Steam Century

A Novel By A.E. Cottingham

Chapter 1 - Broken Glass -

Thasos, April 3042 A short woman stood guard with a tommy gun strapped around her chest. The combination of the eye patch and cigarette clenched between her teeth made her look gruff, maybe even a tad bit menacing. She looked agitated, one foot tapping as she scanned the tops of the buildings. One brown eye looked down to her hip when radio chatter fizzled in and out. She adjusted the dial. n the distance, a figure could been seen darting across the roof tops. !e wasn"t particularily fast, but nimble. #own below, he can see the woman. She was pretending not to see him, and fiddled with her radio instead. !e nodded. To the woman"s left was a small, yet popular meeting place for shady characters. nside seated at the bar was a well$groom, nervous man. !e looked like the type who was always home in time for dinner. The only outstanding thing about him was a ridiculous tarantula tattoo spanning half of his face. The figure fumbled with his radio before bringing it to his mouth. %elow he could see the woman shouting at figures approaching her, warning them to back away. "The road is closed, go home&" Or, "'eck off&" " rene(" She briefly looked up at him. ")es, 'ancy(" !e rolled his eyes at the nickname. " "m a few meters away from the target"s house. Try not to make too much of a ruckus." ")eah yeah." !e put the radio away, vaulted across the ne*t alleyway, and inhaled sharply. !e always hated doing that. !e wasn"t one for heights. !e can make out the window of the house. t"s dark inside besides the faint light from a lantern somewhere in another room. !e slid down onto his stomach, crawling along the roof until he can see the interior with better detail. There"s a figure slumped in an armchair, dark li+uid pooling on the floor.

"#amn," he muttered under his breath. The man with the arachnid tattoo is getting more nervous. There are only two guards inside the pub. ,hat was the name of the place again( The -lad #uck( .igeon( Some sort of bird. t"s only when three figures enter the premise that /harlie 0c/ulloch began to fidget. !e recognised the ,omen from the wanted posters. Their names escaped him. "Oi& -uards&" The armoured men turned around, clumisly, and for a moment /harlie ran the idea in his head that the last thing he"ll probably ever see will be tits and mohawks and chains as the women pulled out their guns. !e ran for the second floor as the shots rang out. Someone is on his heel, but he didn"t care, not now. !e needed to get out. !e had himself backed against a window. %ang. !e looked down. %lood. %ang. 0ore blood. The third shot is louder, more fierce. The buck$shot sent him flying through the window, and crashing to the cobblestone down below. The man from the roof cursed under his breath as gunfire peppered the previously still night. !e ducked down, and watched as people scramble out from The -lad 1uail. !e can see rene has abandoned her post. " told you not to cause a ruckus&" She doesn"t answer. " rene&" "#ead doggy," she said finally. ",hat(" ",e got ourselves a dead doggy." !e found a drain pipe, awkwardly hugging the smooth metal as he slid down. !e waited a few seconds before crossing the street. !e can see rene in the alleyway adjacent the pub. She"s looking down at something, cigarette still firmly in place. t"s /harlie. ",hat did you do(" ",hat( )ou think this was me( 'eck no, just heard a crash and came to

investiage. 2ooks like /harlie took a tumble. See," she tapped the bullet holes with her foot. "Shot gun." She looked at him with her good eye, "not me." !e sighed and looked down. ",ell, tonight has been a complete disaster. ,hat will we tell the /aptain(" ",hat we always do." "And /harlie(" " don"t think he had any family." ",e should at least give him a proper burial." rene shrugged. She puts her cigarette out in one of /harlie"s entry wounds. "3esus& ,hat the fuck is wrong with you(" They walk in silence back to the ship. The Aerodrome is a few kilometers away, he didn"t mind. t was a nice night out despite the carnage. !e always enjoyed watching the airships that dotted the horizon, floating lazily like great bloated whales. rene shoved past him once they reached the ship. The /aptain is sitting down at her usual spot, playing what he guesses to be a game of Solitaire. She didn"t bother to look up when they entered. "/harlie"s dead," rene recited non$chalantly. "%lunt bitch," he muttered. ".lace got shot up, found him on the ground with a feck load of broken glass. %lood, bullets, the usual." The /aptain turned her snowy head to meet his. "4o luck on my end either," he began. "Our informant was killed. don"t know by who." !e sat down and sighed. "Abella, we"re short a 4avigator. can"t do two things at once when "m piloting." She looked back to rene. rene fumbled with her lighter, twitched an eyebrow, pursed her lips. Abella nodded as if she understood the 'irst 0ate"s secret language. "4o smoking on the bridge&" !e narrowed his eyes at rene. "'ine& 'ine& "ll go downstairs. 3aysus." She muttered a few choice words before she sauntered down the spiral steps. !e ran his hands over his face. ",hy does everything always go to shit("

Abella shrugged " "ll go talk to /oppa." "Teatime(" ")es(" She looked at him for a moment before she shook her head. "4evermind, forgot what was going to say. #on"t forget to empty the ballast" !er "the" sounds more like a "teh". After all these years and he still hasn"t gotten used to her accent. " think it was rene that killed /harlie," he said +uietly. Abella +uirked a brow. " know, know, but she"s always hated the man when he"s done nothing to her. She"s a loose cannon." Abella remained +uiet. She knows rene better than most, he can tell she is disagreeing with him by the way she folded her arm across her chest. ",ell, "m off." !e grabbed his coat. !e couldn"t be bothered to look behind him as he closed the hatch. t"s colder out, despite the earlier warmth. !e put his hands in his pockets, and furrowed his brows as his fingers s+uelched into something unfamiliar. She put jam in his fucking pockets. !e can smell the strawberries. !e"s going to take that other eye when he gets back. Twists 5nd wasn"t a place he particularily liked. t was a sprawling maze of tunnels and black markets. !e"d grown familiar with the place over the years, but not out of his own enjoyment. !e liked simple things. Tea, for one. 5ndless, sprawling alleyways made him nauseous. 6ichard /opperfield was a man he had known for nearly twenty years. %eing an assassin had its perks, after all. "/oppa" ran a black market weapons trade in Twists 5nd, and Teatime was a fre+uent visitor. 4ot for weapons, but for information. That was /oppa"s redeeming +uality7 !e was a fountain of knowledge. Teatime knocked on the door, half$hoping he wasn"t here and won"t talk his ear off about the latest weapon he"s found. ,hen the door hatch slid open, and a familiar pair of eyes peered through, he muttered the password and was gained entry. "!aven"t seen you in a long time." /oppa slapped his back. " "m afraid can"t stay for long, just came to ask about something." Teatime sat down. A tray of biscuits were offered to him but he politey declined. "Our 4avigator died. ,e need a new one." /oppa brushed crumbs off the front of his sweater as he contemplated the

