The Gazelle plowed through the clouds like a knife slitting a lying man’s throat. The skies were cloudy and clear from a passing storm. The anchor lurched free of its secured spot as it splashed into the waters to keep the ship from drifting away. Nolan yelled into a metal tube to order Timothy to stop the engines. He dialed down the throttle to his right, thinking, “The new engines work like a charm. I guess all that time down was a good thing.”
He stared from the railing as he contemplated the consequence of what had just transpired in Kuu. It weighed heavy on his conscious: kidnapping, murder, arson, poaching. The list seemed to pile on and on with multiple counts. It usually wouldn't bother him much, violence, torture, and murder like drinking water to him. A shrill shriek echoed through the ship, breaking him from his contemplation. He didn't like feeling regretful for what his actions might cause, but Kuu had turned out to be a second home with real family. He turned as he rushed below deck. He knew she had regained consciousness finally. They had moved her from his bed to one of the spare rooms.
Fear clung to her fragile frame like wet rags from a heavy rainfall. She wedged herself in the corner, fearing the worst after the savage beating and torture they had given her underneath the courthouse. The fresh scars still stung in the open air and some were bandaged, which was odd, she thought, staring at her hands as she wrapped herself in the sparse sheets.
A loud creak came from the door across the room as it opened slightly, a pair of eyes reflecting the light from the porthole. The rest of the figure seemed wrapped in shadows. She pulled the sheets tight across her body.
Nolan approached the cabin, seeing the tiny frame of Rilain being creepy and staring into the room. He slowly walked up behind her, which was a surprise to him with the size of her ears. He smacked the back of her head.
"Quit staring and go get a glass of water for her," he said.
Rilain spun on her heels, giving Nolan a pouty look. "But...but," she murmured.
Alexander let out a sigh and put his hand on the top of her head. "Be nice, she's been through a lot, Rilain."
She quietly gave in to his demand as she sulked away to fetch the water. "She is gonna be mad at you," Franklin squeaked.
"You think so? She'll get over it," he replied to his small octopus companion, pushing the door open and taking the first few steps across the threshold.
Vera's eyes went wide and tears welled up from the corners as they flowed down her face. She tried to stand up but with her first step, her legs buckled, having not been used for a while. She fell forward, but Nolan stepped in, putting his arms out and catching her in mid fall, like a fish in a net. He pulled her up, bringing her back to the bed as she continued to cry into his arms.
"Wow, she can sure cry a lot," Franklin squeaked.
Alexander said with a slight tilt of his head, "You know you're not helping this, Franklin."
Franklin let out a chuckle. "Well, she just got beat up. You survived an airship crash and lost an eye, but you didn’t cry this much."
"You know girls can be fragile sometimes, and I had a concussion, and blood loss, and dehydration," Alexander muttered.
"But what about Ruby? She isn't fragile," Franklin said.
A small sigh escaped Nolan's lips. "Well, she is a special case. She hung around us too long and has seen some shit."
A faint chuckle emanated from Vera as her face was buried in his chest. "Feeling any better, my dear?" he asked.
Her head moved slower than a clock tick before she answered." Yes," she said with a death grip around Alexander waist.
Just then, RIlain stomped into the room with a glass of water and a plate of food. Alexander cocked head and said, "Good girl," gently patting Rilain on the head even though she still had a sour expression plastered across her face.
"Alright, now try to eat something, then I can explain the situation," he told Vera.
"Situation?" she tried to ask, her voice raspy from crying.
Alexander scratched his head as he thought about what to say next. "Well we might have kidnapped you from Kuu and caused some small collateral damage in finding you."
"We killed a bunch of people and set some things on fire," Rilain added.
His shoulders slumped at her brashness. "What she said, and I’m going to assume we're not allowed back in Kuu for the time being. So if you want to go home, we can book you passage when we hit Araz."
Vera took a bite of whatever meat the Nakalo had given her. “Can I stay for a bit?" she asked after a long pause.
"You're more than welcome…but you might not like what you see. This life is a violent and brutal one," Alexander added, but she just nodded.
"Well, get some rest. We're anchored for the night. Rilain, come on. Time to get some training in," he said as he started to leave. A smile crossed RIlain’s face, as she would get to spend some time with Nolan.
Franklin climbed off Nolan’s shoulder. "I’m gonna give her some company," he squeaked.
"Don’t be creepy, Franklin," he replied.
The Gazelle's trip back to Conwell took longer than normal due to some abnormal storm patterns. It gave the crew time to catch up on training and work. Rilain was supposed to help Timothy learn more self-defense, while Vera watched from the shadows of the catwalk. Franklin slept quietly in his nest above the bed, while Nolan cleaned his rifle and other firearms. They had been maintained, but now he had some time to break them down and thoroughly clean them. The snow of Kuu was hell on some of his weapons. Cleaning the rust out and oiling all the moving parts, he tuned out all sounds of a beating. Perhaps Rilain wasn’t the best person to train Tim. She didn’t understand that “train” meant “show,” not “beat the crap out of him until he begs for mercy.” The thought had crossed his mind a few times when the sounds of pain echoed from the cargo hold.
