by Cheree Alsop
Zyla could see the amazement on Orion’s face. “A crew like this one has learned to trust their captain with their lives.” Her voice quieted and she said, “And he’s trusting you with everything.”
“I know,” Orion replied.
She followed his gaze to the ships that were approaching. Tension made his shoulders tight and his hands were closed into fists.
“You don’t have to do this,” she told him.
Orion turned to look at her straight on. “You saved my life.”
“Not so you could throw it away with a stomach full of lead,” she replied.
That brought the hint of a smile to Orion’s face. The expression was endearing in a way that made her heart skip a beat. She gripped her sword to keep herself grounded.
“I’ll protect you as long as I can,” he told her. “Just promise me one thing.”
He brought a hand to her cheek. The action seemed to surprise him as much as her because he barely brushed her skin with the back of his fingers before he lowered them again.
“What?” she asked.
Her mind raced through thousands of requests while her cheek tingled with the reminder of his touch. What could a stranger such as him possibly want from a girl like her? She had no ship, she was a runaway branded, and the man coming to hunt them down would gain almost as much of a bounty from her head as from her uncle’s. Who was she kidding? He would get far more for her head once they realized who she was.
“Remember me, Zyla.”
Orion walked away and left her on the quarter deck staring after him. She put a hand to her heart. It hurt a little, or maybe more than a little, at the realization that if he did die, she was the only one who knew anything about him, and most of it was speculation. It must be a scary thought to face death with the knowledge that you could fade away leaving no mark at all.
“Zyla, let’s go!” Hayes shouted.
Zyla clenched her jaw and hurried down the steps toward the glider. If she had anything to say about it, the world would remember Orion.
The fog was already thickening. The low, hissing sounds of Jack’s machines were mostly masked by the sigh of the waves against the hull. As they eased away from the ship, sadness filled her at the sight of it listing in the water. The crew clung to their ropes with their heads just visible before the fog washed over them. Terror showed on the faces of many. Zyla’s heart went out to them.
“It’s amazing to think that ships had once been created solely for the sea,” Hayes said quietly as the crew vanished from sight. “Before the ice melted and the sea engulfed the land.”
“I’m thinking that was before the creatures of the deep became monsters,” Jack mused from Zyla’s other side. “I thinking I can’t blame the mates for their current terror.”
“Who’s to say which monster is worse?” Hayes asked. “I personally prefer to face my fears head on than wait for them to pull me into the dark unknown.”
A shiver ran down Zyla’s spine at the memory of the giant fish in the deep. She wondered if that was what drove Orion as well. They would both do anything rather than let the crew face what they had seen.
The course Hayes piloted took them around the stern of the Circinus and away from the fog. Captain Dawes had commanded that the orbs be disconnected to increase the appearance of a lifeless ship. With the fog and the lowered sails, it looked like a phantom in the deep.
Zyla’s chest tightened at the sight of the lone figure standing on the main deck. Orion followed their course for a moment before he turned to face the oncoming ships and pulled off his goggles. The faint glow of his eyes was all she could see before the fog enveloped them.
“That boy’s either very brave or he has a death wish,” Hayes said.
“I’m thinking it’s both,” Jack replied. “Maybe he’s our lucky totem.”
“Maybe,” Zyla said, while in her heart she whispered, “I hope so.”
It didn’t feel fair to leave him alone to face Captain Lapero. She reminded herself that her uncle was still on the ship hiding in some vantage point as a last resort, but it didn’t make her feel any better. Somehow, in freeing Orion from the Indus, she had involved him in her life. It hadn’t been intentional, though the appearance of the Circinus felt too well timed to be accidental.
She shook her head to clear her thoughts. They were heading into what was probably the second most dangerous situation of her life. It was close behind waking up deep in the sea behind the teeth of the monster fish. The wry thought struck her that at least now she had a standard against which to measure all danger.
