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Chapter 2 - Little Miss
Thomas walked between Orion and Sula. Orion hauled two burlap sacks filled with mechanical components. Around his waist he carried several smaller bags. Sula held onto a large black chest, pressing it against her hip. In her other hand she gripped the handle of a cylindrical drum. Because of their line of work, both Orion and Sula had large well built bodies.
“I don’t have to carry anything because I’m the captain,” Thomas said.
“Yeah, yeah,” Sula replied.
As Thomas internally debated her lack of decorum, Orion pointed a chin forward. Around a grove of trees, a wide prairie spread out. Thomas ran ahead. She ship was still in the same position as before, slightly on its side with the proppellers just above the grass. The sails were still at the lack of wind. Thomas stopped near a metal loading ramp and disappeared inside.
On top of the deck, carefully holding onto the rail, a skinny man with red hair peered down. He scratched his head and leaned over the side to get a better view. Not finding the person who swore he heard, he tugged on the rope around his stomach and hopped off. It stretched and yanked, but didn’t break. He jammed a flat bar into a board and began prying it off.
“Rig, you’re now just starting?” Orion called. Sula waved and then also disappeared into the ship.
“I had to chop up the trees,” Rig said. “This is only a temporary fix, and there’s no telling how well these patches will work, so I suggest we double time it to Port Kalinda right away.”
Orion nodded and left the young engineer to his work. Rig was responsible for keeping the Manchester in the air, but was still an apprentice of Judge. He still had a lot to learn about the mechanical structure of the ship. Until that day came, Judge would have to be the wiser.
“Where is that Old Man anyway?” Orion went into the bowels of the ship and unloaded his extra weight near an elongated machine. It had the appearance of a pipe-organ, but was much more sophisticated than an instrument for music. It was closer to the heart of why the Manchester and other ships like it could fly. He dusted off his hands and looked through the darkness. After some probing he turned on a light.
The boiler room was where Judge usually spent his time. It comprised of the engine and gears sections, the steam boiler, and Cammy’s room. Since the Old Man was a stickler for keeping things fine-tuned, he only ever left it to get food. Unless they were at port, which he then left it to find women.
“Judge!” Orion shouted. Something clicked beneath his feet. The scenes played out in his head like still shots. A hole, stairs, darkness, and then pain, and when the world stopped spinning, he lifted his head. The Old Man sat cross-legged with a pipe in his hand. He brought it to his leathery face, breathed, and then held it out. A thin stream of silver smoke seeped from his bearded lips.
“Judge, dammit, I could have been seriously hurt,” Orion said, “and why the hell are you wearing that outfit?”
Judge had on a small purple cap with a gold knot hanging off to the side. His jacket and pants were the same color, but airy and silken. The Old Man tapped the pipe, knocking off embers, then stood with a light grunt.
“I didn’t know we had a storage room like this,” he said. Several closets lined the walls and chests piled up in little stacks. Orion shook his head and reminded the geezer that he said the same thing yesterday.
“Did I?” Judge laughed. It was a squawky laugh.
The Old Man went to work with the parts he had. Orion left and summoned Rig to help. Orion then took over the work Rig had started.
On the bridge, Thomas went over several of the navigation charts. He put the quill to his mouth but nothing came to him. The world, or as far as he’s taken the ship, composed of three large continents, Villa Medi to the south, Umenthera to the northeast, and Lacroa to the southwest. Two strings of islands were also present, one between Villa Medi and Lacroa, and another east of Villa Medi.
Thomas took another map out and unwound it. It was a more detailed showing of Villa Medi. The Caspia Mountains cut the map like a curve. Grandsville was located in the northern half. Originally he had come from one of the island nations to the east, but ran into pirates on the way. His destination was Port Kalinda in the south. There he had planned to fly west to Fort McBee where he'd meet up with a man who had been like a father to him. Thomas leaned and opened a small drawer. A letter lied above a pile of other papers. He wondered what had happened. Thomas used the compass to trace a route around the Caspia Mountains. His final destination still lied at Fort McBee.
“Charting out a destination?” Sula asked. She opened the door to the bridge rested an arm against the frame.
“Hasn’t changed,” Thomas answered.
