The Liberty Series

by Regina Puckett

  Without Liberty knowing, Boy stood in the doorway to the cabin and kept an eye on her the entire night. It was frustrating to be stuck inside, but he respected her wishes. How was he supposed to watch over his sister if she treated him like he was too fragile to stay by her side no matter what the situation or weather? He stood in the doorway until he eventually felt himself winding down.

  No longer afraid of approaching her, Boy went out to stand beside the captain’s chair. “I feel myself getting slower. Would you wind me up, please?”

  Liberty jumped clear out of the chair. “Damn. I should never have oiled your joints last night. I didn’t hear you come up behind me.”

  He turned so she could reach his back and waited, only turning once she’d finished. She looked exhausted, only to be confirmed when she stretched and yawned.

  “Do you think you can keep an eye on things while I take a nap? I’m fit to drop and need to get out of these wet clothes.”

  Boy was so happy that she was going to trust him with her life and the airship that he was rendered speechless for a moment, finally uttering, “I remember, and if something happens I don’t understand, I’ll wake you.”

  Too afraid she might change her mind, Boy quietly climbed into the captain’s seat.

  She positioned his hands on the wheel and patted his head. “Okay. I’m trusting you, so don’t let me down, okay?’

  “Okay.” He was so excited that Liberty had decided to trust him, but also knew deep down in his heart that this didn’t mean she was ever going to love him like his father had. Shatter had called him a bucket held together with bolts. What if his sister thought of him in the same way? Did she see him as just a machine she could trust to watch over things while she slept?

  When she turned to leave, he said, “No one is ever going to love me again. Are they?”

  Liberty turned back and looked at him for a moment before asking, “Why do you say that?”

  How could he not? There were no indications that she ever would. If she loved her father half as much as he had his, then she was bound to do her best to follow the rules he had put in place to keep her safe. Boy couldn’t blame her, but it still hurt, knowing he was doomed to a life without love.

  “You said your father told you never to love anyone. I’m glad mine taught me to love, but I wished he’d also taught me to breathe. I like watching people breathe. I wonder why father didn’t create a way for me to do so?” Maybe if he could breathe people would stop assuming he was nothing more than a tiny robot devoid of feelings.

  Liberty leaned forward and patted his head, her face filled with kindness when she said, “Look,” and rubbed the side of his face. “I’m good at breathing and you’re good at loving. If you will love enough for us both, I will breathe enough for us.” She cupped her hand underneath his chin and smiled.

  Boy wanted to tell her how beautiful she was when she smiled, but looked away from her smile and into her eyes. “I will love.”

  Her smile widened. “And I will breathe.”

  But Boy suspected there was more to Liberty than she let him see. He suspected she was capable of loving him if only she’d try.

  Chapter Six

  Nothing extraordinary happened at first whilst Liberty took her nap, but then out of nowhere a voice called, “Permission to come aboard.”

  Boy had been slumped in the captain’s chair until then. He slid out of the chair and looked around. When he first saw the other airship, Boy couldn’t believe his eyes. He wanted to jump up and down with excitement, but decided – since Liberty had left him in charge of things – to remain cool and collected.

  He walked over to the rail and stared across at the other ship, at a handsome man and a tiny robot. The man’s face beamed back a bright smile. He looked so friendly. How wonderful to make new friends up in the sky. Boy had no idea things like this ever happened. The thought came and went that he should probably go wake Liberty but it would be rude to leave those two standing there, waiting for permission to come aboard, not without at least acknowledging them.

  “Hello. Where did you come from?” Boy shouted across, unable to believe he was going to get to meet another robot. His father had never said there were more like him out there.

  The man’s airship had drawn near enough for him to lean over and offer Boy his hand, to which Boy offered his own, the man pumping it vigorously. “My name is Mender.” He let Boy’s hand go and put it on the other robot’s shoulder. “This is Robbie.”