When they broke out of the fog into the darkening sky, they were far behind the AS Fornax, as intended. The three mercenary trawlers flanked its sides, oblivious to the glider powered by a micro energy pod for times of no wind like the present. It barely made a sound as it cut through the air on an angle to the descending ships.
They could see the crew of the Fornax armed and ready to board should Captain Lapero give the orders. The cannons were aimed and he no doubt had his steam-propelled missiles ready to drop should he be given a reason. Zyla prayed they wouldn’t get a reason.
“Easy does it,” Hayes whispered.
It was obvious as the first mate steered the glider toward the stern of the gunner why he had been personally chosen by the captain for the job. Hayes guided the winged vessel with mere brushes of his fingers. The dials responded with a grace that would have made an albatross envious. His ability to shift to the slight breeze that trailed the ship appeared effortless. He banked at the last moment, catching the lightest of tailwinds, and set the glider onto the poop deck with no one the wiser.
The three of them stepped off the small seat and crouched in the shadows. Hayes slipped a knife from his belt. Zyla did the same. She wished for the blade she had left aboard the Circinus, but knew maneuvering with a cutlass would be difficult if they came upon anyone in the belly of the ship where the pods would be.
With the silent tread of those who had spent a lifetime aboard such vessels, the three made their way to the lantern-lit main deck. Lapero’s soldiers eagerly lined the railing, their attention on the ship below. Swords bristled and guns were readied. At the very foremost, Zyla glimpsed the long blue fabled coat of Captain Lapero. A shiver ran down her spine at the thought of what awaited Orion.
The lone figure on the deck of the Circinus didn’t move. Whispers about his glowing eyes and what it meant could be heard through the crowd. Jack and Hayes exchanged a grin, but Zyla could only watch with fear that she would never see Orion again. She couldn’t help feeling as though his bravery was for her. He risked his life in return for what she had done for him, but she had never asked him to do so. It was foolhardy and she kicked herself for not finding a better way out of the situation.
“Come on,” Hayes whispered.
She tore herself from the scene and followed Hayes and Jack to the door that led to the grand quarters. Hayes slit the throat of one man who was supposed to be standing guard at the door but had his attention on the nearing ship, and then they were below. She trailed behind them past the galley and main living quarters to the lower decks.
“Remember,” Hayes whispered, “We need the lighting pods first so the secondary thrusters can’t activate. If we don’t detach the orbs at the same time, we’re going to drop tail first like a sack of cannonballs into the sea.”
“I’m thinking that’s not so bad,” Jack replied.
Hayes gave a crooked grin. “Not so bad if we’re not on it, but we’ll be the ones doing the disconnecting.”
Zyla nodded. “Let’s try to keep it level. I barely survived one sunken ship. I don’t want to be trapped on another.” The thought that Orion might not be there to save her made her anxious. She hoped they were in time. “Let’s hurry.”
“Aye aye, Ms. Dawes,” Hayes said. “Follow me.”
Zyla followed the first mate down the hall. Hayes had been with her father and uncle as far back as she could remember. He was a
bit rough around the edges, but was as reliable as could be. Besides her uncle, there was no one aboard the Circinus she trusted more.
“The gear head’s connected to the mounting bolt,” Jack whispered behind her.
Zyla tuned in to his familiar words to let their cadence calm her pounding heart.
“The mounting bolt’s connected to the muffler gasket. The muffler gasket’s connected to the steam flange. The steam flange’s connected to the head pipe. The head pipe’s connected to the exhaust gasket.” His voice quieted into a mutter.
Jack looked strange without his customary top hat. Following behind him, Zyla wondered if she had ever seen him without it. She hadn’t realized how short he was. The top of the man’s head barely came up to her waist. The sight of his bushy hair flattened in a circle where the hat should be made her smile.
Jack had been a tinker for as far back as she could remember. He had once made her a butterfly out of extra gears and parts she had found on her father’s ship. The butterfly had a wind-up gear that made the wings flap. When she turned it, the small brass creation had flown around her head and then off the AS Scorpius into the distant clouds. Horrified at what she had done, she turned to find Jack nodding his head.
