A rustling sounded from the ladder. Mendeleev risked a glance over his shoulder. Another samurai entered the gondola, followed by a woman in a long, flowery dress and a black, painted clown’s smile. Looking closer, he realized her lips had been tattooed. She must be a primitive of some sort. If Legion were still available, Mendeleev could have requested more information.
“I am called Ipokash.” The tattooed woman spoke Russian.
“Are you a prisoner, too?” Mendeleev narrowed his gaze.
She nodded. “I am from the Ainu village across the river from Poronaysk. It seems the samurai sought someone who could speak both Japanese and Russian.”
“Do you?”
“Better Russian than Japanese.”
“How did they pick you?”
Before she could answer, the samurai woman released a sharp hiss, then spoke to Ipokash, who bowed in submission. “The samurai want you to show them how to fly this great sky whale.”
“That is not something easily taught. It’s even more difficult through a translator,” said Mendeleev. “Soldiers from Poronaysk will investigate soon.”
Ipokash provided a halting translation. The samurai woman considered for a moment, then answered. “She says they are not going far. They just want to leave the city, then land in a valley nearby.”
“If I refuse to help?” Mendeleev asked the question even though he thought he knew the answer.
Ipokash translated the snarling reply. “There are ten people aboard. Some can be made to help.”
The scientist considered his options. He could fight to keep the airship from these raiders, but suspected he would die quickly, even if other Russians joined him. However, if he stayed alive, he might learn more about these samurai and take more effective action later. “I need two Russian airmen here,” said Mendeleev. “I can train people later, but I need people who can already fly the ship if you want to make a clean getaway.”
Ipokash relayed the request. The samurai leader replied. “Name two who are not…” Ipokash’s brow creased. Mendeleev guessed she must have been given a difficult word to translate. “Leaders,” she said at last.
Mendeleev sighed. “Officers,” he suggested. Officers would possess the most general knowledge, but would also be the most likely to resist. He named a mechanic and the helmsman. Although the helmsman was, in fact, a junior officer, he hoped the samurai would agree. Perhaps “leaders” meant “senior officers.” “Should we go get them?”
“Iie!” called the woman. Mendeleev had no doubt she disagreed with the proposition. She sent the man behind Mendeleev back up the ladder.
“Just who is our captor?” asked the scientist.
“She is Imagawa Masako,” explained Ipokash. “She has been fighting the Imperialists since they evicted her from the estate where she lived.”
“I didn’t know women could be samurai.”
“It is not without precedent,” said Ipokash.
Imagawa spoke sharply and Ipokash gave another small bow and remained silent. Mendeleev gathered he and the native woman must have spoken out of turn. He closed his eyes. He did not pray, but he feared not escaping this situation alive. He reached out to the one invisible being he knew could help. “Legion, are you still there? Can you still hear me?”
* * *
Components of Legion still occupied Mendeleev’s brain, but remained silent. They relayed information about the activities aboard the airship to the rest of the swarm, which found this a fascinating development and turned its full attention to Mendeleev. The swarm analyzed the data from the time Mendeleev first realized the ship had been occupied.
Mendeleev guessed the samurai aboard the airship were mercenaries, but Legion doubted the assessment. In the United States, a scientist called Professor Maravilla had developed a rapport with a former samurai named Masuda Hoshi. Based on the information Legion had, it seemed unlikely the Meiji government would hire samurai as mercenaries. Instead, this seemed like a desperate force’s independent action, but Legion was at a loss to know what this small group hoped to accomplish.
Legion almost suggested questions to Mendeleev, but decided to remain silent for the moment and watch. As Ramon Morales suggested, humans must solve their own problems.
Samurai brought the two airmen Mendeleev requested to the command deck. The scientist briefed them. “I think our best chance is to cooperate with these pirates.” He whispered in case the Japanese knew Russian better than they indicated. “We might learn their plans and determine if there is a larger plot against Russia.”
