Everyone gathered on the lower gangplank. One by one they emerged from the bulkhead and waited for the distant lights to grow. Valentina, just as her crew companions, had changed out of the zealot dress into something less obvious. Apart from some damage on her jacket and pants, tears and rips accidentally caused by sharp edges in and around the engine room, the merchant sailor suit had been washed into pristine condition. As pristine as it could get.
"Time, eh?", Rain muttered and copied the Uppersider, leaning against the metal citadel bow-side. "Yeah, finally. Can't wait to get off this rust bucket!", she sighed. Madison's deeper voice complained from behind them, "What do'ya mean rusty! Hardly any rust to be found on this fine boat!". Both Rain and her snorted nearly at the same time, causing them to grin at each other. They ignored the comment altogether after that. "I feel offended!", Madison puffed her cheeks. It was quite cute, her second male personality could never shake how pretty the woman was. Even when the engineer tried to be threatening, more often than not the facial expression was borderline cute. Valentina tried her best to stay serious. Agitating the engineer never lead anywhere, as Reel could testify to.
A soft breeze went through her hair from starboard side. The Underside rarely had any wind at all. When she noticed a warmth sweeping through the group of escapees, Valentina pushed the jacket hood off and tied her hair into a bun behind her head. It felt nice. "The breeze of Shallow Straight", Rain grunted and he pursed his lips. Madison wore an expectant smile and Janet stretched, loud cracking thundered from her spine as her vertebrae snapped into place.
***
The Mercurial sailed across the Shallow Straight and followed a series of reflective surface marker buoys. Every deck lamp was lit, but the boat also had large spotlights on top of the citadel, reaching quite a few meters in a half circle around the bow. Reel steered the vessel professionally, slowly towards the pier. She'd have to share the space with other ships. Further north anchored a few larger cargo haulers and two military ships. Cruisers maybe, or large frigates. Too large to enter port, they would require yawls to reach shore.
North Cross' port went around the shoreline, a long 90 degree curvature, every couple of meters a series of lamps outlined piers that reached far into the water. A more efficient usage of space for sure. Contrary to Damascus, the first building all had a military purpose. Towers sprouted between the trade buildings with multiple armaments attached to each. Harpoons, large calibre guns and something that looked like flak. Behind the first rows of buildings, similar to any town or city Valentina had visited so far, a slope expanded uphill. Multiple palaces loomed over the city and blocked sight from anything that might be behind the hill.
Most buildings were constructed of stone. A dark, red stone that had not appeared anywhere before. The roofs were mostly flat and multiple washing lines clearly outlined the primary use for the roof. The Crossers, as these city dwellers liked to call themselves, favoured orange light and managed to increase its white point. Most colours reflected perfectly fine.
After Sainte Monique, this city was by far the largest, most advanced and varied one she had visited so far. Unfortunately this also meant a very unpleasant smell. North Cross had a sewage system and somehow it seemed to be pushed into the port somewhere close to where they'd landfall.
***
After leaving the ship, Janet and Reel registered with the port authority. Where those two took the money from, that was required to deal with all this official stuff, she had no idea. Instead of worrying about it, Rain and her left Madison inside the main bulkhead on her handmade chair which looked awfully similar to Valentina's and swiftly left the unpleasant stink of the sewage behind. Both of them wore their jackets open. It was the first time since her arrival that she wasn't cold. Something to remember this city by, she thought to herself.
Inside the city, stone made everything feel more expensive, more sturdy and definitely posh. The Crossers could be Neapolitans. The further they left the port behind, the more hipsters they found. The Uppersider chuckled at that. "What's so funny?", Rain wondered, panting heavier than her as they walked uphill. "This place is full of hipsters", she answered and glanced at a woman strolling past them. Her companion scowled at her, "You and your weird words". "I am saying that this is a trend city, full of people who want to be seen and show off their lifestyle", she explained, eyes darting left and right to remember buildings and landmarks. All they had done so far was to follow the main road. It went straight uphill and probably ended at those palaces. The wiry redhead snorted, "War makes southern cities less attractive, I guess". Something she wholeheartedly agreed with.
Part of her wanted to check out clothes. And food. As they passed by a store selling dresses, and this time it was incredibly obvious with North Cross featuring shop windows, a grumble inside her stomach made her reconsider entering. "Where's the street food?", Valentina beamed at Rain. His eyebrows shot up, then he put his index to his chin and glanced up, "Uuuuh, next large road right and we'll reach Clockspire Road. I think. Memory's a bit hazy".
Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.
Their patience was rewarded, though a blind man could have found, and smelled, the street market. Against the house wall opposite, two signs were chiselled into the stone. Clockspire Rd. and Principal St. Stomach rumbling even more, they turned right.