  Whoever had birthed Robbie must have done so with a shaky hand, because the poor fellow looked as if he might topple over at any moment. But Boy took an instant liking to him. He appeared to be as friendly as his human companion.

  Mender nodded toward Airus. “Is it okay to come on over? It would be easier chatting if we weren’t separated by these railings.”

  Boy looked toward the cabin. What would Liberty would say? Wasn’t it one of her father’s rules that no one else was allowed on the airship? But Liberty had allowed he himself to be onboard so maybe that rule didn’t apply anymore. Besides, she would want to meet Mender and Robbie. How could she not?

  He backed away from the railing. “Of course. I’ll go tell Liberty you’re here.”

  “Liberty?” Mender set Robbie on the railing and then lowered him onto Airus. He jumped across himself, as though they weren’t several thousand feet from the ground.

  Once on board, Mender walked over to the helm and ran a hand down the friction engine and around the controls.

  Boy almost told him that Liberty didn’t like anyone touching her stuff but Mender seemed to be enjoying himself so much he just stood back and watched.

  Mender finally turned to Boy and asked, “Is Liberty the owner of this beautiful vessel?”

  Boy nodded. “I should go wake her and let her know you’re here.”

  “I’ve never seen another engine like this one.” He motioned in the direction of the friction engine. “Where on earth did she find such parts and pieces to build it?”

  “Liberty has all kinds of wonderful things in the galley too.” He blinked before adding, “Her apples are so big and red.”

  Mender stepped closer. “She has apples?”

  Boy motioned for him to follow and led them toward the galley, clicking and clopping all the way.

  “There’s something mushy in several jars. I think its mushed-up apples but I forgot to ask, and wait until you see all the jars of honey she has. There are just rows and rows of them.” Boy was so excited to be able to show off his new home. It really was an amazing place, filled with so many wondrous things. One day he would have to ask Liberty what everything was called and used for.

  As soon as they’d entered the galley, Boy went over to the apple drawer and opened it. He pulled out an apple and unwrapped it.

  “Isn’t it beautiful?”

  Mender looked inside the drawer and frowned. “There aren’t many apples left. Do you think Liberty would mind if I ate one?”

  Boy handed over the one in his hand. Liberty was going to be thrilled he was being such a good host. “I’m certain she would love sharing her apples with you.”

  Mender took a bite and closed his eyes. “This tastes so good.” He took another bite and said, with a mouth full of apple, “Why don’t you show Robbie around? He loves to cook so I know he’ll want to know what everything is and how it works.”

  “Maybe I show go wake Liberty first. She’ll want to know you’re here.” Boy backed up a couple of steps but stopped when Robbie spoke for the first time, in a creaky, high pitched voice.

  “What is in that jar?”

  “I think that’s applesauce but I’m not certain.” He opened another drawer and pulled out a long metal rod. “I have no idea what this is either.” Boy twirled it around. “Where did Mender go?”

  The other robot turned and glanced between Boy and the door several times. “Maybe he went to wake Liberty.”

  Boy looked over at the door. “I hope he doesn�
�t get hit by the poison darts.”

  “Poison darts?”

  He nodded. “Liberty shoots out poison darts and pisses whenever something makes her angry.”

  “That sounds painful and messy.” Robbie opened a cabinet door and peered inside. “Do you have to clean up after she urinates?” He closed the door and opened another. “I wouldn’t like that at all.”

  Boy opened a drawer and pulled out its contents. Why did Liberty have rags and pieces of old paper? “I haven’t seen the poison darts or urine yet.” He turned to Robbie. “Maybe if the two of us look one of us will see something the other doesn’t. I would like to see the poison darts shooting out of her mouth.”

  “But that would be the best part; why do I have to watch her urinate?” The odd shaped robot opened another door, leaving the last one wide open.

  Before Boy could answer a screech of annoyance filled the air. “Boy!”

  He leaned over to Robbie. “I hope she hasn’t killed Mender. He seemed like a nice fellow.”

  Chapter Seven

  “Damn. Damn. Damn.”