Legion considered the word pirates. It was accurate since the samurai hijacked a ship. As he considered their motives, Legion calculated a high probability of on-going piracy. If these samurai were exiles like Masuda Hoshi, capturing the ship might allow them to conduct raids on other vessels or villages. Legion found the possibility fascinating and wondered how the introduction of samurai pirates would affect negotiations between Russia and the United States.
Legion calculated ways to use an airship for piracy. He devised schemes such as using knock-out gas, netting, and non-lethal weapons to disable an ocean-going vessel from above without harming its cargo. As Legion calculated these possibilities, he wondered if the samurai would have the materials necessary to modify the ship for this operation. He considered entering the leader’s brain to better understand and perhaps help out, but stopped himself. This was no game and humans were not mere toys.
“How many hostiles do we face?” asked the helmsman, named Zolnerowich. His voice seemed familiar. A quick genetic scan revealed Zolnerowich had a high-ranking brother who Legion once interfaced with. “Maybe we could retake the airship.”
“I’ve counted over twenty hostiles,” said Krupin, the mechanic. “Over twice as many as us.”
“If the army here in Poronaysk gets involved, they may start shooting,” said Mendeleev. “They could destroy us, the hydrogen works, and half the town.”
“More work, less chatter,” interjected the samurai leader from across the gondola. Legion had already built up extensive language banks from observations made around the Earth and understood her before the Ainu woman translated.
The Russians exchanged glances, realizing they’d attracted more attention than they desired.
Zolnerowich took the helm and adjusted the ballast, leveling the ship. Krupin checked the hydrogen pressure. He requested permission to go to the keel and disconnect the gas lines. Mendeleev endeavored to relay the request through Ipokash. Imagawa granted permission and sent Krupin on his errand accompanied by two samurai.
Legion found the Ainu woman fascinating. He registered her tension and the sweat on her brow, despite the cool air. The alien swarm checked data and confirmed that the tattoos on her lips indicated she was of an age to be married. He wondered if she left a husband behind.
Legion turned his attention to the airship. The Russians had been preparing to depart for St. Petersburg the next day, so the ship was ready to go. They had plenty of fuel for the engines. The outboard boilers were already stoked and ready to engage. The hydrogen bags were full to capacity as were the ballast tanks.
Zolnerowich cleared his throat. “May I ask what our course will be?”
“South to Lake Tunaycha,” came the reply via Ipokash. “It’s isolated, level terrain down there. You can train the samurai how to fly the airship.”
“Not my ship!” The cry came from the top of ladder. Mendeleev recognized Captain Yerokhin’s voice. The ship’s commander aimed a pistol as he climbed down the stairs. He was a fool to consider a weapon discharge this close to the hydrogen. Perhaps he bluffed, hoping to intimidate the samurai.
The captain wore a Navy coat over pajamas. He must have escaped his guard, then made for the bridge. Imagawa and her lieutenant dropped their swords, which lured the captain down the ladder.
Mendeleev tried to indicate a third samurai hidden behind the ladder, but the captain didn’t notice. As the captain descended, the hidden man appeared
and brought his sword down on the captain’s wrist. The hand flopped to the deck, the pistol discharged, and the captain screamed in pain and rage as he crumpled to the deck holding the stump.
Dogs below barked in response.
Mendeleev and Zolnerowich both rushed forward, but Imagawa and her lieutenant intervened. She held her hands out, indicating silence while the animals settled. Meanwhile, Imagawa’s lieutenant turned, ripped open the captain’s coat and tore a piece of lining free to use as a bandage.
Mendeleev retrieved a handkerchief from his pocket and held it to his mouth, horrified. Zolnerowich calculated whether or not he could use the distraction to attack Imagawa but he failed to devise a workable plan. Imagawa removed her helmet and evaluated the situation.
Legion considered what Ipokash said about going south while the samurai warriors tended the captain’s wounds and carried him up the ladder. Imagawa’s plans seemed consistent with the samurai taking the ship for piracy. He tried to imagine other purposes and searched the records of captured enemy vessels. Aside from piracy, two other prominent results appeared—holding the vessel or its crew for ransom, or making mischief.
