Gin and Tonic NaNoWriMo Last Day

The door to the circus master’s wagon opened and Darwin bolted out. He ran fast enough that he was past Master Hewn before the man could react, but as the circus master watched the departing back of the sprinter he saw a small box tucked under his arm and recovered from his momentary surprise.

“Stop that boy!” He yelled, starting to give chase himself.

Darwin abruptly switched direction, heading towards a more crowded part of the circus, leading the circus master away from the wagon. Gin watched this through the tiny window, the real dragon tucked safely inside Darwin’s bundled up pirate shirt. Once she was sure the coast was clear she stepped out into the sun and ran too. She would need to make a quick detour before meeting up with Darwin.

No one paid her much attention as she trotted casually back towards the airfield. She waved casually to Elmer and Arthur as she approached.

“Here, catch.”

She tossed the bundle to Elmer.

“What’s this? Wait, this looks like Darwin‘s shirt. Where-?”

“No time.” Gin said, “I need you to run that back to the Jotnar and give it to Tonic. Tell him to put it on and ride down with one of the transports delivering the spice. And here,” she dropped the rings into his hand. “Make him wear these too. He needs to look as much like Darwin as possible.”

Arthur looked shocked. As Elmer boarded his guppy, he asked, “Is Darwin alright? Did he get caught?”

“Not yet,” Gin said, glancing over her shoulder to make sure nobody was in earshot. “That is my job. And I need to get going before somebody else beats me to it. Arthur, stay here and guard the ships. If anyone asks, Darw- er, Tonic just wandered off to have a look around and will be back shortly. Can you do that for me?”

Arthur nodded.

“Good, wish me luck.”

She spun on her heal and sprinted towards the big top. Darwin would be taking the long way towards it, but she still had given him quite the head start by giving priority to the dragon piece. No time to feel guilty about it now.

There was quite a crowd around the big top and she had to slow her pace and force her way through, getting more than a few grumbles and shoves along her path. Her small stature worked to her advantage as she slipped to the front, but there she found a large mime, his beefy arms folded. He said nothing as she approached, but held out a hand and mimed a wall, then shook his head. He was not letting anyone go inside.

Gin did not have time to mess around. Darwin was probably already inside. She dodged around to the side and ducked under his arm, made it two feet, and felt herself lifted into the air by the back of her shirt. The mime hurled her back into the crowd where she fell in the dirt and dust.

She stood and dusted herself off indignantly and glared at the mime. By now the crowd had realized they were looking at one of the pirates who had flown in early and backed off a pace, probably wondering if there were about to see an unusual fight. Probably hoping for it too, Gin thought bitterly. But that was no good. If she had to explain why she got into a fight just to enter the big top it would interfere with her plan.

“Hey now, what’s all this?”

A midget clown complete with a big red nose and giant shoes poked at her with a flower. A few in the crowd laughed. Gin remembered herself just in time and put on her pirate face.

“Tell your friend here to let me in or we will see if he bleeds silently too.”

“You want to look me in the eye and say that?”

A few more laughs. Apparently that was a midget joke. Gin wondered how many of them detected the malice behind the humor. She did not really want them to call her bluff. Maybe it would be better if she backed off a bit.

“Master Hewn said we could go anywhere. I want to go inside.”

“And I want to grow a couple feet. Maybe we could help each other out.”

“Why, something wrong with the two you have?”

The words slipped from Gin’s mouth before she could stop them. Now the crowd really did laugh. If the pirate was telling jokes too, then it was safe.

“I like you,” he said, “Listen, they are still setting up inside. Nobody is allowed in till they are done, whatever the Ring Master said, he did not mean you could wander into off limit places. When it is set up for the show, then you can go inside. No need to attack someone who can’t even call out for help. See?”

“Fine,” Gin said. She just did not see any other options. Was the midget lying about them setting up? Did they have Darwin inside right now? Maybe with a pair of lions to finish an old job.

Master Hewn‘s shout answered her questions in three words, “Stop that boy!”

Gin swung her head towards the voice and saw them. Darwin was at the lead, dodging around people and overturning carts to slow the four circus workers on his tail. Master Hewn trailed behind, breathing heavily, but maintaining the pace Darwin was setting which was considerable. They were headed straight for the big top.

“I’ll stop him!” The midget called and ran at Darwin who for his part did not even slow down.

The midget stopped and stood in what looked like a wrestling stance and lunged as Darwin came within range. The clowns hands skimmed the bottoms of Darwin’s shoes as he jumped the man and kept going like he were any other obstacle. The clown rolled into a ball to protect himself as the five oncoming circus workers crashed into him and went down like bowling pins.

“A reward for the one who stops the boy!“ The Circus Master yelled again.

This energized the crowd who were far too thick for Darwin to force his way through anyway and they surged forward. Darwin turned and veered away from the big top. Rather than running towards him, Gin took a parallel track keeping an even distance as she drew several of her prop knives.

“Get clear,” she shouted at the crowd, who ignored her completely. Annoyed that they weren’t behaving according to plan she drew the flare gun, loaded a red cartridge and fired it right over the crowd. It burst and the red smoke settled to the ground. “Get clear,” she shouted again. This time they listened. They would make a nice audience.

She held three knives in between her fingers and curled her arm back for a brief moment before hurling the blades through the air. In the red haze it was impossible to see where the blades had landed, but Darwin went down clutching his leg and the box hit the ground and bounced once before rolling awkwardly to a stop. Gin knelt down and scooped it up only moments before the circus master arrived.

“I assume this is what all the commotion was about?” She asked, rising and offering it to him. “I hope there was nothing fragile inside. It took a bit of a tumble when he went down.”

“It is a music box.” Master Hewn explained. “The gears are the only bit I am worried about. It is very old.”

He held it up to his ear and shook it. Gin could hear the fake dragon piece sliding around in its compartment. The circus master frowned, but nodded.

“Yes,” he said, “It appears that part of the mechanisms may have loosened in the fall.”

“That is too bad,“ Gin said. “It must have a lot of value for you to personally chase someone across the grounds like that.”

“Sentimental only. A broken mechanism can be fixed, but the music box was a gift. It could never be replaced.”

“You hear that,” Gin said to Darwin who was still on the ground holding his leg where there handle of a dagger protruded. The area was stained dark red, “The merry little chase you just led was over an item you would have had trouble even pawning off.”

“Ah, yes, the thief,” Master Hewn said, his beady eyes swiveling to focus on Darwin. “Just what were you thinking trying to steal from ME of all people and of all things a box?”

“Honestly sir?” Darwin said with a cringe. “It would have been boring to steal from anyone else.”

“Boring?” Master Hewn was taken aback for a moment, but then narrowed his eyes. He grabbed Darwin by the arm and hauled him up, staring into his eyes. “Boring. No, I do not think that is quite right. Now that I have a closer look at you I think you look a little too familiar. I believe that it has been several years now since I caught this face snooping around outside of my wagon. What was it you were looking for back then I wonder? Was it this?” He gave the music box another shake. The ‘broken gear’ inside rattled suggestively.

“No.” Darwin’s voice was diminished, darker. “Back then, all I was looking for was proof.”

“Proof?”

“Proof that you killed my father. But as the years went by and I have thought about everything that I had seen in my time here, I grew sure of it. I don’t need proof anymore. This time I just wanted revenge.”

The circus master let go of Darwin’s arm and he slumped back to the ground. Neither Master Hewn nor the watching crowd seemed to notice that the hilt of the knife which had supposedly pierced Darwin’s leg was in his hand, no longer pressed against his leg, and bladeless.

“Revenge huh?” Master Hewn shook his head. “Do you know how much you cost me when that tent came down? All the lights? Smashed. All the beams? Bent. Both lions? Ran off. The pole your brother rammed? Cracked. You should have been content with that revenge and stayed away from my circus. Now that I have you again I-”

Darwin spat defiantly.

“Money? Like costing you money could ever compare to what you did to us. A tent might be expensive but it can clearly be replaced. The cost can be recouped. Our father? He is gone forever. Only losing something that can’t be replaced, only taking something of sentimental value, could possible come close in comparison.”

“Pathetic. Your father was nobody. His net worth cannot be matched by even half of my damaged tent. And if you think the theft of my music box is justified by his murder-”

Gin coughed rather pointedly and the circus master glanced up. He had forgotten that there was a crowd watching. He had forgotten that he was a part of the show and it was obvious where their sympathies were beginning to lean. Gin reached down and deftly plucked the trick blade from Darwin‘s hand, flicking her hand in a showy way that caused the blade to pop back out before anyone noticed it had been pushed in.

“Which,” Gin said with a teasing tone to the crowd, twirling the dagger between her fingers, “Nobody can produce evidence you were involved in.” She gave the circus master a knowing wink that lasted long enough that everyone saw it. “But as exciting as all this drama is, I have decided what I want as my reward. I can have anything I ask for right?”

The circus master was taken aback, but he shrugged that off and nodded. “Within reason,” he hedged. “You can’t have the music box.”

“Well that would just be silly,” Gin said with a sly grin as she slipped her dagger back into its vest pocket. “You already said that it has no value and it is broken besides. Sentiment doesn’t mean much to me.”

“What do you want then?” The circus master asked warily.

“Him.” Gin nudged the bloody patch on the leg of Darwin’s pants and he gave a convincingly worried wince.

“What? Why?”

“I need a reason?”

Master Hewn frowned and Gin rolled her eyes.

“Fine,” she said, “One of our squad got shot on our last foray. I normally fly a Stingray, but my gunner is going to be used to man the empty guppy which means I have to use a guppy too or get stuck hauling freight. Don’t get me wrong, a guppy is a fine ship, but they’re nothing like a Stingray.”

“Unacceptable. I refused to reward theft of my property with a cushy position on a pirate ship.”

“Cushy?” Gin asked, letting an incredulous tone slip into her voice. “Flying is dangerous business, especially in a dogfight. If someone has to take a risk to make a mission work, who exactly do you think we are going to pick? Somebody who has been in the squad for years or the bum who we just shanghaied?” She shrugged. “If he lives, yeah, maybe he will earn a cushy spot, but the rest of us already have paid our dues. We are not going to just let him have it easy.”

Master Hewn glanced from Darwin to Gin to the crowd. She could see his eyes calculating the cost of risking her ask for something else and the wrath of the crowd if he handled Darwin too harshly against his own desire to punish the brat who tried to steal from him. In the end, he gave in and spread his arms wide in a gesture of his own magnanimity.

“Never let it be said that Master Hewn was an unforgiving or ungenerous soul. Very well, the music box is safely back in my hands, so I will grant you this one request.” His eyes narrowed on Darwin again. “However. You will take this recruit straight to the nearest transport bringing me my spice and he was catch a ride up to that giant ship immediately. I will not have him wandering my circus’s grounds freely and I do not want him in my sight again. And if I do catch him here again, today or ever, there will be no more mercy. Am I understood?”

Darwin nodded as Gin helped, or rather, pulled him to his feet. He looked angry, but he let Gin lead him off and the crowd parted to let them through. All in all, Gin thought, that went better than she could have hoped.

-

When they arrived back at the airfield they found Tonic waiting. He was dressed in Darwin’s shirt and he was wearing the rings and hanging from his neck on a string was the dragon piece. Gin’s eyes went wide when she saw that. They were far away from most of the crowds and the circus master that there was no immediate danger, but there were still far too many eyes. It would only take one glimpse by the wrong set and her whole deception could be uncovered.

“What are you doing?” She hissed.

“What do you mean what am I doing?” He asked, raising an eyebrow. “You were the one who sent for me with cryptic instructions.”

“We are all clearing out,” Gin said, “now.”

“But I just got here,” Tonic complained. “I at least want to check out this place a little.”

“You want to- Tonic we, look we really need to go.” Gin said. “And give me that thing before somebody sees you wearing it.”

Tonic sighed and shrugged. “Fine, have it your way. I really don’t know why it matters. This prop doesn’t really scream pirate like the others do.”

“I will explain later,” Gin said as Tonic lifted the cord over his head and held it out.

“You will explain now,” said a voice from behind Gin. Another hand reached out and took hold of the dragon piece before Gin could claim it.

