Reticence

by Gail Carriger

  The Porcini began to bob and strain against its anchors as its load lightened.

  Percy looked over the edge at Lady Manami. She was the only one left standing outside now. Except for the temple guards, of course.

  He surprised himself by saying politely, “It has been an honour to meet you, Lady Manami.”

  “Actually…” The kitsune was looking speculative. “Might I come along? I should prefer not to overstay my welcome here, and I have been in Japan for several decades. It might be time for a new adventure.”

  Percy wrinkled his nose. “Really? I rather loathe adventure, but if you’re sure.”

  He turned to look down at Rue. “Erm, Captain? Can we adopt a fox shifter for a bit?”

  Rue was looking a bit more perky, although since Arsenic kept glaring at her, she wisely stayed seated.

  “She’ll be well in the grey?” Rue asked.

  Lady Manami shrugged. “I’ve never tried, but you do have the fangxiangshi aboard, in case things go wrong.”

  Percy explained. “She means Rodrigo.”

  Rue nodded. “Fair point. Climb on in then, happy to have you.”

  Percy reached a hand over to help the kitsune aboard. This only required one hand as Lady Manami weighed so little.

  Percy was delighted to continue the acquaintance. He would get to ask her questions about manipulation of density and study her. He might get a decent paper after all.

  The last of the prisoners tipped overboard, they were ready to float.

  Rodrigo lifted Lady Manami up, so she could see over the edge of the basket to yell back to the temple guards. Apparently, it was acceptable to lift a lady under certain circumstances.

  “Are they na sorry to let you go?” asked Arsenic.

  “Why should they be?”

  Percy was confused too. “Aren’t you head priestess or mother superior or something?”

  Lady Manami laughed, a bright tinkling sound. “Of course not. I was only a visitor, like you, taking sanctuary, like you. I am not a pet to be kept by mortals. Kitsune cannot be tamed.”

  Rue said, “Well, you’ll behave yourself aboard my airship, please. No fur in the bathtub.”

  “Certainly not.” Lady Manami’s face was serious but her eyes sparkled.

  The temple guards came over to cut them loose with their sharp spears. They gave a kind of salute as The Porcini started to float away.

  Rue said, “Percy, you know how to work this thing? Take the lines, would you?”

  Percy did know so he took the lines accordingly.

  “We’ve minimal helium. We can’t afford to lose any.”

  Percy let out a bit of air ballast and The Porcini rose slightly faster.

  “Rue, you only had a few more people coming down, why’d you have such a fast descent?”

  Rue was happy to explain. “That Lord Ryuunosuke weighed a ton.”

  Percy nodded. “Of course. I wonder what the conservation-of-density ratio is? Is it similar across all density-sensitive shifter species? I mean to say, one assumes there must be a minimum and a maximum allowable size versus density at each end of the supernatural spectrum. One must still yield a viable human form during daylight that satisfies the parameters of basic bipedal appearance. Unless there are some shifter species that make for giant humans or others that look like children.”

  He turned slightly towards Lady Manami. “Are there?”

  “Not that I know of.” She seemed a little awed by Percy’s overabundance of speculation.

  He was doing his academic rambling thing again. “You’ll let me run some calculations on you, Lady Manami, won’t you?”

  “Will they hurt?”

  “Well, there are some who find the mere presence of advanced mathematical equations painful, but I don’t think that you’ll be materially damaged in any physical manner. Oh! Can I ask how the relative densities affect buoyancy? I mean to say, do kitsune bob something fierce?”

  Arsenic cleared her throat.

  Percy, attuned to her as he was to no other person, instantly paused to look at her expectantly.

  “Perhaps this could wait until you get near notepaper and a scale, m’eudail?”

  His stomach contracted into a tight pleased knot at the pet name in so public a forum, but his attention was still on floating foxes. “And maybe a bathtub?”

  “No fur in the bathtub, Percy!”

  “Yes, Rue, but, I mean, we were in a tub of hot water together and she didn’t seem to me to be excessively buoyant in human form.” He turned back to Lady Manami. “Are you excessively buoyant in fox form?”

  “M’eudail?”

