The Mighty Airship Kaede. (The Mighty Airships of Earth. Book 1)

by Gary W. Feather

  The captain, speaking in Japanese, introduced Doctor Sakusa and Hirohira to his crew: pilot, navigator, two engineers, a communications officer and a steward. A number of his crew had been killed in the crash, including the chief engineer and the surgeon.

  Hirohira learned that the Venusians' lip piercings were devices for translating standard Venusian into English or Japanese.

  "The bastards are forcing us to repair our own ship," Captain Flowing Shadow said. "So they can use him for themselves. Damn tree-haters!"

  "Where's your ship?"

  "He's out inside that tent," Webster said. "Jackson's people don't want the locals to know about it. I don't think they completely trust the local northerners." The Venusian captain pointed with his cup.

  Even though he knew it was a Venusian tradition it surprised Hirohira that the captain referred to his ship as male.

  CHAPTER FIVE

  Escape!

  It wasn't long until some guards returned and the leader of the guards cursed Hirohira and the other prisoners. The leader was fat, but with the muscles of a bear. He wore the stripes of a sergeant on his sleeves.

  "Come on you lazy shits, time to get back to work! Water break is over."

  The jail's door was unlocked and opened. Hirohira and Doctor Sakusa were kicked and shoved with rifle butts out the building and to a large tent. Underneath the huge tent was the rocketship that was laid on its side rather than standing on its fins or legs. Whatever you wanted to call them. The guards followed each of them and watched constantly. Immediately Hirohira and the other prisoners were divided up to work on the rocketship. He was teamed up with one of the Venusian engineers.

  "My name is Blue Tree-wind."

  "My name is Izumo."

  "Hold this pipe for me so I can put this wire in it. Then we can weld it to the control board."

  "I can do that, Blue Tree-wind-san." Hirohira could do it, but he wasn't sure what he was doing. He assumed the guard didn't either. He pushed, pulled, and twisted all sorts of things that he barely understood. There was also plenty of grease or at least what might have grease. It was a thick, black liquid that easily washed off. He smeared it on anything that Blue Tree-wind waved at as they moved throughout the rocketship’s engine rooms.

  Later, after dark, they were led back to the jail. He found Doctor Sakusa talking with the Venusian captain and Ambassador Webster. They acknowledged Hirohira and Blue Tree-wind's arrival and continued their conversation.

  "Did the two of you really come alone?" Blue Tree-wind said. "Are there no others who could help us?"

  "I don't know," Hirohira said. "We were dropped off here by airship. I suppose they may have gone back to California."

  "Rainforest help us," Blue Tree-wind said.

  Hirohira thought of asking why the hull of the rocketship felt warm and soft like the skin of the Rhino-bee he had seen on Kaede. He wondered why they felt the same. Maybe he would ask Doctor Sakusa later.

  From outside, loud noise like thunder rumbled through the tent.

  "What was that?" Blue Tree-wind said.

  Hirohira listened hard as more thunderous noise erupted. Cannons? Yes, cannon-fire and gunfire, too!

  "Get ready," Doctor Sakusa said. "Looks like our rescuers have attacked them."

  "What?" Hirohira said.

  "The Kaede," Doctor Sakusa said. "I was hoping Captain Parsons would take the opportunity for a night raid to free us."

  "What the hell did you just say?" one of their guards shouted in English--the prisoners had been speaking in Japanese.

  "Nothing, sir," Doctor Sakusa said in English.

  A soldier ran in and told the guards that a large airship had just appeared and was firing upon them.

  "You know who it is," the sergeant said. "How many are there? What kind of firepower does that airship have? You are going to speak, bitch, or we'll beat it out of you."

  The sergeant opened the door and grabbed Doctor Sakusa. Another guard came inside to shove her out of the jail with his rifle. Hirohira grabbed the barrel of the guard's rifle. When the guard tried to hit him with the butt, Hirohira spun on the balls of his feet and used the other man's momentum to fling him against the wall. He yanked the rifle from the guard and slammed the rifle butt into a deadly pressure point on the head. The guard didn't get up.

  Feeling vindicated, Hirohira spun and rammed the point of the rifle into another deadly pressure point in the sergeant's chest. He whirled again and fired upon another guard.

