by Gareth Ward
A strained shout came from an adjacent medical bay. “A little help, if you’d be so good!”
“Eldritch,” said Sin. “Well, ain’t that the cream in the cake.”
He slid the door open. On the surgeon’s table lay a cadaver connected to a machine that pumped green blood into its body. In the corner sat Eldritch, bound to a chair.
Velvet looked over Sin’s shoulder. “Leave him there.”
“I kind of owe him.”
“He tried to kill us and delivered the Swordfish to Yan Shi. You owe him nothing,” argued Velvet.
“I didn’t actually deliver the Swordfish to Yan Shi, he stole it from me,” said Eldritch.
“He’s nothing but trouble. Let him go down with the airship.” Velvet stepped from the room.
“Fair one.” Sin slid the frosted ironglass door closed. He was supposed to capture the traitor alive – that was his mission – however, he was past caring. Velvet was right, he was nothing but trouble.
“I know about your mother,” shouted Eldritch.
Sin paused, his hand on the door. Nimrod was always evasive about Sin’s mother, Eve, and Sin had many unanswered questions. Did Eldritch really know something?
Velvet tugged at Sin’s arm. “Come on. Leave him.”
“The truth dies with me,” warned Eldritch. “You’ve spent fourteen years looking for answers. Don’t let them perish. I know more about you than anyone. Remember the file.”
Sin slid the door back open. Eldritch had recruited him to COG. Whether part of the recruitment process, or more likely, connected to his traitorous spying, Eldritch had amassed a secret file on Sin. “You’ll tell me everything?”
“Absolutely, but mum’s the word until I’m safe,” bargained Eldritch.
The ship lurched. Velvet grabbed the doorframe for support. “Leave him, he’s lying.”
“You read some of the reports I discovered. That wasn’t all of them, not by a long ride,” said Eldritch. “I know why she died.”
“She died saving me.”
Eldritch stared into Sin’s eyes. “I know who killed her.”
Sin raised his cutlass and lunged towards Eldritch. With two sharp slashes, he sliced through the rope binding the traitor’s legs to the chair. “Any trouble and we’ll leave you.”
“Untie my hands, too. I need them for balance.”
Velvet hoicked Eldritch to his feet and shoved him in the back. “Not a chance.” Then, lowering her voice to a whisper, she said, “No tricks. I don’t need you alive.” She pushed Eldritch out the door.
Sin stooped and retrieved a hexagonal vial of yellow liquid, which was miraculously unbroken, from the floor.
“What’s that?” asked Velvet.
“Insurance. Rule Two of any rescue mission: never trust the person you rescue.”
They hurried into the cargo hold, their progress aided by the fact that the airship had righted itself and no longer listed. Either the fire was under control and the crew had pumped ballast or it was the chance result of a large explosion that had shaken the Deadnaught minutes earlier.
“Have you seen Zonda?” said Sin, wiping sweat from his face. The air inside the Deadnaught was now tinged with smoke and uncomfortably hot.
“Not since I was taken prisoner,” answered Velvet. “We were heading back to the Swordfish when three Clockill surprised us. She had a plan to rescue you, so I led the Clockill away. I think she escaped.”
Sin’s insides twisted. Leaving without knowing for sure that Zonda was safe ripped him up, however there was no way he could search the entire airship. Not even if it wasn’t on fire.
“I haven’t seen her either,” said Eldritch. “And I didn’t hear any mention from Yan Shi, so I don’t think she was captured.”
Sin pulled abruptly to a halt at the end of an aisle of towering crates. “What the . . .”
A large packing case floated above them, the chain tethering it to a ring in the floor pulled taut by the crate’s buoyancy. The wooden box spun slowly around and the stencilling on its side became visible: Lifting Gear – HMS Pegasus.
High overhead, banging against the cargo hold ceiling, drifted four similar crates. Broken chains dangled from their sides.
“What the heck is this?” said Velvet.
The penny dropped. Sin had heard the ship’s name before. It was in the letter from the Grand Vizier to Admiral Fairborne, the one he’d taken from Eldritch’s pocket when he’d netted him with the Entangler. “It’s some sort of experimental technology destined for the Sky Palace.”