Since North Cross was a trading hub first and foremost, it imported raw materials and refined them. Most food was imported as well. No matter where traders were headed, almost all made landfall here. The street was buzzing like an Asian market. Rain treated her to fish filet on a stick. He grinned and told her that she didn't want to know what the fish looked like. It made her grimace, but tried the grilled meat reluctantly. Flavour spread through her mouth. First salty, then spicy with a hint of mint. The fish itself was either tasteless or she couldn't figure out which part of that was fish. For good measure, she went back and haggled 3 fifties for two more sticks. Expensive was something else, but she probably underestimated how the economy worked here. Regret filled her. Reel or Janet could've explained all of this, probably.
"What's wrong? Don't like it anymore?", he smiled over as they leaned against a house and quietly ate their food. "I regret not asking Janet or Reel to explain the economy to me", she sighed. People on Principal Street seemed a notch more wealthy, colourful and posh. Probably the upper class didn't want to eat street food or buy goods themselves on the market. With enough money, cooks and servants could be bought. "Why do you want to know about the economy?", the tone in his voice said everything, a lack of understanding. "My previous job could be described as mass manipulation through economical means", the explanation trailed off as someone with a zealot dress walked past them. The thick jacket was missing, but the colours were unmistakable. Unfortunately before she could point that person out to her companion, they were gone.
Rain mused, "I see, and if you knew about it you could figure out when you're being cheated?". He caught on, but knowing the economy was so much more. In a third world country that had never been exposed to modern earth capitalism, it could be a crystal ball, it could be successful business, it could also be power and leverage. Knowledge was power, especially if one could sell it or use it to their advantage. So many powerful people in earth history had done the same, and so many women behind powerful men were guilty of it, too. Without any stable income, apart from the low chance of becoming a successful spy, she would need to step up her game. North Cross was the perfect place to do that.
"Where's the pub that you'll hang out?", Valentina switched the topic. The man ran a hand through his red hair, "The Two Feathers, it's roughly that direction, can't miss it". Her head tilted slightly and a frown appeared, "Two Feathers doesn't quite sound like a sailor establishment". "It is, it's just not exactly a tavern", he blushed slightly, an awkward sight on him. The Uppersider caught on, a memory of Game of Thrones flashed through her mind, "Don't forget your task". A grin escaped her, which turned into a thoughtful expression. Didn't he want me to tag along? "Naw, I won't. Should'a tagged along, folks working there are both pretty and offer good services", he shrugged at her and pushed himself from the wall. "I'm fine, I don't need to get laid yet", she snickered while he raised an eyebrow at her. "Not the only services they offer. From baths to massages, or just company. Suit yerself, maybe next time, aight?", he dug his hands into the pockets and walked off. Seconds later he was gone.
***
Nibbling on her last fish filet, Valentina followed Principal Street up to the palaces, where she hoped to find the temples. A small estate, surrounded by a wall and two guards at the gate, gave a southern French vibe. She glanced through the open gate into the property. "Walk along, Miss!", one guard ushered her along while his guard friend only gave her a gloomy glance.
Instead of flowers, many grew mushrooms of different sizes, colour and form. Some climbed up the house walls, the ivy of the Underside. Others were large enough to provide a canopy to huddle underneath should it ever have a downpour. Frankly, the mushroom caps were probably a better protection against rain than a tree could ever be.
Lined along the main path to the estate grew glowing mushrooms. They emanated a blue hue. Just enough to replace any dim lamp. Next came a small castle. On eye level unimpressive, but it reached twice as high as the neighbours. Crenellations decorated the top. Multiple paintings depicted a fight against a sand worm from Herbert's Dune and its defeat. The story started near the bottom and ended near the crenellations. On the final painting stood a lonely soldier with spear and shield against a heavily wounded worm. Death spread all around them. Gruesome was one word to describe it. Considering the artwork left her in awe however. Chiselled into the wall and afterwards painted with a myriad of colours, some weapons and especially the monstrous enemy grew more menacing and lifelike as its head rose out of the wall.
Her intuition proved right. Hess' temple was a pompous building next to the palace in the centre. The mayor's palace, city hall, something of the sort. It bore no sign. Umira's temple wasn't located on the hilltop, so she scanned the city from her elevated position and found it near Clockspire Road, which circled around the hill. From city hall, a smaller road lead back down to Clockspire Road left and right. It truly was the city centre. Hilltops were easily defended, at least until long distance weaponry was invented. She didn't know what was underneath the palace, there could be a huge bunker complex. Nor did she know whether shelling a temple would be considered a no-go in war. Since the gods existed, temple damage could cause a divine incident. Totally possible. Valentina chuckled and strode up the wide stairs, flanked by tall stony pillars.