After the revolver was finished, he decided to go for a walk and see how Tim was fairing. The cargo bay seemed empty except for a few crates on one side and cages and chains on the other. Poor Tim was propped up against a crate. He looked like he had gone a few rounds too many, and Rilain seemed to barely have a scratch on her.
"Well, not the idea of what I meant for training, but you'll get better at it over time," Alex said, helping Tim back up on his feet.
After rubbing his bruises, Tim remarked, "I'll stick with engines and not fighting, Captain."
"Well, you know shit happens around here,” Alex said. “We will try to get you shooting more guns."
Vera chuckled from the corner, watching the display. "Alright, time for my turn," Nolan said as he turned to Rilain, putting his fists up as she started to run at him. She followed up with a strong right hook, but he ducked and countered with a jab at her stomach. She jumped back then lunged at him again, Nolan putting up his arms to block the onslaught. He was getting pushed back, trying to block, but he pressed forward, ducking to the side and throwing a left, then a right. She threw her hand up high to block and Nolan gave her a low jab in her gut. She winced forward and he grabbed the back of her shirt, yanking it over her head and blinding the small female, pushing her to the ground. He put his foot on her and exclaimed, "I win."
"But you cheated," Timothy stated.
Nolan looked over. "A fight is a fight. It doesn’t matter if you shoot her before she hits you, or throw sand in her eyes. Whatever keeps you alive is a good thing, even if it’s cheating."
RIlain coughed and moved on the ground, pulling her shirt back down. "You're getting better with the fighting," Nolan said, helping her back up on her tiny feet. She pouted for a minute about her losing the fight, but cooled down. Everyone dispersed after a while of chit chat: Tim found his nice hammock hanging in the engine room; Rilain climbed into the pile of fur heaped on top of her bed, ready to sleep; and Nolan went to the upper deck to look at the sky. With no light source, the sky looked like it was a shimmering blanket of stars in a black sea of swirling void space.
He heard the old deck hatch creak open and footsteps followed as it closed shut. He didn’t feel like turning around to see who the mysterious person was; he was content in watching the surreal scenery before his eye.
"You'll catch a cold if you don’t wear something warmer," Vera said as she walked up, leaning on the railing and facing the opposite way Alexander was.
"Yeah, yeah, this breeze is nothing," he replied.
A smile tried to cross her tired face before she asked, "So what’s Araz and Conwell like?"
"Lots of sand and dirt, in Prush, and ice and snow in the lands of Titania in the north. Conwell isn't the nicest place. It’s filled with liars, thieves, pirates, and whores…but it's home," he said.
"That doesn’t sound like a nice place to live," she replied with a look of bewilderment.
He let out a hardy laugh. "True, the place grows on you after a while, but it's not for everyone. We can send you back, if you want."
"I'm okay for now. Your aunt has probably fired me already and my house was ransacked," she said, her voice carrying a melancholic tone as she leaned on Alexander.
"Alright, let’s get you to sleep," he mentioned, ushering her below deck.
The rest of the watch seemed uneventful; the skies were steady and calm. He lit a cigarette in the midnight air, the flickering dim light offering little illumination. One of the moons was full in the sky that night, the clouds around it looking like a halo of ice hanging off its cold surface.
Hours later, the small form of Rilain emerged from below deck with her fishing rod ready for watch. As she sat down and proceeded to fish, he looked over to see if it landed in the water, but realized he couldn’t see. With a yawn and a stretch, he headed off to bed to sleep, hopefully without the added bonus of nightmares.
Araz was on the horizon. It slowly crept forward as the gazelle glided through the infinite, ever-expanding blue skyline. Vera had a look of wonder and surprise splayed across her face. The Prodigious Canyon turned from the opening of a river into the giant chasm that rendered the land in half, dividing Antiford and Prush. Alexander took a deep breath and inhaled that dry desert air, the breeze carrying the scents of the desert.
Rilain had her usual smile on her face, seeing home, Conwell, spanning the giant chasm on train tracks. It had once been a small settlement, but since the war, it had expanded its borders, even building and mining into the canyon walls themselves.
"It's good to see home," Alex thought with the nagging feeling that he was going to get beaten up by Ruby for more than one thing. He brushed off the thought. The desert sun felt good on his skin, and when he left the pilot’s cabin, the engines slowly came to a halt so the crew could admire the view before descending into the docks.
The engines roused back to life and steam slowly vented from the blimp-like balloon, the fans pivoting as the Gazelle descended from the skies. Lucky dock number seven was still empty, the harbor master waving at the approaching ship with a familiar smile playing on his face.
After the ship had been moored, safe and secure, the crew gathered before they set out. Nolan told Rilain to take Vera and Timothy to go see James, since he was a doctor. Nolan handed the small Nakalo a bottle of whiskey as payment for the drunkard of a doctor and then to take the two on a brief tour of the town.