Sula explained to him the repairs would take a little while longer. She also said that since they stopped here, they could stock up on provisions. If Fort McBee were under siege, then essential things would be hard to come by. The idea of staying in Grandsville drew weary sighs from Thomas, but he agreed to the provisions.
“Mother,” she whispered. Ezra had tried to make idle conversation like usual, but Tina didn’t respond. She stayed quiet and looked over the marble rails. When her stepmother left, Tina bit her lower lip. Why couldn’t Ezra understand? She was trying so hard for no reason. Tina would never betray her mother’s memories and the sooner Ezra realized it, the less they would both hurt. Tina rested her finger tips against the rail. A pair of doves landed near her and blinked. They jerked their heads as if nervous. When she reached for them, they flew off.
At dinner, Tina ate with Ezra. Alexander was not present because of business. Ezra explained that he had gone to his friend’s home to discuss issues of new printing blocks. The Marionettes had their start in chivalrous times, but with the new face of the world, his great grandfather was the only one to see the investment in technology. Alexander’s brother controlled the steam factories while Alexander adapted to paper and printing.
“I heard Alexander went looking for a new way to print in color,” Ezra said. She forked through a lump of pasta but looked to Tina with excitement.
“Is that so?” Tina didn’t mimic the same interest. She played with her meatballs instead.
“Yes, and I do think it’s marvelous. I hear people from other cities and countries are coming to see it in the exposé in the coming month.”
“Is that so?”
Ezra chewed slowly, desperate to find a way to connect with her new daughter. She knew it was futile now, but if she could only hold on, maybe Tina would find her interesting. “How was your time at the circus? Michael told me you liked the elephants.”
“They were large and smelled funny,” Tina said.
“But Michael said you wanted to ride one just like the trainers,” Ezra giggled.
Tina didn’t comment. She stuffed her mouth with meatballs and thought back to the day before yesterday. The elephants, three in total, were draped with purple and gold curtains. Skinny men with colorful orange and yellow rags stood atop their backs, dancing and flipping. The elephants went in circles and then all stood on their hind legs. They roared like lions, obscuring all other noises. It was true, Tina wanted to ride one.
“Alexander told me you like mechanical things; have you been to the Alfred Museum?” Ezra asked. “They have ships and trains there, real ones that would still work. My father was a conductor for the Musket Railway, still said to be the fastest in Villa Medi. He owned the lines but loved to work the trains.”
“Oh?” Tina said. She was beginning to grow annoyed of Ezra. Why wouldn’t she just shut up already? Tina decided to humor her. “Your father was the owner of the Musket Railway? Is that how you came across your fortunes?”
“It was. However, I did not like the idea of nobility at first. I have no dated lineage and am instead of the new breed of aristocracy. But I also dearly loved the trains. I would ride them and stand at the caboose, the end piece, and watch the scenery disappear into the distance.”
“Why are you not doing that now?”
“My brother became the heir when father died. He also loved the trains and asked me to stay, but I wished to see the world.”
“Is that why you married my father, to get your hands into print working to?” Tina turned and matched the unimpressed tone with a flat smile.
“Your father was not the only one I wanted to take care of,” Ezra said. She blushed in anger as her voice wavered. “I knew your mother; we went to school together and wrote each other frequently.
“She never said anything to me about that,” Tina laughed.
Ezra became furious with shame. “It hurts me to wish for your mother not to come back, just so she does not have to see the kind of person you have become.”
Tina jumped to her feet with anger. The chair fell over and her glass of milk spilled into her food. “You know nothing of my mother! How dare you speak of her or me that way!” Tears wet the corner of her eyes. She turned with frustration and ran to the door.
“Tina! Wait!” Ezra called. “I did not mean those words, please forgive me!” Tina vanished into the hall. Ezra squeezed the waist of her dress and then looked down into her food. She brought her hands up to her face and cried.
Tina fluttered her eyelids in an attempt to adjust to the light. The sun was high but not yet at noon. Sweat trickled down her legs and arms. The air smelled of bread and jams, but the sky was vast and blue. She recalled the fight with her stepmother the night before. She recalled running away and vowing to never come back to mansion as long as such a woman existed there. It was cold the night before and her dinner dress did little to console her. She remembered the long dark streets and the ominous buildings black as soot. They bled into the sky, only taking shape when moonlight struck their roofs. The city was a different place when evening came.