  By happy happenstance both Boy and Robbie were near enough to Liberty to stare at her mouth. With her working on the friction engine, Boy knew it was only a matter of time before something was going to happen that would set her off cursing again. So far neither he nor Robbie had been successful in seeing the poison darts but that hadn’t disheartened either of them.

  Robbie leaned forward to get a closer look. “I don’t think that word means what she thinks it does.”

  They both inched yet closer still.

  “She has created her own word usage where each one has its own meaning.” If Boy had been smarter, he might have tried to keep his distance. Liberty hadn’t been happy at all about him letting Robbie and Mender onboard. But even though she had ranted on and off during the night after Robbie and Mender had gone back on board their own vessel, Boy got the impression Liberty really wasn’t as upset as she pretended to be. After all, she had let them keep their airship tied up to Airus and had even allowed them to come back this morning. Of course, it might have helped that Mender had shown up with freshly baked bread.

  Robbie elbowed Boy. “Which ones?”

  Liberty glared at him so Boy lowered his voice. “She says ‘damn’ when she’s frustrated. ‘Damn it’ whenever she drops something. ‘Shit’ if she stubs her toe. ‘Holy shit’ if something goes horribly wrong. ‘Hell fire and matches’ whenever I do something wrong and ‘damnation’ when everything goes wrong. And we never ever want to hear her say ‘bloody hell’. That means Airus is either going to blow up or fall out of the sky.” He lowered his voice even more. “I haven’t seen any poison darts yet, though, have you?”

  Boy nudged Robbie and they both turned to look at Liberty’s mouth. Sooner or later one of them was bound to see something. Secretly, Boy hoped it was him. After all, she was his sister.

  Liberty stared at them both before throwing up her hands. “How many times have I told you? The words don’t really cause actual poisoned darts to come out of my mouth.”

  Mender burst out laughing. The other three turned and looked at him, which only made him laugh so hard he snorted out through his nose, slapping the rail when he couldn’t stop laughing, as if that would help.

  When Mender continued to chuckle and snort, Liberty threw the wrench she’d been using into a nearby toolbox and stomped off toward the galley. It might have been an excellent way of expressing just how angry she felt, but she accidently tripped over a box of spare engine parts. She now filled the air with a long string of swearwords.

  Boy looked over at Robbie, too excited to speak. As if reaching an unspoken agreement, they both took off after her. If they didn’t see something now, they never would. Robbie must have gotten too excited because he straightaway ran up onto the back of one of her heels.

  She turned and glared. “Damn it to hell! There aren’t any poison darts coming out of my mouth!”

  Boy turned to Robbie. “A new one to keep track of.”

  Mender snorted again, earning yet another glare from Liberty, although she said nothing, this time stomping off without incident. Mender waited for her to leave before heading over to Boy and Robbie. He placed a hand on their shoulders.

  “Leave this to me. I’ll fix it.”

  “Is she broken?” That thought worried Boy, because if she was, did they have the tools and spare parts to repair her? Since Mender said he would fix her, he must believe he could. But Mender didn’t stop at the toolbox. Maybe he had the necessary tools on him.

  Robbie turned to Boy. “I didn’t see any poison darts, did you?”

  “Now she’s claiming they’re imaginary. Either they are or she wants us to stop looking.” Boy hated the idea of giving up but it was also possible she might still throw them all overboard if they made her angry enough. It was probably safer for everyone if they stopped looking – or maybe they should try to be a little more discreet in future.

  “Liberty is my sister. Is Mender your brother?” He had only met Mender and Robbie the day before but already liked them. Robbie’s body had some odd angles to it and his metal covering was tarnished, but Father had always said there was more to someone than how they looked.

  Boy liked Mender because he always carried a most pleasant smile and went out of his way to say and do nice things to and for them all. Boy had also seen Liberty looking at Mender as if she liked what she saw. Maybe Mender and Robbie would stay with them and they could become a family. He would have two brothers and a sister then. But Liberty probably wouldn’t let them stay. There was still that problem with her father’s rule about not letting anyone but family members onboard, but since they were already here, what would be the harm in letting them stay?