The Russians would pay a hefty ransom to get their airship or Dmitri Mendeleev back. If true, why would the samurai need to operate the craft themselves? Legion realized the likelihood of a successful ransom attempt would mean taking the airship further than Sakhalin Island, but the Russians already indicated a willingness to fly the ship as far as they could. Ransom didn’t compute.
Mischief seemed a higher probability, but what mischief? Again, Legion wanted to suggest questions to Mendeleev, but restrained himself.
Krupin returned to the gondola and stopped short when he saw the disembodied hand laying in a pool of blood. His breath came in ragged bursts as he announced all lines except the mooring tether had been released.
Mendeleev grabbed the man’s shoulder to steady him. “Will we be all right without a ground crew?”
Krupin’s eyes refused to leave the hand. He broke out in a sweat. The man’s pulse increased. “Wind is from the southeast,” he said at last. “We should be all right.”
Legion suspected Mendeleev could hear the quaver in the man’s voice.
Through Ipokash, Mendeleev related what needed to be done. Although an imprecise translation, she conveyed that the scientist would man the engine relays while Zolnerowich steered and Krupin released the mooring line.
“Get underway.” Imagawa kicked the severed hand into the shadows.
The men took their stations with samurai keeping careful watch.
Legion continued to calculate reasons for the airship’s capture. A mission to discredit the emperor’s power and gain popular support seemed a high probability. Usurping the throne directly also ranked high. Either possibility could precipitate further warfare and involve either the United States or Russia.
Krupin signaled the gondola via the speaking tube. “Mooring line released. We are free to maneuver.” He sounded steadier now.
Mendeleev opened the valves, then engaged the steam engines. The four propellers spun to life. The sudden noise startled even the stoic Imagawa. The scientist released ballast sending a torrent of water to the ground below. The airship lifted and the winds carried it back, away from the mooring post.
The dogs resumed their barking. This time a cry sounded from below. Guards on the ground pointed upward and called out, looking to officers for direction. By then the airship floated too high to catch. Did they even know someone hijacked it? Zolnerowich took a compass heading and adjusted the vessel’s course.
Legion, you have abandoned me. Although Mendeleev remained silent, Legion had no problem hearing his thoughts.
Legion considered and after a moment, decided to speak. “We have not abandoned you. We have been watching and calculating possibilities.”
“Why didn’t you stop the samurai from taking the airship? Certainly you can see what a disaster this would be for our goal of world unification.”
“We could not stop the samurai without taking over their minds and bending them to our will.”
“That hasn’t stopped you before.” Although silent, Legion detected Mendeleev’s sharp emotions.
“We were wrong, before.”
Waves of surprise and shock buffeted Legion. A deist, Mendeleev believed he could find God through research and reason. As such, Mendeleev saw Legion as a conduit to God. To Legion, that provided sufficient reason to distance himself from humans. He had no desire to be mistaken for the universe’s creator and had no more access to the creator than they did.
Legion’s own beliefs in such matters were complicated and even contradictory at times. Similarities between life forms and the intricacies of the universe sometimes suggested a grand intelligence to Legion, one even greater than him. Then again, Legion had traveled so far and seen so much he tended to believe any greater intelligence would be like him, something which started mortal and ascended. Legion didn’t know if God existed or what God was. All he knew was that he didn’t want to be God.
“We will seek help for you.” With those words, Legion allowed the components within Mendeleev’s brain to fall silent.
* * *
Ramon looked out at the dark ocean waters and the stars above from the Ballena’s bow. His adventures in the last year had accustomed him to travel over land. He wondered if he could get used to ocean travel with its lack of landmarks, or even scenery that changed much until the ship came within sight of a new port or coastline.
“I wouldn’t have expected to find you out here all alone,” said Captain Cisneros.
Ramon turned around and shrugged. “Fatemeh fell asleep. I decided to take a walk. Only so many places you can go on a ship.”
“That’s true.” The captain nodded, then turned to leave.