“Your eyes are open, so you’ve got to be alive.”
Tina, with some strength, leaned forward. She held hands to her eyes and rubbed them. They stung. Water rushed nearby and fowl squawked. The spots of her back pressed into the dirt, cooled in the blowing wind. She shivered.
“Where am I?” Tina asked.
“The river, Miss,” the same voice answered. “You don’t look like a scrounger.”
“A scrounger? Impossible. I would die before I lower myself to common begging. The very thought of such indignity is an insult.”
“Oh, so you’re a noble’s daughter.”
A sudden dread overcame Tina. Her eyes swept the scenery before her—she was on the bank of the river, a lush hill specifically, which connected to the street above, and nearby a stone bridge curved over the water which ducks fleeted under—until she found her interrogator. He was a young man with red hair and earrings. He wore a red shirt and thick pants. Around his waist he had a work belt of various instruments and tools. Rubber boots covered his feet.
“Who are you? What do you want?” Tina asked. “I have no money, so, so leave me alone.”
“Oh, sorry Miss, I meant no trouble, excuse the informalities,” the man said. “I just happened onto your sleeping body and wondered why no one else took notice.” The man stood and offered a hand. “My name is Rig. I’m just out buying things, that’s all.”
Tina took it after some hesitation. When she stood, she brushed fresh grass from her dress. “I am fine. Thank you.”
Rig went up to the street and held a hand over his eyes. He mumbled incoherent things but Tina didn’t ask him to repeat. She climbed up the steep hill and stood behind him. Rig offered to take the girl home. After a fit of frowning and worried searching, she admitted she was lost. She followed him instead.
Rig continued down the river at a slow pace. He took an apple from a small sack at his belt. He offered a bite to the girl and tried to convince her of its taste. She flatly refused. The pair of them walked up and down the streets of Grandville, staying away from the bustle of noon pedestrians. Tina still didn’t recognize anything and wanted to regret running away. The exaggerated evil smile of Ezra kept her pride from waning.
When the sun was at its zenith, Rig told her he had to meet someone. Without knowing where she was yet, she followed. The man Rig mentioned was Orion, a fellow compatriot in their line of work. Tina gave the appropriate greeting for one of her standing, a polite curtsey, and introduced herself simply as Lady Tina. She still did not trust them and didn’t want to give her identity as the Marionette princess away. Orion took Rig to the side and spoke quietly with him. After an exchange of a few words, Rig shook his head violently. Orion laughed.
To her surprise, all three of them ended up in the Alfred museum. Tina tried subtly to voice her disapproval, but the two men ignored her. She puffed her cheeks and entered the huge iron doors atop the white stone steps. Then she gasped as she stood at the doorway. The main hall was enormous. The vast emptiness of its design turned the lightest of footsteps into thunder. A train engine, the biggest she’d ever seen, filled up the middle. Strange flying things of wood and canvas floated freely in the air. Some even swung on pulleys.
“I’ve never seen such things,” Tina said.
Orion looked back with a loud smile. Rig pointed to a man of bronze. The chest and stomach were left open, showing dazzling gears and springs as if fresh organs. Rig doubted that the mechanical man could ever move, but appreciated the display like a work of modern art. Tina nodded her head to the assessment but stepped closer to appreciate the detail. Since her father was a collector of technology, she was exposed to the mechanics of similar things, her father’s printing presses especially. Like other nobility, he collected works of art, priceless antiquities, and moldy books, but Tina found favored interest in machines that could mimic birds.
“I wish I could fly,” she said.
“What was that?” Rig asked.
Tina shook her head and went to a booth. An ugly woman behind glass held her hands over a crystal ball. A plaque explained the details to Tina. The booth was a fortune telling machine, something that frequented the gambling huts and casinos of Lacroa, the continent to the west. It was not in working order, but Rig explained a small ticket would pop out with the customer’s fortune. Tina asked about Orion, but the larger man had business with the curator of the museum, something about a hard-to-come-by gear shaft.