A chill ran down Gin’s spine and she swallowed, turning. The man who stood behind her did not look happy. If anything, he looked mad. She had never seen Dromar this angry before.

“As I recall, I am the team leader,” Dromar said. “You are new so I am willing to cut you some slack, but perhaps I need to be more clear on the ground rules. You do not give my people orders. You do not go off on little adventures of your own. You do not stage elaborate scenes that involve riling up the people we are doing business with, at least not without going through me first. In fact, you do nothing unless you are told to do so. Is that clear?”

Gin bit her tongue. “Crystal,” she said.

“Good, now why is Tonic here?”

“Because I sent Elmer to go get him.”

“And why did you tell Elmer to go get him?”

“Because if one of the three pirates guarding the planes suddenly vanished at the same time that Darwin was captured, it wouldn’t take them long to figure out what happened. We needed a double that would keep people from digging into the odder points of the scene.”

“And how did you know that Darwin was going to get into trouble?”

Gin sighed.

“Because I used him as a decoy so that we could get that thing in your hand safely back to the ship. Only Tonic brought it back. Could you please hold it more discretely before somebody notices?”

Dromar lowered his hand, from which the dragon piece dangled on its string.

“Alright, I suppose this is the question I should have asked from the start: What is this?”

“I don’t know.”

“But unless I am reading this situation incorrectly, you stole it from the circus master?”

“Yes.”

“Why?”

“You didn’t believe Darwin’s story?”

“That story raises all sorts of questions of its own, however, you are not in it.”

“Ah, well, as it happens, the Captain told me to.”

The squad leader become very still for a moment, then nodded to himself slowly.

“I see. So that is why.”

“I am sorry, sir, what is why?” Gin asked, confused.

“Tonic, escort this Darwin fellow to a transport,” Dromar said loudly. “The rest of you, clear out. We are headed back up to the ship.”

Gin turned to board her guppy, but Dromar’s hand caught her shoulder and pulled her back.

“Not you, Gin. We still need to have a word.” Dromar cast his gaze around for a private spot and settled on an empty transport. He led her inside and pulled the door shut behind them. It was dark so he flicked on light.

“Sir, I am sorry for not telling you earlier.”

Dromar shook his head. “Don’t be. It was an order right? From the Captain?”

Gin nodded. “Yes sir.”

“I should have suspected something when the Captain told me he would be escorting you to the hanger. He never does that sort of thing.” He paused, then held out the dragon piece. “Here, this is yours.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yes, it would be better if the Captain was not told that you disobeyed his order and told me about the side mission.’

“Oh, but surely that order no longer mattered once the piece was safely in hand.” Gin said, taking the dragon piece back. “He just did not want you to know so that you could not be held responsible if I was caught.”

Dromar smiled lightly as though she had said something funny. “Oh to be young an naïve again.” He chuckled, though there was little humor in it.

“I am sorry sir,” Gin said, “But I am afraid that I still do not understand what it is you are talking about. Perhaps if you explained it? Even a little?”

“Right,” Dromar said, regaining himself. “The reason I pulled you into this transport is that I thought you should know the sort of dangerous situation you are about to unleash.”

“If you tell me that this dragon piece summons a real one, or turns into a real one when you say the right incantation I am going to march right out of here with only the newly informed opinion that you are crazy,” Gin warned.

Dromar did not smile this time.

“That emblem was, or really, is, the symbol of the House of Lancers. Do you know who they were?”

“Yes,” Gin said. “They were a mythological family that made dragon slaying a hobby. More recently, some stories about Professor Wickensnub claim that his mother was a Lancer.”

“Whether or not they slew dragons,” Dromar said, “the family itself was not a creation of mythology, but a real, living, breathing group of people who possessed both wealth and power for centuries, at times rivaling the kings of their time. They used this wealth to establish many foundations and societies that would ensure their interests in various fields. One of these would come to be known as the Draken Society, who became so entwined with the emblem, that people began to associate it with their rise in fame.”

“Yes, Darwin said something similar. Or well, he said that this was the symbol of the Draken Society. Why does it matter though?  Even if this is some old relic it is still just a piece of metal. The gems are probably worth something, but they’re small. Is it some sort of a collectors piece?”

“What? No. That is a one of a kind item and unfortunately, it is much more than a piece of metal. It is also a key.”

Gin turned the dragon piece over in her hands, giving it a closer look, but she just could not see what Dromar was talking about. It was flat and far to wide to be used as a key. Finally she spoke, choosing her words diplomatically, “Well, it does not open any doors that I have ever seen.”

“You are skeptical? Good. That is good. You should never believe someone just because they act like they are an authority on the mater. In this case you are both right and wrong. The dragon piece only opens the lock on a special box. One that the world would be better off never seeing opened.”

“And the Captain decided to take the key before Master Hewn could get his hands on that box?” Gin guessed.

“No,” Dromar sighed. “The Captain has had the box for as long as I have known him. You could say that is the whole reason I am on the Jotnar and apparently the Captain knows.”

“Wait, so you are some sort of a double agent?” Gin asked. Her grip around the dragon piece tightened and the edges bit into her palm. She barely noticed.

“I am or was a vassal for the House of Lancers,” Dromar admitted. “Now I am just a pirate who knows a bit too much about his Captain‘s plans to be fully trusted.”

“Should I be scared?”

“Of me? Of what the captain might do when you hand that to him? Or of what he might do if you don’t?”

Gin swallowed. “Any of those, all three.” She said helplessly.

“Of me- certainly. A part of me considered killing you and running off with the piece or returning it to Master Hewn.”

“If it is that bad, why haven’t you?”

“Because it would not make a difference. There is an airship over our heads with enough firepower to level the whole circus and enough pirates to soundly take it over anyway. I might hide it, but it would be found. I might run with it, but I would be caught.”

“You could destroy it,” Gin offered, wondering as she did if he would seize it from her as the words slipped from her mouth. “It does not look very strong.”

“Try,” Dromar said, and waved for her to do so. When she hesitated he added, “Don’t worry, I assure you that anything you try will fail.”

Gin nodded and took the dragon piece in both hands attempting to snap it. Nothing. Emboldened, she hurled it against the bulkhead wall as hard and fast as she could. Surprisingly, it bounced as though it were made of rubber. She examined it again, this time with a more critical eye.

“Alright,” she admitted, “It is sturdier than it looks.”

“That metal was produced by the Draken Society in a process they dubbed as Alchemy. It was not true Alchemy, we think, but it was what we now call forbidden technology. They did not share their secret methods and now without them it is lost.”

“Fire?” Gin asked.

“Would make it hot, but if it is anything like other Alchemy metals, we could not produce one hot enough to melt it down.”

“Have you considered throwing it into a volcano?” Gin asked. “Even if the dragon piece did not melt, it would still be all but impossible to retrieve or to find.”

“The Captain would find it eventually, he has a different relic that can seek out other Alchemy metals, but you are right, he might never be able to get it back. However, there are no volcanoes around here. I certainly could not get to one before he caught me.”

“So if I am understanding this right,” Gin started, “What I have here in my hand is an indestructible key to a box of doom and if I hand it over to the Captain, he will use it to open the box of doom.”

“That is as good a summary as any I suppose.”

“Right, but if I do not give it to the Captain, then he is going to come looking for it on the ground himself. He told me as much that he would if my mission failed.”

“Not surprising,” Dromar agreed, toying with his shades.

“And when he finds the music box and claims the fake dragon piece and tries to use it,” she trailed off.

“It will not work, of course.”

“Well, I would suspect not since he would not need to send me down to steal the real one if his fake worked,” Gin said, slowly, “But they appeared identical to me.”

“The unlocking part of the key lies in hidden components in the jewels. Merely making something that looks like it will not give the Captain a functioning key. He would need to understand how it worked and be able to repeat the process used in its creation.”

“Right,” Gin said, “That makes sense. More importantly, once it does not work, the Captain would know that I did manage to steal the key and then he would know that I have it. He would get it and I would probably have to walk the plank.”

“That is a distinct possibility.”

“Then I need you to give me a reason to care. What is in the box?”

“Don’t you think I would have told you by now if I knew.”

Gin blinked and furrowed her brow. “Wait. What? But you said-”

“I said what was necessary to get your attention and it wasn’t a lie. The box is better left closed.”

“I am sorry,” Gin said, “But if you want me to risk my life, my position, of my friends who have also seen this dragon piece, then you are going to need to give me something less vague. Barely a minute ago you told me not to trust people who made claims they could not back up. How can you be so certain that the contents of the box is so bad that the whole world would be better off if they remained hidden when you don’t even know what is inside?”

Dromar sighed.

“You asked me if I was a double agent early, right?”

“Yes. You said something vague and dodgy after that as I recall.”

“Well fine. I am. My assignment was to keep an eye on the box. If the Captain tried to get the key I was to send a message to those who were concerned. If somebody came looking for the box I was to do likewise.”

“That does not sound like you are supposed to interfere,” Gin said.

She lifted the string on which the dragon piece dangled and hung it around her neck, tucking the piece into her shift so that it would be hidden.

“No, I suspect that there are other moles on the ship on whom that job falls. I am merely the one asked to get the message out in case they fail.”

“Supposing I believe you,” Gin said, “What could be kept in a box that is so powerful to warrant this sort of supervision?”

“Have you never heard of the magician’s chest?”

“I am familiar with the phrase.”

“Legend has it that there was once a great magician who enchanted a powerful jewel to grant the deepest wish to anyone who touched it.  When the magician touched it he was filled with the wisdom he had always desired, but with his knew found wisdom came a horrible realization. While what he had created could be used for great good, in the wrong hands it would a terrible evil. He should have destroyed it once and for all that day, but knowing that it was a powerful tool, he could not bring himself to shatter it. Instead he enchanted an impenetrable box that would only open if you knew the right word and he placed the gem inside.”

“Are you telling me that the Captain’s box is impenetrable?”

“No, he has a different issue, just let me finish this story. You can ask questions after.”

“The wise magician realized that if word got out about his magic box that people would come looking for it and might try to steal it. He also knew that, powerful magician though he was, eventually somebody more powerful might turn up. So he went to his friend, the emperor of the land, and said, “I have created an enchantment that grants the deepest wish of any who touch it. Please hide it in your treasury where I know it will be safe for I fear what might become of it should it fall into the wrong hands.” The emperor agreed and promised never to try and open the chest.

“But he lied,” Gin guessed. “The lure of unlimited cakes was just too much power to resist.”

“He was emperor,” Dromar said, his annoyance was evident, though he did play along. “He already had unlimited cakes. He already had power. No, the wise wizard chose the best spot there could have been. The chest remained safe for years until it was nearly forgotten, but as the emperor’s wife grew older she began to pay the chest visits just to look at it. Just to imagine what it might be like to whisk away the added years and regain her youth. Sometimes she would guess at the word needed to open the chest just to pass the time. She never suspected that she might succeed.

“What was the word?” Gin asked.

“Hope. It had been the magician’s believe that anyone uttering the word hope before the box would have only good intentions.”

“That is a terrible idea,” Gin said.

“Yes well, that is how the story goes. The wife becomes sick and thinks she is dying. In her despair she utters before the box, “I may perish here, but I will never give up hope.” The lid springs open and before she can think better of it, she seizes the gem.”

“But all she wanted was to be healthy again, right?” Gin asked. “That doesn’t seem like that bad of a desire.”

“If that had been her deepest desire, perhaps,” Dromar said, “But the gem was not enchanted to grant the wish you said. I was enchanted to grant the wish that lay hidden in your heart. In the heart of the emperor’s wife was not the desire to be healthy or be youthful, but the desire to live and to look young. So was given her deepest desires and found herself in an undying young body, wracked with the terrible pains of sickness and yet, not outward signs.”

“Why didn’t she just touch the gem again?” Gin asked. “Surely at that point her deepest desire had changed.”

“I am sure it had,” Dromar said, “But the gem only worked once for each person. She was stuck like that. Worse still, she was contagious. Where ever she went, people caught an unseen disease that left them in pain.”

The door slid open and Gin jumped.

“Oh, sorry, didn’t know anybody was in here,” a generic pirate said. “We are about to load up with new supplies for take off.”

He glanced around the inside of the ship.

“What are you doing in here exactly?”

