Chasing the Lantern(19)

A furnace dominated the far end of the room. The fire burning behind its grill was the only source of illumination, casting mad shadows among the pipes. Beside it stood a figure in a scorched and stained leather greatcoat, hunched over a long workbench nestled into a space all its own.

Oh, now what have I gotten myself into? Lina glanced back at Oscar. The pirate was smiling, clearly enjoying her confusion. Ass. Lina turned away from him and cleared her throat.

The figure whirled. Lina jumped. It was a man, most of his features hidden by the wraparound collar and a pair of thick goggles. Despite that she could tell he was small, roughly her own height and older, his frizzy hair colored salt-and-pepper.

"Who are you?" he demanded, voice muffled by his collar. The figure stalked over and stopped with his face only inches away from her own. "What are you doing in here? This is the domain of the Brotherhood."

Lina took a step back. "I'm Lina. Henry Smalls sent me down with Oscar. To...help you, I suppose?"

"You are no pirate." The Mechanist peered at her through his goggles.

"Yes I am," corrected Lina.

"No. You are not." He gestured Oscar over from the door. "It is no matter. Come."

The Mechanist returned to his bench. Lina followed. Just when she'd reached him the man wheeled, jabbing a finger at her. Startled, she jumped back again, running into Oscar. The pirate smirked and offered a hand to help her. She refused it.

"Here," said the Mechanist. "See." He pointed at a portion of his workbench where a brass pipe was mounted to the wall, its length running up to the shadows of the ceiling while the close end terminated in a horn pointed out at them. "Fengel's piratical shenanigans were most untimely. I had not yet completed my modifications to the vessel. I will do so now, and you will assist me."

Lina was surprised at the heat in his voice, at the imperious nature of the command. But she was too tired and bewildered to fight it. "All right," she said. "But what do you want me to do?"

The Mechanist pointed at the tube. "I am installing a speaking-tube from here to the captain's wheel," he said calmly. "The two of you stay here and listen until you can hear me, and I can hear you in turn."

"Oh," said Lina. "That's easy enough." But the Mechanist ignored her, already pushing past with a bag of tools in hand. She watched him leave the engine room, and then turned to Oscar. "All right. Who in the Realms Above is that? And what's going on?"

The pirate smirked. "What, you ain't never heard of the Brotherhood of the Cog?"

Lina had, actually. "Aren't they a bunch of posh types that sit around and drink sherry?"

Oscar shrugged. "Back on Edrus, maybe. A secret society that want to build the perfect world. There are different sects; back there it's rich folks in clubs, but out here it's the Mechanists. They make the skyships. Every vessel's got one of them aboard to keep it running."

"I haven't seen him before."

"Doubt you would have." Oscar stretched, leaning against the workbench, using the movement as an excuse to sidle within arm's reach of where she stood. It was not subtle. Lina wrinkled her nose. He had the oily salami stink of a man who drank too much.

"But isn't he part of the crew?'

"Nope. The Mechanists stay on the ships they service. So long as they get a small cut of the booty, and no one interferes with their work, they don't give a damn who runs the thing. But enough about that." He put one hand up against a pipe, enclosing Lina in a small space against the workbench. "He's right."

Lina narrowed her eyes. She took comfort in the weight of the daggers in her waistband. "About what?"

"You're not one of us. You wanted to get away from Triskelion, I can understand that. But just because you're along for the ride doesn't mean you're a pirate."

She tightened her lips. "Captain Fengel said I could be on the crew. I spent a week dying on that longboat, same as you. I helped row us back into port, steal this ship. I may be green, but I think that counts."

Oscar shrugged. "Captain Fengel's a good sort. Took pity on you back in the city. But being a pirate's not about asking, right? It's about taking. I can tell, girl, you're a fish out of water. The others can all see it, too. Now, we're not barbarians, Fengel's Men are one of the best crews I've found to ship with. But you've got to prove yourself to join us. That, or have…protection. Now I've got a solution—"

A screech echoed from the speaking tube, startling them both. Lina thought she heard words. Lina took her chance. "Yes!" she yelled into the horn. "Works fine!"

The tube screeched again, discordant and even louder than before. She winced and Oscar started, losing his balance against the workbench. He tripped over a shovel and a bucket of coal and went sprawling to the floor. Lina turned and exited the room.