Lord of the High Reaches

by James Haddock

  Below deck was for cargo and the boiler. The boiler was right under the galley and provided heat for the ovens. Along the walls were a system of pulleys, lines, pipes and gears. There were also holding tanks in the bow and aft.

  "What do these do?" I asked, pointing at the tanks.

  "Basically, they do the same as ours, inflating and deflating the balloons just in a little different way. The tanks are also made from a different material. Most everything is made from either a light wood or cloth that has been coated to make it stiff as wood. Sometimes, a combination of the two is used."

  We went back topside. "The sails?" I asked, pointing.

  "Mostly like ours that fold in. The rest are rigged over the top balloons."

  I looked again as I had not seen a top balloon, assuming the sausages the ship was sitting on were its balloons. There was a top balloon which was rolled and folded neatly on top of the longhouse in front of the pilot’s top cockpit.

  "I'm no expert, but it seems she would be slow and cumbersome."

  "Which is why she is still here. No one wants to captain her, and if the king assigned anyone to her, it would be viewed as a punishment command."

  "So why am I here?"

  "Well, King Micha can't help you build skyships or show you how, nor can he sell skyships to the Eastern Kingdom. This ship is not ours, and the design is clearly not. So..."

  "So, whatever was done with her could not be blamed on the Southern Kingdom. Therefore, no treaties were broken. Okay, I see the bait. Where’s the hook?"

  She smiled. "Two things. You have to take the surviving crew as part of the deal. And share new discoveries with us, as you have in the past."

  "How many crew?"

  "12."

  "Why do I need to take the crew?"

  "They know how to handle this odd ship. They will serve nowhere else but on this ship, or would rather die than do so. Because of that, everyone thinks them fanatics of some sort and will not have them."

  I thought a moment. "Hmm…I would like to meet this unique crew for a unique ship."

  "Lieutenant," she called.

  "Yes, M'lady?"

  "Have the crew brought in."

  "Yes, M'lady."

  The 12 were brought in under guard.

  They were all a little under average height for humans. All had dark hair and eyes. None were overweight or ill formed. Isla stayed back as I moved toward them.

  One stepped forward, bowing. When he bowed, they all did.

  "Lord, I will interpret for you," he said in clannish.

  "What is your name?" I asked in kind.

  "Lay-shee, Lord."

  "How long have you been here, Lay-shee?"

  "A little over a year, Lord."

  "They tell me you will not serve on any skyship but this one, and that you would rather die than do so. Is this true?"

  "It is Lord. We are all related and are honor bound to serve this ship and each other. To do otherwise would dishonor us, and death is preferable."

  "What if you had lost your skyship or had been separated from the others, what would you have done then?"

  "That does not matter, Lord. The skyship is here. We are here. That is all that matters."

  "Translate my words to your crew. You are in a foreign land, among strangers, who do not understand your ways. We are much alike. You are looked at differently because of your ways and language. I am looked at differently because I'm a cat. It is an inconvenience we must both overcome. You honor yourselves by remaining true to each other and to your skyship. The king has given me this skyship, so now it will serve me. My question to you is, will you serve me as captain and owner? If you cannot, I will give you an honorable death as requested. But be warned, once you have given me your bond, if broken, you will wish you had taken this death offer."

  I waited for Lay-shee to finish the translation. Then one of the crew asked Lay-shee something. "He would like to know if you trade in slaves."

  "Absolutely not. I kill slavers. I deal in regular trade goods and will defend my ship against those who try to take it. And when the time comes, I fight those who are at war with me. This is an important decision for you. I will return in the morning for your answer." Lay-shee translated my response.

  "We will have your answer in the morning, Lord," Lay-shee said, bowing.

  I turned and walked back to Isla. "We are finished for today. I need to be back in the morning for their answer.

  "I will need things for the ship, including the cargo it was carrying and the belongings of the crew. Also, it needs to be armed before we go anywhere. I made them an offer to sail with me or die an honorable death in the morning. I think they'll sail."

  She pointed to the side of the hanger. “Everything from the ship is there, including their possessions. We had already planned to arm her; all the parts to do so are here."

  "How far away is the land where the junk came from."

  "Between three and five weeks, depending on conditions."

  "And what are they known for? What cargo does everyone seek going there?"

  "That area is known for its fine cloth and rugs, but on the way back we buy spices, teas, and coffee. Do you plan on going?"

  "It sounds like it would be a profitable trip."

  "It could be, but every run has the potential to be really good or really bad."

  I laughed. "That could be said about life."

  * * *

  I lay awake, my mind busy and would not stop. Deciding there was no point laying awake, I got up and went to my desk, looking for something that would slow my thoughts. I took out Seeker's large journal and began translating and transcribing it into mine. That worked. After an hour, I was able to go to bed and sleep.

  Isla joined me for an early breakfast, and then we left for the hanger.

  "When they accept my offer, I plan to put them to work finishing the repairs. I'd like to let them live on it as they are used too.”

  She nodded. "The hanger will still be guarded, inside and out."

  "Of course."

  Inside the hangar, we found the junk crew standing in formation, awaiting me. Lay-shee stood at the front of the formation. They all bowed when I approached.