Tina went through the museum’s exhibits, with Rig as the chauffer and commentator. Tina did not want to dwell on what Ezra said, but the night before was beginning to fill her with regret. Maybe if she did give her a chance, she could learn to appreciate Ezra and her background. The time period was one that still stressed women’s role as caretakers. Few women knew much about machines.
Afterwards, Tina stopped at a near the market place. She turned down Orion’s kindness of shaved ice and wallowed in self-pity. She had said terrible things to Ezra and couldn’t bear the shame of seeing her face to face. She did not want to go back home.
“We have to head out now, are you sure you still don’t know your way back?” Rig asked.
“It is too late, I cannot return home,” Tina said. She sighed with the full capacity of her lungs.
“Why is that?” Rig asked.
“I have brought shame to my stepmother and father, I cannot show my face to them.”
Orion scratched his head and took Rig aside. “You know we can’t take her with us,” he said.
“Of course, but we can’t just leave her,” Rig answered.
Tina listened to the conversation with interest, but tried not to show it. Both men agreed to the wariness of befriending her any further and told her bluntly they had to depart. She tried to object, but the two shook their heads sternly. She gave up and they walked through the market place. Tina looked into the sky and held a hand up. The glare of the sun hurt her eyes even when blocked out by her palm.
She walked with no destination in mind. She had eaten, but was growing hungry again. She didn’t bring her purse, so had no money. She didn’t recognize this part of town, so wasn’t counting on a stranger to recognize her. When the sun was halfway through its course toward the horizon, she stopped near a train depot. Huge engines of black metal and iron wheels stayed motionless on the tracks. Boxcars and beds connected to the engine like a segmented snake. People, more than likely workers for the company, shuffled back and forth with frantic jogs. She ignored them and went to one of the open carts. It smelled faintly of dirty pigs. Despite the foul aroma, she climbed aboard and waded through sacks of grain. It was dark and hard to see.
“Yeah! All set! Take her away!”
The door to the cart creaked and then slid shut. Tina jumped in fright and quickly hopped to the closed door. She shouted and knocked harshly on its side. No one heard her. Then the train began to move. It jerked, causing her fall, and then steadily increased in speed. Tina attempted again to contact the outside world, but was answered with churning wheels and hissing steam. She fell onto a sack after another jerk, and then heard voices.
“Do you know how illegal this is?”
“I do, but I also know how quick it is too.”
“If we get caught, they’ll confiscate all our parts, telling us we stole it.”
The door flew open and a bag was tossed in. Rig climbed into the car first, and then caught another bag when he stood. He set it aside and helped Orion aboard. The two men laughed and relaxed against the grain sacks. Rig inspected the dark room but saw nothing dangerous. He put both hands behind his head and kicked a knee over the other.
Tina breathed harshly as she sandwiched her body between a sack and a large crate. She recognized the voices but stayed hidden. At first, she was afraid they could be thieves. Now she was curious of their destination. She felt if they found her, they would take her back to the city. She was determined to see why they had the need to be secretive. Tina stopped breathing at the mention of her name.
“She was a cute girl, but kind of a brat,” Rig said.
Tina blushed in anger. She didn’t like the red-haired fellow all that much anyway. He smelt of grease and sweat.
“Reminds you of the Captain, doesn’t it?” Orion replied.
They laughed. “But there was no way we could bring her with us, danger and the like. If something happened to the poor miss, I’d never want to fly again.”
“Yeah, let’s concentrate on getting our ship airborne.”
Tina gasped. A flying ship sounded very intriguing. She had always wanted to soar with the birds, and seeing ships do it was still a rare occurrence from her mansion. The thought of tasting the air and feeling the cool breezes made her evermore determined.
Orion and Rig conversed about things she didn’t recognize. Always about parts. She didn’t mind it, just wished the ride would be over soon. Then she heard a shuffle and banging. Tina stayed perfectly still until it passed. She did so until the silence bothered her. Tina lifted her head and looked to the dim sunlight spilling into the car. Rig and Orion had disappeared.