Assassin"s +uery. "A new one( )ou"re talking like they"re e*pendable. That"s a tall order. 0ost 4avigators have cushy jobs in the 'orces and aren"t eager to leave. Second best place can go looking is in The Ankraashiim, and lucky for you think may have someone." Teatime perked up. "Oh(" "Some person named Aimaksem. 'amed sniper apparently, helluva a good shot." The Assasin groaned. " don"t need a sniper, need someone who can read the damned information on the paper that blasted machine spits out." /oppa leaned forward, one hand poised on his knee. ")ou should know better than most, considering your brother is stationed there, that you need to know your way around a camel"s asshole to live in that hell hole of a desert." /oppa reached into a bo* on the table, his large hands fumbled with a cigarette paper as he loaded it with tobacco. "8ill two birds with one stone. )ou get a navigator, and a sniper. One less mouth to feed, eh(" Teatime muttered something inaudible under his breath. !e ran his hand over his face, his mind preoccupied with the logic of it all. !e"d have to calculate the fuel cost, dock it from the crew"s pay, figure out how to contact this person, it would no doubt push his bed time up to some ungodly hour. "'ine. Send me the information, should get going. 0idnight oil to burn and what have you." " "ll have it to you by tomorrow." "Thank )ou. "ll be seeing you soon, maybe. )ou never know with the idiots run with." "#amned smart idiots if you ask me. )ou"re still alive, aren"t you(" !e swallowed his rhetoric before he pushed himself off the chair. "-ood bye, good night, etcera etcera." !e waved behind him as he left, leaving /oppa to his weapons and smoke and most$likely stale biscuits.

" t wasn"t you, right(" "-oddamn it& 4o& t wasn"t& ,hy does everyone think anytime someone dies "m

the one that pulled the trigger(" rene slammed her glass down on the table. "Oh, dunno, maybe it"s because you have the highest body count of anyone here $$ and that"s saying a lot considering Teatime is an assassin $$ and your temper could fuel this ship for a year." The one$eyed woman huffed, smoke coming out of her nostrils in great plumes as she e*haled. ")er half right. %ut it wasn"t me, /aptain, honestly. don"t kill people who don"t deserve it." rene stopped suddenly and brushed the edge of her eye patch faintly, as if caught up in her own private memory. "/harlie was dumber than a drunk /oelas, but he was a good man. #id his job, didn"t bother anyone. Shame he died." Abella raised her glass, rene mimicking her. "To a good man." "Aye." There was a knock on the door. ")es(" "Sorry to bother you, ladies, but found us a new 4avigator. ,e leave for Ankraa tomorrow." Abella wiped her mouth with the back of her hand and nodded. "-ood. rene, make sure the ship is in working order." rene nodded, downed the rest of her drink, stuck out her tongue at Teatime and was out the door before he could do anything about it. "So(" ",hat(" ")ou still don"t think it was her(" "4o. rene doesn"t lie." "She put jam in my pockets." Abella snorted. " "d say she likes you if it wasn"t for her blatant sapphism." "/harming."

The Highlands, June 3031 !er palms are sweating. Small fingers tugged at the bodice of her gown, she frowned at the painted face in the mirror. " t is a very lovely dress," !er mother says at her shoulder, the elder 4apier nursing her second martini. 6enee is frankly surprised that her mother is still sober. She thought, wistfully, that it is likely the occasion, something 5milie wants to remember for once. "A little restricting." 6enee tugged at the pearl$studded bodice. !er hands left limp spots on the embroidery and 5mily tsked for the attendant. A yelp from the door alerted her to a large guest. 'ellis grunted as his horns knock against the doorjamb. 6enee"s mother$picked bridesmaids all make whining noises about bad luck. She shooed the harpies, and her mother from the room. #espite her irritated noises however, the attendant continued making the finishing touches on her dress and veil. "4ow how do you feel about a bit of silk ribbon mi*ed with the lace( think cutting it just so.... perfect." The small, moustachioed man put his hands on his hips and admired his handiwork. "4o go." 6enee remarked, bored. The man was about to protest, but thought better than to. !e prodded his watch before leaving, ")ou"re out in five minutes, or "ll be back." !e said in his nasally voice. n the mirror, 6enee sees the reflection of 'ellis Amour behind her shoulder. ""tis a nice dress." !e said simply. " ndeed. "d like you to know that would have included you in the bridesmaids party, but 0other wouldn"t have it. Shame, the lilac they chose would really bring out your eyes." !e laughed and flashed her his half$smile, "Thank you for the consideration." 'ellis reached a cloven palm to her shoulder, she felt the polished digits scrape her skin and he clasped it, hard. 6enee turned, tears in her eyes. The .anseri shifted as she clung to his silk shirt.

"Shh... shhh.... 6enee. )ou"re going to make your mascara run." She choked out a laugh through her dry sobs. " t can"t be all bad. )ou"ll be out of your father"s house. )our new husband is +uite a looker, maybe can borrow him sometime(" 6enee pulled away and wiped daintily at her tearless eyes. "4othing can hurt you if you don"t let it. )ou"ve seen the outside world now "4ee. )ou"ve learned what"s right and wrong." She composed herself. !er face is the painted arosticratic mask that her upbringing has moulded herself for. Etiquette. Grace. Poise. 6enee e*ited the preparation room, 'ellis at her side. She leant up to press her mouth to his cheek. She wished he could be the one to walk her down the aisle. HE was waiting for her at the end of the corridor. The light caught HIS glasses so they become one$sided mirrors. The glass blocking any trace of humanity in HIS gaze. 9nlike 'ellis"s soft grasp, HIS fingers are posessive and clutchy. 6enee thinks idly that she"ll have to wash this arm later. The trail down the aisle seems longer than it is. The eternity stretching before her, minutes ticking until she becomes another man"s property. One step, two, three. !er husband$to$be"s face is upstructed by one of the church"s columns. 6enee"s throat became dry as she climbs the stairs. !er faithful maids grabbing at her skirts and train so she does not trip. !er breath caught as she finally glimpsed her husband from behind the veil. She felt like laughing. The +uaffed white$gold curls, stunning a+uatic eyes, and charming good looks. !er eyes darted to the row 'ellis is seated in, near the front pews on her families side. 'Charles Chattham. No wonder Fellis wanted to borrow him. God, they're marrying me into a power play.' 'or the first time that afternoon, 6enee smiled.