Tim asked where Alex was going to go and Nolan answered with his usual expression, explaining that he had to go check in with the leader of Conwell, since he had been gone for over a year. It seemed he had to catch up on current events and get yelled at for being away for so long. Alexander was unconsciously touching the sword scar on his arm as he explained the situation and also gave Tim and Vera the rules of the independent city state. They had all agreed to meet up at the Land’s Edge and Nolan reminded Rilain to put her badge back on, since neither of them had been around for a while. He whistled for Franklin, who emerged from a small crack near the stairs and then scuttled across the old wooden planks, his little tentacles pitter-pattering against the grained surface, then up the arm of the kneeling Captain Nolan.
They departed from the Gazelle, the streets and back alleys not having changed a bit since they left. It still had the seedy and dangerous vibe, but felt like home. Franklin was so excited he was bouncing on Nolan’s shoulder with the usual quip and insult aimed at Nolan, or saying some of the people walking by were ugly and disgusting. It made Nolan chuckle since people couldn’t understand his little foul-mouthed companion.
"You realize Ruby is going to kill you," Franklin squeaked.
"For what?" he asked.
Franklin was amused with the sound of his voice. "One, not going to see her first. Two, being away for so long. And three, bringing home another lady." As they walked through the town, they got looks from the newer citizens who had never seen Alexander, but had only heard the stories about his reputation as they noticed the badge and the small land octopus riding on his shoulder.
"You're overreacting," he said, brushing off Franklin's statement.
"Well, remember when you brought Rilain, how passive aggressive she was to you? And now you brought Vera, who is a human and pretty...I don’t see this ending well," squeaked his companion as they made a few detours to small food stands. Nolan had picked up some fresh fruit and a small snack for Franklin on the way to Daniel’s.
"It tastes like home," chirped Alex’s friend as he tore chunks of roasted flesh from the small desert rat on a stick. The rats were problematic pests and had come to Conwell by stowing away on the ships that made port. Alexander was happy the Gazelle didn’t have that problem. Franklin usually killed and ate all the mice that tried to find a home. He would be more worried if Franklin found another land octopus. Then they would be swimming in land octopuses, he thought to himself.
"Yeah, the Kuuvian foods are nice, but I was homesick for desert food. Although, a Titanian bear steak sounds wonderful right now," Alexander commented, taking a bite out of a piece of fruit, juice dribbling down his chin as they started to walk again.
The old town hall had been around since the town’s conception and also doubled as the town’s brig with old cells in the back. The traffic around the building seemed to be particularly busy today, people streaming in and out of the doors. The group pushed their way inside, walking down the old hallways. Alexander pushed a man waiting in line to speak with Daniel out of the way. The man raised his voice in protest, but backed off, realizing who had pushed him. He raised his hand in defeat and slowly backed off like a submissive dog with its tail between its legs. Nolan entered the office without knocking first. The door creaked as it swung open to reveal Daniel sitting at his desk, his face down on a mountain of paper work.
Geoff sat at his desk, lounging with his legs kicked up on it. He noticed Nolan and a bright white smile crossed his dark mahogany skin. It was a shockingly bright contrast. He raised his hand in a friendly gesture, and Daniel raised his head to see who had walked in. His facial expression was a look of surprise and annoyance.
Daniel wiped his eyes to make sure he wasn't seeing thing. "Oh, look, you're finally back. What took you so long?"
With a casual shrug of his shoulder, Nolan responded, "Well, there were some complications on a job and I couldn't leave Kuu because I was hospitalized." He pulled out a bottle of Kuuvian whiskey that had been made with deer blood. It was a peace offering for being away for so long.
"So you got hurt. Geeze, you got sloppy again. What did I teach you, boy? Sometimes you can be like the son I never wanted," Daniel replied with a mocking tone playing through his voice. "So what happened this time? What did you destroy now? "
"Hey, well, first there was a cultist problem, and I almost got my arm severed because of Rilain. Then I went to the hospital...and there were more cultists, we set some fires, maybe a kidnapping. Long story short, I might have been banished by the queen of Kuu," he explained with hand motions followed by an awkward silence.
Geoff broke the silence with a deep, throaty laugh. "It has been too quiet around here, my friend. With you back, things will be lively again."
"By that you mean more paperwork and repairs from all that collateral damage, like last year when you had a shootout with mercs, then slid across the canyon on a cargo line followed by cutting it? Do you know how much damage you caused in one afternoon?" Daniel spoke calmly.
Nolan’s face had a slight cringe to it. "I hoped you would have forgotten that one by now. I tried to solve that one peacefully, but they had Rilain confused with some runaway slave bounty."
"It’s been taken care of, don’t worry about it. But I've got work for you; I need the guy in cell four delivered to Gearford, unharmed and alive. I also have a public execution law I need broken soon," Dan said.
"Fine, I’ll do it, but I have to go see Ruby first," Alex mentioned.
"Boy, you must be some kind of idiot for not going to visit her first," the old man said bluntly.
"See, I told you so," Franklin squeaked.
“Yeah, I've had that feeling, but I also needed to get some Conwell passports for two new people I recruited," he explained.
"More people? You just like to pick up strays wherever you go now, it seems, but Geoff has the paperwork," Daniel added.
After gathering the paperwork for Vera’s and Timothy’s passports, Alex left the building, on his way to The Land’s Edge and Ruby’s inevitable wrath.
Citizens Of Antiford 