“Just having a quiet chat with a subordinate who was out of line,” Dromar said. “I did not want to do it with a whole circus listening in. We will clear out.”

The generic pirate nodded and made room for them to pass. Gin kept her eyes to the ground to appear appropriately chastised. Once they were out of earshot she asked, “So how does it end?”

“That is up to you,” Dromar said. “Assuming nobody else decides to interfere. For now I am just a messenger.”

“I meant the story,” Gin said.

“Oh. Well, things get worse and worse until a hero shows up and manages to touch the gem with pure intentions in his heart.”

“I guess some hope was in that chest after all,” Gin said wryly, as she climbed up into her guppy. Dromar held the door open as she buckled in. “Listen,” she said, “I will keep your secret from the Captain, but I am giving him the dragon piece. I don’t know what it does and when it comes down to it, neither do you, but the Captain, he does know. When I talked to him he seemed to have a very good idea of what it was he was doing. I am going to trust that and assume he has good intentions until I am given a reason to believe otherwise. Whatever weapon is in that box, if indeed it is a weapon at all, is a long awaited advantage in a battle this ship has been losing for years.”

“I guess I can’t ask you to risk everything if that is how you feel about it.” Dromar said. “I only hope that we do not all come to regret your decision. Or that I let you make it.”

-

When Gin landed on the Jotnar she did not go straight to the Captain and he did not come looking for her. She was thankful for this short reprieve. The hanger was empty aside from a bare bones landing crew. The rest had been called to other hangers where the transports were busy shipping the spice down the Circus or receiving new goods. One of those shipments would contain all the parts she needed to have the Stingray flying again and Dromar had ensured that they would be installed just as soon as someone was freed up from other more pressing tasks.

She went back to her house and showered. Warm water running down her back was always a good time to think. Did she really want to open up the magician’s chest and give the world one more thing to fear? She closed her eyes. Dromar had made it sound like such a bad thing. These men weren’t bad people. At least the Captain wasn’t. He wanted to bring down the empire. He wanted to bring about a new country that was about enabling people, rather than ruling them. These were good ambitions.

But what was in that box? She couldn’t just ask him without giving away Dromar. The Captain would want to know how she knew after all. And he did not like liars.

Gin sighed and stepped from the shower, toweling off in front of the mirror. All of her makeup was temporary stuff and had run off in the shower. She hardly recognized herself. Only her purple hair remained of her disguise and she was struck by how feminine she appeared without the baggy clothes and the concealing powders.

Quietly she dressed again, pulling on the balloon pants and ruffled shirt. She considered the vest briefly, but then left it off. The daggers were showy, but it was part of what made the outfit more of a costume than anything else. It was one thing to wear it to the circus. It was another thing entirely, to meet the Captain while wearing it. Instead, she took the cord the dragon piece hung on and strung it around her neck. On the Jotnar at least, she could wear it openly.

“Hey, I am going out for a bit,” Gin said as she emerged from the bathroom.

“Dromar chew you out too bad?” Tonic asked.

He was lounging on the couch, holding a magazine in the air over his head with one hand and scribbling on it with a pencil with the other.

“You could say he gave me a lot to think about,” Gin said, delicately.

“Yeah? I have never seen him get mad like that. I missed whatever it was you did too.”

“I will fill you in tonight. Invite the Morfest boys over too. They probably all want to know. There is more to it than Darwin was privy to.”

“Sure.” Darwin agreed. “Oh hey, before you go, what is a seven letter word for an ill fated encounter?”

“Sorry,” Gin said with a shrug. “I am not really that good at crossword puzzles.”

“Oh, see you later then.”

“Bye.”

-

Gin did not hail a cab. The walk through town was long, but it was not strenuous and she wanted more time to think. That or she was just nervous. Either way, she was in no hurry to meet with the Captain. He would be happy to see her. He would be happy to see the dragon piece. But would he still be happy when he told her that she was a girl? Would she still be happy when he used the dragon piece? A small part of her was beginning to think the only reason he had chosen her for the job was that she was expendable. Everything she had claimed about Darwin being given dangerous missions to make the circus master agree to her ridiculous deal she was beginning to wonder if it might be applied to her. Let the new person take the risks while they have something to prove. The weak will fall. The strong and the loyal rise. It would be a darker Captain that she handed the dragon piece to if it were true. Would someone who thought like that use it for the greater good?

Her thoughts were so tangled with ridiculous lines of reasoning, both trying to justify and dissuade her from going through with this meeting, that it had not occurred to her by the time she reached the appropriate lift that she did not know the proper code to go up it. She did not have authorization to just walk in on the Captain. She stared at the control pad for a full minute, then, feeling quite foolish, she turned to go. Before she could, however, there was a ding and a voice called her back.

“Wait, the Captain is expecting you.”

“Me?” Gin asked, turning back to see who she was talking with. It was Dromar.

He motioned for her to ride the lift with him and Gin swallowed and did as requested. Why was he here? Had he changed his mind about letting her hand the dragon piece over to the Captain? Was he just going to stand by passively unless she said the wrong thing and gave him away? She had promised to keep his secret, but now that he was standing beside her, no, leading her to the Captain, everything suddenly seemed infinitely more complicated. What if he had already told the Captain that she had admitted to taking the dragon piece? If she claimed she hadn’t then she would get caught in a lie.

Dromar led her down a different hall than she remembered on her previous trip to the bridge.

“Where are we going?” She asked.

“The Captain is not manning the bridge right now. He is in one of his private sections of the ship. That is where I am taking you now.” Dromar replied casually. He had removed his costume in favor of his regular clothes already, though apparently his shades were things he wore inside as well as out.

The Captain had his back to them as they entered and he appeared to be watching a small screen at his desk. The room itself was not what Gin had been expecting. It was more of a lab than a room, though it was as small as any cabin she had been in thus far on the Jotnar. There was a small table at the center of the room with a strange box sitting on it. The box was metal, but it had an almost liquid appearance, like it was stuck between solid and melting phases. There was a large instrument over it, that, in so far as Gin could tell, was the equivalent of an x-ray device.

The box, of course, had to be the same box that Dromar had told her about.

"I have brought him, Captain." Dromar said.

The Captain swiveled around in his chair and stood. He was taller than Gin remembered.

"That was quicker than I expected. The imaging will be done in a few minutes yet."

"He was standing outside the door trying to figure out how to come up and see you already."

"Ah, good lad."

"More importantly, if the dragon piece works the way you explained it to me," Dromar began, "Then why do you even need a 3D rendering of the container?"

"Ah, well, that will be easier to show you than to tell I think," the Captain said. He then turned to Gin. "I am very please with you. Do you know why?"

"Because I brought you the dragon piece and successfully convinced the circus master that the attempted theft had failed and was done as an act of revenge by an unaffiliated party and that my stopping it actually put him in our debt?" Gin guessed. She had not told the story yet, but Dromar must have.

"Well there is that." The Captain said with a smile, "but more importantly, you brought it to me after Dromar warned you against it."

Gin's eyes bulged wider than was healthy.

"But- wait. You know that already and he is standing right there. Casually. Not in trouble?"

Her eyes crossed as she tried to make sense of it. The Captain sat back down in his chair and gave her time.

"You fooled me," Gin said, first to Dromar, then to the Captain. "It was a test. It was all a test to see if I would be loyal to the ship and trust my Captain over a random subordinate. Just like you tested my brother and his friends."

The Captain clapped and rubbed his hands together in earnest.

"There, he got it. We test everyone. It did not necessarily have to be Dromar telling you that the dragon piece was a key to a doomsday weapon, but he was the most readily person at hand for the situation. Normally I wouldn't give people cause to suspect that their squad leader might be part of a larger conspiracy." He gave a hardy chuckle. "You did promise to keep his secret about being a double agent, but that I can let slide. You decided to take a wait and see approach on who was in the right, but you still sided with the ship in the meantime and that is what we care about. It is always good to have a person you can trust, but it is much much better to occasionally find someone who will think for themselves as well."

"So all of that." Gin waved a hand frantically to indicate what went on down on the ground. "All of that was just a test. I risked myself and my squad to retrieve an item that ultimately is just some sentimental piece of metalwork from an old friend of yours. Or was the circus master in on the scheme as well?"

"Hmm?" The captain raised an eyebrow. "Does that bother you if it is so?"

"Yes it bothers me," Gin said, too irritated by the possibility to care that she was possibly alienating the person she had been trying to get to approve of her. "I don't mind risking my life for something important, but risking myself for a stupid test- surely you could have done it in a less dangerous way?"

"Listen. You may not consider a loyalty test to be worth risking lives over, but I do. Betrayal cost me a lot a long time ago and I will not have a repeat of that event."

Betrayal cost him a lot? Gin closed her eyes. Something in the back of her mind was working its way forward. Something she had heard before seemed like it might be relevant now. She opened her eyes again and studied the Captain's face as he had studied hers. It was not angry, but rather, pained. Whatever he was remember, it was not a pleasant memory.

And then it struck her with all the force of a falling elephant. Of course. Arthur had explained much about what the history of the Jotnar was. He had said that the ship used to haul freight and that it had taken part in the battle of independence, but that the freighters had been betrayed by the wife of one of the Captains. What if that Captain whose wife turned traitor was not just one of the Captain's who took part in the battle, but the one of this ship, of the Jotnar. Of course he would not want to trust anyone lightly. Of course he would develop some sort of a stupid complex. Well, maybe not of course, but it made sense. All the pieces fit.

Gin tried to look appologetic.

"I am sorry. That was not my call. Recent events have just been a bit stressful and I lost my temper for a moment. It won't happen again." She said.

"Hmm, see that it does not," the Captain said, his eyes still far away. "But if it makes you feel any better, it was not just a loyalty test and the circus master did not know."

"So the dragon piece really is important?" Gin asked.

"Yes. Very important. More than you can probably imagine."

"What does it do?"

"Oh, that part that Dromar told you?"

"Yes?"

"All of it was true."

"You mean about the dragon piece being a key?"

"No," Dromar interjected. "All of it. I really am a double agent."

"I don't understand," Gin admitted, trying to piece it together, but hoping somebody would just tell her this time.

"Double agents work for both sides," The captain explained. "In this case, I know that he is here to keep tabs on what happens with the box. And that he will report back that I now possess the key as well."

"Then why do you allow him such easy access," Gin asked. "Shouldn't he be, I don't know, thrown in the brig or something?"

"No," the Captain replied without hesitation. "I want them to know that I have them. I want them to know that I am one step closer to their secrets. I want them to be forced to act out in the open, rather than sulking in the background. Besides, Dromar is a good pilot. It would be a shame to lose him."

"Who are they?" Gin asked.

"Who do I work for you mean?" Dromar said. "It should not be that hard to guess. Give it a shot."

"The Draken Society?" Gin said. She didn't really know who else might be involved.

"Close," Dromar admitted, "but they were disbanded."

"Those who funded them then," said Gin. "The House of Lancer."

"Correct." The Captain said with a nod. "They hide now. They stay to the shadows and pretend not to be involved in politics any more, but they are there all the same and they still possess all the lost knowledge and sciences of the Draken Society. They could bring down the empire if they wanted to, but for some reason they remain hidden. As long as this is true the empire will leave them alone."

"But wouldn't the empire leave them alone if they went after you?" Gin asked.

"No." Dromar said. "I can assure you that once the House of Lancer makes its move, they will not let any players remain on the table besides themselves. That means that once they have taken down the pirates who would usurp their role as a secondary government, they will try to reestablish themselves. But as I keep telling the Captain here, they are not ready to do that. Forcing their hand may cause them to act too early and fail to challenge the empire at all."

"It is a risk." The Captain said. "But I am willing to take it. If you are not, you do not have to tell them that I have the key. Who knows what they will do if they find out I have opened the box."

"What is in the box exactly?" Gin asked, trying to shift the conversation back to a topic she could more easily follow. World politics could get complex fast.

"Nothing probably," the Captain said.

"Nothing?" Gin asked.

"Nothing?" Dromar echoed, apparently as surprised as she.

"So you weren't even lying to me about not knowing what was inside?" Gin said to Dromar.

"No. As I said. I told you the truth. What you did with it was up to you."