  "Have you reached a decision?" I asked.

  "We have, Lord. We will serve you." Over his shoulder, he gave a command, and the crew went to their knees. They all said something in unison, then bowed their foreheads to the floor. "They have sworn to serve you and the ship until you release them or death releases them." Lay-Shee went to his knees. "I so swear," he said, then bowed his forehead to the floor.

  "I accept your bond. Rise. We have much work to do." They rose to their feet.

  "Behind you are your possessions. You may recover them and place them back aboard the ship. Continue repairing the ship, we have places to go."

  They all bowed and retrieved their belongings.

  "It seems they have accepted your offer," Isla noted.

  "They did. They'll continue repairing the ship. Where do I buy supplies for it?"

  "Give me a list of what you want, and I'll have it delivered. I have things I need to attend as well. Are you staying here?"

  "I am. I need to learn about this skyship and crew."

  "You know where to find me," she said and left the hanger.

  I walked over to where the crew’s personal possessions had lay. There was much still on the floor. Lay-Shee joined me as I was walking among the items.

  "I'm guessing these belong to the crew members who were lost."

  "Yes, Shi-Tora," he replied.

  I looked at him, frowning, "Shi-Tora?"

  He smiled. “It is what the crew call you. It means 'Lord Tiger'. They mean no disrespect. A tiger is one of the great cats of our homeland."

  "I have heard of them. They say they are fearsome beasts."

  "They are, Lord."

  "I am honored. Have these possessions taken aboard and shared.”

  "These,” he pointed to a large pile, "be
longed to the captain and by rights now belong to you."

  The pile held clothes, weapons, books, and other Items in boxes. "Have them taken aboard to my quarters."

  "Yes, Shi-Tora."

  "Please prepare a list of needed supplies for both the crew and the ship."

  "Yes, Shi-Tora."

  Chapter 18

  I stayed out of the way while they moved personal belongings to the ship. Lay-shee stayed close to me all the time. Without being obvious, I looked at his hands. They were not calloused like a crewman's.

  " Lay-shee, what is your position or responsibilities?"

  "I am what you would call an assistant or secretary, and I also translate."

  "You are a scholar?"

  "Yes, Lord."

  "How many languages do you speak?"

  "Six fluently and have a working knowledge of four or five more."

  "Our crew, what specialized duties do they have?"

  "We have a pilot, a carpenter, a mechanical repairman, and a cook. Our cook is also our medic. The rest are general crewmen."

  "Are any of you trained to fight or have military experience?"

  "We all train with weapons and unarmed fighting. Some are better than others, but we all fight when we need to. The ones with military experience were lost when pirates tried to take our skyship in the storm."

  One of the crewmen approached, bowing he spoke to Lay-shee. "The cook asks permission to light the boiler. We will also need it to continue repairs."

  "Of course. Have him make a list of food and equipment he will need to keep us all well-fed. A well-fed crew is a happy crew," I said, smiling. Lay-shee translated.

  The cook smiled, bowing. "Yes, Shi-Tora," he said, and left to be about his duties.

  I thought a moment. "I suspect everyone speaks common. Am I correct?"

  "You are, Lord."

  "Then we will speak common unless there is something that needs to be kept private. Let the crew know."

  "Yes, Shi-Tora," he answered in common.

  "Check with the pilot. Ensure he has all the maps he needs."

  "There is a full set in your quarters."

  I frowned. "I don't remember seeing them."

  "They are in the wall panels, along with more books and journals. I will show you."

  I followed him to the captain's quarters. He went to the port wall, reached under a narrow shelf, and pulled a handle. A cabinet door opened. Inside were maps, navigation charts, and books. On the starboard side, there was a like cabinet. This one held books.

  "That's grand," I said.

  "The last captain was a scholar himself. He concentrated his studies on chemistry and mechanics. He searched for books on what he called ‘engineering’."

  "A kindred spirit," I said. This made me think. "Is the ship armed?"

  "It is. We have one tripod mounted, heavy long gun. It was stowed. So, they did not notice it when they searched the ship."

  "Show me."

  He took me below. On the port side wall, among the cables, and gears were two four-foot barrels that looked like pipes. Under it were the tripod pieces.

  "The two barrels connect to make one long barrel," Lay-shee said.

  I looked at the inside of the barrels, and they were grooved. I chuckled. "We'll keep that to ourselves for now. We will also be adding two belly cannons. They'll be installed before we leave. Do we have plenty of powder and shot for the heavy long gun?"

  "It does not shoot the same type or size round, so we will need lead to cast our own."

  “A round is what you call a ball?”

  “It is.”

  I nodded. "I'll get the lead and more powder. That barrel, when connected, must be eight feet long. What's the range of it?"

  "Between 1000 and 1100 yards," he answered.

  "Well, that's going to surprise someone."

  "It always seems too."

  I laughed. "Okay. Since this ship’s design is strange to me, you will have to teach me everything about it. If there is something special that we need, you must tell me. Consider me a student. It will not offend me. I wish to learn."

  "Yes, Shi-Tora."