“Ah!” Tina cried. She ran to the door and looked out. A thick forest obscured her view, trees flitting by in flashes. Then she spotted two men walking through the forest. Afraid she would be alone for who knew how long, she held her breath, closed her eyes, and then jumped. She caught vertigo in her throat and then felt pain across her body. She stopped rolling when she hit a patch of soft grass. She cried lightly and checked herself. Her dress was torn in various places and twigs decorated her skirt. She pulled them off as if they were slugs. When she was content, but not satisfied, she began walking in the direction the men went.
The sounds of the forest made her cautious. She kept all fearful thoughts at bay, but went faster and faster after each eerie sound. She thought of wolves and bears and tigers, though she wasn’t sure if the tigers were indigenous. She only remembered the ones at the circus had big claws and long teeth. The worst way to die, she decided, was to be eaten.
Finally, the forest stopped at a large field. Directly in front of her, laid the battered frame of an aerial ship she had only seen pictures of. It had large masts with sails in rolls like the ones at a harbor or pier. She could not see the deck since it was titled away, but saw that the stern was covered with shining plates, most likely metal. Its sides were skeletal—long boards of wood were missing. She wondered why. At the back, huge, thin metal blades did not move, nor did they appear as if they could.
Tina went through the tall prairie grass with the efficiency of a rabbit, and when she thought her stealth was comprised, stopped and ducked. But she saw no one, and no one saw her. At the entrance, a ramp of some sort, she peered into the darkness and put a hand against the wood. It was grainy and moist. She wiped the dirt onto her dress—she couldn’t do any more damage to the outfit—then took a breath. She forced her stiffening body to step into the darkness.
Orion narrowed his eyebrows and looked over the rail. Nothing out of the ordinary struck him, but he swore he heard footsteps against the loading ramp.
“What’s up?” Rig asked.
“Nothing, its just…” Orion hauled the rope he had been wrapping, over his shoulder. “Check the cabin for deer later.”
“Deer?”
“I thought I heard something go in. Thomas and Sula aren’t back yet?”
“They aren’t.” Rig turned hard on a wrench, tightening the pipe that had come loose when the ship crashed. “Maybe it was Judge?”
“The Old Man probably doesn’t remember what color the sky is,” Orion said. “He’s a hermit through and through.”
“As long the ship gets fixed, no on is complaining.”
“Why aren’t you down there helping him?”
“He told me to finish boarding up the sides.”
Orion saw the large flat boards Rig was referring to; they were still on the ground. A weary sigh and pants adjustment later, Orion sat on a rope spool. He used his shirt to wipe his brow, but still felt the moisture clinging to his skin. Then he heard shouting.
“Man your stations!” Thomas cried. “Get a move on it! Is the Manchester fixed yet?”
“Thomas?” Orion asked. He leaned half his body off the tilted ship and looked toward the fallen trees. Sure enough, Thomas came running out, jumping and flailing his hands. Sula wasn’t far behind.
“The pirates found us! Grab a gun! Hell, a sword even!”
Orion felt his spine tingle and quickly went into the bowels of the ship. Rig also understood the urgency and shouted down to ask if Judge had finished. Orion took the message to him personally. The Old Man looked up from his work with beady eyes. He shut a metal covering and reached for a large lever. He nodded.
“There’s no telling how well the fixes will hold up though,” he said.
Thomas broke into the room and heaved. As he put his hands on his knees he coughed. “No time…turn it on…we need to go.”
Orion ran past him and shouted instructions to Rig. The red-haired man set off to unfasten all the ropes to the sails, Sula helping when she came aboard. Judge remained in the engine room, winding cranks and pulling levers.
“Cammy! Did you get all that?” Thomas called.
“Uhm, yes, I’m turning the blades on now,” a girlish voice echoed.
Thomas proceeded to the bridge and stood at its center. He thought the pirates had given up, but it looked like their captain was serious. Thomas made a noise with his teeth. Now wasn’t the time to be second guessing his theft. He needed to get the Manchester in the air. He needed to do it before they found his ship. It didn’t exactly blend into the landscape.
“Sails are up!” Rig shouted. Sula jogged into the room with Orion.
“The propellers seem to be working,” Cammy informed them. “I think we’re good to go.”
Thomas held the spokes of his steering wheel and looked into the dying sunset. “Then we leave, full steam ahead.”
