The Tinkerer's Daughter

by Jamie Sedgwick

  My heart was jumping at the invitation, but thoughts of Tinker tempered my answer. I was worried about him. I needed to get back to the valley and make sure he and the Traders were safe. “I’ll come back as soon as I can,” I promised.

  “Then we’d best not tarry,” she said.

  Chapter 35

  When Brisha and I left the palace, we found my plane in the center of the courtyard surrounded by a dozen guards. At least a hundred citizens stood nearby, gawking and whispering. I caught bits of words in the common language, “Strange… abomination… machine.” It seems my plane was as much an abomination as me.

  Two of the younger Tal’mar, a girl and two boys, approached me. “This is your machine?” one of the boys said.

  “Yes.”

  “It’s true then, that it flies? Like a bird?” I glanced at them, surprised. They were wholly fascinated. I’d expected them to start mocking and ridiculing me.

  “Yes, it flies. The fan on the front slices through the air, pulling the plane forward. The wings plane across the air, giving it lift.” I made gestures with my hands as I spoke, trying to visually show them how it was capable of flight.

  “Incredible,” the boy said.

  One of the girls spoke up. “How do you fly it?”

  I looked them over suspiciously. Were they trying to learn the secrets of my plane so they could steal it? No, the Tal’mar didn’t want anything to do with my plane. I decided it was safe to tell them.

  “It’s quite easy to control. You sit in the seat, and control the speed with this throttle like so…” I demonstrated as I spoke. I revved up the fan just a little, to their delight. “Pull it back to release the full power of the springs, or push it forward to slow down.” I reached over and moved the controls for the ailerons. “You can turn right or left by twisting these in the opposite directions, creating drag in the air current. Or pull both controls back to climb and push forward to descend.”

  Several more Tal’mar youths came forward as we spoke. They were enrapt, and they all started questioning me at once. The elders had fallen silent. They were listening intently and watching us, but made no move to interfere.

  I now realized that I had an audience. I did my best to answer their questions as simply and directly as possible. There didn’t seem to be any point in trying to deceive them. They asked about the springs, and I confirmed that they were metal.

  “I’m half human,” I said proudly. “The metal doesn’t affect me.” I pulled open the stow at the back of the plane, so that they could see the internal workings. To my surprise, the boy stepped forward and touched it.

  “This is amazing! Can I fly it?” My eyebrows arched and I scanned the rest of their faces. I saw two or three disapproving stares, and a lot of expectant looks.

  “It doesn’t bother you?” I said. “The metal, I mean?” The boy shrugged.

  “I don’t have to touch it, do I?” he said. “Besides, I’d give up all my powers to be able to fly like you do.”

  I heard a few gasps among the crowd, and the elders raised their eyebrows and set to whispering amongst themselves. I saw the same look in their eyes that I had seen in Prince Sheldon’s. They wanted my plane. Despite the fact that it disgusted them, despite the fact that it contained metal, they wanted it. They saw as clearly as anyone that my machine had important military applications.

  Still, there was an irony in the fact that I was no longer a half-breed to these people. I was just the person who owned the thing that they wanted. They seemed to have forgotten my race in the same manner that the humans had, once they realized the potential of my plane. It was a fascinating psychological turn, and it set my mind to working. Humans hated me for being Tal’mar, while Tal’mar hated me for being human… and yet they both entirely forgot that I was anything but a person when they were looking at my plane.

  I also saw a notable difference between the younger Tal’mar and their elders. The elders still had that prejudice within them, and it flashed in their eyes when they looked at me. The children were different. They just saw a girl who could fly. They didn’t care about who or what I was, because they had been captured by something else… by a dream.

  I stepped away from the group, and approached the princess. She was instructing the guards to return my possessions and move the plane back to the road. “Your highness,” I said respectfully. I knew it was important that our relationship look official to the Tal’mar. We couldn’t be friends in public.

  “Yes, Breeze?”

  “Do you think your woodworkers could make something like this?” She laughed.

  “I suspect they’re already trying.”

  “Good.” She raised her eyebrows.

  “It doesn’t bother you, the fact that they’ll try to copy you? That they might steal your invention?” It was my turn to laugh. The thought hadn’t even occurred to me.

  “No, that doesn’t bother me at all. I’m just wondering how good your woodworkers are?” I saw her glance stray to the wonderful architecture around us. I corrected myself: “I mean, how fast are they?”

  “What are you trying to do here, Breeze?”

  I stepped a little closer, and lowered my voice almost to a whisper. “Did you see their reactions? They forgot that I was a half-breed. They didn’t care about anything except the plane. They are so in love with the possibilities that they forgot to hate me.” Her eyes brightened as I spoke.

  “So what are you proposing?”

  “I had the same experience with the humans. They wanted my plane so bad that they didn’t even care about anything else. It captured their imaginations, and their dreams. Suddenly all they were thinking about was the future.

