Axel sipped cautiously out of the elegant glass tumbler. Her eyes grew wide, and she coughed, spitting the expensive drink out across the table.
“Hey!” Ambassador Komik quickly took off his fez, brushed it off, and gave the young mechanic an offended look. “What was that for?”
“Sorry,” she gasped out.
Doc Faraday laughed and tipped his very battered hat up with one thumb. “Aw, never had brandy before, sweetheart?” he asked.
“No,” Axel lied, trying to recover from the unexpected flavor that was still burning her mouth. “I just… I mean this isn’t the good quality I’m used to, is all.”
“No?” the good Doc asked with a wink. “I snatched it from first class.”
Before Axel could think of a witty reply, the door at the far end of the cabin swung open. In stepped a grumpy looking Briar, wiping his grease stained hands onto the tight-fitting uniform that obviously belonged to Jeff, not to Chief Mechanic Briar Scott, who had obviously never worn a high collar in his life.
Axel bit back a laugh. In all her time working for the Maiden Voyage Airship Company, she’d never expected to see Briar in uniform. Looked like good old Jeff had gone missing once again, and this time it was the chief mechanic who was forced to take his place punching tickets for passengers. Axel smothered a grin and waved at her boss as Briar stomped across the room. He looked like an angry bear stuffed inside a tuxedo that was one size too small. The uniform had probably been the Captain’s idea. Captain Rockett liked his employees to look professional in front of the passengers, even if Maiden Voyage was one of the cheaper dirigible companies in the free world.
This particular voyage was heading out to the prosperous town of FaltIron, having made stops at various ports in at least three different countries. The ship was full of all sorts of people from dozens of social classes, cultures, and professions, all busy and anxious to arrive at their destination. Axel doubted any of them cared what their impromptu conductor was wearing.
“Tickets,” Briar grunted, striding over to a nearby table.
Komik started shifting through his many pockets to find his ticket. Axel noticed Doc had pulled his hat down low over his face and he was slowly sinking in his chair.
Briar walked up to their little card table.
“Tickets, please,” he said, taking Komik’s ticket. “Axel? What are you doing here?”
“Learning to play cards,” she said cheerfully. “I finished my shift early, so I’m taking a break. Faraday’s teaching me to play and this fellow’s been watching.”
“I don’t play,” Komik added helpfully.
Faraday sank lower in his chair.
Briar turned towards him with a mighty frown.
“Ticket,” he ordered.
Faraday didn’t move.
“Maybe he can’t hear you?” Komik suggested.
“Maybe he fell asleep,” Axel said.
The hat slipped off Faraday’s face.
“Shoot,” he said.
“You!” Briar shouted.
Doc leapt to his feet and scrambled out of Briar’s reach, overturning the table and sending poker chips and cards flying across the room in the process.
“Get back here, stowaway!” Briar barked. “Axel, give me a hand. Thought I threw that scoundrel out last stop, he must have snuck back onboard.”
“That man forgot his hat!” Komik exclaimed.
“Axel!” Briar shouted.
“I’m coming!” Axel said, scrambling to her feet.
Shoving through the crowd, Briar tore after Doc Faraday, Axel on his heels, with Komik bringing up the rear and waving the abandoned hat. Faraday managed to make it back through the doors, leaving tables overturned and angry passengers in his wake. Axel helped a well-to-do looking couple back up to their feet and picked up the chase again, running into the first-class compartment. She felt a little guilty, chasing Doc, but she felt even worse about the fact she’d been playing cards with a stowaway.
Axel ran out of the first-class cabin and down the hall, brushing past a stranger who was evidently on his way back from the sleeping quarters, his nose buried in his edition of the London Times.
Axel noticed the door to the storage compartment ahead was opened slightly. She sprinted across the hall and threw the door open all the way to find Doc, curled up, and half hidden behind a particularly bulky suitcase.
“Alright, come on out,” she said. “You can’t stay in there forever and Briar’s none too happy with you. He’s bound to find you eventually.”
“Look, sweetheart,” Doc protested, peeking out into the hall. “Maybe we could come to an understanding-”
“There you are!” Briar stormed up and grabbed Doc by the back of his shirt as if he were a disobedient kitten.
Ambassador Komik came jogging up behind him.
“You’re going back to London,” Briar said grimly. “I’ll tie you up this time if I have to.”
“Wait,” Komik protested, holding up Faraday’s battered cap. “I thought we were returning his hat.”
A concussive boom rocked the ship.
Axel staggered as the rattle and despairing sputters of broken machinery echoed in her ears. Part of the ceiling swung low over her head and clattered to the floor. Axel saw that strange man again at the end of the hallway, tucking his newspaper under his arm and smiling as he stepped calmly back into the first-class cabin, completely unsurprised.
“What the devil-?” Briar shouted.
“Ladies and gentleman,” the captain’s voice echoed over the intercom, crackling and sizzling like popcorn in a pot of hot oil. “Please remain calm…. we will be landing shortly, we… experiencing technical difficulties…”
“Technical difficulties!?” Briar shouted.
“We’re crashing!” Axel dodged another piece of the ceiling. “Everyone back to the cabins!”
“Crashing?” Komik cried. “Sir, you’d better take your hat!”
“Confound my hat!” Doc hollered.
The passengers shrieked and cursed over the din of clanging engines. Axel followed the others towards the nearest cabin as the wind ripped through the torn airship, roaring in her ears.
“Good thing I didn’t pay for a ticket!” Doc shouted.
There was another sickening boom.
Axel’s heart leapt into her throat.
The dirigible was going down.
Story graciously provided by E. Bronwyn Hinkle
Learn more of her and her works at:
https://www.facebook.com/E.BronwynHinkle/
https://www.facebook.com/TheLawrenceChronicles/
Steampunk Western LARP, Saturday, June 16th, 5:00 – 11:00 !!!