamp she was holding. “These engines run on a combustible fuel that is one part magic from the old Arcane Empire and two parts Eternal Empire technology. The Iron Rose is much the same, though I think it safer to say she is two parts magic and one part technology.”

  Moving towards the airship, Jezebel gave a slight hop as she reached up and grabbed the dangling rope handle that hung from the top of the hull. As she came down, the side of the hull lowered, making a walkway for them to enter inside. Unlike other airships, this one did not seem to have an upper deck. Instead, only having the hold inside.

  “Everyone on,” Jezebel ordered, stepping to the side of the ramp and beckoning them with her hand.

  Once inside, Madilyn found a seat lined against the wall like a large couch and sat down. Max sat across from Madilyn, her eyes wide with astonishment as she inspected every inch of the ship. Sophia sat down next to Madilyn but made sure to keep some space between them. Madilyn was grateful for that. She was not sure she could handle being close to the woman right now. Not after what she had just witnessed.

  Clementine moved to the front and sat down in a large seat that was placed directly in front of a window with some sort of contraption that was mounted in front of the chair.

  “Ready to go?” Jezebel asked, closing the hatch behind her.

  “Aye captain,” Clementine said, pulling a lever. With a deafening roar, the engines started up.

  Looking out the viewport, Madilyn could see Skyler outside rolling up the tarp that had been covering the hole. The wind from the engines seemed to be creating a small sand storm out there. Forcing him to use his arm to protect his face from the howling wind and dust. Madilyn had never seen such force generated by an airship before.

  With a lurch, the airship lifted off the ground, Madilyn getting thrashed around slightly as it did so. This was different than being on the Trinket. On that airship it had felt more like sailing through the air. This felt more like sitting atop
a steam engine and trying to hold on for dear life.

  “Yup,” Sophia whispered, her eyes closed and her head leaning back. “I’m with you. I don’t like this either.”

  Madilyn looked between them and noticed that she had instinctively grabbed Sophia’s hand, probably during the initial jerk as she tried to latch on to something for balance. She tried to let go and apologize but she could not find the strength. Sophia turned her hand in Madilyn’s so their palms were touching and returned the grip as the airship flew even higher.

  “Any signs that we were spotted?” Jezebel asked, walking across the deck, stopping directly behind Clementine, placing her hand along the hull to help maintain her balance. Her head lowered so it did not hit the ceiling.

  “No signs of pursuit,” Clementine reported. “Not that they could keep up with the Rabbit even if they had.”

  “Remember, we still need to go back and pick up your father,” Jezebel said, tapping Clementine on the shoulder. “I’m sure he would appreciate you not bringing the Trevelians down on his head in the meantime.”

  “Aye Captain,” Clementine said, with a dejected sigh.

  Was she really Jezebel’s grandmother? It still did not seem possible. If anything, Clementine looked older than Jezebel. Only by a few years but older none the less.

  “There she is,” Jezebel said, pointing out the window in front of them. “The greatest airship ever built. The Iron Rose.”

  Max instantly bolted out of her seat and stood behind Jezebel, blocking Madilyn from seeing anything.

  “She’s huge,” Max said, staring at the incredible sight before her.

  “Nearly half a kilometer long,” Jezebel said. “And a quarter that tall.”

  “She doesn’t have a balloon either,” Max pointed out.

  “Nope.” Jezebel shook her head. “Flies with six powerful propeller engines that can pivot forwards and back, allowing it to move in every direction.”

  “What’s it made out of?” Max asked. She was so enthralled by the sight she seemed to have forgotten everything else that had just happened.

  “Her hull is made out of 6mm thick iron plating,” Jezebel stated. “She is the first and only true ironclad airship. Even the Eternal Empire’s Annabel has a balloon on it.”

  “That thing must be at least 4000 tons,” Max said.

  “Eh,” Jezebel shrugged. “Closer to 4500 but who’s counting?”

  “That’s nearly three times heavier than anything Lear has,” Max said.

  “And twice as heavy as anything Trevelia has.” Jezebel nodded.

  “What’s her fire power?” Max asked.

  “She has fifty five guns,” Jezebel said. “Twenty five on each side with three in the front and two in the back. But they use shelled rounds instead of your typical cannon balls. I’ll have Clementine show you later. Needless to say, we can reload them almost instantaneously.”

  “That’s not possible.” The words were out of Madilyn’s mouth even before she realized it.

  “Oh it’s possible.” Jezebel looked back at Madilyn with a self-assured smile. “On a good day, we can fire one round every five seconds. Though I try not to push it as then we eat through ammo like none other, and restocking our ammo is not cheap.”

  Madilyn leaned back, letting her head thud against the bulk head. She just wanted this to be over.

  “Alright,” Jezebel said, giving Clementine another pat on the shoulder. “Take us in for a landing.”

  “Aye Captain,” Clementine said. Her hand gripping the contraption in front of her.

  Jezebel turned around so she was facing all three of them. “Once you get cleaned up, I would love to have you for dinner in my cabin,” she offered. “And then you three can explain to me everything that’s happened.”

  CHAPTER 7

  “It’s bigger than I remember,” Sophia said, looking around the cabin. It was modest as living accommodation went, with a few pieces of art and other expensive furnishing scattered about.

