The cabin door closed, and Emma relaxed, taking a deep breath. Her cabin aboard the ship was large, containing a bed, chairs, and a map table. Everything was stowed bristol fashion, a place for everything and everything in its place. She grabbed a change of clothes from her wardrobe and set them on the bed beside her. Bending over, she unlaced her high-heeled ankle boots, kicking them off and slipping them under the bed. A pair of doeskin pants was pulled under her soon discarded skirts. Then, on with a simple white linen blouse with the sleeves quickly folded to the elbows. Revealing a broken heart tattoo in front of an anchor wrapped in the anchor's chain on her inner right forearm. And finally, a waistcoat of black silk with silver buttons. Standing taller with less rigidity in her body, pushing the Victorian skirt dress and slips into the closet. Emma now inhabited her world, and it would bend to her will.

A knock at the door shook Emma from the peace of this mundane task.

"Who is it?" Emma asked.

"Reo Iti," replied a well-known voice from the other side.

"Stand too," said Emma before crossing the room to open the door.

"Reo, what is the ship's status?" she asked as she clapped her hand on his upper arm, pulling him into the cabin.

"We are sea ready. Stores and provisions are on board," he replied, stepping into the room.

"What about The Vicious Fall?" Emma asked, grabbing a belt from the wardrobe.

"Ready to hunt, we will be half a day out of Auckland, and she will rendezvous with us," Reo replied. "Do we have a destination?"

"Well then, my friend, that's one of two questions we must have asked before the night is out. Is Mr.Wolf back yet?" Emma added.

"He is in the galley," Reo Iti informed her. "You should get yourself another pistol. We got a couple of pepperbox revolving centerfires," Reo said, pointing to the empty pistol holster on her left hip.

"No. I want my pistol. And I remember whose fault it is that I don't have it, as well," Emma replied as she squinted and pointed a playful finger back at Reo.

"I am not going to get it back," Reo said with half a smile.

"It was one of the best days. You won all of this off him. In one game of cards and double cross, the likes of which sung in pirate bars the Pacific over. And we earned his obsession. He has chased us around the Pacific for years." Emma said.

"Well, he did say that he would not kill you for a year and a day." Reo Iti replied.

"Two years ago. And then I did shoot him." Emma stated flatly.

"Mostly, you shot at him. And only made him angrier when you did hit him. Then to lose your favorite gun in the process." Red Iti said.

"He is the head of the council, and now that we have lost the Caribbean to Woods Rodgers. The free nation needs to stay low, build alliances and get funds for the fight ahead. We will clear every royal-loving lackey from a free Pacific. " Emma said.

"And make a little profit along the way." Said Reo.

"More than little," Emma replied.

"He scares me. But I will get my gun back one day. He's got to be 40 years older than me," said Emma, clapping Reo on the shoulder.

"Old age! Now that's a great choice for a weapon," Reo replied.

"That one is part demon and all other parts crazy, I am sure. He will need killing before then, or he will kill me. And destroy any hope of freedom for the people of the Island nations." Emma said.

"This is an odd conversation," Reo observed.

"True, but a needed one. A decision is pending. It was good to get a list of headwinds. It helps." mused Emma.

"Let's go find Mr. Wolf. He's always good for a laugh and a story." Emma said as she left the captain's cabin.

* * *

Mr. Wolf and Amelia sat across from each other at a dining table in the ship's mess; Hutchens was pouring a cup of tea from an entirely practical teapot. One hand held a cloth-wrapped handle, and the other, also wrapped in a cloth, lifted the bottom of the pot.

The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

Emma approached to see that both cups held a yellowing liquid, a brew ready for the finishing touch of a splash of milk.

"Tea? Not your normal fair," teased Emma as she slapped Mr. Wolf on the shoulder.

"I asked for a beer," Mr. Wolf replied, pointing at Hutchens.

"Tea, my good man, will raise the spirits and fortify the body," replied Hutchens, pouring a cup out for Emma and himself.

"If this was a beer, I would have something witty to say," replied Mr. Wolf as he gulped the tea and then looked off to the corner of the room.

"Nope, not one witty thing," he concluded, finishing the cup. He then stood up and walked towards the galley. A grunt came from Mr. Wolf, along with a few metallic-sounding bangs.

Eventually, Mr. Wolf called out, "Captain, when will we start looking for this Kincade fellow?" and then returned from the galley with a mug in hand.

"We have already started. It is not enough to have the ship's name; we also need the destination. And, given that we know where they started here in Auckland, we can anticipate a course," Emma replied with a slight smile.

"And, if Mr. Wolf has done his job, we will have that last piece of the puzzle," she said.

At that, Mr. Wolf produced a large ledger that looked identical to the one Mr. Watts had written in when they'd paid their visit.