  Doctor Sakusa grabbed the dead sergeant's rifle and shot the last guard.

  "Okay, let's get out of here." Doctor Sakusa grabbed the sergeant's ammo bag.

  Hirohira grabbed a second ammo bag and recognized the man's rifle as a Lee-Carmine repeating rifle that was being made in Richmond.

  It turned out that one of the British was a security guard for the diplomatic party and he was handed a rifle.

  “My people don’t know how to use your Earth weapons,” Captain Flowing Shadow said.

  “Don’t worry,” Ambassador Webster said. “I served in the British army during my youth. If you find another one I can use it.”

  “At least a few of us are armed,” Hirohira said.

  Outside, the gigantic airship was firing upon Jackson's soldiers with its cannons and a Gatling gun.

  Jackson and her soldiers returned fire with rifles and two anti-aircraft Gatling guns of their own from trenches in front of the buildings. The HMS Kaede's armored hull took some hits, but held together.

  "What now?" Fujiwara said.

  "We go for the horses," Doctor Sakusa said. "And try to get back to the ship."

  "How can we--" Fujiwara said.

  "Shut up. This is not a diplomatic meeting."

  "How dare you!" Fujiwara shouted.

  "Jotara!" Webster said.

  "What?" Fujiwara said.

  "I think Doctor Sakusa knows what she is doing," Webster said. "Anyway, we are wasting time here. Let's go."

  "Yes, ambassador," Fujiwara said.

  #

  Hirohira prayed that no one heard them as the fifteen escaped prisoners got around to the rear of the building. Luckily they didn’t see anyone inside the stable. Webster instructed all the humans to get the horses ready.

  "We'll escape into the woods and hopefully join up with the Kaede later," Doctor Sakusa said.

  "Are you sure that this wi--" Fujiwara threw a blanket on a horse's back and went for a saddle.

  "Just get that horse ready, Fujiwara-san," Doctor Sakusa said. "We need to get out of here."

  Hirohira had his horse ready. It was the same gelding on which he had before. He was mad that the horse hadn't been brushed since he last saw it.

  "Hi, Tom," Hirohira said.

  Make sure that your horse has been well take care of. That's what his father always told him.

  The horse seemed calm and ready to get going in spite of all of the fighting going on outside. He patted the horse's neck. To the right, Doctor Sakusa was arguing with the Venusians. He walked over to them leading his horse by the reins.

  "Is there something wrong, Doctor Sakusa?"

  "Yes. The captain and his people want to take their ship back."

  "This is the best time that we can do this, Doctor Sakusa," Captain Flowing Shadow said. "There is no way that we can allow it to fall into Confederate hands."

  "Dammit. I agree, but I don't like it."

  "How are we going to do it?" Hirohira said.

  "We can't!" Fujiwara said. "We need to run for it!"

  "Shut up!" Webster said.

  Fujiwara tried to get onto a horse and ride away. The idiot could get them all captured or killed if he ran off like that. Hirohira grabbed Fujiwara and pulled him off the horse just as the horse was taking the first step. The diplomat landed in the dirt. Luckily Webster was able to slow the horse and get it under control. Hirohira had to put Fujiwara into a hold to keep him under control.

  "Calm yourself, Jotaro-san." Webster patted Fujiwara on
the arm. "You're only making problems for yourself and the rest of us."

  "I-I...I'm sorry," Fujiwara said. "I don't want to be here."

  "Neither do the rest of us," Hirohira said.

  Hirohira let go of the other Japanese man now that he had relaxed and seemed in control of himself. He didn't really care for Fujiwara and suspected the guy would be trouble later on.

  "The four of us with guns will rush in on horses and fire upon the soldiers,” Doctor Sakura said. “While that happens, the rest of you sneak into the rocketship and get it ready to launch. Then the Ambassador and Mr--"

  "Jones, ma'am," the security guard spoke up.

  "Thank you. The Ambassador and Mr. Jones will race to the rocketship and you take off. Hirohira and I will try to make it to the airship and get out of here."

  "Actually," spoke up the Venusian captain, "my rocketship has a high powered beam that can take care of those soldiers. You'll be able to safely get to your airship, while I launch my rocketship."