“I’m thinking it’s loving being alive,” he had said simply. He then patted her hand and turned away with a satisfied nod as though all of the hours he had put into building the tiny creature were entirely worth it.
“This way,” Hayes whispered.
Zyla and Jack followed him down another hatch and along a dark hallway. The light from their handhelds barely cut through the gloom of the ship’s belly. The hum that filled the air told Zyla they were getting closer. When Hayes opened a door at the end of the hall, the tiny hairs on her arms and the back of her neck stood up in response to the charge. At least a dozen lighting pods had been stacked against the far wall.
Hayes gave a short whistle. “That’s quite the stash.”
“I’m thinking it could be sold for a pretty penny,” Jack replied.
“If we disconnect her orbs, the Fornax is only going to be dead in the water until they come back for these,” Hayes pointed out.
“I’m thinking I have a better idea,” Jack replied.
Hayes bent down to the first oblong container.
“Wait!”
Hayes and Zyla looked at Jack. It was the first word she could remember him uttering without his customary line.
“They’re rigged.”
Zyla followed his tight gaze to the black wire that snaked behind the lighting pods. It was a simple little cord, easily missed, and hidden mostly within the shadows the lighting pods failed to penetrate. If it wasn’t for the intensity of Jack’s gaze, she wouldn’t have given it a second thought.
“Rigged to blow,” Hayes said with horror in his voice.
Jack nodded. “I’m thinking Lapero’s got more enemies than just Captain Dawes.”
“He’s been hunting Revolters since the war began,” Hayes said, studying the mess they had gotten themselves into. “What are our options?”
Jack’s face was serious as he bent over the wires. He pulled a small black box out from behind the stack and studied it carefully. “Any tampering and they’re activated. Once one goes off, the rest will follow.” He shook his head. “I’m thinking whoever wants Lapero dead wasn’t messing around.”
Zyla let out a frustrated breath. “So we’re out of options?”
Jack’s frown turned into a gold-toothed grin. “I’m thinking we tamper.”
Hayes and Zyla stared at him, but a kernel of fire burned in Zyla’s stomach. “Lapero wants to turn my uncle in. He knows the end result will be death, but he only cares about the bounty.” She met Jack’s gaze. “Tamper away.”
“We won’t be able to use the pods,” Hayes said.
Zyla nodded. “And neither can they. If they also can’t use the Fornax, think of how many Volters will be safe.”
Hayes gave a firm nod. “I agree with you.” He looked at Jack. “Tamper away.”
Jack crouched. “I’m thinking we won’t have much time after this blows. You two head up to the glider.”
“What about you?” Zyla asked worriedly.
Jack gave her a reassuring smile. “I’ll be up as soon as I’m done here. Just make sure the way is clear. Our escape will be hasty.”
Zyla and Hayes ran back up the way they had come. They reached the main deck and paused. As of yet, no one had noticed the missing guard. She followed Hayes toward the poop deck. Commotion arose behind them. She glanced over her shoulder, and froze.
The AS Fornax had closed the distance to the Circinus. The gun of every soldier aboard was pointed at Orion.
Captain Lapero gripped the railing in front of him with rage in every line of his body.
“We’re done here,” the captain growled. He turned to his soldiers. “Shoot him!”
Chapter Six
Orion
“No!”
I recognized the voice that turned every head on the ship that towered above me. Zyla’s face was just visible above the railing near the stern. Fingers hesitated on the guns that were pointed at my chest. That hesitation saved my life.
“Bring her to me!” Captain Lapero ordered. “And shoot him!”
I ducked as bullets peppered the wood of the Circinus. Several whizzed past my head. Cannon fire followed. A cannon ball hit the deck of the ship inches from where I ran. The impact threw me off my feet.