“Fascinating as that may be,” said Eldritch, “we have trouble.”
The docking arm groaned like the screams of an ancient prehistoric beast. The strain of securing the two airships as they sank towards the sea was pushing the engineering to its limits. They needed to cross to the Swordfish now, before the arm buckled and snapped. However, a trio of Clockill guarded the entrance, oblivious to the Deadnaught’s plight.
“It’s not going to last much longer,” whispered Sin.
“We can’t get past them and fighting isn’t an option, so we’re damned,” said Velvet.
Eldritch strained at his bonds. “Cut me loose and I can help you.”
“Help us or betray us?” challenged Velvet.
“I want to get to the Swordfish as much as you do. Maybe we can bluff our way past.”
Sin rubbed his chin. “It worked before.” He met Velvet’s gaze. Her ice-blue eyes pierced him. “What do you think?”
The airship shuddered, and the landing arm screeched.
“He’ll probably kill us, and if he doesn’t, the Clockill certainly will.” She leaned towards Sin and gave him a hug. “Thanks for coming back for me. I didn’t want to die alone.” She sliced through the rope securing Eldritch’s wrists and handed him her cutlass. “I really don’t know how you talked us into this.”
“I’m a survivor.” Eldritch took Sin’s cutlass, too, holding one in each hand. “War cuts down the weak and the unlucky. I am neither.”
“Let’s hope your luck holds. For the next few minutes at least,” said Sin.
They paraded to the docking arm, Eldritch brandishing the cutlasses at Sin and Velvet’s backs.
The Clockills’ heads turned, following their progress.
“Ship’s going down. Yan Shi wants the prisoners moved to the Swordfish,” said Eldritch.
Clockwork whirred, then in unison the three guards raised their sword-arms and marched forwards.
“Plan B!” shouted Eldritch and advanced through his mock prisoners to confront the Clockill.
He parried the first two strikes, pushing the bladed arms away. “Huzzah!” he cried and thrust both swords into the torso of the third of his opponents. The Clockill ignored the attack and slashed downwards.
Sin lunged into the fray. His hands connected with the Clockill’s metal forearm, pushing it upwards. Muscles battled mekaniks. He couldn’t let Eldritch die; he needed answers about his mother. Sin crumpled under the force, but he’d bought enough time for the traitor to duck clear of the blow.
The Clockill pivoted and swung its arm with inhuman strength. Sin flew sideways, crashing into the bulkhead.
Eldritch kicked at one of his assailants and tossed a cutlass to Velvet. “Show them what your mother taught you.”
Plucking the cutlass from the air, Velvet pirouetted away from the Clockill’s wild swing. She raised the weapon above her head and the Clockill’s blade smashed into it. Her legs trembled, the mekanikal power of the blow reverberating through her body.
Sin rolled sideways, dodging the slashes of the Clockill who was now upon him. The clockwork monster’s sabre scraped along the deck, showering him with sparks. Sin sprang to his feet and backed away.
Dodging sideways, Velvet thrust and skewered the Clockill. The mekanikal man appeared indifferent. Walking further onto her blade, he grabbed for Velvet’s throat. She released the cutlass and her own metal fingers met those of the Clockill.
Eldritch was faring no better. He slashed and stabbed his opponent. Blows that would have felled a normal man had no effect on the Clockill.
Cornered, Sin ducked to the right. The Clockill’s arm barred his way while its mekanikal hand slammed into Sin’s chest, pressing him against the bulkhead. Gears whirred and the pressure on his ribs increased. He heard a bone crack and pain blossomed through his torso.
The docking arm trembled against Sin’s back, a rhythmic clunk sending vibrations through the metal. Steam billowed from the direction of the Swordfish.
Clunk. Clunk. Clunk.
“Tally-ho-erington!” shouted Zonda from the roiling clouds, and a heavily modified logistical-loader emerged from the steam.
Zonda flicked a valve lever and a circular weapons-sight swung in front of her face. “Time to throw a spanner in the works.” She lifted the loader’s arm and pointed it at the Clockill that pinned Sin to the bulkhead. “And by spanner, I actually mean a jolly big harpoon.” With a jet of steam the sharpened litanium rod shot from a tube bolted to the loader’s arm.