  “What I’m thinking is, why don’t we give it to them? We will make a team, a group of pilots, half of them human and half Tal’mar…”

  Her jaw fell open. “Ingenious! Such a cooperative would not only ease the tension and distrust among our people, it would also give us something in which to have an equal share of pride. And it would also give us an equal interest in this new type of military technology…”

  “And more,” I said. “We can deliver messages and packages. With bigger planes, we could even carry people back and forth over great distances, ten times as fast as riding!” In her eyes, I could see my vision taking hold as I spoke. She listened and thought about it for several moments before she responded.

  “We can expect a certain reluctance to place a foreigner in control of such a force,” She said. “The humans wouldn’t trust a Tal’mar, nor the Tal’mar a human.”

  “That’s why I will lead them,” I said. “I’m both. For once, I’m going to use that to my advantage.” A broad smile crept over her face.

  “Your father would be proud of you… Go to your General Corsan and tell him of this plan. Tell him he has my full cooperation, as long as you are the leader. I will accept no less. If he tries to dissuade you, assure him that we’re already building planes. He will see the wisdom of this course. Go now, and deliver your message! I’ll see to it that when you return, we’ll be ready.”

  “Tell your woodworkers I will be bringing help,” I said. “I will be back by the end of the week with springs and gearboxes.”

  She gave me a bright but clueless smile. “I don’t know what those things are,” she said, “but I’ll tell them.” I laughed, and then jogged down to my plane, which was now almost through the city gates.

  I jumped up on the wing and settled into the seat, and Cinder hopped in with me. The boy who wanted to fly was still there, and he gave me an expectant look. “Remember everything I told you,” I said. “In a few days, you’ll be flying with me.” His face broke into a grin so huge that it was silly, and I laughed aloud as I pulled my hat and goggles on.

  “Hang on, Cinder,” I said as I grabbed the throttle.

  Chapter 36

  My return seemed quicker than the first flight. Perhaps it was because I was familiar with the territory. More likely, it was due to the fact that
my mind was overwhelmed with concerns about which I could do nothing.

  I had a lot to think about, not the least of which was the risk the princess had taken for me. She had released me from jail and sent me on my way with a signed treaty. That was almost certainly going to be an issue of debate among the Tal’mar. Then she had agreed to establish an aerial force, a joint unit under my command. Would the queen agree? Would the people agree? I could tell that the princess was very powerful, but I also knew that she had taken a risk. Enough of a risk perhaps, to put her in danger.

  I tried to push these things to the back of my mind. I focused on all of the things I had to do, and tried to lay out a sensible approach that would make the best use of what little time I had. First, I had to deliver the treaty. While there, I would outline my plan for an air force to General Corsan. It was my hope that this would dissuade him from attempting to commandeer my plane

  If it worked, that would buy the time I needed to get the force assembled and train a handful of pilots. Then of course, a much needed visit to Tinker. It would do wonders for my peace of mind to know that he was safe, and that Daran had healed from his wounds.

  Even without all of these thoughts bouncing through my mind, I never would have guessed what was waiting for me upon my arrival. It was early evening and the sky was growing dark, but the encampment was lit from one end to the other by torches and bonfires. I could clearly see that the tent city had been split right down the middle, and the soldiers were building a long road paved with smooth stones. One end terminated in an open field, the other into what appeared to be a wide, open-fronted building. The outer walls were about half-constructed and I had a clear view of the work going on inside. Obviously, the road was meant to accommodate aircraft landings and takeoffs. It was clear from the size of the building that the general didn’t just want my plane. He wanted to build a dozen of them.

  I had very little time to think about this as I brought the plane in for a landing. The general’s plans were clear, but how would those plans interact with my own? He wanted an air force, and I had already taken the initiative of starting one. How would he react? It could either go very well or very, very badly.

  Armed guards were waiting to escort me to the keep after I landed. I climbed out of the plane and followed them without resistance. “You’ve been busy,” I said.

  One of the guards snorted. The other kept his eyes straight ahead as he spoke. “The general and the prince have reached an agreement. Your machine is going to change everything.” I entered the keep with those prophetic words ringing in my ears. Corsan was waiting for me in his office.

  “Breeze!” he said cheerfully as I entered. “I assume you remember Prince Sheldon?” He gestured towards the corner, and I glanced over to see the nobleman half-buried in shadows. I hadn’t even seen him as I entered. The man was even creepier when he was sober. I almost wished he was drunk again.

  He nodded solemnly, and I gave him a little bow, uncertain as to the proper etiquette in that situation. A sharp sneer curled up the corners of his mouth. I stifled a chill and jerked my gaze back to the general.

  “Do you have my treaty?” he said.

  I reached into my jacket and handed it over. He gave me a pleased smile as he saw the Queen’s signature. “Well done! Are you ready for your next assignment?” He shot the prince a glance as he said this. Prince Sheldon was watching me with a cold, unblinking stare. His eyes were dark, his skin pale and taught. I tried not to look at him.

  “About that, General…” he shot me a look of warning, but I didn’t dare hesitate. “I have secured an agreement with the Tal’mar for the creation of a jointly manned air force. We will choose an equal number of human and Tal’mar pilots.” The general’s eyebrows shot up, and he looked at the prince.

  “Preposterous,” Sheldon said. “They’re trying to steal our technology. They know that we have the upper hand.”

