Chasing the Lantern(18)

The gas-bag frame hung two dozen feet above the deck, a fixed axis tethering the vessel to the sky. The ropes and cables anchored to eyebolts extruded from the fabric along the ribs of the frame while ratlines and other rigging crawled up out of sight above. Along the deck lay two thick pipes, one on each side of the ship, parallel along the gunwales. They were anchored up near the bow and ran back out past the stern, blowing exhaust. Mounted along their tops and to the railing were complex chain link mechanisms connected to strange half-sails attached along the outer hull of the ship. The sails were folded now like a lady's fan, their cloth shimmering strangely in the pre-dawn light. Mixed in with them near the stern were more gearwork and the wide propellers that pushed the vessel along. The ship's wheel sat amidst all this near the stern, remarkably normal, save a large gearbox rising up beside it.

Darkness dominated beyond the borders of the airship. Lina hadn't been brave enough to approach the railings yet, to catch a glimpse of the Copper Isles, which she knew would be spread out far below. Instead she stood atop the closed cargo hatch. Until now her only company had been a skeleton shift of the more rested and able hands. Their theft successful, Fengel had reinstated Henry as acting first mate, given orders to the few hands hale enough to maintain the ship, then gone with the others below to rest. Presumably Henry knew where they were going. Though exhausted, Lina was too unsettled by the strangeness of the ship and her place upon it to sleep. She settled for staying out of the way, watching. But as dawn approached she moved up and down the deck, trying to understand the world she found herself in.

"That's the gulls yer missing," said Henry. "Those vermin are everywhere, even followed us in that damned longboat. They'll do the same up here, but it's early still. Once things warm up a bit the pests will be screaming and shitting everywhere. When you get put to work atop the frame you'll have your fill of them; that's where they go to roost when it's quiet. The little freeloaders like to hitch a ride." He sighed. "What are you doing here, lass?"

She frowned at him. "Wasn't sure where I should sleep. Or if I should be or not."

"Not that. Why did you tag along back in Triskelion? This is a hard life, lass. Not like in the penny plays."

Lina sighed. "Ever slept with a man for money, Mister Smalls?"

Henry blinked. "Can't say that I have."

"Well, I have. And there's only three ways you end up. Dead, diseased, or acting the madame yourself. I figured that I'd rather try my hand at piracy."

"We don't end much differently."

"Maybe not," agreed Lina, "but at least I get the chance to fly." Beneath them the deck swayed as a strong crosswind pushed at them. "Though I'm not sure what I think about that, now that I'm here."

Both fell silent, looking out at the gloom beyond the ship. To the east rose a faint glow, herald of the coming sun.

"Well," said Henry after a few minutes. "You stayed up all night, so you'll be on the evening shift under Gunny Lome. You'll sleep and go to mess with her crew. She'll show you the ropes. Aft deck just below has got cots, that's where you'll sleep."

Lina relaxed. She was seriously considering laying down out of the way on the deck somewhere.

"But, I can't let you go just yet," continued Henry. "Got a job needs doing, and you happen to be free."

Lina blinked. "I'm not my best at the moment."

"Shouldn't take long. Come along now."

The acting mate led her back to the rear hatchway. Lina followed him down to the deck below, a tight corridor dotted with doorways to either side. At the far end she spied a wider, open space full of swaying hammocks and snoring pirates. Henry led her back away to where the corridor ended at a heavy metal door, then banged upon it twice.

"Just do whatever he says," said Henry Smalls. "It shouldn't take long. When you're done go grab some shuteye." The acting mate turned away just as the metal door creaked wide.

Through the portal Oscar Pleasant blinked at her, ratlike. "What are you doing down here?"

Lina stared in confusion. Henry Smalls wanted her to work under him? She frowned. "Whatever you need," she said tiredly, "let's get it done with."

Oscar leered at her and then laughed. "You're an eager one." He waggled his eyebrows. "But it's not me who asked for ya. Mechanist called us down here." A rough voice shouted out from the depths of the space beyond. Oscar frowned, then jerked his head toward the sound. "That's him now. Best not to keep him waiting. Ever."

Resigned, Lina stepped past the pirate through the portal. The room beyond was unlike anything she'd seen. It might have been large, but was so packed with boilers, pipes, and copper tubing that she couldn't tell. Needles vibrated within their pressure gauges and linkage mechanisms whirred. Small puffs of steam escaped through baffles and valve-releases. A bucket-and-pulley system stood ready to bring loads of coal from compartments down below. A slow, steady thumping sound reverberated throughout, like the echoes of a beating heart.