  Oh, I’m asking rude questions again, am I? “Yes, Arsenic. Sorry, Rue. Sorry, Lady Manami. I’ll navigate the dropsy and think about it quietly for a while, shall I?” Percy hoped that was the right choice, and when Arsenic beamed at him, he knew it was.

  He rather enjoyed the sense of pride this gave him, and the realization that Arsenic had guided him away from one of his gaffes. He might trust her to do so in the future.

  “Did Percy just apologize?” Rue asked the world at large. “Hang that, did he just stop talking without being yelled at? Doctor, what have you done to him?”

  “Nothing, yet.”

  “You’re amazing. Please don’t fall overboard again.”

  “I shall endeavour na to, Captain. Although to be fair, I jumped, Percy fell. Ah look, there’s the Custard.”

  Far above them, The Spotted Custard popped into existence. It had dropped down out of the grey.

  Unfortunately, there was a mean-looking, angular, black, military dirigible that took offence and floated straight at the Custard. Even a ways below, The Porcini could hear the rat-tat-tat of gunfire.

  The Spotted Custard disappeared. Percy could only hope someone had seen the dropsy.

  It seemed they had, because the Custard reappeared about five minutes later, in much the same spot, clearly checking on their progress, drawing attention and fire, before vanishing once more.

  It was a funny game of cat and mouse.

  Honestly, Percy was impressed. He owed Virgil a raise. The boy was doing a bang-up job of navigating some tricky currents. The ones closest to the atmosphere were always a challenge, and to keep the Custard steady enough to pop in and out like that took profound skill with the puffer and the helm.

  Still Percy worried. Virgil must be running the propeller at full spin, which meant the Custard was using up a lot of coal and water. Not to mention that kind of pacing put stress on the hull. It wasn’t what the dirigible was designed for.

  Percy started running calculations in his head. Wondering how far the airship would be able to float without a refuel. He envisioned his charts, determining the closest friendly wheystation. Hong Kong, perhaps?

  They were close enough now for the military ship to spot The Porcini. It swung in their direction as if trying to decide whether to depuff towards them or stay high stalking the grey.

  The Spotted Custard depuffed out of the aetherosphere, directly above The Porcini.

  The enemy ship was on the Custard, guns blazing. Percy couldn’t determine a way for them to rope in and board safely, not under heavy fire.

  They were close enough now to see the frenzied activity on The Spotted Custard’s decks. Decklings crawled the rigging, making frantic repairs. As soon as a bullet hit, one of them was on it. Primrose was striding around the main deck, waving her battle parasol and issuing orders. Even Virgil’s intent and terrified face could be seen, the rest of him safely inside the navigation pit, as he desperately muscled the helm. Occasionally, his head disappeared as he reached down to the puffer.

  Then, suddenly, all the shooting stopped.

  The black airship turned away from them and back towards Edo, kicking up its own propeller. Smoke flowered from its stacks as it sped away. Or to be more precise, floated away as quickly as a dirigible could, which wasn’t exactly fast.

  Lady Manami said, “Look. She’s begun to drift.” />
  They turned to stare at the Paper City, which did indeed appear to have moved from its old position above Tokyo. All of Edo was floating slowly away from them, northwest towards Choson. The city was untethered.

  Percy wasn’t certain what the military airship thought it could do to help. But clearly losing an entire city was a darn sight more important than terrorizing one chubby foreign dirigible.

  “And there they go,” said Lady Manami, smugly.

  Figures began to jump over the sides of the Paper City.

  The ladies of Edo with their beautiful fluttering robes, and their wide, stunning, and oh-so-useful obi.

  Like cherry blossoms they fell, and then one after another the bloom of a parachute deployed above them. They weaved back and forth, decorating the evening air, heading towards Japan far below.

  “They stayed for her, you know? Lady Sakura. And now they are free.”

  Percy was confused. “Why would they do that?”

  Lady Manami looked over with a smile at Rue and Arsenic and the silent forgotten lump that was the Wallflower. Percy suspected that Lady Manami always knew where Agatha was standing.

  “Because we women must help each other. And because it never hurts to be owed a favour by the kitsune.”