"May I have the dragon piece, Gin." The Captain said. It was a polite question. It was not really a question though as his outstretched hand expressed.

Gin lifted the cord from her neck and unfastened it, sliding the dragon piece off and putting the cord into her pocket. She placed the dragon piece in the Captain's hand.

"Here you go, Captain. One dragon piece, as requested."

"Excellent." He said, rolling his shoulders back and forward in a warm up stretch.

The captain walked over to his computer on the desk and tapped the screen a few times. He nodded and then slid back into the chair and went at it more fully.

"The imaging is complete. Dromar, take the box and bring it here if you will."

Dromar did as he was asked while the Captain examined a few charts of data.

"Yes," the Captain said, "As I thought. There is nothing inside of the box at all. Very clever."

"Then what use it the dragon piece?" Gin said. "I got you the key to an empty box."

"Empty," the Captain said, "but not without contents. I am willing to bet this box holds a secret we will only see with the key."

He accepted the box from Dromar and lifted the key up to it. In the top, Gin could see an impression in the shape of the dragon piece. The captain snapped the two together and held it up for everyone in the room to see.

There was a brief moment where nothing happened. Then a series of lights began to play through the various jewels, shooting first one color than another at the ceiling.

"A lock combination," the captain explained. "Each jewel lets the light pass through it a different way. If it doesn't reflect enough light back just right, the process fails."

Then there was a faint click and the lights stopped.

"Did it work?" Gin asked.

The Captain frowned.

"I am not sure."

The box had stopped emitting light, but it began to click and tick, its liquid like surface stirring to life. The dragon piece melted into it becoming indistinguishable from the molten glob in the captain's hand. If it was hot or even in any way uncomfortable to hold, however, the captain did not show it. Rather, he beamed like a man who just saw his son fly his first plane.

"It is as I thought." He declared. "It is exactly as I thought."

The shape of the box began to twist inward. It looked almost like a strange metallic goo now, but it was beginning to solidify again and as it did, the shape turned and bent and look on a new appearance. When it was done, the Captain was holding was looked like an intricate metal urn. He set it down on the table at the center of the room, humming to himself, then set the image reader to work again.

"It looks like there is a lid we could take off," Gin said, staring at it with wide eyes.

"Do not touch it," the Captain warned. "I want a full look and mapping of the new structure before we alter it."

"This is going to take several minutes, but only several minutes" Dromar said. "We are all curious, but we can wait that long."

"You think removing the lid to have a look inside would alter it that much?" Gin asked.

"I don't know," The captain said. "And I don't want to risk it until I have a closer look."

"Even I don't know," Dromar said. "There is always the possibility that the Draken Society put in safety measures to protect against someone without the proper knowledge from gaining what is inside- even if they managed to gain both the box and the key."

"What exactly could be so important that they would keep it so complicatedly hidden?" Gin asked.

"That is a question we would all like to know." Dromar said.

"It's a map," the Captain said. It was like he were only making conversation, but Dromar's jaw dropped.

"You can see inside it with that thing already?"

"What? No. I have other sources. And it might not be a map exactly. What is inside is supposed to lead us to the real treasure."

"How fitting for a pirate ship," Gin said, cheerfully. Now things were starting to sound more like her speed. A treasure hunt would be interesting.

"Well, in this case the treasure is not jewels." Dromar reminded. "But dangerous secrets. Secrets that some people may not want us to find. Secrets that we may not even be able to use without risking everything we stand for."

"Secrets that were not theirs to keep," the Captain grunted. "Not from me at any rate."

"Is this going to take much longer?" Gin asked.

"Yes," the Captain said. "The full process could take anywhere from ten to thirty minutes depending on how complex the internal structure is, then another five for data processing. It has only been about three minutes I think.

"Then while we wait, there is something that I really should confess to you." Gin said, hesitating at the last moment. It was too late to go back now unless she wanted to make up something stupid. That would only backfire in the long run though.

The Captain swiveled around in his chair, looking at Gin with concern.

"What is it?"

"Promise that you won't get mad?"

"I cannot promise you that without knowing what it is you have done. That said, bringing it to me rather than waiting for me to find out is commendable and I will take that into consideration when dealing with whatever it is."

Gin swallowed and nodded.

"Before we first met I had heard a few things about you. One of those things I heard was that you, for whatever reason, didn't allow women on this ship. It did not make any sense to me why that might be, but I did not have anywhere else to go and I did not want to get kicked off, so I waited until I had proven myself a few times, to show you that it was worth bending that rule for me."

The Captain did not look mad. Only confused.

"You have indeed proven yourself at this point, but I still fail to understand what it is you have done. Did you sneak another person on board this ship? But no, that makes no sense. You had nowhere to hide them when you first arrived. You certainly would have had trouble hiding them afterwards, though it is a big ship..." He trailed off, only to have Dromar pick up the slack.

"Skies above," Dromar said, "Gin, the circus master even said it and I did not believe him. You are a girl."

Gin only nodded sheepishly.

"You are what?" The captain's face had gone deadpan.

"I am a girl. Tonic is my brother, but I am his sister. He does not have any brothers." She held her chin up high, but her eyes wavered with uncertainty. Where did this resentment of women come from that he could be effected like this?

"Then what you are tell me is: that not only have you been lying to me about who you are since you arrived on this ship, but your brother has, in effect, been in on this deception and aiding you in it this whole time." The captain said. He was keeping his voice level, but behind each word was a dagger.

"I- I guess you could put it like that," Gin said. "I know you do not like it when people are less than honest with you, but if I thought there was another choice- Please don't blame my brother for this. It was my idea. If you are going to punish somebody for it, punish me."

"Of course it was your idea," the Captain snapped. "Women can't help but lie. It is a part of who they are. They are wily, deceptive creatures and I will not have one on board my ship, corrupting my men, lying to me, and who knows what else? Not even one who has proven themselves as useful as you."

"Fine," Gin said, her heart sinking. "I am sorry to have wasted your time."

"Who else knew?" The captain asked.

"What?" Gin said, distractedly. "It was just Tonic and-"

"Ah, the Morfest boys, of course," the captain said. "They were from your hometown. Naturally they would have known you. Naturally they all flocked to your side."

"Please don't punish them for this," Gin begged again. "They really did not do anything."

"No? They harbored a dangerous secret on board my ship. They failed to report a crime they knew was being committed. A crime that would have continued indefinitely for who knows how long."

"I would not have done anything against the ship," Gin protested. "You are making it sound much worse than it is."

"So you say. But nothing you say now can be trusted. You have confirmed yourself that you are a liar. For all I know you are an agent of the empire."

"That is taking things a bit too far," Dromar broke in. He had been strangely quiet during the captain's tirade.

"No? Would you side with her too, Dromar?" The Captain asked. "The rest of her squad apparently knew she was a girl. You were their leader. Surely you must have suspected something. Or are you incapable of noticing the obvious."

"I fail to see how it was obvious if you did not notice yourself, Sir," Gin said bitingly.

"I have my own matters to attend to," the Captain said. "But when I think back on all that you have done since coming her it is quite obvious. Who else but a women would propose a plan involving makeup and subterfuge?"

Gin bit her tongue. It was becoming increasingly obvious that saying anything only made matters worse. There was a reason Dromar was not saying anything.

"Dromar," the Captain said, in the first orderly tone she had ever heard from him. "Escort this prisoner to the brig while I decide what to do with her."

"Yes, Captain," Dromar said after only a moment of hesitation.

"And leave do not come back afterwards. I wish to be alone with my thoughts for now." The captain continued.

"Yes, Captain," Dromar said again. "Come on, Gin."

He nudged her gently towards the door. The walked in silence through the corridors until they reached the elevator. Then Dromar released a deep breath and sighed.

"Listen, I am sorry it turned out like this." He said.

"Sorry enough to stage a coo?" Gin asked, her irritation, frustration, and anger behind every word.

Dromar laughed, but his heart was not in it.

"Sorry, but that would not work out well for me. The captain has far too much support on this ship. His tolerance of my station here only extends so far."

"No," Gin said, "I understand. I was not really expecting you to betray him."

Dromar coughed and merely nodded, waiting for the lift doors to open before leading her into a part of the ship Gin had not seen before.

"This leads to the brig." Dromar said. "I am going to lock you in a cell, but I want you to remember that this is only temporary. The captain might have final say in what happens, but you still have allies on this ship. People know that the captain is not himself when it comes to matters like these. They might think they need him too much to stand up to him, but they won't think poorly of you for it either."

"Fat lot of good that does me," Gin said with a sigh. "What do you think he will do with me."

Dromar glanced down the length of the brig. Some of the other cells were occupied as they passed them, but that did not stop him from speaking his mind.

"The Captain probably will not be pleased that I am telling you this, but we did receive a communication regarding you from the empire."

"Regarding me?" Gin asked. "What could they possibly be talking to the Captain about me for?"

"Oh, it is fairly routeing." Dromar said. "We tell them when we have prisoners and want them to pay a bounty to get them back. They do the same thing. Any time they set things up it is a trap though. They so rarely even bring the people they have captured that we do not even respond any more. They use that for propaganda, but we already know that a captured pirate is on their own until the day of liberation."

"Ok," Gin said slowly, "But they don't have me. Do they think that I am a prisoner then? One they want to exchange for?"

"Uh, not exactly," Dromar said, rubbing his neck awkwardly. "They identified both you and your brother as pirates and issued arrest warrants. Technically, they offered to pay us for you."

"Would the Captain actually do that?" Gin asked, horrified at the thought of being sold out by the people she had sided with.

"Not normally," Dromar said, but right now? I don't know. The point is, even if we put you safely on the ground, you have wanted posters up with your face on them now."

"But where would they even get a photo of me?" Gin started to ask, then suddenly said, "oh no. They took my aunt didn't they?"

"I am afraid so. They set up a trade point at the eagle's ridge a week from now. That is generally considered neutral territory, but it is also a wonderful place for an ambush and out of our way. The Captain might have told you, but probably not."

"I see the trust and honesty issue only goes one way," Gin said dryly.

"I am sorry," Dromar said, "but I thought I owed it to you. The captain will not thank me for it when it gets back to him what I told you, but I think we have more important things to worry about."

They stopped at the far end of the brig and Dromar slid open a cell door for Gin.

"Right, in you go," he said as though he was ordering a pizza.

"Well, thanks for everything, I guess," Gin said as he slid the bars closed behind her. "For what it is worth, you were a good squad leader. I am glad you gave me a chance to fly even if we never did get to do much flying.

Dromar shook his head.

"Don't give up hope down here," he said. "You never know what might change tomorrow."

Gin smiled, but sadly.

"Sadly, I think I might."

-

Gin lay back on the bunk in her cell, her hands behind her head as the only sort of pillow she had available, staring at the ceiling and wondering where it had all gone wrong. If things had gone differently could she have ever lived a happy life as a pirate or was that just a silly fantasy, a young girls dream? She did not have to have told the Captain, but she would have gotten older and more obviously a woman. She could have slipped off in her plane rather than told the Captain, but even then, to where. At least this way, another ship might take her. Perhaps she could even request that they permit a transfer. After all her only crime had been a deception. Under the circumstances, it did not even seem to be an ill thought out one. Would any other pirate ship see the captain's reaction to her gender as justified? Probably not. She might lose her ship though.

She rolled over on her side. There had been noise on the other side of the brig a while ago and some voices. Gin had thought at first that maybe somebody was coming for her, but Dromar had placed her all the way in the back. The lighting was dim. The air was cold. She sighed. With her luck, the noises she had heard were Tonic and the Morfest boys being given cells of their own. Her crime was their cover up. She had been so proud when she saved them. She had been so proud to show Tonic how good she was at flying the Stingray. She almost smiled remembering his surprise. If she had never gone up to the Jotnar, they would have been captured on the ground. Tonic might have made it out, but his plan was to brave the pBebians in the forest on his way to... where ever it was he thought he could get a new ship.

Gin shook her head. No, if she had not helped, if she had not come to the ship at all, then they all probably would not have even lasted this long. Even if they were in trouble, she could not let herself slip into a blame game. The only one at fault here was the Captain and his ridiculous complex. One woman had betrayed him. One woman had deceived him. One woman had cost him a revolution. And for that, Gin was going to suffer? No, not if she had her way. No matter how far back she went, Gin could not see any place that she had gone wrong. Her decisions were sound and her imprisonment was unjust. She could be a better pirate than the captain. Maybe she should just stage that coo herself.