  “That’s not true,” I said. “The princess wants this to heal the divide between our peoples. She wants us all to share in this honor.”

  “Ridiculous. I won’t hear of it,” said Prince Sheldon. “General, I order you to commandeer that plane this minute. Disassemble it and reproduce it. I want ten more completed by the end of the month!”

  “General, wait!” I said. Corsan gave me an exhausted look. So far he’d been standing there listening to the two of us, but unable to get a word in edgewise. I felt sympathy for him, but I couldn’t stop arguing. I couldn’t give an inch, or I’d lose everything. “The queen’s woodworkers are already building planes. They will have the first batch done by the end of the week! I expect at least five.”

  “The week?” the prince said. “That’s impossible. No one could build a single machine like that in a week, much less five of them.”

  “I’ve seen the Tal’mar’s work,” the general argued. “You forget, they have a gift.”

  Sheldon’s eyes narrowed as he digested that. A moment later, he smiled. “Ah, I see. If we enter into this… compromise, we can have an entire force in the air within a few days.”

  “It would appear so,” said the general. The prince slapped his hand down on his armrest.

  “So be it then, General. We’ll use their skills to our advantage. Very clever. Tell them we’ll accept the agreement, but that we insist all the pilots be human.” The general turned his gaze on me.

  “That’s not the deal they’ve offered, sir. The Tal’mar insist that my team will be half human, half Tal’mar.”

  “Your team?” the prince said.

  “Yes, sir. As I am neither human nor Tal’mar, I will lead the team. Besides, I’m the only person who can fly. The engineers will need guidance, and the pilots will need training. If you want my team in the air by the end of the week, then I’d best get to work.”

  Sheldon looked me over for a moment. Then he rose from his chair and tossed a floppy, black hat over his head. “You have your chance, girl. But we will revisit this.” He nodded at the general, and disappeared through the door. Corsan shot me a broad grin.

  “Where did you learn to speak like that?” he said.

  “Like what? I was only trying to get my point across.” The general laughed aloud.

  “You’re every bit your father’s daughter. Tell me, can you really do this? Can you have these planes in the air within the week?”

  “Yes,” I said firmly. It was a gamble, of course. I was hoping that the Tal’mar would live up to my promise, and I knew what could happen if I was wrong. The humans would see it as another betrayal. They would steal my plane and probably put me in prison, and the war would go on at full tilt. And in the meanwhile, the Kanters would sweep all the way into the Borderlands, decimating our army and probably destroying Astatia.

  I knew the risks I was taking, and yet I knew that if I managed to walk that fine line and succeed, the world of tomorrow would be a totally different place. A better place. “Will you move your men south now, General? The Tal’mar are already making preparations. The Queen is sending a regiment to assist you.”

  “Is that so?” His eyebrows arched. “Well in that case, I’d best get my men moving. We wouldn’t want to look lazy in front of the Tal’mar, now would we?”

  “No, sir.”

  “I’ll give the order tonight. If the weather’s on our side we might get to Anora before the Kanters do.”

  “Thank you general.”

  “There’s something else. Something I need you to do.”

  “I have to get those planes flying…” I started, but he cut me off with a gesture.

  “This won’t interfere with that. All I ask is that you take a compass with you, and outline the Kanters’ positions on a map. You can locate them for me and be back here in a few hours. Those hours will save my men days of marching and scouting.”

  “I’ll do it,” I said. “But I need you to do something for me.”

  It was the general’s turn to give me a skeptical look. “And what would that be?”

&nbs
p; “I need springs and gearboxes for the planes. Tinker can’t make them fast enough by himself. We need your smiths to help.”

  “That would be easy enough, if any of my smiths could do it. Unfortunately, those men are used to hammering swords and horseshoes. They don’t know anything about gearboxes. They’re smiths, not engineers. They’re not tinkerers.”

  “They will be,” I said. I turned away and left him standing there with his jaw hanging open, stricken speechless by the very audacity of the half-breed girl who wouldn’t take “no” for an answer. From that moment on, my reputation was sealed. I was my father’s daughter, and then some.

  Chapter 37

  I wasn’t sure what to expect as I headed south. The Kanters had been in considerable disarray the last time I saw them, after I’d bombed their wagons and war machines into nonexistence. I wondered if they had stopped to rebuild everything, or simply pressed on. I also had to wonder how fast they had moved since then.

  I finally found them about fifty miles north of the place I’d originally attacked them. It was satisfying to realize that I had in fact slowed their progress dramatically. I was also pleased to see that they didn’t have any more wagons full of bodies. That meant that the humans had had time to flee before them, leaving the Kanters less resistance but also less food.

  Regrettably, they had managed to rebuild their war machines. There were seven or eight cannons now, and only one catapult, but that was still too much. I suddenly found myself wishing I had more bombs to drop on them.

  I had been making a wide circle over their heads as I studied the Kanters. I studied their wagons and machines but I took little note of what they were actually doing. This proved to be a disastrous mistake. I was already turning back to the south when I heard the distant thud of an explosion, and instantaneously felt the jarring impact of a cannonball against my plane.