  The Porcini gave a sudden lurch.

  Percy’s attention was drawn outside the basket. They’d been grapple-hooked by a couple of decklings on the squeak deck and were being winched in under charge of a determined-looking Spoo.

  Rodrigo vaulted out of the basket as soon as they were close enough and grabbed Anitra up into his arms. She bracketed his face with her hands and stared into his eyes a long moment. They engaged in that silent communication some couples have where words were unnecessary. Percy didn’t get it, he always needed words. Even with Arsenic. Especially with Arsenic.

  Arsenic was helping Rue out of The Porcini and into Spoo’s tense arms.

  “Lady Captain, good to have you back. Old Q gave us a right haranguing, he did.”

  “He’s in engineering?”

  “’Course he is. He might be all over grumpy, but he knows his duty. We’re under attack. He wants to yell at you something fierce but he’ll do it later, when we’re safe. Though I suppose we aren’t under attack anymore. I’d take cover if I were you. Oh! Did you see the ladies jumping? Prettiest thing.”

  Percy climbed out.

  Already, above them, two other decklings were pulling the sipper tube over. Collapsing the dropsy’s balloon and porting the helium back into The Spotted Custard.

  Agatha vaulted to the deck, before turning to lift out Lady Manami. She set the kitsune down quickly and then backed away.

  Lady Manami didn’t look well. Her face was warping and white-furred. She had great big semi-present ears on her head and not one, but several puffy fox tails spouting from her posterior.

  “Moon’s up.” Agatha exchanged a nod with Anitra. “You might wanna let your man do his business.”

  “Oh, yes!” Anitra pushed out of Rodrigo’s embrace and turned her husband bodily to point him at the suffering supernatural creature.

  “Is that a kitsune’s Anubis Form?” wondered Percy. Yes, he knew it wasn’t the right time to ask about such things, but, well, was it?

  The Custard lurched slightly and Lady Manami stumbled. Unfortunately, Rue was nearest and she automatically reached out to steady the kitsune.

  And turned into a massive white fox.

  Rodrigo leapt and clapped his own hand to the kitsune.

  Rue turned back to a human and Lady Manami returned to normal. Looking shaken and frightened.

  Arsenic yelled, “Spoo, get my kit!”

  Spoo ran for the swoon room.

  Rue collapsed to the deck with a surprised expression. She looked, if possible, worse than she had before.

  Arsenic bent over her, calling her something in Gaelic.

  Rue coughed and waved a limp hand. “Percy, take over the helm. Get us into the grey as fast as may be. Hopefully it’ll put her to sleep like it does Tash.” Her voice was weak.

  “Yes, Captain.” Percy was worried but he knew how to obey orders so he made for the navigation pit, where his valet was looking tired but determined.

  “Virgil, fantastic floating that was.”

  “Thank you, sir.”

  “My turn now.”

  “Thank goodness, sir. She’s all yours.”

  Virgil handed over the helm with relief in every line of his small frame. Considering how long he’d likely been at it, his arms were probably sore. Steering a dirigible took more strength than most gave it credit.

  Percy was embarrassed to admit he even had a few muscles from his time as ship’s navigator. He hoped Arsenic wouldn’t find this off-putting. A gentleman ought not to mess up the lines of his jackets with muscles.

  Not that she hadn’t already seen him naked. He shuddered to recall.

  Percy took over and began puffing quick as he could, back into the aetherosphere. Should they hop a full current or risk something small, local, and uncharted, and then depuff quickly for a refuel?

  Virgil sat on the edge of the pit, looking exhausted.

  “You all right there, Virgil?”

  “Been a long few days without you, sir.”

  “Sorry about the whole falling overboard thing, old chum.”

  “Don’t do it again, sir.”

  “I certainly didn’t intend to the first time.”

  “Very good, sir.”

  A pause.

  “Virgil, why is there a whopping big hole in my ship?”

  “Spoo, sir. Couldn’t be helped.”

  Another pause.

  “Sir, what are you wearing? Where are your shoes? What happened to your foot?”

  “Long story. But now, I think, tea?”