- Aimaksem -

Ankraa, April 3042 #espite the fact that it was early morning, the heat had already blistered the ground and cracked the mud from the end of the rainy season. She slipped her feet into her shoes, wincing as her joints ached in the process. She sat at the edge of the large tent, her back turned to the +uiet rustling inside. 'eurit was up and about already, no doubt. She could tell time by his routine. ")ou want anything for breakfast(" !e called from the back. "3ust tea is fine." ")ou sure( found some Skymanta eggs the other day, fresh too&" " don"t eat eggs." ".ity." The thin$framed woman stretched her hands up and towards the sun, balancing herself on her toes as she slowly swooped down to touch the dry ground. She slowly rolled her back up, each vertabrae snapping into place as she rose. Arthritis made her life some$what more difficult, but she managed with a healthy diet and stretching. She ambled inside, and watched as 'eurit stood over the small wood stove, sweat beading on his brow as he flipped the eggs in the pan. !e poured hot water into her cup, a small smile etched onto his mouth as he handed it to her. ")ou going to be okay( t is your last day here." She blew on the tea and looked over to him. !e practically towered over her. !e had the blondest hair she had ever seen, and he always kept it neatly trimmed and tucked behind his ears. She often wondered if she could roll a coin off his nose, for it was so straight the man could probably use it as a ruler. ")es, "ll be fine. t"s time for me to start my life." She smiled back to him. ")ou and Sakha have been too kind to me, "ll repay you somehow, someday." !e touched her hand lightly. "#on"t worry about it."

She turned her head as Sakha sauntered in, sleep still plastered on her face. She didn"t know much about the woman despite the fact she was Szerokan and didn"t speak much, if at all. 'eurit was +uite over$protective of her, to the point where he couldn"t get to sleep if he didn"t know where she was. !e had found her in an internment camp during the /ampaign, she had heard. .oor girl. ",ell well, look who"s finally decided to wake up. %reakfast( Tea(" Sakha waved her hand. ")es." "0eskamia is leaving today, you know. So say your good byes soon, we"ll be leaving in about twenty minutes. ,e"ll want to go before the sun boils us alive." Sakha looked up from her cup and gave 0eskamia a small grin. ")ou do good, yeah( 9se everything teach you." 0eskamia giggled at the broken 5nglish. She was still learning herself, but Sakha had been speaking it longer than her which was a cause for amusement. " will. #on"t worry. Take care of 'eurit for me, he"s more trouble than he"s worth." " heard that." She finished the rest of her tea, made sure everything in her rucksack was packed, and gave Sakha a gentle hug. They set off before the sun had peaked over the dunes. Al$%hesped was a few kilometers away. 4ot a very long walk, but it was difficult considering her condition and the soon$to$be blistering heat. 'eurit carried her bag on his back. !e would stop occassionally to hike the bag back up, for he was only using one strap on the account her rifle was slung on his other shoulder. She didn"t like people doing things for her, it made her feel like an invalid, but she wouldn"t complain considering it was a tiring treck. Al$%hesped was the /apital of her country. t was once a great city, with towering stone spires and e*otic birds in gilded cages. Al$%hesped used to be famous for its birds, for there was a legend that if you bought an egg from the city and hatched it by the river under the shade of a cyprus you would be granted one wish. 4ow, there was hardly anything remarkable about the /apital. t had one of the largest markets in 4ova /onchordis, however that wasn"t enough to suplement the economy. %uildings were crumbling, children went hungry, women hid in their homes and waited for their husbands to come home from dead$end jobs.

The markets were just beginning to open as they entered the gates of the city. 0en sat in groups of twos and threes, smoking Shisha and listening to the radio as the sun slowly crawled up and over the sand. She bought herself a persimmon with what little money she had, and tucked the small glossy fruit into her pocket. ")ou"ll be meeting the /aptain of The %avaria in 0irage, that coffee house over there," 'eurit pointed towards a small building peppered with hanging plants and strange hole$like brick work. " don"t know when they"ll be arriving, my brother said at around noon, but you never know with those people." 0eskamia nodded. She had never met 'eurit"s brother, but she knew him well enough from the stories 'eurit would tell. She tried picturing him in her mind. A tall, handsome assassin with troves of women behind him. She chuckled under her breath. ",ell, "m going to go wait in the Aerodrome. suggest you stay at 0irage, drink some water, read a book or something. "ll radio you when the ship lands. -ood luck, you"ll do well kiddo." 0eskamia reached up to wrap her arms around his neck. !e carefully placed his large hands on her back. "Thank )ou. "ll miss you and Sakha. %e safe." " will. And don"t worry, we"ll be able to say good bye before you leave. 4ow, go wait inside." She nodded and stepped inside the shade of the cafe. She looked behind her as 'eurit walked off. !e waved to her, and she waved back. To say she was nervous was an understatement. This was it. !er first big job. A good impression must be made. She flattened and re$fluffed her hair as she waited for the /aptain of The %avaria to arrive. She ordered a glass of lemonade and opened her book, a short story about a woman trying to find her worth amongst the tumultous endangerment of her kind in Ankraa. Such literature was hard to come by, and she coveted each book. She longed to be someone important, someone who could rise above her country"s stigma and make something of herself. t was why she wanted to leave. ,hen 'eurit"s voice crackled in over the radio, her goal was reassured, granted butterflies still flitted idly about in her stomach. t wasn"t long before the door jingled open. A tall, dark woman entered. 0eskamia was entranced by the woman"s snow$white hair and nautical garb. "6ight, 0esk. t"s go time," she said +uietly to herself.