  “I had it expanded,” Jezebel said, pouring them both a glass of expensive looking alcohol. “It’s hard raising a family aboard a cramped airship.”

  “Bless you for even trying.” Sophia smiled, taking the offered glass.

  The two of them were alone in Jezebel’s cabin. They had finished eating the offered meal with Jezebel and some of her other officers, including Yates and Clementine, while Sophia explained the situation in greater detail.

  Max seemed to have adapted rather well to the situation, asking all sorts of questions about Sophia and Jezebel, along with questions about the crew and layout of the Iron Rose. Madilyn on the other hand had been mostly mute. Sophia thought the shock of it all still might be affecting her.

  After the meal, Madilyn retired to her cabin while Max was taken on a tour by Clementine. Sophia was sure Max would find more than a few things to captivate her attention. The girl was like a child, enamored by everything she saw. Sophia wondered if Max was going to get any sleep tonight.

  Sophia leaned against a metal shelf, her hand resting on it for balance and support. “So, is Mr. Two Fingers Yates’ father?” Sophia asked, taking a sip of her brandy.

  “He didn’t have two fingers,” Jezebel corrected. “He was missing two fingers,” Jezebel said, sitting down in a chair. “But yeah, he’s Yates’ father. I had a son before him, but he got sick and died before he was two.”

  “I’m sorry,” Sophia said, knowing how difficult that must have been. “It’s always hard to lose them when they’re that young.” Sophia let out a breath, throwing her head back as she reminisced. “How long ago was it that I met Two Fingers? Seventy, eighty years ago now?”

  “Well, I had Yates about ten years after that so,” Jezebel did the math in her head. “Yeah. About seventy years ago.” She nodded.

  “And how many children did Yates have?” Sophia asked.

  “Only Clementine,” Jezebel said. “Mother was a prostitute at the local brothel of the town we were hunkered down in at the time. We took her with us when we left the town.”

  “I always asked the worst thing of my children.” Sophia sighed, looking down at her glass, sloshing the brandy around in small circles. “That they never have kids of their own. Most of them were nice enough to agree. Though my last daughter cursed me for it. Said it ruined her marriage and that she never wanted to see me again.” Sophia took a long drink. She hated the fact that it took so much more than normal for her to get drunk.

  “Yeah.” Jezebel let out a long breath. “I can’t imagine how Allora does it. The entire world is probably related to her by now. For sure everyone in the empire is. Does explain why she only ever married that one time though. It would be hard to sleep with someone knowing they are your, however many great, grandchild.”

  “I sometimes wonder if she did that on purpose,” Sophia said in deep contemplation. “I think it makes ruling for eight hundred years easier when you know that they are all your children.”

  “I always thought it more a matter of happenstance,” Jezebel said. “I don’t think she planned on any of it. It just sorta happened that way.”

  Sophia looked over at Jezebel who was still reclining in her chair. She had her elbow propped up on the back of the chair. Her legs crossed like a man. She had taken off her black leather coat, showing off her arms and abdomen.

  “Your tattoo seems to be coming along nicely,” Sophia said. “You going to keep growing it?”

  “Nah,” she said, looking down at the blue tribal tattoo that ran down her arm and chest. “I think I’m done with this one. I’ll let it fade out and start a new one in a couple hundred years.”

  “I see you got rid of the dread locks.” Sophia pointed at her own head, noting Jezebel’s long straight hair that was pushed back by her headband.

  “Yeah.” Jezebel absently ran her fingers through her nearly white hair. “I just got so tired of messing with them. So, I chopped them off and started growing it out again.”

  “Tara has long h
air now,” Sophia said, absently sipping her drink.

  “Really?” Jezebel said, sitting up in her chair.

  “Yup.” Sophia nodded. “Not sure why she suddenly had such a dramatic reversal of her short hair only policy, but she does look pretty good with it. Still has the stupid blond streak down the front though.”

  “You on the other hand look exactly the same,” Jezebel said, giving Sophia a once over. “Not that I have any real complaints about your looks. Seven hundred years ago, you were considered quite the looker after all.” Sophia snorted at the backhanded compliment. “But I would think you’d get bored with the same thing after a while.”

  “I was never really one for self-expression,” Sophia shrugged. “Though I do change it up a bit when I am courting someone.”

  “And how long has it been since you last courted someone?” Jezebel raised an eyebrow, taking a keen interest in her answer.

  “My last husband died a little over three hundred years ago,” Sophia said, followed by a sigh.

  “And there has been nobody since?” She gave Sophia an inquisitive look.

  “No men,” Sophia stated. “Only women. I’m done having kids.”

  “You can be with a man and not have kids,” Jezebel pointed out.

  “Yes, but if I am with a woman, I don’t have to worry about it,” Sophia retorted. “Nor do I need to stop when it gets to the good parts.”

  “Fair enough.” Jezebel nodded.

  “So, I have to ask.” Sophia placed her almost empty glass down on the shelf beside her. “What was with the whole farce with Clementine preten-ding to be you?”

  “Oh that,” Jezebel rolled her eyes. Bending over she grabbed the brandy bottle and poured herself another drink. “Apparently, I do not give the best first impression to outsiders,” she stated, leaning back in her chair again. Her glass raised next to her face. “I do not have the demeanor that people have come to expect from such an infamous pirate. Naturally, if I had known that it was you, I wouldn’t have bothered.”