  “Tea? Tea started it all, sir. Don’t talk to me about tea.” Virgil sounded particularly gloomy.

  “Well, perhaps fetch us both some to be going on with anyway? There’s a dear chap.”

  “We’re in the middle of an escape, sir.”

  “You’re absolutely correct. Crumpets are also required under such trying times. Tea and buttered crumpets, please, Virgil. And for Arsenic as well. We all need restoration.”

  “Yes, sir. Right away, sir.” Virgil tottered off, muttering something dark about Percy wanting dipped biscuits. As if Percy would ever do anything that shocking with biscuit integrity. He wasn’t a monster.

  Arsenic was rather concerned about Rue.

  The captain was in a cold sweat and emitting funny tiny moans. She was also attempting to give orders.

  Fortunately, they made it into the aetherosphere. Percy dexterously puffing them up and hitting some useful current or another. At least she hoped it was useful, she couldn’t pay attention to that right now.

  Unfortunately, the grey didn’t sooth Lady Manami. Even though Rodrigo was touching her, once they hit the aetherosphere she started keening in pain.

  The Italian glanced desperately around for some kind of guidance. He was a preternatural. He didn’t know how to help people. Rue was breathing in little pants, her eyes tightly closed, and Anitra didn’t know what to do.

  So Arsenic made the decision.

  “Let her go, see what happens.” She was hoping the kitsune would simply drop into a deep slumber, like the werecat. Unfortunately, different shifters had differing physiology.

  When Rodrigo let go, Lady Manami got worse. She clutched at her head, messing up the stunning and elaborate hair arrangement, and started screaming.

  Rodrigo grabbed her again, looking wide-eyed and perturbed by the whole situation. Arsenic felt sorry for him. He was rather like her mother in that he felt most comfortable when he was killing something. He was completely out of his depth when someone was upset and he needed to assist.

  “So you canna simply fall asleep?” Arsenic divided her attention between the collapsed metanatural and the suffering kitsune.

  Spoo appeared with Arsenic’s medical k
it.

  Arsenic spiralled it open, looking for anything that might ease either patient.

  Spoo gave an impressed whistle.

  “’Tis a bonnie design,” Arsenic agreed.

  She hadn’t any painkillers for supernatural creatures. She didn’t want to give Rue anything that might further traumatize the bairn. Poor unborn mite had been through enough what with the mother becoming a gigantic fox… twice.

  Lady Manami managed, through the pain, to say sharply, “Is that what your werecat does? Sleep? Lucky her.”

  Primrose appeared next to them. “Cats do well in high places.”

  “Foxes like to den underground.” Lady Manami’s voice was sharpened by agony.

  Prim crouched down on Rue’s other side, wisely staying out of Arsenic’s way. “What can I do?”

  “What does it feel like, Lady Manami?” asked Arsenic, dealing with what seemed to be the most urgent situation first.

  “Like thousands of hairpins pressing into my mind. It’s also buzzing, and whining, like it’s perforating my ears.”

  Arsenic nodded. “And when he lets go?”

  “Many times worse, unbearable pain and pressure.”

  Rue still seemed to need to always be involved. “Even if he wanted to, Rodrigo can’t stay touching you for the duration of the grey. It’s far too long a journey.”

  Arsenic agreed. “And Lady Manami, you canna take the pain even with his touch, na for verra long. No one wants that. To stay aboard and fly the aetherosphere, you’ll need to share Floote’s tank. You’re small enough. ’Tis odd to think on, but you did share a bath with Percy.”

  “Did you? Peculiar choice.” Primrose was arrested.

  Arsenic inclined her head. “I was in it too. ’Tis a cultural phenomenon.”

  “If you say so. Rue, stay awake now, darling, please.”

  Arsenic glanced back down. “We should get you to the swoon room, Captain.”

  Rue shook her head weakly. “Take me to engineering. The entrance platform, that’s how we get to Floote’s tank. And Quesnel is there. You’ll need his help to get Lady Manami safely into the tank. He designed it. I want to be there.” She winced noticeably and a tear leaked out her eye. “And I want to see him.”

  Arsenic nodded, of course she’d want her husband.