The young woman puffed out her chest in false confidence as the white haired woman scanned the pub. !er golden eyes lit up as they reached 0eskamia"s figure. She walked towards 0eskamia, her strides long and self$assured. "Aimaksem(" !er accent was thick and heavy, like molasses. /onfidence gone, she gave a small grunt and nodded. The woman sat down. "0eskamia -isko. Aimaksem is just a nick$name gave myself." The woman turned her head, scanning the cafe. " can see why. Smart." " suppose, it was easy enough to disguise myself considering don"t have$$" she tried thinking of the word in 5nglish, "any assets." The woman flipped back her head as an airy laugh escaped her full lips. "Abella 6ubino, your new /aptain." Abella held out her hand. 0eskamia shook it firmly and felt a few crisp$rice pops in her joints. She winced, but kept eye contact. Abella offered her a drink, but she declined. "4o thanks, "d like to get started as soon as possible." 0eskamia pushed her hair behind her ear. "6ight then," Abella said and stood motioning for 0eskamia to go first.

Teatime walked into the kitchen and was surprised to find Sebastion at the table poring over some documents. "Seb, pleasant surprise, what brings you out of the medical wing(" !e asked cordially, pouring himself some tea. "2ookin" ovuh the new crewmembah"s charts." Sebastion replied without looking up. Teatime felt a slight surge of curiousity over the information. !e tried to crane his neck to see through the /oela"s thick head. !e could"ve sworn he"d heard a light chuckle escape the shark$man"s lips. "3ust wai" an" see "er for yahself Agma." Teatime felt his brow twitch slightly at the use of his name. !e was about to correct the #octor, but a sound of a ruckus from the other end of the ship caught his attention.

"-o check an" make shure tha" 4igel hasn" been crushed by a bo* o" turnips," Seb re+uested. Teatime nodded, unable to fault the logic. !e followed the source of the noise to find 4igel had merely dropped his bo* of cookie cutters. "Oh, don"t worry about me Teatime. 3ust got butterfingers. 4othing but a stubbed toe, heard a s+ueak. 0ighta killed .ilkins though." 4igel smiled +uietly at his own joke. " think 6oger would be the only one who would grieve that blasted cat"s death." Teatime grinned back and another crash rung out throughout the ship. "!ope everyone"s okay." 4igel murmured as he re$stacked the bo*es. "/ertainly no peace for the wicked this afternoon. guess "ll take damage inventory then, seeing as no one else is interested." Teatime was gone before 4igel could reply. She had never been inside of an Aerodrome before. t was absolutely massive, droves of ships lined up one by one, some floating gently up and towards the huge open cieling. She could see the sky above her, a few Skymantas flying +uietly in the breeze. ",ell, here she is," Abella motioned towards a cream$coloured ship. The hull looked to be stained oak, until it cut off at the bow, where white paint was peeling. There was a carved statue of some sort of woman, her hands outstretched where a small wooden bird rested in her palms. "$$The %avaria." 0eskamia caught sight of 'eurit. She half$ran half$walked to him, and he smiled, giving her one last hug before her new life began. "'ound her alright(" !e asked Abella. "5asy enough to spot this little one," she smiled. " already spoke with Teatime, everything is set up and going smoothly. She"s got her papers signed, so you shouldn"t have any trouble at the border." !e bent down and grasped both of 0eskamia"s hands in his own larger ones. "-ive em" hell kiddo." " will." She smiled and kissed his cheek.

"6ight. "m off, then. don"t know when "ll be seeing the lot of you ne*t, but "ll send a letter now and again." !e straightened his shirt, said his good byes, and was gone before she could say anything more. Abella motioned for 0eskamia to follow her. She opened the hatch, letting 0eskamia in first before she ducked down to enter. ",ell, this it it. !ome sweet home." 0eskamia moved to inspect the !elm, but was met with the warmth of someone"s chest against hers. She fell backwards, almost falling over if it wasn"t for Abella. "Sorry& Sorry& Sorry&" 0eskamia apologised profusely after cursing a few choice words in her own language. Abella"s head was thrown back with raucous laughter, the smaller woman who had greeted them was chortling too as if the pair were sharing their own private joke. 0esk just flushed a deeper shade of red. ""s no problem 0issy. ,atch that gun though, almost took me other eye out." The small woman told her and pointed to her eyepatch. 0eskamia had noticed it, she just knew staring was rude and was trying really hard to look anywhere but the deformity. "So, this is our new navigator then(" The eyepatched woman asked Abella. "Oui, si, da, yes. 0eskamia -isko, a sweet young thing as you can see. 0eskamia, this is my 'irst 0ate, rene 3amieson. Scurviest seadog this side o" %elezo and only person to slay a Sky 8raken with a handful of crackers." "'ecker had it comin"." rene shook 0eskamia"s hand roughly and gave her a firm slap on the back before shoving past. "/ap"n, "d like a "word" with you in your cabin when you"re done showing 2il" 0esk around." rene said before disappearing down the hall. Abella chuckled and shook her head, ".robably got a new bottle," she murmured. 0eskamia couldn"t help but eavesdrop, seeing as she was standing right there. She found her respect for the professionaism of the ship lowered despite how friendly its crew was. A lone figure made its way from the hall, probably to inspect the source of the noise. The figure was a man, likely in his early thirties and clad in an uptight manner. !is frame was welter$weight and tall, and a top his head was a slicked$over wave of brown hair.