She snorted at her own delusions. And of course, the whole ship would jump to her aid, convinced by one rousing speech and then she would become captain and rule fairly, completely free of her own biases that she was no doubt unaware of. Oh well. There was nothing particularly realistic with her current train of thought, but see was entitled to them right? She did not have much else left now that her home, her family, her life, everything she had was snatched away from her. Even her aunt.

Gin raised her hand up and examined it in the dim light as though it were the most fascinating thing in the world. She was bored. She wished she was more bored. If there was one thing she did feel guilty about, it was her aunt. Her poor, harmless aunt who had done nothing to deserve the fate that the empire would give to her. At least Gin, who still felt she had done nothing wrong, could say that she dug her own grave, made her own choices. Her aunts only crime was being related to the wrong people. It was still a hanging offense.

Footsteps echoed down the long hall of the brink. Gin rolled to her feet, but stayed sitting on her cot. Chances were this would be just like last time and nobody would come down far enough for her to see them, but boredom required that she at least look. There just was not much else for her to do.

When the sound did not cease and continued to grow closer she felt her heart rise to her throat and she swallowed it back down as she peered down the dim hallway. Someone was definitely heading towards her cell. Every other cell on this side was empty so there would be no other reason to come this far. She rose to her feet and walked over to the cell door, holding onto the bars as she tilted her head to see who was coming. All this while knowing deep down that no matter who it was, they probably only brought with them bad news. Would the Captain really sell her back to the empire? She did not want to believe so.

"Gin Holloway?" A gruff voice called. The sound of it echoed along the walls.

There was a pause and she finally decided to respond.

"Here. At the end."

"Hurmph. He was not kidding when he said you were in the back."

A large man she did not recognize strode out of the darkness. He put one hand on the cell door and slid it open with a snap. Gin found herself jumping backwards in surprise.

"What, but how?"

The man grunted.

"If you want to complain," he said, "you can do it later. We do not have time for that now. Come with me."

Gin did not think that the Captain had sent this person. No, if this were official business then there would have been keys, not an uncanny display of force. That meant this was technically a prison break. Gin was not sure how she felt about that. On second thought though, she had little to gain from staying, little to lose from getting caught breaking out, and everything to gain if this somehow led to her escape.

"Alright," she said, following obediently down the long dark hall. "What is the plan?"

"The plan is that I smuggle you to the Deep Runner, collect my payment, and go home."

"Um, that is lovely," Gin said. "I meant, what am I supposed to do once we are out of here?"

"Don't know. Don't care. The deal was that I smuggle you to-"

"-Yes," Gin said, exasperated, "Yes, we covered this already, thank you."

"Then please refrain from asking questions. I like easy jobs. In. Out. No questions asked. No complications. No questions."

"Right I got it," Gin said. "But what is-"

The man grunted and she fell silent.

What is the Deep Runner? She couldn't help but wonder now that it seemed she had reached the limit of her question quota for the duration of this rather unheroic rescue. They came to the earlier section of the brig where people were held, watching silently as they walked past. Shouldn't we be helping them too? Gin thought, but quickly dismissed the idea as nonsense. Who knows what these people were locked up for. Some of it, or even all of it, might very well be justified. There had to be a place she drew the line between helping people and sticking her neck onto the chopping block.

As they continued on however, Gin found herself coming to a dead stop.

"Wait," she said, going up to the bars of one of the cells. Inside was Arthur, curled up in a ball on his bunk.

The man turned and looked at her.

'Psst' she hissed into the cell. 'psst.' 'psst.' "Oh come on and look already won't you?"

This roused Arthur who sat up straight and came over when he realized who was standing there.

"How did you get out?" He asked, sounding hopeful. "Smuggle in a lock pick? Tonic said you were excellent at picking locks." He abruptly noticed the person looming behind her. "Who is that?"

"I-" She hesitated realizing she had never gotten a name. Asking would do her no good though. It was probably not a wise question to even try. "I am not sure, but I don't have a lock pick. He just reached out and pulled the cell door open. Hold on." She looked back at her rescuer. "Hey open this door too. He is one of my friends. I should not escape without him."

The big man only shook his head.

"I am only being paid to free one. Ms. Holloway, that one person is you."

"Oh come on," Gin said. "I am just going to stand here until you open his cell. Have fun trying to collect your payment without me."

The man just grunted. "I could pick you up and force you to come," he said, "But in the interest of saving time, that last cell is faulty. I cannot just pull open any cell door that I choose."

He did not apologize for it. Gin hated him for that, but there was little she could do. She turned back to Arthur who had turned a shade paler and was looking a good deal less hopeful.

"I will come back for you," she said. "Where are the others?"

"My brothers will be in cells like this one. The Captain likes to keep prisoners who know each other separate, but you will probably pass them on the way out."

"And my brother?"

"He escaped. As far as I know, they still have not caught him."

"Is Tonic the one who sent you?" Gin asked, glancing back at her rescuer.

"No." He said with a shake of his head. "But my employer would not wish me to name him here. Please. We must go now. If you will not come I will have to carry. I do not carry gently."

Gin frowned and clasped Arthur's hand tightly for a moment through the bars.

"We will come back for you the first chance we get."

"Yeah." Arthur said. "I am sure you would, but please promise me something."

"Name it."

"Promise me that you will get yourself to safety instead. We still have each other and we are not in any real danger. This is just a temporary punishment. If we could leave with you we would, but if we can't, you should just go. We will be let out eventually."

Gin nodded silently. "Alright," she said. "I understand." But I don't like it.

She allowed herself to be led off by her rude rescuer.

Gin had expected to be led all the way to the lift, but she had been wrong. Instead the entered an empty cell in the brig and Gin stood there fighting off the urge to ask questions while the burly pirate felt around the back wall. Finally he gave a grunt of what must have been triumph because the back wall opened up taking them into a different passage. He held the door open for her which was odd because he had been leading up until now.

"I go no further." He said. "Follow the passage to the ladder. Climb down. There will be someone waiting for you there."

"You aren't going to escort me all the way?" Gin asked.

"No. My job is only to take you this far. The instructions are simple. You will not get lost."

She nodded slowly and walked forward into the crude tunnel as the path back into the brig closed. Now she was walking along what must have been some sort of a construction tunnel when the ship was being built. Now it was just closed off. Or it had been closed off. Somebody had gone to the trouble of opening it back up. Gin shook her head. Why was she surprised that a pirate ship of this size would have some sort of an underground society going on within itself? This tunnel probably came up in half a dozen of the shops in town, but that was not the way she had been instructed to wander.

Gin did not waste time, but walked briskly down the tunnel. It was dark, not really lit at all except for a few blue lights that had been strung along the wall. Their energy drain on the ships systems must have to be minimal to avoid detection. Gin thought briefly that the Captain might even forgive her if she went to him with this particular tidbit, but she pushed that thought from her mind almost as soon as she had it. She owed that man nothing. She certainly owed him no more of an apology than she had already given him. Fat lot of good that it had done. He could have had her allegiance, but he had lost that chance when he tossed her into a jail cell for being a girl. Stupid. That's all that move had been.

She was fairly certain their were mice in the tunnel with her, but aside from noticing the occasional movement or chitter, she pretended not to notice and even went out of her way not to turn her head towards the noises. Mouse or rat or beetle or whatever, she did not want to know.

The ladder was easy to find and she was surprised how far down it went, given that she was already basically at the bottom of the ship. In the dark it was hard to make out what it was, but there was a large shape waiting at the bottom. Her first instinct was: Bear! That was silly though so she laughed at herself and kept climbing.

"Hey, there you are."

The voice belonged to Tonic.

Gin decided that she must be close enough to the bottom now and let herself slide down the rest of the way. Tonic sat waiting for her at the front of what looked like a tiny train. Indeed, there were rails running along either way through the dark and expansive room.

"Where are we?" She asked.

"This is the Deep," Tonic said. "Or basically, the underbelly of the ship. These are maintenance tunnels, but they aren't really safe to stay in long. There is too much ambient energy here. It would make you sick if you tried to hide down here."

"So I am guessing we won't be living the rest of our lives in the dark. That is good."

Tonic laughed.

"Come on, get in. We are going to say our farewells to the Jotnar."

"You seem to be taking this situation pretty well." Gin said, climbing into a cart behind Tonic. There was a lurch and then they started moving forward.

"I got a pretty good summary of what happened from Dromar," Tonic explained. "The Stingray has been fixed up or will be fixed up by the time we get to it. So we are going to fly out of here."

"And be chased too no doubt," Gin said with a sigh.

"Oh, well, most likely. But it is nothing we can't handle. A guppy can't keep up with a ship like the Stingray anyhow. It was designed as a racing vehicle."

"So Dromar arranged all this?" Gin guessed.

"You bet. He is a great guy."

"Yes, I am sure he is," Gin said.

"You sound skeptical."

"I am just wondering what the catch is."

"Oh don't be so cynical. Sometimes people just help people right? Does there have to be some sort of an ulterior motive?"

Gin shook her head though in the dark, Tonic probably didn't see it.

"It's just the last time I thought he was helping me it was all just a test. What if all of this is just staged again? What if we get to the ship and the Captain is waiting there to tell us we failed. Should have stayed in our cells?"

"Well if that happens," Tonic said, "I guess we will fail. If the Captain has trust issues, then he needs to learn that he can't make his own action so deceptive that we don't even know if our escaping was his idea. There is just something inherently wrong about that. You know?"

Gin and Tonic NaNoWriMo Day 22

We were all led to a single room and told to wait. Then they closed the door behind us and we could hear it lock. The room was small, but comfortable enough. There was more than enough space for us all to sit on chairs or even for a few to lay on cots in the back. It was a little chilly, but nothing terribly cold. I found myself rubbing my hands together or sticking my hands in my pockets, but it wasn’t like my breath was steaming up before my eyes.

The point is, it was manageable. Everyone from the transport was in the room, which was not many, maybe ten or twelve others in addition to our present company. Some stood and paced while others tried to be comfortable as they sat. There were windows up over the room, but they were mirrored so we could not tell if anyone was looking down on us.  I was fairly sure that there must be. Why else have them?

“Psychological effects,” Darwin interrupted. “Which, actually, is the same reason they kept the room cold. They wanted those inside to be uncertain of the situation they were. They wanted us to be a little worried. If you went and looked later like I did, you would have realized that the room is actually side by side with another exactly like it. The window looks in on nothing.”

“Well it was impossible to know any of that at the time,” Tonic said defensively. “Are you going to let me tell this story or not?"

"Sorry," Darwin said in his most soothing voice, "Do go on."

"So anyway, I was sure that we were being watched closely. They left us there for at least an hour and then the door opened and a uniformed pirate with a rifle strapped to his back stepped in, pointed at one person and said in the most ominous voice imaginable ‘You, come with me.’”

"He was just being dramatic of course. I could tell that plain as day, but the look on the face of the guy he pointed to was priceless. I might not know much about psychylogal whatever effects, but I recognized a well rehearsed line when I hear one and there was an almost bored undertone in how he said it.

"This kept on for hours. Every ten or fifteen minutes or so the guy would come in, point at a person, and they would both walk out. Only the pirate would ever return. What this meant was left for the remaining occupants in the room to interpret. You could tell it really go to some people while others had just gone blank faced. I don't know, but something about who they kept choosing only made me confident that our display of competency when the pirate captain burst in meant they were saving us for some special treatment. They just had to sort through all the others first and pulling us out early would have messed up their dynamic."

"Really?" Darwin asked, then hesitated when he caught Tonic's eyes and remembered that he was interrupting again. Apparently this was not enough to prevent him from continuing on. "That was fairly observant of you. What tipped you off?"

Tonic's glare softened at the praise and he puffed out his chest.

"Well, for starters, all four of us were still in the room. If they had picked one of us at some point in their 'random' selection process then I might have started to consider alternatives, but with each pick it became more and more clear that it was less random than they would have us believe. Eventually, it was just the four of us. Everyone else had been taken. I expected the Captain himself would be walking through the doors any second."

