Twila kept a finger on her lips. Rosie’s half-eaten apple hovered a few inches from her own. They crouched inside the barrel filled with green apples, trying not to move. And straining to hear every bit of the conversation.
“Yer really plannin’ on…on mutiny, then?” An unfamiliar voice asked. Both men stood still in the stone-carved passageway.
Twila thought she could hear one fidgeting with something—a gizmo, perhaps? But she couldn’t be sure. One thing she was sure of, though, was that the man from the Tarred Siren wouldn’t be happy to see her.
“No, I ain’t planning on mutiny, Mister Sullivan. Mutiny is for crews, and I got cut loose on Three Peaks,” the gruff voice said. Twila heard a thumping sound, like a rough pat on the back. Then the voice continued, quieter. “I stayed up in the Siren for three days, watching the mud-kickers come through there and looking for ships with Kerr’s old men on them, just like Vayne asked. I burned my share of the plunder—mine—making sure I knew the goings-on around town. And what did I get?
“Abandoned on that rock.” Someone spat heavily against the barrel. Twila stiffened, hand straying to her pistol. But the voice kept going, accompanied by steps down the passageway. “After another day, I climbed all the way down to the caves. There’s the Endeavor, shattered, looted, and abandoned. Just like me. I’ve had it with that [Sky Captain] and his bit of map. I’ll get what he promised and be done, or he’ll get what’s coming to him, mark my words.”
Whatever the other man said in response, Twila couldn’t hear it. Both men’s footsteps clunked down the tunnel, away from the tavern and the apple barrel. Twila counted down on her fingers, holding them up so Rosie could see.
Three…
Two…
One…
Grabbing the barrel’s rim, she dragged herself up and out. Crushed apple chunks stuck to her boots, but she ignored them. “Rosie, we have to follow them.”
“Why? They don’t know anything about Auntie Charlie, the fort, or the Marines. I bet they’re only in Seapike until they book passage elsewhere. They can’t help us.”
“Not with Charlie, they can’t. Charlie’s not the end, though. Vayne’s out there. He’s hunting for a way to get the treasure. They’re against Vayne, so maybe they’ll help us.”
“Fine. But don’t trust them, Twi. They’re pirates!”
“So was Charlie, and so are we, probably,” Twila said. She scurried off after the two pirates, with Rosie right behind her.
The conspiring pirates had left the tunnels. Twila peered into the crowds of people moving up Seapike’s only road, looking for them. There. They were heading toward the harbor. She and Rosie ducked below arms and dipped through the crowd, trying to get close enough to hear.
“...Broken Rock. He always goes to Broken Rock after a new ship, Rackham. If you want to catch up with him and get what’s yers, meet him there. But be careful. He’ll be puttin’ together a crew, and you won’t have one crazy enough to go against him.”
“Bah, he’s no Kerr,” the boat-cloak pirate—Rackham—replied. “Mister Sullivan, meet me there and mark my words. Vayne will listen to me. Or if not, he’ll find himself in hot water. Whatever crew he’ll find between Three Peaks and Broken Rock won’t be loyal enough to stand for him, and that ship’s boat couldn’t have taken much treasure.”
The two men gently pushed through the crowd and onto the airship piers. Twila was shocked to see that Rackham was being gentle. He’d been callous or downright violent at Three Peaks.
She and Rosie also dipped into the harbor, crouching behind a mountain of crates near a giant cargo-hauler airship. Twila peeked around the wooden box.
The two pirates stood beside a gangplank in a quiet part of the harbor, just past a Royal Romney class airship. Sullivan slapped Rackham on the back.”...see what I can do, James. There are a few lads on board the Sow and Carrot who’ll back me, but I don’t know if it’s enough. Even if it is, she’s not a hunter or a good ship for pirating. She’ll get me and those lads to Broken Rock, but we’ll need something better for later.”
Rackham looked around, and Twila ducked behind the box. “You worry about getting me a crew, Mister Sullivan. I’ll find us a ship and a heading. Smooth skies.”
“Swift engines!” Sullivan climbed up the gangplank, disappearing onto the fat cargo hauler’s deck. Rackham turned, boat cloak spinning, and started stomping back toward Seapike town. He whistled a tune as he walked past a pair of Gibson Marines near the Royal Romney. Then he was gone.
This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.
“We’ve gotta follow him! He knows about Vayne,” Twila said, jogging to catch up. The man…backtracked toward the Blackstone Inn—why was everything in Seapike Blackstone? He stepped inside, and after a moment, Twila and Rosie followed.