"Teatime, just the man wanted to see. This is 0eskamia -isko, our new navigator, rene wanted to see me about some shipping plans so could you show her around the ship(" Abella"s golden eyes tightened into a smile that seemed almost deviously predatory. "%ut of course." !e replied curtly and held out a palm for 0eskamia to shake. 0esk winced. She suddenly wished they were the cheek$kissing type. !er wrists couldn"t take more of this hand$shaking business. 'ortunately, Teatime"s grip was firm, but his shake was gentle. "Agma Sint Sven, everyone calls me Teatime though." !e introduced. " noticed, just call me 0esk." She replied and reached for her suitcase. "!ere, let me take that for you." Teatime grabbed the bag easily with one hand, 0esk couldn"t bring herself to protest. !e held out an arm for her to link, ",ell, let"s show you our humble abode." 0eskamia nodded +uietly and traced his jawline with her eyes. She couldn"t deny being attracted to the older man"s pleasant politeness. !er eyes refocused from their rosy hue to realise Teatime had been trying to attract her attention toward their conversation. "0eskamia, 0iss -isko(" "!mn( Oh, yes& Sorry, was miles away." She replied, flustered. "4ot a problem, merely asking your talents other than navigation." !e smiled. " "m er... an..." She looked around as if telling a secret, then whispered, " "m an assassin." !e raised a thick brow in interest before chuckling. "0eskamia, most of us on this ship are assassins. ,e"re mercenaries, 2ove." She blushed a little at the choice in nickname. ",ell, rene"s technically a spy $damn good one too for all her lack of subtlety." !is voice was thick with resentful admiration and she felt a slight twinge of jealousy for some reason. ",hat kind of weapon do you use( Something elegant no doubt. )ou see, myself prefer to use a wrist gun $custom made by a dear friend of mine from the 6esistance. f have to choose a fire arm then it"s an anti+ue magnum. The gun is outdated, but kept in proper shape and nothing can compare. One shot is all you really need if you can aim." 0eskamia wondered if he wanted her to answer his +uestion or just politely listen to him ramble.

"Ah, sorry. This is the dining hall, kitchen"s to the left. 4igel is our cook. !e"s probably taking inventory in the pantry. 4ice fellow, he usually lets you help yourself to the larder. #inner"s an informal affair here and he usually delivers it to you." !e pointed to the ceiling above them. "9p there is 6oger"s cubby. !e doesn"t like people or germs, or anything really. t"s best to ignore him because he never comes down." 0eskamia had a strong urge to drag Teatime down to face level and keep him from talking for a good few minutes. A sense of appropriate behaviour is what stopped her. "Annndd the medical wing is this way." !e took a step, pulling her with him. 0eskamia stopped and he looked at her +uestioningly. " "m sorry, but "m rather tired. /an you show me to my room please(" Teatime deflated a little, but nodded. Teatime escorted her to her room. !e opened the door and dragged her suitcase in. The man stood, illuminated by the window, and for all his subtle grace he looked awkward and unsure. ",ell, "ll be seeing you then. 0y room"s just down the hall if you need anything. 'ood"s at si*." !e made a polite bow then moved to leave, 0esk, however stopped him by grabbing gently at his wrist. "Teatime(" !e gave her a +uestioning stare, ")es(" "Thanks. And, it"s a bolt$action rifle use." !e laughed before closing the door behind him. 0esk fell back onto her bed and sighed. !e smelled nice. "Get the fuc out of my office you insufferable woman!" 0eskamia bolted upright from her bed as a crash could be heard. 0ore yelling. ""y smo e rolled under your fec in' door! #orry you were writing naughty letters to your boyfriend and $ caught you with a stiffy!"

"Christoph is no%% GE& '(&!" Another crash. She clutched her blanket to her neck, not used to such a comotion. 2ife with 'eurit and Sakha was +uiet. ,hat had happened( She grabbed the candlestick, hissing as a hot piece of wa* dribbed down her finger. Teacups, blown to smithereens, littered the hallway. A stray piece managed to cut her, and she cursed. "!ello(" 4o answer. ,hoever it was, oh... what was her name( 5ilene( ,hoever it was, had stormed off, leaving only the !elmsman"s door slightly ajar. She knocked softly on the wood frame. " f you"re not gone within the span of a milisecond "m going to tie you up by your ankles and use you as the ship"s new figurehead." 0eskamia gasped softly, " $ "m sorry Sir, but it"s just me," she stepped in so he could see her face. !e was hunched over his desk, hair messy and breathing some$what laboured. She didn"t catch what he had muttered under his breath. " "m sorry, thought you were rene. didn"t wake you, hope." ",ell, yes, one tends to be woken up by yelling and smashed crockery." " "m going to kill her." "4o& .lease don"t& "m sure she didn"t mean it," 0eskamia worried the side of her night gown. !e laughed, " was only joking." "Oh." ",ell, are you going to just stand there or are you going to come in(" She wasn"t sure if it was a command, or an offer, but she obeyed, blowing out the candle and placing it by the door before she walked over to his desk. She sat where he pointed, and drank the tea, not bothering to decline the caffeine. She knew what this man was capable of, and was still some$what shaken up from the earlier altercation. "0y -od, girl, everything is fine." !e placed a hand on her shoulder to reassure her. " rene"s a... well, we don"t get along."

" noticed." She put the cup on the desk, trying hard not to be bothered by his deflated sigh. "So you have a boyfriend( "m still new to the whole concept of same se* relationships, but think everyone should have the$$" " "m going to kill her. "m going to kill her ghost. "m going to kill her ghost"s ghost$$" "Oh& $ , didn"t mean to insinuate$$" Teatime fumed, sat down, and rubbed his temples with his fingers. "/hristoph is that dear friend mentioned from The 6esistance. !e"s the /zar of Szeroka." !e blew on his cup. " rene, for years, has continued to pester me that "m hot for him, or that he"s hot for me, or that we both have it for the !igh Steamlord of 8ythyria. "ve only lost track with the stories she"s brewed up." "So you"re not$$" She blushed when he gave her a small smirk at her in+uiry. "4o, dear. am not. Abella can atest to that." "Oh." " t was a long time ago." She fidgeted in her seet, finding his scrutiny of her somewhat beguiling. "#o you think rene likes you( mean, she seems to like teasing you. sn"t that how some people court one another(" There was a pause before Teatime erupted with laughter. !e had to place his cup down to keep it from spilling. " rene"s... how do put this lightly." !e chuckled once more, still laughing at 0eskamia"s previous statment, "she fancies women." !e wiped a stray tear from his eye. "0e and rene, that"s a good one. "ll have to tell that to The /aptain." ",hy does she hate you so much, then(" "That"s a good +uestion, one "ve never figured out myself. t has to be performance art, is my theory. 4o one can hate one person that much." 0eskamia was suddenly reminded of her father, and how disappointed he was when she was not born a male. " "m sorry, is it something "ve said("