"And I wasn't far wrong either. The heat began to equalized almost immediately after we were the only four remaining. Another fifteen minutes passed and then the door opened and four pirates swaggered in. They were all dressed for the part with bandanas and fancy clothes. They looked awesome. They each wore a pistol on their hip and they asked us for our names. It sounds like a simple question, but I could see that my comrades were a tad nervous so I introduced all of us.

“I am known as Tonic Holloway and these are my valued friends, Elmer, Darwin, and Arthur Morfest. May we ask whose hospitality we find ourselves at the mercy of?”

There was a pause and then the one who had asked us for our names decided it would be alright to tell us.

‘You are on the Jotnar. Captain Denuor sent us here to see if you were worth his time.”

“And if we are not?” Darwin asked with a slight tremble in his voice. (Darwin: There was not)

“Then you can join the rest of the prisoners.”

“I suppose expecting them to be sitting comfortably eating a large fancy meal would be asking too much,” Elmer said darkly.

The pirate actually smiled at this.

“For most of them, that is exactly where they are.”

“Well that doesn’t sound too bad,” said Arthur.

“What is the catch?” Elmer asked.

“Ah, well this is a pirate ship,” the pirate said. “There are two options offered to those we bring on board. Join us or be held as ransom to the empire. Of course, joining us means menial tasks until we decide you can be trusted.”

“Does the empire normally buy back their men?” Darwin asked, surprised. “I would have expected them to just ignore you or go in guns blazing to the pickup point.”

The pirate simply shrugged. “Sometimes they do. Sometimes they don’t. And if they don’t, well, I am afraid we have no use for dead weight and we only give people one chance to join us.”

Arthur swallowed. “What do you do to them?”

“We are traditional pirates. There is a nice walkway along the outside of the stabilizer ring that leads to a platform which looks out on the open air. We have affixed a very nice plank there.”

“But this is an airship,” I said, “If you made someone walk the plank they’d just- oh.”

“Yes,” the pirate said, “They would just fall. There is always a slight chance they might survive if they land just right. It is not very likely I will admit, but then, it was never very likely that a man would be able to swim to shore either.” He leveled his eyes on Tonic. “Would you believe that most people prefer the life of a pirate? Those who truly believed the empire would pay us the bounty on them scream the loudest when they fall.”

“Er- that’s lovely,” I said.

“Not really,” Elmer broke in, “but you said the Captain had something else in mind for us?”

The pirate gave Elmer a blank look.

“I said the Captain sent us to see if you were worth his time. I need to know how well you can listen to his authority. So tell me, what was it you were doing when we captured your ship?”

“Well, that was-” I began, but Darwin interrupted me.

“-my fault. I got the officers riles up with talk about how the empire’s power was based on bully tactics and they came over and-”

“-I tackled one,” Arthur said, “That’s really what started it, so you can’t blame them.”

The officer held up his hand.

“And then a free for all broke out between them and the four of you. No, I do not think any of you are fully innocent of the incident. We did talk to each of the other prisoners before you and we have a pretty decent idea of what went down. We just want to know why.”

“Hey wait a second,” I protested, “Those officers were your enemy. Shouldn’t you be glad we took them out for you?”

“Under different circumstances, perhaps,” the pirate said, “But you were on a ship full of people joining the military. Those were your superior officers. A chain of command is very important, even here. We are worried that perhaps you are just trouble makers.”

“That’s a nice story you are selling us,” Elmer said, “But I don’t buy it. We were on a ship full of people coerced into joining a fight we didn’t believe in and we fought back the first chance we got. If you are worried about anything, it is that we might not believe in your cause either, because hey, patterns have a way of playing out again and your tactics frankly seem a bit coercive to me as well.”

“Smart lad,” the pirate said. It was only now that I noticed that each of the four pirates had their hands resting on their hips where their pistols waited. They were not taking any chances. “Some of your fellow prisoners also told us that you said the empire and the pirates weren’t that different.”

“You’re not.” Darwin said. To me, it seemed like exactly the wrong thing to say. “The empire claims to protect towns from the pirates. The pirates claim to be freedom fighters trying to save the towns from unjust domination of the empire. But you both steal from the people and you both use force to get what you want. And if you don’t like it when the people stand up for each other in the face of that and resist an authority that they reject, then you are really only proving my point.”

The lead pirate glanced over his shoulder at his three companions.

“What do you think?”

“I think we should let them meet the captain.”

“Heh, yes, they will do nicely.”

The lead pirate nodded.

“Then we are in agreement.” He motioned to the four of us. “Alright, you pass. Come this way.”

The captains quarters were not a part of the town, though we had not yet seen that a town even existed. It was built closer to the center of action on the ship and lay behind a few secure doors. The pirates knocked and the captain called us all in, then dismissed the four who had escorted us. They hesitated to leave us alone with him, but he was the captain and they obeyed his orders.

He sat on a couch that curved with the corner of the room. An other door led presumably deeper into his residence, but it was closed and this first room appeared to be designed for polite meetings and conversation. A large game board sat on the table with a bag of white stones and a bag of black stones sitting along its side. We were not offered a seat as he sat, hands tented, considering us. It was the same look he had given me back on the transport when we first met.

Finally he said, “I am Captain Denuor. If my men brought you here then it is because they believe that you are people who are willing to stand up and fight against oppression and that to you four, authority must be earned and revoked when it is abused. These are high ideals. They are completely unrealistic and impossible to maintain, but to strive for them anyway is what the crew of the Jotnar is all about.”

“Funny,” Elmer said, “That isn’t what your four friends back there told us.”

“They told you what I told them to say,” the Captain replied. “The best test of a man is one where he is made to believe that the correct answer is a dangerous one. If he gives it anyway, then you have a brave soul and one you can trust to give you the truth. That is very important.”

“But what they told us you did with the other prisoners?” I asked.

“Still true.” The captain said simply. “Most men are not worth testing. You know the results before even asking the questions.” He paused. “We are in need of pilots. We are always in need of pilots. But planes are an expensive and risky investment to hand over to anyone I am not one hundred percent sure I can trust. So tell me, are you interested?”

“We have no training in flying planes,” I said. “You intercepted our transport before we ever even made it to the training camp.”

“And as we told you friends,” Darwin added, “We don’t view pirates as all that different from the empire. Why should we want to fly for you any more than we wanted to fly for them?”

“Ah,” the captain took a small leather bound book from his breast pocket and opened it, flipping through with one hand. “This is the ship log. Let us take a quick look through our activities and see if you find anything objectionable. April Third. Ambushed an imperial warship. Sank it and salvaged parts including… April Eighth. Landed in West Rocksburry for repairs, drove out a pBebian infestation in the nearby woods as payment. April Seventeenth. Caught four imperial transports unawares and invited them inside. April Nineteenth. Attacked by four warships as we made for the wilderness, sank one, and managed to lose the others by flying into an approaching storm, starboard hull badly damaged.”

He closed the book and slid it across the table.

“You are welcome to look through it all if you wish, but you will find that the government propaganda about us attacking towns has no basis in truth. Some pirates might do that, but we avoid such actions at all costs.”

Elmer deftly scooped the book up and flipped through it silently then murmured, “Of course, this could be doctored.”

The Captain only smiled. “Tell you what. If you don’t want to believe why not stay a while and see if we behave differently than we claim. We can train you to fly our guppies in the mean time if you promise me that should you decide we truly do exist to fight the empire, you will join us as pilots.

“That sounds like something we could agree to,” Darwin said slowly.

“It’s a deal.” I agreed.

“Very well then, let me officially welcome you to the Jotnar.”

-

“The end?” Gin asked.

“Well, basically,” Tonic said. “I mean, we hung out for months doing guppy training and becoming acquainted with the ship and the people here before we decided to stay. There was a short while where these three wanted to hop on those guppies and fly off the first chance we got. After hearing their story about how well the circus worked out, I think I understand a lot better now.”

“Your head was too full of fantasies and romantic ideas of being a dashing sky pirate who swoops in and saves the day or you would have understood what we were saying a long time ago,” Elmer snapped. “This is still a very dangerous line of work.”

“About the circus,” Gin said, “What was it you thought the circus master was hiding?”

“At first I thought he was just responsible for the death of my father,” Darwin said, “But when I tried to find evidence of that to convince my brothers it became apparent that something else was hidden at the circus. Something much more sinister. Just what that was? I am afraid I was captured before I found that out.”

“Have you told the captain your concerns?” Gin asked, turning to Elmer.

“That I am afraid the circus master will recognize us? No. That the circus master is hiding something? Yes. But he only smiled and dismissed me. Apparently they are old friends.”

“The plot thickens,” Tonic said with a low whistle. “Of course you couldn’t tell him about that incident.”

“Right,” Elmer said, “He wouldn’t just take our word for it. He would ask his old friend about it and would get fed lies. Probably convincing lies. This is a man who lives for illusions and showmanship after all.”

“So can’t you just not go outside while we are at the circus? Just hide on the ship.”

“That won’t work,” Darwin shook his head. “Dromar asked specifically for our crew to be the one to go down for supplies so that we could pick up the parts needed for the Stingray. We can’t back out of that.”

“So what you really need,” Gin said, standing and reaching for her crutch. “Is to change your appearance enough that you won’t be recognized.” She made her way to the bathroom and returned with a small basket. “This should do the trick.”

“Somehow I don’t think that accessorizing is going to throw off the scent,” Elmer said.

“Oh don’t be dense,” Gin said, opening the lid. “It is not the basket, but what is inside of it that we need.”

So saying she began to pull out various bottles and brushes and sat them on the table before her.

“That ring master is not going to be expecting you three. He is going to be expecting a group of pirates.” Gin explained carefully. “So we just have to make sure he sees what he is looking for.”

“Isn’t that the makeup kit you have been using to make yourself look more like a guy?” Tonic asked.

“Why yes it is, Tonic,” Gin said bitingly, “Thank you for bringing that up. I need you three to promise not to let it slip I am a girl.”

“We already know,” Darwin said. “We were in the guppies that rescued you remember. We all heard you tell Dromar that you were Tonic’s brother. It wasn’t that hard to guess why. The Captain‘s orders are well known.”

“Fair enough,” Gin said, feeling relieved. That had been easier than she had expected.

“But how is makeup going to make us look more like a pirate?” Arthur asked. “Pirates don’t wear makeup.”

“No, actually this is fairly clever,” Elmer said, coming to the idea’s defense. “You worked at the circus so you should know. Anyone on the stage is usually done up to alter their appearance. Noses can be made to look longer, wrinkles can be added or taken away, eye color can be altered, bone structure can be made prominent or hidden. There are any number of ways to alter our skin tone. We can look the part and the circus master will see only that, a group of pirates who appreciate that appearance matters.”

“Right,” Gin said, nodding along with Elmer’s explanation. “And you no doubt all have a fair bit of coin stored away at this point. Invest some of it in a fancy wardrobe. Get bandanas, hats, vests with pockets holding twenty tiny guns, whatever you can to held you look the part. We still have a few days before we arrive at the circus so give it some thought and come back here a day beforehand so that we can all get our costumes perfected.”

“All of us?’ Tonic asked, “You mean me too? But I don’t have to hide from him. Neither do you for that matter.”

“We all need to look like a group.” Gin said, “That means Dromar too. Convince him to do this somehow. I am leaving that up to you lot.”

“Alright,” Darwin said, “I can manage that.”

“But I’m not even going on this mission,” Tonic protested, but nobody was listening. They were too busy discussing the best sort of image they could portray.

-

Gin had already sorted out her costume and Tonic’s by the time the rest arrived. She wore black balloon pants and had half taken her own advice by finding a vest that Tonic sewed special pockets into that could hold tiny knives, more for show than for cutting. Under this she wore a loose red and white stripped shirt. She had dyed her hair purple and applied enough makeup to give her skin an almost yellow tan with a fake scar running across her cheek. She had traded in her winter scarf for a black bandana with a skull and crossbones in the center which she had tied around her neck. It was on all accounts a costume, but she wore it well.