  "An excellent idea, Captain Flowing Shadow," Doctor Sakusa said.

  "Yes, I agree," Ambassador Webster said. "This is just the kind of plan that will work and get everyone safe and sound."

  "Okay," Fujiwara mumbled.

  #

  Hirohira rode from the stables behind Doctor Sakusa and the ambassador. Hirohira held his rifle in his right hand and the reins with the left. Jones dashed out after him.

  How by the kami am I supposed to fight on this horse with a rifle? I've been trained to use a revolver or a sword on a horse, but I'm no cavalry soldier. The other three know how to reload on a horse, especially the Ambassador who once served in the British cavalry.

  How am I going to live through this?

  Stop it! A samurai is supposed to not be afraid of death. Right? I can't give into this fear. Earlier I had nearly joined Fujiwara into his cowardly run, instead of stopping him.

  Hirohira saw Doctor Sakusa looking at him. She slowed her horse so Hirohira could catch up.

  "You ready, Hirohira-san?" she said.

  "I'm not sure. But manage, Sakusa-sama."

  "Just remember two things—first, to breathe and second, that cavalry is about speed. So keep your horse moving."

  Hirohira nodded and they charged. He heard the beat of the horse hooves below him, along with the gunshots and cannon-blasts from up ahead. Even though it was dark, the fires on the ground and the lights from the airship illuminated the fighting as if it were daylight. It was amazing that the great airship was still in the air after all the gunfire. He had thought the Confederates would have shot it out of the sky by now.

  A whizzing noise burst past his ear. It drove up the hair on the back of his neck. Was that a bullet? He fired and pulled the lever down. He fired again. He kept firing and followed Doctor Sakusa. He wasn't sure what he was firing at, but he kept it up. Doctor Sakusa suddenly slowed her horse. About fifty feet ahead, someone was lying on the ground.

  "The ambassador has fallen off!" Doctor Sakusa yelled and jumped to the ground.

  Hirohira snatched her horse's reins so it wouldn't run off. She bent to help the old man off the ground, but wasn't strong enough. Hirohira glanced back to see Jones firing his rifle and reloading with amazing speed. Hirohira jumped down with both of their horses' reins and went to help Doctor Sakusa.

  "Leave me, I..." Ambassador Webster said. "I can…not get up…"

  The camps lights and gunfire fought the darkness. The old man rose with their help, and climbed onto his horse. Hirohira handed Doctor Sakusa her reins and got on his horse. The three of them rushed the old man to the rocketship where Fujiwara and others were waiting.

  The wind picked up speed. It held a hint of rain, but he brushed the thought aside. He checked his rifle and realized he needed to reload. His horse was sweating and panting from the gallop across the field and he assumed that his own condition wasn't much different.

  "Is he--?" Fujiwara asked. “The Ambassador?”

  Hirohira tried to stop one of his hands from shaking as he fumbled another bullet into his rifle. He told himself that the shaking was because of the cold wind but he wasn't a hundred percent sure.

  "Dead? I hope not." Doctor Sakusa covered her face with her hat.

  "We'll take him with us," Fujiwara said. "If he doesn't make it... I know he would have wanted to be buried on Venus, but either way, we need to get going."

  "I could stay and help you," Jones offered.

  Doctor Sakusa uncovered her stern face. "No, Jones-san. You have a job with the diplomatic mission. We can handle this."

  "Yes, Doctor Sakusa." Jones helped carry the ambassador's body aboard.

  Hirohira smacked the two riderless horses on the rumps to get them going and he and Doctor Sakusa rode away from the rocketship. Hirohira saw the Airship Kaede's thrusters maneuvered it towards them while still taking fire from the Confederates.

  Hirohira saw the rocketship raising up. As the large tent the rocketship had been under fell away he could see three metallic appendages pushed it up as if the rocketship had legs. The legs steadied the rocketship with its pointed end aimed at the sky. A deadly light beam came out of the top of the rocketship and blasted into a cannon on the ground. The men around the cannon screamed as the heat torched their skin. The cannon's gunpowder exploded. The unearthly ray continued on through the Confederate ranks. A strange scent-a mix of melted skin, cotton, feces and whatever the ray was made from-rent the air.