She looked up, giving him a small smile. "4o, no. 3ust tired is all." "#ear me, do apologize. have a bad habit of chatting peoples" ears off." !e stood up. ",ell, enjoyed the chat if that"s any consolation. #efinately a step up from that intolerable smoke$stack." She wondered if he knew he had a habit of making everything about him, but she wouldn"t press it, not now. "-ood night, Sir." "#on"t call me that, Sir, "m not your superior. t"s just Teatime." She felt a pang of embarassment at her mistake, yet glee, that for the first time in her life, she was e+uals with someone, and not just someone, a man. "-oodnight, Teatime." !e smiled at her. "-oodnight, 0eskamia." Sunday #inner was one affair she was never going to get used to. t started with 4igel announcing the food was ready over the Ship"s radio, and then as if a great beast had been summoned from the belly of the ship, a commotion could be heard as the 'irst 0ate blitzkrieged the halls. The short, vile$tempered woman would always take the best trimmings on the chicken, leaving only a measely leg and the breasts. 4o one could assertain as how she ac+uired such speed, for it was almost if she was in two places at once. " swear she"s discovered time travel, yet why she"s only using it to secure her precious gristle is beyond me," Teatime said as he escorted her to the dining room. ")ou"re brown," a new voice announced. "Ah, the racist germaphobe has descended from the ivory tower to grace us with his prescence. As you can see, 0eskamia -isko is Ankraan. Ankraashm, to be precise." "(saburali le houm," she said in her own language. ",hat did she call me(" 6oger narrowed his eyes at her. "She said "pleased to meet you", you ass," Teatime looked to 0eskamia. She nodded. "-ood, was hoping was right, my Arakaan is a tad rusty. 'eurit"s more versed in it than ."

The older, rotound man pushed his spectacles up onto the bridge of his nose, and when he turned to walk towards the table, it was when she noticed a calico cat tucked under his arm. " "m sorry you were subjected to that, only reason we keep him around is he can forge literally anything, damned good cartographer too." !e pointed to the cat, 0eskamia wrinkling her nose as it lapped at the gravy bowl. "That"s .ilkens, Satan incarnate." "She is not& )ou"re not Satan, who"s a good kitty(" 6oger rubbed his nose against hers. "'eckin" hell& -et a room ye" cat fecker&" rene yelled from the head of the table. "-ranted, there are instances where can tolerate rene"s bluntness." 0eskamia laughed. "Oh -od," rene grimaced. "Oh 3aysus, oh feck, everyone get down&" Teatime threw himself towards the ground, pulling 0eskamia down with him as he ducked under the table. A loud crash rang out through the ship as broken glass and wood splintered around them. "!ope "m not late," a heavily accented voice called out. ",hat is with you people( ,hy can"t you knock on the door( ,hy can"t you nicely enter the ship and nicely join us for dinner, and not smash in through the fucking window like a raving lunatic&" The Skymanta on the table flapped its wings idly, the saddle it was previously wearing now stuck on its left "wing". 0eskamia was in awe. She had never seen a 0a+uaii before. The woman standing before her was almost ethereal, her long silver hair and indigo skin enough to make her +uestion reality. "#ara, 0eskamia. 0eskamia, #ara." "#arafariath ttruceg," the 0a+uaii corrected. ",hatever," rene grumbled, now upset her chicken was now on the ground. "Olive, ipre ," the 0anta ceased its floundering before it began to flap its massive wings, its huge body levitating like a off$kilter ship, the saddle hanging from its wing setting it askew. ,hen #ara approached to fi* it, the animal inflated slightly, and with

great fascination it was then that 0eskamia noticed it had air$filled sacs under its wings to keep itself a float. " f we get another ,indys+uid infestation, you"re paying for it," Teatime declared. The Skymanta managed to get itself out of the ship, and #ara merely nodded, instead chosing to sit down and enjoy the meal despite the carnage she had inflicted. The woman"s serene grace was unnerving. "4ow then," 4igel announced, "let"s eat." ",here"s The /aptain(" 0eskamia asked, looking to Teatime. "Out. )ou"ll be briefed later." 0eskamia jumped slightly as a large, gaping maw attached itself to the window, a ,indys+uid in its jaws. ",hy is it, #ara, that every 0anta you ac+uire seems to have some sort of mental defect(" Teatime said between mouthfuls of what remained of the chicken. #ara shrugged. "They"re wonderful creatures," she seemed to beam as Olive emptied the ballast in its wing$sacs, and watched as it sunk down, "fast, loyal, gentle$$" "And feckin" stupid," rene chimed in. "Aye," 4igel was, of course, furious his meal had been ruined. "2erampto is well(" Teatime in+uired. rene "oooo"d from the other side of the table, cackling as she dodged a spoonful of mashed potato. ")es," #ara said +uietly. "&he )ersugisa has been holding the front lines well, though The 8ythyrians are pushing back hard. 2ast heard, &he Pyra*ia had destroyed a s+uadron near the borders of Szreoka and The !ighlands." "&he Pyra*ia(" Teatime frowned. " sn"t that the 'lagship The 8ythyrians have been working on for the past decade or so( wouldn"t think she"d be ready by now." !e fiddled with the hem of his napkin. ",ell, hopefully &he )ersugisa can match her power, if not we always have the +rdent #pecter to fall back on." 0eskamia was having a hard time keeping up with all the ship names. " worked on the +rdent #pecter, helluvah ship," rene said. "'i*ed her right up, she was docked in 0ac.en for repairs a while back."

"0aybe &he Pyra*ia isn"t ready yet, that may have been a test run," Teatime murmured. "!opefully. %ut yes, to answer your +uestion, 2erampto is well." Teatime must have sensed 0eskamia"s confusion, for he leaned sideways to whisper into her ear. "2erampto is #ara"s cousin, he"s the /ommander of Armed Airforces and /aptain of &he )ersugisa." She merely nodded. This was the part rene hated. She hated training the new people. She hated growing attached and feigning not giving a rat"s ass when they died. Stupid /harlie. She ashed the cigarette between her lips and grumbled as she assembled her trusty tommygun. t wasn"t that rene was generally a hateful person, or that she was angry for no apparent reason. Some parts of her she kept hidden, some parts she made up, and the alcohol( That was a different story. A drunk rene was the happiest, most angry person alive and she didn"t give two shits what people thought. ,ell, that wasn"t true. She cared about what The /aptain thought, and as much as she hated to admit to it, she cared what Teatime thought as well. %eside"s The /aptain"s cabin, the hangar was her favourite place. !ere, she could be alone, for 4igel was the only one who could fly the small bi$plane and it rarely got used. She would sit in the cockpit and turn on the radio, privately listening to passing ship chatter or some bullshit 8ythyrian propaganda. She liked the mustyness, the smell of iron and grease, and the way the dust caught the light. t reminded her of 0ac.en. " $ rene(" ",as wondering when you"d show up." She downed the rest of drink, and turned her hip to meet 0eskamia"s small frame. "3aysus, what are you, twelve( Thirteen( That"s fecked up, The /apn" hirin" children." The desert woman paled, and then grew red. " "m twenty$two." ",ell shit. .remie or somesuch(" rene realised she wasn"t helping the situation, but she wanted to push her away. She didn"t want to get to know this woman. "4ever mind. Anyways, today"s your first mission."