  “I don’t know. I’ve been with his family from before Mender was born. No one ever said we were brothers, but now I think about it, we’ve always done everything together.” Robbie blinked several times. “His mother once said we were two peas in a pod. Do you think that means we’re brothers?”

  “I think it must.” Boy heard voices and so looked over toward the galley doorway. Liberty and Mender pushed through – one after the other. It was a good sign that they weren’t arguing but chattering and smiling. They didn’t seem to notice Boy and Robbie as they walked past and headed down into the storeroom.

  Boy turned to Robbie. “That’s a good sign. She wasn’t cursing and he was eating her apple. Maybe they’re becoming friends.”

  “His mother always said he could eat a person out of house and home if given half a chance.”

  Robbie tilted his head even further, making Boy fearful he was going to fall over completely. “Are Mender’s parents still alive?”

  “Oh yes. They’re the caretakers of the only library that we know survived The Great War.” He blinked before adding, “Of course, since the world’s so isolated, no one can know for certain what’s survived and what hasn’t.”

  Boy had heard of libraries and had seen photos of them, but had never dreamed there was a possibility he might ever see one. “Do you think Mender would take us home with him so we could look inside that library?” He was too excited to blink.

  Robbie nodded. The action sent him off balance, but Boy caught him before he could fall.

  “Thank you. I’m always doing that.”

  “You’re welcome. I hope you don’t mind me asking, but why doesn’t Mender straighten your neck? It would help with your balance.”

  Robbie stared at Boy, and for a moment Boy thought he had gone too far and hurt the other robot’s feelings.

  Robbie finally said, “I don’t think he’s ever noticed. I’ve been like this before he was born so I guess he’s just got used to catching me before I fall.”

  “You should say something to him then.” Boy looked at the storeroom door. “He seems very nice. I’m sure if he knew it bothered you, he would fix it.”

  “It doesn’t bother me. Caleb was only ten when he built me so I’m
not as straight or as handsome as you. I like the way I am, though, because he was always so proud of me.”

  “Who’s Caleb? You’ve never mentioned him before.” Boy was now ashamed he’d been so judgmental of Robbie’s shortcomings and for assuming it bothered him that he was always on the verge of falling over.

  “He was Mender’s uncle, but he died when his aircraft crashed a couple of months before Mender was born. I’ve been with Mender ever since.”

  Robbie and Boy turned as the storeroom door opened and Liberty and Mender came out.

  Boy leaned over and whispered, “We’ll ask Mender if the two of you are brothers. It sounds to me like he loves you.”

  Chapter Eight

  Boy had been excited to learn that Mender and Robbie were going to travel with them the rest of the way to coast, and now enjoyed having Robbie here to share his excitement at seeing the ocean for the first time. The day before, when they’d finally reached the coast, both he and Robbie had almost fallen overboard trying to get a better view.

  “What on earth are you holding?”

  Boy handed Liberty one of the poles he held. He had spent all night gathering what he needed and putting it all together. It hadn’t been easy to do so without Liberty seeing him. He had kept it a secret since he hadn’t wanted her to turn his request down before he had everything made and ready. He figured if he had the poles and bait then she wouldn’t have a good reason not to go fishing with him.

  “I made us both fishing poles.” Those were the only words he uttered but inside he was screaming, “please, please, please.” Behind him, the ocean waves filled the air with a lovely whishing sound as they rolled in. He had fallen in love with the ocean the moment he’d set eyes on it. As excited as he’d been to get close, Liberty had made him stay on Airus and promise he wouldn’t go anywhere near the water until she had time to go there with him. He had readily agreed but until now she had been too busy to take him.

  “You did what?” She took the offered pole but scrunched her nose up, as if totally at a loss as to why he was giving it to her. “What am I supposed to do with this?”