“I was just curious,” said Ramon, “how do you know where we are?”
Cisneros looked over his shoulder, but didn’t say anything.
“If it’s not a trade secret or something.”
The captain laughed and joined Ramon at the ship’s rail. “No, it’s not a secret.” He pointed back at the ship’s bridge. “You just have to track the compass heading, speed, and the time. We keep track of our location on charts and confirm it using the positions of the stars.”
Ramon absorbed the information, fascinated. “How? I’ve looked at the stars a lot, but they just move east to west, like the moon and the sun.” Ramon also remembered the vision of the universe Legion showed him. Stars were so distant from the Earth and so far apart from each other, he couldn’t imagine seeing differences in them as you traveled.
The captain pointed off to the right. High in the sky, the Little Dipper’s tail pointed to the North Star. “The further south we are, the closer Polaris gets to the horizon.” He pointed overhead, and swept his arm to the south. “In fact, if we go far enough to the south, we would see whole new constellations.”
“I hadn’t thought of that,” said Ramon.
Cisneros smiled. “How far north and south have you traveled?”
“I guess north would be Denver, maybe San Francisco. South…” Ramon shrugged. “Is Hawaii further south than Tucson?”
“By a little ways.” Cisneros patted Ramon on the shoulder. “Still, you haven’t been through a huge latitude variation.” He looked over his shoulder back toward the crew compartments. “At least when you’d be paying attention. I’m not surprised you didn’t notice the North Star move closer to the horizon.”
“Would you mind if I visited the bridge tomorrow, to see the charts and equipment?”
Cisneros nodded. “Don’t let me keep you from your lady, though.”
“Well, I think an hour here or there would be fine.” Ramon winked. “For that matter, I’m certain she would enjoy the tour as well.”
“Knowing Fatemeh, I think you’re right.” The captain yawned and excused himself.
Ramon remained at the bow for a time looking up at the stars. As he
did, he could almost imagine himself falling into them, much like he did when Legion showed him the vision of his home world. Ramon remembered how the creature from the stars had presented himself as a dust devil, whirling in a vast wasteland.
As he stared at the sky, Ramon could almost imagine Legion’s voice in the back of his mind.
“Ramon Morales, something has happened that could have ramifications for the peace being negotiated between the United States and Russia, but we’re hesitant to get involved without seeking your council.”
Ramon’s brow creased. He never remembered Legion seeking advice. It took a moment for him to realize the words were not a memory. Legion actually spoke to him. “I thought you had left.” Ramon’s heart raced. Legion had promised to leave humans alone, to leave his mind.
“We had ... mostly,” said the alien. “We would not have contacted you if we didn’t feel this was important. We would have acted on our own accord if we didn’t agree that humans should be left to work out their own problems.”
Fatemeh told Ramon that Legion could affect a person’s cells and their very thoughts. Was Legion manipulating him? He couldn’t be certain. Even so, the alien sounded contrite. “What’s happened?”
“Japanese warriors who call themselves samurai have stolen a Russian airship. We do not know what they intend to do with it.”
“Couldn’t you enter their minds and find out?”
“We could, but it would be interference.”
Ramon snorted. He appreciated the alien’s effort at minimizing contact. He considered the samurai. “What about Professor Maravilla? One of his friends is a samurai.”
“Maravilla is too dependent on us.”
Ramon looked up at the stars. “That may be true, but I want to contact his friend Hoshi. He might be able to give us some advice. Maravilla can be a go-between for us.”
“Maravilla is asleep right now. We will contact him when he is next awake.”
“Thank you, Legion.” Ramon sighed. “Let’s hope we can solve this problem.” Legion fell silent. Ramon thought about Hawaii and the events leading them onward to Japan. He wondered if this could somehow be a situation Legion engineered. He shook his head, hoping that wasn’t true, then walked back to his cabin where he undressed and climbed into bed next to Fatemeh. As he cuddled up against her back, he wondered if Legion watched.
The Brazen Shark Page 5