"0ission( thought was just going to be reading the navigational charts$$" "!ow the feck do we know you"re not a spy( Or someone crazy(" rene laughed inwardly at herself, "well, how do we know you"re not a spy(" "Aren"t you a spy(" "'or the right people, 3aysus woman. 3ust, come over here." rene motioned to a large scroll, blocky letters and diagrams covered its surface. ")ou"ve probably noticed we"ve been in the sky for a while, we"re going to dock in 3udica, /apital of Thasos." She pointed to another drawing, consisting of twisting canals and a+uaducts. ",e"ll be going to a warehouse in thica to inspect a weapon"s shipment for The 6esistance. 4othing to dangerous, just a basic grab and go." She could sense that 0eskamia was growing nervous, and a hairpin curve of rene"s lip seemed to reassure her. "#on"t worry yourself, you"ll do fine." "#ocking in one hour," Teatime"s voice announced over the radio. "6ight. )ou ready(" rene spotted the rifle slung over the woman"s shoulder. ")ou won"t be needing that." "Are you sure(" rene stroked the stock of her own gun. "1uite." ,ith an air of reluctance, 0eskmia nodded to her and placed the rifle down on the work bench. "Szerokan, "m guessing(" "-ood eye." 0eskamia covered her mouth. "Oh& "m sorry& didn"t$$" rene laughed. "#on"t be." Once they had docked in the Aerodrome, rene and 0eskmia had taken the Aerosphere down to thica, where their mission would commence. 0uch to 0eskamia"s annoyance, rene had stopped to grab cigarettes. She wanted to get this over with. 3udica hung like a gallant metropolis in the sky, anchored by enormous chains and kept afloat by some sort of technology she didn"t +uite understand yet. The Aerosphere encompassed the city in a ring, taking citizens and tourists alike to designated stops. 2arge, golden spires dotted the city : vines and flowers decorated buildings and cafes.

"6eason 3udica floats is because they"re scared of another earth+uake, heard," 0eskamia said +uietly to her accomplice. ".robably," rene shoved past a woman decorated in lavish looking trappings. "4ever know with these rich fucks." 0eskamia jumped back as a large, bipedal fish strode past her. 9pon further investigation, she realized it was a /oelas, the fins on his arms giving him away. rene laughed and peeled 0esk"s hand from her arm. ",hat, you scared of them(" "A bit..." "#on"t bother em", they get treated like shite and don"t have a government, have shite wages, and are treated like vermin. .iss off a /oelas and it will be the last thing you do." 0eskamia swallowed nervously. ",hat about Sebastian(" ",hat about him( !a& !e wouldn"t hurt a fly." rene lit her cigarette and turned her good eye to meet 0eskamia"s blue ones. "3ust watch yerself, missy, thica is home to unsavoury folk." After ten minutes of walking, they had finally arrived at the canals. 2arge channels of water divided various warehouses and docks, the occasional raft or boat floating down the languid water. rene pointed to a building in the distance. "That"s our target. 'ollow me." ,ith surprising agility, the 'irst 0ate hopped onto a dock and proceeded to hop along various boats and crates until she was on the other side. 0eskamia floundered, atheletics weren"t her strong suit. "/"mon& ,e haven"t got all day&" A surge of annoyance rushed through her, and somehow she found it within herself to hop down onto the dock, and then onto the first boat. She swayed on her feet at first, trying to find her balance. She watched as rene tapped her foot. 'inally, she had made it to the other side. "Took yeh" long enough," rene grumbled. 0eskamia frowned slightly.

The warehouse in +uestion was a large building with drafty windows. t looked harmless to her, however it was once rene had opened the large doors that 0eskamia retracted her previous thought. nside were crates of illegal goods, the majority most$ likely smuggled in from various ports around 4ova /onchordis. ",e"re lookin" for a crate with a duck logo." "A duck(" "'eurit"s Sand #ucks, stupid name, know. 3ust keep yer" eyes peeled." After a few more minutes of searching, 0eskamia had found the crate in +uestion. "Over here&" rene strode over and inspected the crate before she pushed 0esk aside. "!ere comes the scary shit." She gently nudged the crate with the barrel of her gun, and when nothing happened, she pryed the crate open. "Oh feck." ",hat(" "4o time to e*plain, just run&" 0eskamia stumbled forward as rene shoved her in the back. 'ollowing the 'irst 0ate"s lead, she scrambled over rafts and boats until they had made it safetly to the other side. "3ump in," rene barked. ",hat(" "3ump in the feckin" water& 3aysus woman, do need to spell everything out for you(" 0eskamia complied. t felt like she had been punched in the stomach as she hit the water, the air escaping from her lungs in one giant gust as she gasped. ,hen rene didn"t follow, she turned to see the 'irst 0ate doubled over on the dock, racous laughter erupting from her small frame.

")ou feckin" jumped in," she wheezed. "That was brilliant." She helped 0eskamia out of the water, not phased by the 4avigator"s glare. "There was nothing wrong with the crate, was there," she asked. "4o, just wanted to "innitiate" you, suppose." rene let out one last chuckle before slapping 0eskamia on the back. ")er" alright, -isko. 'ancy a drink( "m parched." " t"s just 0eskamia. Or 0esk." "6ight. ,hatever. 'ollow me." The Highlands, February 3021 /harles burrowed his fists deeper into his pockets as he leaned against the doorway. "6enee(" !e asked the still air. !is cold wife"s voice is rapt and it startled him. ",hat do you want /harles(" She stepped past him and into their bedroom. t"s more her bedroom than his. A sheetless cot would be warmer than their wedding mattress. They haven"t made love in the nine months of their marriage. The most he had to show for their union were the chaste kisses she showed whenever they had company. t wasn"t that 6enee was un$civil or argumentative. n fact, /harles felt guilty just broaching the subject. ,hen he had asked the staff their opinion, the maids tittered in reply. ")ou mean you don"t know(" !e raised an eyebrow in +uery. "0istress is a saphist." /harles" eyes had widened, and he took note of the red marks on said maid"s skin. The !elp was getting more action from his wife than he.