The Clockill staggered, the harpoon skewering it from front to back.
Sin slid clear of its grip and edged away. The Clockill grabbed the harpoon and began to pull it free. Its head twitched and its arms shook, then it keeled over, its body locked solid.
“What the –” said Sin.
“Magnets,” shouted Zonda. A familiar whirr filled the air and the rotary blunderbuss welded to the loader’s other arm spun to life. “Help Velvet.”
Sin dashed to her, agony spreading through his ribs like fire. With a flying leap, he slammed into the Clockill’s arm, breaking the mekanikal stalemate between it and Velvet. “Take cover!” he shouted, and pulled Velvet with him to the deck.
His military instincts kicking in, Eldritch dropped too, flattening himself against the metal floor.
Steam roared from the blunderbuss. The loader’s arm scythed sideways and the Clockill exploded in a mess of green blood and clockwork.
The blunderbuss whirred to a halt, steam trickling from the barrel.
Eldritch pushed himself to his feet. “Now that’s a big enough calibre weapon.”
“Yes, it is. Drop your cutlass.” Zonda pointed the loader’s arm at him.
“It’s all right; I’m on your side.”
“No. You’re not.” Zonda’s eyes narrowed. “I shot you once. Don’t think I won’t do it again.”
Surveying the mess that had once been the Clockill, Eldritch uncurled his fingers and the cutlass clattered to the deck.
“Am I glad to see you!” said Sin, shuffling towards Zonda, with Velvet’s aid. “I thought you were lost on the Deadnaught.”
“After Velvet got captured, I decided I needed some mekanikal muscle of my own to rescue you both, so I created this beautiferous beastie.” Zonda waved one of the loader’s arms.
“I knew you’d do something fantabulous,” said Sin.
Another explosion rocked the Deadnaught. The docking arm screeched and buckled. The floor bent upwards and the bulkheads kinked.
“I appreciate I forfeited my position as your instructor when I tried to kill you,” said Eldritch. “However, may I suggest we leave?”
“Not yet,” said Sin. “Zonda. Forty yards to your front, packing crate floating on the ceiling. Rapid fire, engage.”
The rotary blunderbuss spun up to speed and the firing whistle shrilled. The crate disintegrated in a shower of splinters and falling planks. Released from their confines, a cloud of rainbow-sheened metal ingots clattered across the ceiling.
Whirring to a halt, the blunderbuss fell silent. “That can’t be,” said Zonda, in awe.
“Didn’t Nimrod tell us there were only a few ounces of gravitanium in existence?” asked Sin.
Zonda unstrapped herself from the loader. “There is.”
“Not any more.” Velvet offered Zonda a mekanikal hand, helping her down.
“Spectacular as that is,” said Eldritch, “it’s not going to keep the Deadnaught in the air. We need to go.”
The four of them huddled on the Swordfish’s envelope. Smoke and burning ash drifted past, filling the air with a million glowing fireflies. Concertinaed and contorted beyond recognition, the docking arms somehow still managed to tether the Swordfish to the blazing Deadnaught. Now less than ninety yards below them, the rolling waves grew closer with every passing second.
“Do you reckon we’d survive if we fell from here?” Sin stared down at the churning sea.
“Can you swim?” asked Velvet.
“Ten strokes, maybe.”
“It doesn’t really matter then, does it?”
“Suppose not.” Sin had wanted to wait until they were safe to tell Zonda about Jasper, but if they were going to die, he had to do it now. “Zon, I’ve got some bad news.”
Zonda looked up at him. “You mean worse than the fact that we’re crashing into the ocean attached to a flaming airship?”
“I saw Jasper aboard the Deadnaught. He died saving me. He was a hero.”
Maybe it was because Zonda already thought Jasper was dead, or the fact that they were all doomed, but she took the news better than Sin had expected. She rubbed the back of her hand across her eyes, leaving a damp, sooty streak. “I said you just needed to give him a chance.”
“You did, Zon. And you were right,”
“Airship ahoy,” shouted Velvet, breaking the moment.
To the stern of the Swordfish the Aether-Mare rose out of the waves, sea water streaming from her curved hull. Throwing off the weight of the ocean, the airship floated higher, accelerating skywards.