I pushed up again and took off for the railing. With their vantage point above me, I was a sitting plover waiting to get shot. But I wouldn’t leave if Zyla was in trouble. I caught a glimpse of the glider through the fog. It left the Fornax with three passengers. Relief filled me as I dove over the side of the Circinus into the dark water below.
An explosion sounded the moment my head surfaced. I glanced up and was shocked to see the Fornax burst into flames. The soldiers on deck scrambled toward the gliders. Many jumped off as several other explosions followed the first. My heart pounded in my throat until I caught sight of Hayes’ glider just visible through the fog. But they weren’t alone. One of the trawlers had caught sight of the departing craft. The ship altered its course to intercept them.
“Orion, are you alright?”
Captain Dawes leaned over the bow of the Circinus, his gaze frantically searching the water.
“I’m fine. You need to protect Zyla!” I shouted.
I pointed and he looked up. His eyes widened and he lifted the long gun he carried.
I had no idea what he meant to do with the strange weapon. The gun was almost as long as he was tall and had a strange-looking scope on the top. He adjusted this with care using enough precious seconds that I wanted to shout at him to hurry. The trawler was gaining on the glider, and I didn’t have to guess what would happen if they caught up.
Captain Dawes finally squeezed the trigger. An explosion nearly as loud as the first one from the Fornax sounded and a hole bigger than my head tore through the front mast of the trawler.
Shouts of “We’re under fire!”, and “Take cover,” “Pull back!”, sounded through Jack’s fog. The mast quivered. Its sails banked for a moment as if uncertain what to do next. A cracking sound followed, and then the mast toppled to one side.
“Orion, look out!”
At the captain’s warning, I glanced back to see the Fornax falling from the sky. Huge holes had been ripped in its bow. The massive ship, bigger than the Circinus, plummeted toward the sea. Before I could so much as move, the ship crashed on top of me.
The force hit me so hard it knocked the breath from my lungs as the craft shoved me deep into the water. The metal-reinforced hull pressed against my back and shoulders. Other explosions sounded, vibrating through the wood. By the time the ship stilled, I didn’t have any breath left. I fought to get free, but the Fornax was massive and I had no quick means of escape. With burning lungs and a pounding head, I opened my mouth and sucked in. The knowledge that the ac
tion could be the death of me was combated by the hope that whatever had worked before would do so again.
The water made me cough. My chest heaved and I sucked in more water. My body jerked at the unwanted liquid and I feared I had sealed my fate. I closed my eyes against the feeling of suffocation. Another explosion shook above me. My body spasmed, then air returned. It was half-fulfilling, a weak breath at best, but I opened my eyes. However my lungs managed to work in the water, it was enough to get me out of there. That was all I asked.
The light from my eyes, the strange, surreal blue luminescence that was among the many things I couldn’t explain, lit the bottom of the ship. I ran my hands along the hull as I swam the length of it. The thought that perhaps Zyla and her uncle were safe were quickly replaced by the reminder of the trawlers who had tried to shoot the glider down. The AS Fornax might have fallen, but the danger remained.
The Circinus couldn’t fly without a lighting pod. I paused in the water. Even if I did manage to get aboard the ship once more and found Zyla safe, we would be in the same situation as before. If the Fornax had managed to send word of the Circinus’ location, other mercenaries would be on their way. The thought drove me forward instead of taking the shorter distance to the surface. If there was any chance a pod had survived the explosion, I couldn’t leave it behind.
The hole in the ship was a massive, gaping crater that was impossible to miss. The amount of water pouring in told me that the ship didn’t have long at the surface, if she still floated at all. I pulled myself inside and began to search. The small amounts of air my lungs drew from the water made me gasp for more. The sensation was one of near-suffocation and made me lightheaded. I pushed the panic to the back of my mind and forced myself over the obstacles the explosion had created.
It was only a matter of following the outburst of timbers and debris in order to find the room where it had all started. There was enough rubble and fragments of canisters in the room to render my glowing eyesight nearly worthless. I combed through the water and was searching the area the best that I could when a tremor ran through the boat.