/harles brushed his hair away from his face. t"s getting rather long and ratty. 4ot that he cared anyways, he enjoyed the world knowing of his suffering. %etter to die with passion. !e mutters as he walked past her and their bed toward the en suite wash room. ")ou wanted something," 6enee stated as she brushed her dark hair. "3ust wondering if you wanted to engage in.... conversation or something." !e replied wearily before removing his trousers. ",hat are you doing(" !er voice raised an octave and she knows it shouldn"t. After nine months she should be used to seeing him in states of undress. "Taking a bath. That a problem(" !e challenged, hoping for a rise. "4o. 3ust curious." She returned to dragging the brush through her smooth hair. The door clicked shut behind him, /harles leaves it unlocked as a dare. The scent of his aromatic salts fill the air as /harles deeply breathes them in. !e sunk into the filling porcelain. The man winced at the coldness of the material underneath his skin. !is impatience has cost the stone heating from the water. !e wiggles to try and ease his discomfort. Alas, he"ll have to wait.

- Sore Blind Eye -

S eroka, !e"e#ber 3022 This was the part of his job he didn"t particularily like. !e adjusted the parcel tucked under his arm and continued onwards, his boots crunching under the thick blanket of snow. ,hy couldn"t the /ommander build his blasted mansion somewhere warm( /harles groaned as thick flakes pelted his face. n the distance, he could make out the shape of the manor, perched precariously on a steep cliff that overlooked acres of forest. Ssudilovitch, the piteres+ue captial of Szeroka, was only a few kilometers away. !e wondered what was in the package he was carrying. There were letters wrapped in twine, and a few smaller envelopes that felt

heavy : no doubt something important pertaining to the impending war. !e wondered how his wife was fairing. She was heavily pregnant, due in a few weeks, and he wanted nothing more than to be home with her. !e wanted to brush back her black curls that would spring loose from her pinned hair, and kiss her nose when she wrinkled it at the smell of his pickled beef sandwiches. 'inally, he had arrived. !e adjusted his coat before knocking, wondering if the /ommander would even be home. ,hen the door opened, he was graced with the curvaceous figure of 3ohanna -ower. "/harles," she began, "what a pleasant surprise." "3ohanna." !e was curt. %ehind her was the foyer, a grand entranceway with stained oak paneling and hand carved baseboards. A chandelier dangled over head, the yellow crystals glinting from the oil lamps that peppered the ochre walls. !e noticed the ebony cigarette holder in her hand, her painted nails filed in a peculiar fashion. !er grey$green eyes glinted with mirth as she smiled to him. "!ere, let me take your coat." !e fussed, but she persisted. "6iney is in the other room with his dignataries. /ome in for a drink, won"t you(" !e felt his stomach churn at her choice in nickname. "Sorry, but can"t. have to get back." "4onsense& /ome, follow me." !e rolled his eyes as she tugged on his hand. The svelte woman lead him down a series of coridors before she opened a heavy looking door. nside the air was thick with political meat$hooks and the heady smell of cigars. !e noticed 6inehart at the head of the table, and he looked older, /harles noticed. !e wasn"t the shadow of his father anymore, not the thin young man he had seen in years past at dinners and balls. !e was taller now, more filled out. !is face was all angles. "Ah, /hatham, always a pleasure." The /ommander motioned for him to sit. /harles obliged. !e watched as 3ohanna scurried off to the side, pouring him a drink whilst chanelling a coy smile to her husband. !e recognized a few at the table. There was #ietrich Apfelgibt, the Steamlord of The !ighlands, and /hristoph Svalberg$Svalberg, Tsar of Szeroka. The rest he did not

know. As if noticing the eyes on him, 6inehart spoke up, waving to /harles with a +uick flick of his wrist. "/harles /hatham, a family friend and courier." /harles smiled behind the malice he felt behind his teeth. !e wanted to get home. !e could care less about the drink and having to listen to what these men and women had to say. 3ohanna placed what looked like a glass of scotch down ne*t to him, and he thanked her. She winked. !e watched as she went around the table refilling drinks. ,as this what she had been reduced to( A maid( !e scoffed inwardly. 3ohanna was the vi*en all the men tried to impress. She was the powerhouse behind the 6esistence"s success. )et her she was now, cowering it seemed in her husband"s odd embrace. t was a match he could have never forseen. She wasn"t 8ythyrian, nor noteworthy in any sense to 6inehart"s family, yet somehow they had been convinced she was a perfect fit for him. t was then that he remembered 3ohanna"s heritage was a fraud. ,hat was it again( She was long lost royalty( !eir to Somme"s throne or some$such( !e felt like laughing but thought against it considering the location. "!ow"s 6enee(" !e almost jumped at the in+uiry. She was sitting down ne*t to him, one leg crossed over the other, one hand holding her lighter, a cigarette perched between her painted lips. "She"s well. She"s due in a week or so." !e downed the rest of his drink and watched, entranced, as she lit her cigarette. "-ood, good," smoke plumed from her nostrils. "0aybe can stop by some day soon. -ods, it"s been ages since "ve seen her." She laughed. "0aybe 6inehart will come too." "#oubt it," /harles muttered. %esides, he didn"t want that man near his child. "$$ think, /ommander, we should be more concerned with the idea of spies amongst us." 3ohanna stiffened, but +uickly regained her composure. /harles was close enough to catch her tell.

".erhaps you"re right, /hristoph, but for now we need to focus on building up our borders." 6inehart swirled his brandy sniffer. "The 6esistence is getting cocky. They"ve set up bridgeheads in almost every major city." ",hat about the bombing of ;ilnius(" #ietrich chimed in. ",as that not warning enough(" ".erhaps," 6inehart took a long sip from the glass. "%ut it won"t be enough."