Tonic practically wore a costume already with his skull print scarf, so Gin simply played with the theme, giving him skull print socks and a fake tattoo of a skull that covered his entire face before the others arrived. His hair she had dyed completely blue. They all had a good laugh at his expense before he excused himself to wash the skull off his face. He really wasn’t the primary concern this evening.

Dromar sat himself in a chair and watched as Gin set to work lightening the tan skin of the three Morfest boys and drawing attention to their chins. Arthur had found a fake mustache somewhere and wanted Gin to find a way to make it look more real. As she worked she tried to make conversation with the one person she would let talk while she worked.

“So how did Darwin convince you to do this?” Gin asked Dromar.

“Well, since we are going in to trade rather than to raid we wanted to make a different sort of impression on the circus folk. He argued that the ring master would probably give us a better deal if we dressed for our parts. Frankly, I am not so sure, but if the rest of you are gung ho about this, and I have to consent that you seem to be, then it would be poor form for me to go down there with you and not be part of the act.”

“Well that’s mighty reasonable of you,” Gin said with a grin as she touched up an area over Elmer’s eyes. “Did you figure out what you will be wearing?”

This was a not so subtle probe at the contents of the duffle bag their leader had brought with him. It was sitting next to his chair still unopened. The question seemed to embarrass Dromar, but they all knew he would have to open it eventually so he carefully unzipped it and drew out his new duds.

“I thought that since I was the head of the squad I should look like I was in charge,” Dromar explained.

The hat he placed on his head can only be described as ostentatious. It was brown and had a large feather sticking out the back of it. He also pulled a dark burgundy trench coat from the bag and a dark shirt and pair of trousers with a gold ship buckle on the belt to hold them up.

Gin laughed when she first saw it and quickly put her hand over her mouth.

“Oh, sorry,” She said, “It is just pretty obvious that you were as into this idea as the rest of us.”

“Me?” Dromar asked, feigning shock, “I still have my dignity. This is merely an attempt to help with your plans.”

“Sure,” Gin said, laughing again. “If that is the story you are going with I suppose I can pretend it is true. Now come over here and let me work on you.”

After they finished with the makeovers, Tonic led them out into the town where they partied and played cards in their new costumes. The flashy getups and dyed hair drew a mixture of compliments and straight out laughter all night long.

-

Gin woke up the next morning with bleary eyes and a massive headache. She buried her face in her pillow and tried to burrow deeper into her sheets, but became faintly aware of someone nudging her shoulder with a stick. She waved her hand like she was swatting at a fly.

“Go away Tonic,” she mumbled sleepily into her pillow. “Ten more minutes.”

“You don’t have ten minutes.” Tonic said, prodding her again. The stick was a new and annoying addition. Apparently he had learned after her hand wave had caught him in the stomach a few days prior. “We arrived at the circus last night. Captain ordered the squad down as soon as they could be assembled. He doesn‘t want to stay any longer than is necessary.”

Gin groaned and rolled over, pulling the covers over her head. She could already feel her dreams slipping away as consciousness overtook her. What had it been about again? Riding a unicorn through a field of daisies and rainbows… dressed in her full pirate costume… while being chased by clowns driving forklifts?

“Come on, Gin,” Tonic insisted, “I went and brought you back some breakfast. It is scrambled eggs and bacon and toast. Stuff you like, but it will get cold fast.”

Greasy and traditional breakfast food or go back to being chased by clowns driving forklifts? It was a harder decision to her sleep addled brain than it might have been otherwise.

“And Dromar says he will be here to pick you up in five minutes.”

Gin sat upright in bed. No. No. No. Dromar couldn’t come here while she was still dressed in her bed clothes. He didn’t know she was a girl and he might not keep the secret. She fled past Tonic and down the stairs, swallowing the meal Tonic had brought back for her in give unhealthy gulps.

“Foot is feeling better then?” Tonic asked as he descended the stairs after her.

“Muth betar.” Gin said with a mouth crammed full of toast. She disappeared into the bathroom where her costume hung and closed the door, emerging only when she heard a knock and Tonic greeting someone on their front step.

“You forgot your scar,” Tonic commented idly as she ran back out dressed in her pirate costume.

Gin reached up to touch her cheek, but thought better of it and shrugged.

“I look fine without it.”

“That you do,” said a voice that was decidedly not Dromar’s.

Gin looked up at the doorway for the first time and was surprised to see not her squad leader standing there, but the Captain. She preformed an awkward salute.

“Sorry Sir, I did not see you there.”

“No need for alarm.” The captain said, his glass eye staring blankly into their house as his good eye studied her. “I told Dromar that we would meet him in the hanger. Do you have all of your things ready?”

Gin nodded. “Yes Sir.”

“Good, walk with me then.”

Gin waved goodbye to Tonic and followed the Captain out onto the street. Everyone they passed greeted them, though unlike last night, it was now the Captain who drew their attention.

“How are you finding life on the Jotnar?” The Captain asked, returning a wave.

“Comfortable,” Gin said. “It is easy to forget this is a pirate ship at times.”

“And other times?”

“Do you mind if I am blunt?” Gin asked.

“Not at all. In fact, I insist. Truth is very important to me.”

“Other times I remember how you shot down a large airship over my home city and it nearly came down on top of them. I don‘t believe it possible that you could have been certain it would miss.”

“I see. You are worried that I will sacrifice anyone, even innocent civilians to bring about the end of the empire?”

“That is only partly it.”

“Please, explain.”

“I am afraid that I might help.”

“Perhaps I can ease your fears somewhat then.” The captain said. “Once we leave the Circus we will be changing course and flying into the wastelands.”

“I heard that mentioned before,” Gin said, “but I did not understand why. There is nothing out there to go to. Are we going to try to secure a new land out there and build our own empire?”

“No,” the Captain said although he had a peculiar smile. “We once toyed with that idea, but the empire came and bombed our starter towns. Their ships still prowl beyond their boarders. They eventually find anyone who is building out there.”

“Then what, if I may ask?”

“That is a secret I am afraid, but I will tell you this. The key to the empire’s destruction lies hidden out in those wastes just waiting to be found. We will be looking for it.”

“I see,” Gin said, not really understanding at all. What could possibly be in the wasteland that would help fight against the empire. Surely he did not mean to turn the pBebians into a biological weapon at turn it against the imperial city. Then again, she was not sure how far Captain Denuor would go if it meant putting an end to his enemy.

Gin was so deep in thought that she walked for half a step before realizing that the Captain had stopped. She turned and looked back at him.

“Something wrong?”

They had left the main street behind them and were now near the elevator that would take them down to the hanger.

“I would like to give you a special mission,” the Captain said, drawing an envelop from his pocket and presenting it to her. “Inside that envelop there is a piece of metalwork shaped like a dragon. I would like you to find the one that looks exactly like it and trade them.”

Gin found the envelop was not sealed and opened it, spilling the flat metal dragon out into her hand. Its wings were spread out like the beast were about to take flight and each of its scales were inlaid with a jewel.

“It’s beautiful,” she breathed, then remembering herself, asked, “Where will I find the copy?”

“The circus master has it hidden somewhere. If you search his belongings it may turn up. If you cannot find it then I will have to come down and acquire it by force, but I would rather not do that.”

“Because the circus master is an old friend of yours?” Gin asked,

“No, I would simply prefer that he not know it is missing.”

Gin slipped the dragon back into the envelop and hid it inside her sleeve for the time being.

“Does Dromar or the others know about this?”

“In other words,” the Captain said with a knowing look, “Why you?”

Gin nodded.

“These costumes.” The Captain gestured broadly at Gin’s getup. “Your idea correct?”

Gin nodded again, wondering for the first time what he thought of them.

“It is a creative idea. I honestly have no idea how it will work out as I have never seen anything like it done before. It may be a solution that only works in this one instance and will never be able to be replicated, unless of course we return to trade with the Circus again. It reminds me of you gwylodyn gamble. It reminds me of your prescient catch on that disguised hill.”

Gin held her breath. This was high praise coming from the most important person on the ship.

“I think that you move well on your feet. If something goes wrong, you have the best chance of grabbing the goods and getting out. Do you understand? If you do locate that dragon, returning with it is your number one priority.”

“What about Dromar and the others?”

“Dromar will be busy taking care of the trading. We need fuel and we are going to try and find a new gwylodyn canister for you. The haggling process will keep him out of your hair while you search. If he does not know then he can’t get in trouble if you get caught.”

“And if they get in trouble anyway?”

“I doubt that could happen, but even if it does, Dromar can get them out. You just worry about getting yourself and that metal dragon back here.”

“Yes Sir,” Gin said.

“Good lad,” the Captain said. “Your elevator is right there and I believe I have a few matters to attend to on the bridge. Give Dromar my regards.” He tipped his hat and left Gin to ride the lift down alone. The metal dragon riding in her sleeve was at the foremost of her mind.

-

Gin, the three Morfest boys, and Dromar circled over the circus in their guppies. The ground below them looked like a field of giant targets. Large ringed tents of red and white or yellow and blue were set up all over the encampment and rows of wagons formed an ’L’ shaped wall along the southern and western edges. There was a ferris wheel on the northern side and one large roller coaster snaked its way through the entire circus. Both were unusual sights. It was no wonder the people flocked here for a few hours of entertainment in spite of the dangers. Although the dangers raised another question in Gin’s mind.

“Hey Dromar,” Gin said into her mouth piece as their formation tilted and began to spiral down for descent along the landing patch. “What keeps the pBebians away? I don’t see any walls.”

“There is a desert and mountains and wasteland,” Dromar’s response crackled in her ear. “This land isn’t sustainable. Any pBebian that wanders this way dies before it comes across the circus. Catch is that they have to ship in all their food.”

“What about through the hills?” Gin asked, remembering Elmer’s story.

“Too far. They might be able to survive there, but the food in the forests on the other side is still plentiful. There isn’t any reason for them to wander this way when they can just as happily terrorize the towns closer at hand.”

Quite a crowd had amassed to meet the five pirates who had been flying in formation overhead and more importantly were coming down from the giant ship that cast a dark shadow across the ground just east of the circus. Gin knew they would not disappoint. They emerged from their craft like pirates in a story book. Elmer had pierced his right ear just for this and wore three gold earrings, Darwin’s skin was covered in fake tattoos, an illusion that would hold even if for some reason he had to remove his shirt, and Arthur wore skull rings on each finger.

The crowd ooo’d like they were part of the show and in a way, perhaps they were.

The circus master pushed his way through the crowd and Dromar, now wearing his full costume, buckle, trench coat, and all, stepped forward to take his hand. The circus master clasped his hand and shook it firmly in his own.

“Old Captain Denuor really went all out with you boys,” the circus master murmured low enough that the crowd wouldn’t hear. His eyes danced over each of them briefly, but the disguises worked. All he saw was a group of pirates before his attention returned to their leader. For the crowd he said, “My name is Franklin Hewn. You may call me Master Hewn for the duration of your stay.”

Dromar knew they were still playing for the crowd until they got out of sight and bared his teeth, adopting a gruff, tough business attitude.

“We have no intention of staying long. We are here for fuel, food, and few spare parts. Then we will be on our way.”

The circus master clapped Dromar on the shoulder and spread his other arm wide towards his circus.

“Of course. Of course. Please consider my circus your circus until then. Let us just retreat to a quieter place to discuss exactly what you need.”

Dromar glanced at the hand on his shoulder and then back at Master Hewn. Master Hewn removed his hand. The crowd loved it.

“You three,” Dromar barked, “keep this rabble away from the ships. Kill anyone who comes within ten yards. Gin, you are with me.”

Gin nodded, keeping her eyes narrowed and menacing anyone she caught looking her way. She couldn’t blame them though. Her purple hair and the twenty tiny knives strapped to her vest certainly drew the eye.

“Really, guarding your ships is not necessary,” Master Hewn said as he led them off. “My men are perfectly capable of keeping our airfields safe for all travelers.”

“No doubt,” Dromar said in a way that said he was not buying a word of it. From the story Elmer had told, Gin knew it was not true.

“They are perfectly welcome to enjoy any of our attractions free of charge,” Master Hewn offered graciously. “Consider it a show of good faith. Your Captain and I go way back you know.”

“That right?” Dromar said.

“Even if somebody did try to steal your ships, I know the Captain Denuor would never let them escape. Nobody would be so reckless as to fly off in them with such a large ship in the sky.”