“Let’s just…talk to him?” Rosie asked hesitantly. She fidgeted with the pistol on her harness. “Maybe he’ll be reasonable.”
“You got him stuck in a bar fight the last time we met,” Twila said. “We can talk, but be careful.”
Twila strode up to the table where Rackham sat, back against the wall. He squinted at them. His eyes grew wide as they sat down. “You! You were in the Tarred Siren.” He drew a pistol and cocked it with an audible click underneath the table.
A moment later, both Twila and Rosie had their pistols out under the table, too. Twila started sweating. Her eyes darted back and forth between Rackham and Rosie. His eyes did the same thing. But Rosie’s one eye was fixated on the pirate.
The silence stretched. The man tapped his left hand’s fingers on the table, then held it in the air. “Barkeep! One for me and a cut drink for each of these rats!” The barkeep nodded.
Still, the table stayed quiet. The drinks arrived. No one reached for them.
The Rackham laughed. He uncocked his pistol and tucked it away. “Alright, girls, you’ve got the better of me. What can James Rackham do for you? And why did you follow me all the way from Three Peaks?”
“We didn’t follow you,” Twila began.
Before she could continue, Rosie held up her hand. “Twi, guns first. Then business.” She put her pistol away, and Twila followed suit.
“We have a business proposition for you, Mister Rackham,” Rosie started. Twila stared at the shy girl. Why was Rosie talking? “I hear you’ve got a problem with a certain captain. You’re trying to get your share back from him. He doesn’t have anything to pay you with, though. We know. We were there in the cave below Three Peaks. He didn’t get to the treasure.”
“Aye, I figured that when I saw the Endeavor. You rats beat him, then?”
“Yes. We’re here to help a fellow crewmate. Once we’ve done that, we’re racing Vayne for a way to get into the treasure room. If you’re interested in revenge on your old skipper, maybe we can work together,” Twila said.
A dark look flashed across the man’s face. Then he breathed deeply. Twila recognized the breathing and nodded knowingly. At last, he slowly nodded. “You listened in. You sneaky little bitches. Well, if you listened in, you know I already have a plan, so what’s the benefit to me if I cut you into it, eh?”
[Twila Tighe, Ship Rat Mystgineer, Equipment Level 1.33 (Myst 1/12, Hit Points 1/2)]
[Head - Empty]
[Eyes - Myst Lens (lvl. 1) Myst Sight (passive) See own status block and others’ classes]
[Chest - Platejack Coat (lvl. 2) Plated Coat (passive) +1 Hit Point]
[Waist - Apprentice Mystgineer’s Bandolier (lvl. 1) Deep Pockets (passive) - Equip an additional Gizmo]
[Legs - Canvas Overalls (lvl. 0)]
[Gizmo #1 - Loaded Dice (lv. 2) - Roll the Bones (active, 1 myst/roll) - gain a random myst enhancement; Skill - Trickery]
[Gizmo #2 - Anton’s Pocket Watch (lvl. 4) Redo (active, 5 myst/5 seconds) - redo the last five seconds of time, with knowledge of what’s happening (1 minute to reset); Skill - Piloting]
[Gizmo #3 - Nola’s Embrace (lvl 2) Unknown Effect]
[Gizmo (Belt) - Mystwork Lantern (lvl. 2): Mystlight (active, 25% failure chance, 1 myst/attempt) - start the light; Adjustable Light Aura (sustained, .5-2 myst/tick) - light a variable area; Skill - Perception]
[Myst Battery - Condensing Battery Mk. 2 (lvl. 1) Myst Storage (passive) - 12 myst maximum, requires condenser to refill; Condense Myst (passive) - Condenses 1 myst/6 ticks]
[Weapon/Pair - Anton’s Paired Pistols (lvl. 2) Smoothbore Myst-Shot (active, 1 cartridge/shot) - fire a ray of heated myst; Rapid Shots (active, 2 myst/shot) - fire twice/tick; Skill - Marksman]
[Weapon #2 - Heatblade (lvl. 2) Heat (active, 1 myst/tick) - cause the blade’s edge to superheat; Skill - Acrobatics]
[Weapon/Pair - Empty]
[Skill #1 - Trickery 2]
[Skill #2 - Perception 2]
[Skill #3 - Piloting 4]
[Skill #4 - Marksman 2]
[Skill #5 - Acrobatics 2]