"Is that the ledger from the Steamspire Syndicate?" Hutchens enquired. Concern was evident in his voice.

"Yes," replied Emma flatly.

"You stole this shipping manifest from an organization with the commission and seal of the Royal house. Is there no end to the depths you will sink? Hutchens stood, placing the palms of both his hands on the tabletop.

Emma placed her hand on the table and leaned back in her chair. She looked first at Hutchens, then back at Amelia, sitting quietly. Emma put her palm on the cover of the book.

"Kincade has been put aboard a ship in the South Pacific. The crew will be charged to hunt and kill pirates, vagabonds, brigands, and rouges," Emma said.

"That's me. I am a brigand," interrupted Mr. Wolf. The pride in voice was unmistakable.

"And, the pirate, would that be you?" Asked Hutchens looking directly at Emma, the disdain evident in the tone.

"With one of the best marauder class airships in the south seas," Emma owned the description.

"He would be safe, relatively speaking, if we left him. He would be worked day and night, without a break, but he would be safe." She paused to let the word sink in.

"If we wait, he will be returned to port in six months for refueling and a refit. We could sort all this out then," Emma tapped the book's cover.

"Or else, this book contains the destination of …" Opening the ledger and scanning the pages.

"The ship is the Raven's Claws. And, what that means, we could go get him. I will leave it up to you. You will both need to make a choice. Stay and wait, or ..." Emma continued tapping her finger on the book cover.

"Or set sail and take back what has been taken from you. Just like a real pirate, seek freedom for those who don't have it." Emma said.

"Why would we ever want to go anywhere with your crew and you? We will wait," replied Hutchens. "You and your savage, uncouth kind—" he started. His words stilled.

Amelia reached out and placed a hand on Hutchens's forearm. "May I please offer my opinion?" Amelia looked at Hutchens as if waiting for a signal to talk that came in the shape of a quick nod of his head.

"The information Emma needs may or may not be in the register. Can we, please, examine it merely to confirm that the destination has been recorded?" Then she stood and placed her other hand on his shoulder.

"To what end?! Does knowing the name of a destination get us any more comfort than not knowing?" Hutchens asked.

"I can only tell you. If I know," replied Amelia.

"Very well, then," said Hutchens.

"Sydney. I looked already," chuckled Mr. Wolf.

"Oh my, that was almost witty." He continued, then took another pull on the beer.

"Well, then. We shall be parting company forthwith," stated Hutchens.

"No!" said Amelia. "I want to go after Kincade. I simply will not abide another day of his false imprisonment by those horrible people." Amelia stamped her foot for emphasis. Hutchens looked at Amelia's distraught face, then down to her foot. He took a deep breath.

"If it is your intent to travel with these… brigands. I shall, of course, travel at your side as a protector and companion. As a compatriot of Kincade, to ensure your safety and security are maintained,". Hutchens finished with the knuckles of his fists planted on his hips. His jaw thrust forward in the proper fashion of a man of the commonwealth.

Emma pulled a leather plug to a brass tube by the galley door. She spoke into the opening, "Officer of the watch," Emma bellowed.

"Aye, Captain!" replied Reo Iti from its hallows.

"Make ready for sea. Cast off at the earliest convenience."

"Were we off too, Cap'n."

"Sydney," she directed. "We going after my brother! and just a little bit of gold".

* * *

The night sailing was uneventful. The watchstanders demanded that Amelia and Hutchen be on deck with only some of the crew, who seemed to be really excited to greet the early sunrise. And they now both stood without anything to do except wait and watch. The other crew members had donned warmer-looking clothes. They were stacking food, water, gases, and gunnery supplies on the broad open deck. The boat had no central mast. The wheelhouse was set back to provide a wide general area in the mid-ship.

Emma stepped onto the deck and approached Emma and Hutchens, her two would-be companions.

"Why are we to stand here?" Hutchens questioned Emma.

"Because this ship will never reach the Tasman sea, let alone Synedy in time. And I have chosen to let you in on my best-kept secret." Emma replied. Emma pointed to the rising sun, and Amelia and Hutchen's eyes followed her finger.

"Well, yes, that is beautiful," Amelia said when her attention was taken by a thrumming sound from about them.

Above them, a vast airship balloon appeared, angling down from behind the wheelhouse. In only a few minutes, the single balloon, surrounded by seven propellers, one fixed at the rear and three aligned in a two-by-two configuration horizontally along port and starboard, the bottom of the ship was a long cabin compartment with gun ports-a-plenty.

"It is a warship. Is it Steamspire? Have they come for justice?" said Hutchens firing out two questions.

"No replied Emma that is the Vicious Fall. My ship and our ride." Emma replied.