  As the below deck crew was working on the boiler, getting it to light, Lay-shee said, “Once we get the boiler lit and producing steam, we will inflate the balloons, lift the ship, then inspect and repair her."

  "Good. I'm going to my quarters. Get me a list of important things we need right away, like food for the cook.

  "Yes, Shi-Tora."

  * * *

  They brought in the former captain’s personal gear and neatly stacked it on the floor of my quarters. I began sorting through it, setting his clothes aside. I would give them to Lay-shee, as they were too small for me. Now that I knew what to look for, I opened the other cabinets. There were two clothes cabinets, a weapons cabinet, and another storage cabinet that was empty. I tossed all the clothes and footwear onto the pile.

  The sleeping room had just enough room for the bed and a place to stand while dressing. There was another clothes cabinet in the wall with a few clothes, which I tossed on the bed. A key fell out of a pocket. Hmm…wonder what that goes to. Lay-shee probably knows. I’ll ask him later.

  There was a door at the foot of the bed that opened to the washroom. It held a drain pan in the floor with an overhead shower and a seat at the back that was the privy. Lay-shee would have to show me how to use all this.

  I could hear the crew working above. They were in the process of inflating the top balloon and setting nets and rigging. Lay-shee entered the cabin with the supply list. "These are the things we need the soonest, Shi-Tora."

  Most of it was food stuffs and other items the cook needed.

  "I'll call for a wagon. You and the cook will go with me to get what he needs. I don't want to make the cook mad my first day," I said, smiling.

  He chuckled. "Most wise. He did not ask, but I could tell he wanted to accompany whoever was going."

  "The last cook I dealt with was called ‘Cookie’. What do I call our cook?"

  "He is more than a simple cook. We call him, ‘Shifu’, which means chef."

  "Shifu, it is then. Would he usually take care of buying all the food and supplies to feed us?"

  "He would."

  "Was he given his own budget to buy what was needed?"

  "Some captains would do so; others trusted no one with their money."

  “Call him in, please.”

  Lay-shee left and in a few minutes returned with the chef. He stopped in front of my desk and bowed.

  "Shifu, you will be going with us to buy supplies. I want you to buy what you need." I set a purse of sovereigns on the desk in front of him. “I don't scrimp when it comes to the crew or ship. You need not account to me for every penny you spend. When you need more, let me know."

  His face lit up, and he bowed deeply. "Yes, Shi-Tora."

  "We leave in a half hour. Be ready."

  "Yes, Shi-Tora." He bowed and left.

  "I take it his last captain did not trust him."

  "The last captain trusted no one with money. You are sitting over his strongbox. The crew was not treated well when it came to pay."

  I moved the chair out of the way and looked at the floor. "Show me."

  Lay-shee came and showed me how to open the floor hatch, which held a locked strongbox. Hoping, I took the key from my pocket and slotted it into the lock. The lock was stiff, but it opened. Opening the box, we found several purses of gold.

  "That stingy tree sloth!" Lay-shee glared into the box filled with money. Then realized what he said in front of his new captain and forced himself to calm down.

  "I'm guessing he always said how short of money the ship was."

  "All the time.”

  "And I'm guessing he kept all the tally books?"

  Lay-shee nodded.

  "He was not only a stingy tree sloth, but he was also a thieving, stingy tree sloth. Are the crew paid up-to-date?"

  Looking disgusted, he firmly said,
"They are not."

  I handed him the key. "You will keep the tally book now. Bring the crew's pay up-to-date. Do you have a place to work?"

  "My bunk," he said, taking the key.

  I looked around my office. "We'll get you a desk and chair. You will work in here. There’s plenty of room."

  He looked stunned. "Yes, Shi-Tora."

  "Now let's go get Shifu's supplies so he can feed us."

  * * *

  A sergeant and two crewmen accompanied us to the market. Shifu bought supplies while Lay-shee and I went to the scribe's shop. I remembered seeing a scribe's trunk there that opened into a desk and held all the scribe’s papers and files. It even had a folding chair that went inside the trunk.

  While we were looking at it, a clerk approached. "We have others in the back, if you'd care to look, M'lord."

  We followed him to the back of the shop to see what he had. He had an older one, still in good condition, and it was bigger than the others.

  "This one?" I asked Lay-shee. He nodded.

  "We'll take this one. We'll also need paper, tally books, inks, pens, and what ever else my assistant requires."

  With everything paid for, I told the clerk we'd pick it up later on our way back to the ship. After meeting back up with the rest of our group, I figured they might be getting a bit hungry. After buying six sweet rolls from a street vendor, I passed the bag to the sergeant.

  "Take one and pass it on," I said. I got the last one in the bag; seems everyone likes sweet rolls.

  Once Shifu finished buying what he needed, we picked up the scribe's trunk and headed back to the hanger. Lay-shee's scribe trunk was unloaded first.

  Motioning him to me, I said, "When you get set up, start a new tally book. Then pay the men all wages due them. Do that first, before anything else."

  "Yes, Shi-Tora."

  When Lay-shee was ready, each crewman came in, bowed to me, then turned to Lay-shee. I was surprised that the men only took a little of their pay, leaving most of it on account in Lay-shee's care.