But somebody might tamper with them, Gin thought. No, whether Dromar knew it or not, it was best that those three remain out of sight in any case. Gin was just as glad that it had worked out this way.

“Problem is,” Dromar said, “the more you insist that there is no danger, the more I wonder why you care. Like you said, there is a big ship up there. We are going to deal fairly with you. Just don’t even think about double crossing us. Old friend or no, the Captain, he wouldn‘t take that well. You get me?”

“Yes. Yes. I just don’t want your men shooting anybody. It’s not good for business.”

“I’ll bet.” Dromar said. “Best we conclude our business quick then, ehy?”

“Ehy, I mean, yes.” Master Hewn blustered. “Right this way.”

He led them through the carnival, past wheeled carts filled with balloons and cotton candy, past a ball toss game and a shooting gallery, past a row of elephants in fancy silver cages, and to a large roped off pavilion.

“This is my own private space,” Master Hewn said, “Nobody will bother us here so you can drop the act.”

Both Gin and Dromar relaxed. It was hard keeping their faces look that tough for such a prolonged period of time. What was the saying? Keep making that face and it will stay that way? Gin wasn’t sure that was true, but she could say that it made her jaw and cheek muscles ache.

“Sorry if I behaved a little rough,” Dromar said, “But what I said does stand. We need supplies and we don’t want to stick around long.”

“No. No. It was a good call on your Captain’s part.” Master Hewn said. “The tourists are here for a show. You gave them one that they will remember and if they report that pirates were here, they will also report that they strong armed us. The empire leaves me alone because giving the masses entertainment is good for them as well, but if I threw in with pirates too openly, well, that also would not be good for business.”

He took a seat. The pavilion was a work area rather than a place where Master Hewn lived. It was big enough for him to hold a small meeting away from the eyes of the crowd and it was private enough to keep a few odds and ends there that he was fiddling with. They all sat on stools and as Dromar and the circus master talk business, Gin let her eyes wander the room.

There was a large mechanical thing in the back that looked like the bottom half of a spider. It was still being assembled and Gin wondered what it would be when it was complete. She could not help but think of the story Darwin told with the mechanical squid. That one had been fully automated though and this one looked like a person would drive it. Reality vs. fiction she supposed. There were also two dummies wearing fencing gear and an unused cannon. Odd place to store it, but maybe it was being worked on.

“Well that is quite a list,” Master Hewn was saying.

“Can you gather it all in the next few hours?” Dromar asked.

“I could. I could.” Master Hewn said slowly. “But this is going to be expensive. What are you offering in return?”

“The captain is prepared to let you continue operating your little circus after he had dealt with the empire.” Dromar said, “And if you clean it up, he is prepared to bring you in as one of the top people in his new government.”

The circus master looked at Dromar blankly and then laughed slapping his knees until a fit of coughing stopped him. He held up his hand to give him a moment and then shook his head.

“Now if I thought you were seriously only offering that,” Master Hewn said, “I might get upset.”

“We could blow your circus to the edge of the world,” Dromar warned.

“So could the empire,” Master Hewn said, “But they won’t and you won’t. Come now, what are you really offering me.”

Dromar said nothing for a short moment and then relented.

“The Captain said you wouldn’t go for that, but I had to try.”

“The Captain knows me.”

“Yes he does,” Dromar said, “Which is why we picked up a shipment of Fosher Spice a few months ago. We have kept it dry and sealed. The Captain wanted to give it as a gift after you agreed to the original terms, but said we would end up having to trade for it.”

Master Hewn waved his hand dismissively.

“Course he did, and if I thought he might stand a chance of taking down the empire I might feel like I just missed an opportunity. Fosher Spice though you say? How much are we talking here?”

“In barrels?”

“Sure.”

“Three Hundred Fifty.”

The circus master let out a slow whistle.

“That is impressive. Alright, you will get your fuel, food, and parts. Send a message to start carting down the spice.”

“Glad we could come to such an easy agreement,” Dromar said.

“Well if you ever tried shipping that stuff over land you would understand why. Wonderful stuff, but it never makes it. Ah well, I won’t have to worry about that for some time. Three Hundred and Fifty barrels.” He shook his head. “I am making myself hungry, let’s go find something to eat while this trade gets processed.”

“I should go send that message,” Gin said, “I will catch up with you two.”

Dromar slightly arched an eyebrow but nodded. He must have sensed that she was up to something but did not want to give it away. Gin covered by adding, “I know, it’s not like me to turn up food, but we will be here much longer if we eat before sending the message.”

“Smart girl,” Master Hewn said. “Though I suppose she must be for Captain Denuor to put up with her.”

Gin nearly tripped on her way out the door. She stood just out of sight on the other side listening.

“Gin? I suppose all that stage makeup might throw you off, but he is a boy. He is just young. Trust me, if he is anything like his brother he shoot up in height and fill out once he turns seventeen.”

 “Hmm, if you say so.”

Gin hurried off. So long as Dromar continued to believe she was male it would be fine whatever Master Hewn noticed. However, Dromar might look at her more carefully now. She would need to tell the Captain the truth before then. If she got his flat metal dragon thing then that would be a good time to spill the beans. He was impressed with her already. He would have to let her stay.

She reached into her holster and pulled out a flare gun and loaded the blue cartridge. Pointing it at the sky she fired and with a quiet pop a puff of blue smoke exploded in the air over the circus. This was the signal that the trade was for the barrels of spice. Someone on the ship had been assigned to watch for that smoke and would even now be sending out orders to have it packed up and delivered.

Gin shoved the gun back into her holster. That was the easy part. Now that she had gotten away from Master Hewn she needed to figure out where his living space was located. Asking around would probably be a bad idea.

‘Excuse me sir, but could you tell me where the circus master lives? Yes I know he isn’t there right now. Why do I won’t to go there? Well, I need to steal some of his stuff, so if you would just give me directions…’

Yes, that would probably not go over well. She did have another, much safer, option though. Putting back on her dangerous pirate face she marched through the circus attractions towards the guppies. People gave her a wide berth and she was relived to find that the crowd around the ‘exotic’ pirates had thinned to almost non-existence. There were also no dead bodies. At least the people who hadn’t believed Dromar’s threat didn’t think it worth the risk to test it either.

“Saw the smoke,” Arthur said, “Does that mean we can fly back up?”

“Not quite yet,” Gin said. “Dromar is having lunch with Master Hewn and I need some help with a side project.”

“What kind of a side project,” Elmer asked doubtfully.

“That is a secret I am afraid,” Gin said with such smug assurance that for a moment she felt like her brother, “But I need to know where Master Hewn lives.”

“Whoa, whoa, slow down, back up,” Darwin said, “Just what are you going to do? I this is some sort of a revenge for the way he treated us-”

“It’s not,” Gin said, “This is a request from the Captain. I promise I will explain once we are back on the Jotnar.”

Darwin sighed. “Fine, I will show you the way.”

“No I need to do this alone. It will be safer for all of us.”

“You wouldn’t find it,” Elmer said. “All of the wagons look the same. If you are going, we are all going.”

“I don’t have time for this,” Gin said stomping one foot. “Darwin, you can show me the way, but you two are staying here to keep up appearances. We can’t all just parade off without drawing too much unwanted attention.”

“Alright,” Darwin said, “This way.”

The wagons were indeed all the same, painted purple and decorated with gold trim. There were enough of them that Gin had to admit that having an escort show her the way had been a good idea. They avoided raising the show folk’s suspicions by moving along the attractions and feigning interest while they kept the wagons in sight.

Finally, just as Gin was about to complain that they were running out of time, Darwin whispered, “That’s the one.”

He nodded towards a freshly painted wagon. When no one was looking, Gin sprinted for it. She had out her lock pick and was working on the door before she realized that Darwin had come with her.

“What are you doing?” She hissed as the door sprung open.

“Helping,” Darwin hissed back, pushing her along and closing the door behind them. “Just tell me what we are doing.”

Gin sighed. Well he was here now, so she might as well put him to work. She slipped the envelop out and held up the dragon that was inside.

“We are looking for something that looks like this,” she said.

“The symbol of the Draken Society?” Darwin asked.

“The who?” Gin asked, pulling open a drawer and sorting through the Circus Master’s socks. Disgusting, but, oh, were those giraffe print… she had to admit, some of these were cute.

 “The Draken Society. I am surprised you never heard of them. Mr. Vendel went over them in class.”

“Mr. Vendel could put an over caffeinated cup of coffee to sleep.”

“Really? I thought he was fasci-” Darwin caught Gin’s glance. “Right, the Draken Society was the group who designed the flying imperial city and pioneered the research on gwylodyn and even started to look into the pBebian plague before the research was banned and they were broken up. Professor Wickensnub was part of the Draken Society.”

“Darwin, Professor Wick is a fictional character,” Gin said.

“Oh, the stories are exaggerated to be sure,” Darwin said, his head under the circus master’s bed, “But the man was as real as you or I.”

“I wonder why Master Hewn would have their emblem,” Gin mused. She had moved on to searching the desk after the dresser turned up nothing.

“Maybe he was part of the society at one point,” Darwin suggested. “Or maybe he stole it from someone who was.”

“Maybe,” Gin said, unconvinced. “But the captain knew he had this thing, so either he doesn’t make a secret of it or, well, I don’t know.”

She pushed one of the desk drawers back in and it lodged in place, sticking halfway out. She pushed harder but it did not budge. Come to think of it, the drawer had been halfway out when they came in so she could just leave it where it was, but something bothered her so she pulled it out instead, removing it from the desk completely.

She peered into the hole she had made and took out a small wooden box which she set on the desk.

“This is probably it,” Gin said, and Darwin came over to have a look.

She pried the top open and a song began to play.

“It’s a music box,” Darwin said, stating what had become obvious only after staring at it for ten seconds realizing this wasn‘t what she was looking for. The tune was a bit melancholic and simple, but Gin found it almost soothing too. She let it play as Darwin returned to looking for the dragon piece.

When the song ended a hidden compartment in the box popped open and Gin let out a happy ‘Ah’.

The inlaid metal dragon did indeed look just like the one the Captain had handed her to replace with it.

“Mission accomplished?” Darwin asked.

“Yes,” Gin said. “Now we just switch the real for the fake and-”

There was a sound like someone at the door fiddling with the lock. Gin quickly slid the desk drawer back into place, grabbed the music box and ferreted it, herself, and Darwin under the bed with hardly a breath of time to spare. They watched feet walk around the room, opening a drawer and unscrewing a lid.

The pills she had noticed in the drawer no doubt. That mean the feet probably belonged to the Circus Master himself. She did not know who else would break into his wagon, but there was one way to verify his identity. She craned her neck as high as the bed would allow and made a careful inspection of his socks. Sure enough: elephants.

They would just have to hold their breath and wait until he left the room. Nothing would go wrong she told herself. It would be a tense couple of minutes, but they just had to wait it out. Her own breath seemed suddenly to grown louder and even worse, to have developed an echo. It took her a second to realize it was just Darwin. Don’t panic, she reminded herself, nothing would go wrong.

The sound of the drawer closing again stopped her cold and the feet seemed to hesitate like something was wrong too. She could hear Master Hewn’s thoughts: Why had the drawer just closed all the way? The sound of the drawer opening and being removed was followed by a shout of frustration and the circus master quickly stormed out of the wagon.

Gin and Darwin got out from under the bed as quickly as they could. They needed to get out of there and fast. Gin peaked outside the window. No good. The Circus Master was still in sight. If they left now the man would see them fleeing and, worse, recognize their costumes in an instant. They needed a plan. Her eyes scoured the room looking for options. This what why the Captain had chosen her right? She couldn’t let him down now.

She closed her eyes to think, but Darwin pacing distracted her to no end. If only he could do something useful. She frowned, shaking her head to clear it. Maybe he could. She went over to the dresser and pulled out some of the most generic clothing she could find.

“Darwin,” she instructed. “Take off your pirate costume and put these on. I have got a plan.”

She slipped the dragon piece back into the music box and set it down on the desk, explaining while Darwin traded shirts and slipped off all of the rings and pulled on a wig.

“Ok, here is what we are going to do…”