  Hirohira covered his nose with his hand as Doctor Sakusa gripped his other hand.

  “Come on!” she shouted.

  CHAPTER SIX

  No Escape!

  The door of HMS Kaede's stable doors opened and the ramp dropped down. Hirohira and Doctor Sakusa dashed up into the Kaede and the stable boy called the bridge to tell that they were inside. The Kaede rose as quickly as the huge airship could move.

  The airship shuddered, Kaede’s crew pushed their ship to her limits. Hirohira handed the horse to the stable boy and ran behind Doctor Sakusa to the bridge of the Kaede.

  "Get us up, captain!" Doctor Sakusa said.

  "I'm trying," Captain Parson said. "But they got a few lucky shots into us."

  "How bad is it?"

  "Not sure. My chief engineer is upset. Sounds like the Kaede’s engines might be slow. We'll find out soon."

  The sound of the rocket engines, more powerful than the Kaede's, exploded. Hirohira smiled as the rocketship took off for the planet Venus. His smile dropped as he remembered the ambassador.

  The Kaede rose above the trees and her own rocket engines ignited.

  We're on our way home, Hirohira thought. Back to the safety of California. It's pretty out here, but California is prettier.

  "Why aren't we getting any higher?" Hirohira said. "The weapons on the ground can't hit us, but they do have military airships too. Right?"

  "Yes, they do, Lieutenant Uh..."

  "Izumo."

  "Oh yes," Captain Parsons said. "I'm sorry, Lieutenant Izumo. We can't rise any higher. I can't risk it, because of her size and weight. Also we won't have enough oxygen if we get as high as before. We have a new device of Doctor Sakusa's that makes this airship lighter and able to push the engines to supersonic speed like before, but unfortunately the device was hit."

  "Was that the one I helped you work on, Sakusa-sama?" Hirohira said to her.

  "Hai," she said.

  "Could you repair it?" Hirohira said.

  "We would have to stop or at least slow down for me to do that," Doctor Sakusa said. "I'd have to get outside to work on it. Even without supersonic we are going too fast for that to happen."

  The captain nodded. "I don't like it, but that's the only possibility."

  "Captain, the ensign at the rear observation deck just called me," the first officer said. "There is an airship behind us at five o'clock."

  "Thank you, Commander Matsuo," Captain Parsons said. "Tell her to keep us informed. Ensign Montgomery, isn't it?"

  "Yes, s
ir. That's correct," Matsuo said.

  "Let's go check it out, Hirohira-san," Doctor Sakusa said. "Keep her steady, Captain."

  "Yes, Doctor Sakusa."

  #

  Hirohira and Doctor Sakusa passed through the corridor, leaving the bridge and the forward observation deck behind. They went past the officers/crew quarters, stables, and gun decks to the rear of the ship's undercarriage where another ensign watch--SOW or Stern Observation Watch. The ensign was a girl in her late teens or early twenties, with blonde hair in a bun. She held a long monocular against her right eye. She wore a female Imperial Union military uniform that showed off the shape of her legs very nicely. The British had permitted women to join their military once the Martian invasion of the British Isles went bad, but they were used mainly as an auxiliary force.

  The female officer turned as they entered and saluted, then bowed. "konnichiwa, Sakusa-sama," Ensign Montgomery said. Hirohira was surprised and impressed by her Japanese.

  "Hello, Wendy-chan," Doctor Sakusa said in English. "How close is that airship?"

  Hirohira thought he could make out a Confederate flag on its side.

  "Too close, Sakusa-sama," Montgomery said. "There's another at three o'clock."

  The ensign handed the monocular to Doctor Sakusa and pointed her finger. Doctor Sakusa aimed the device at a second airship. It was definitely following them, but was further away than the Confederate ship.

  "Dammit," Doctor Sakusa said. "They are both flying Confederate flags. The closer one looks military."

  The communication tube whistled.

  Ensign Montgomery opened the tube. "This is rear observation post-Ensign Montgomery speaking."

  "This is Commander Matsuo," said the voice coming through the tube. "Another airship has come up in front of us. The captain's slowing Kaede. He requests that Doctor Sakusa to return to the bridge."