“Now that is impressive,” said Eldritch. “The Empire would be invincible with a fleet of those.”
“Which is precisely why Nimrod will never let them have it,” said Zonda.
The Aether-Mare drifted closer. The massive hatch in her belly that led to the cargo bay slid open and a gangplank lowered on steel hawsers. Stanley scampered along the narrow metal walkway. In his hand he clasped a speaking tube, which he used to give directions to the bridge, guiding the airship closer. With a gentle thud, the gangplank landed on the Swordfish’s envelope.
Eldritch and Velvet clambered up.
The nose of the Deadnaught hit the ocean and the Swordfish bucked. The Aether-Mare’s propellers buzzed louder, and the gangplank lifted away above their heads.
“When it comes nearer, we make a jump together,” said Sin, grabbing Zonda’s hand.
She looked down. “Would you hold Stanley’s hand?”
“Course I wouldn’t, but I wouldn’t kiss him neither.”
The gangplank drifted lower.
“I don’t see how that’s even relevant,” she said.
Sin pulled Zonda towards him and kissed her. Her lips were warm and soft, and her mouth tasted sweet, like cake. He lifted his head from hers. “Thanks for rescuing me.”
“I’m going to let that one go,” she said. “And I’m only doing this to prove that we’re equal.” She pressed her lips back against his and grabbed the back of his head, splaying her fingers over his hair.
The gangplank thudded onto the envelope and she pulled away from him.
“Jump,” they said in unison and leaped.
While Stanley and Esra winched in the gangplank, the four survivors huddled around the open hatch. Far below, the Deadnaught slid beneath the waves, dragging the Swordfish with her. A plume of steam shot into the air.
“There go the boilers,” said Sin.
A tumultuous seething mass of bubbles churned the surface.
“That’s the envelope succumbing to the water pressure,” said Zonda.
“Hawk is going to be pretty peeved with us,” said Velvet.
Sin looked at Eldritch. “She’s going to be more peeved with him.”
“That’s why I’m not going to see her.” Eldritch retrieved the scalpel he’d concealed in his waistband and pressed it against Zonda’s throat. “COG Chubb and I are heading to the lifeboat. Anyone t
ries to stop us and it won’t go well for her.”
Sin discreetly slid his hand into his pocket. “We rescued you. We saved your life. For once, can’t you do the decent thing?”
“Decent isn’t really my style.” Eldritch backed away, pulling Zonda with him.
“Me neither.” Sin tossed the hexagonal vial he’d retrieved from the medical bay at the traitor’s feet. The glass shattered, and the scent of lemons wafted into the air. Eldritch dropped the scalpel and clutched his head, sinking to his knees. “You rapscallion,” he moaned.
Zonda punched Eldritch in the jaw, sending him reeling backwards. “People died because of you. Good people.”
“Captain on deck,” shouted Stanley.
Hawk strode into the hold. “COG Chubb, stand down. I’ll deal with it from here.” She walked up to Eldritch, who lay curled on the floor, and drew her cutlass.
Sin stepped between Hawk and Eldritch. “The Major wants him alive,” he reminded her.
“He stole my airship,” spat Hawk.
“Killing him won’t bring the Swordfish back. He may have important information for COG,” said Sin, not mentioning that he still needed to question Eldritch himself.
Hawk pushed Sin aside and rested the tip of her blade against Eldritch’s neck. “He doesn’t deserve to live.”
Sin understood the Captain’s anger and contempt for the traitor. He needed something more to stay Hawk’s sword arm. His mind blanked. He had nothing. “We need him. He knows . . . stuff,” he said, unconvincingly.
“Summersong,” mumbled Eldritch, still clutching his head.
Hawk’s arm quivered, then she lowered her sword. “COG Nobbs, secure him in the brig.”
“Aye-aye, Captain,” Stanley replied.
Hawk pointed her cutlass at Sin, then at Zonda and Velvet. “You three have some explaining to do.”
Sin made his way to the brig, his mind and body exhausted. Hawk had spent two hours debriefing them and although he was fit to drop, he knew he wouldn’t sleep until he’d talked to Eldritch. He unlocked the brig door and stood in front of the barred cell. “You owe me some answers.”
