The City in the Sky

With the smell of the smoke fading and the rum taking hold, Mulligan began feeling light-hearted. A click from the door behind him announced someone’s arrival, and he turned to find himself face to face with Captain Windfury. She, too, had removed her mask. She smiled and explained, “I gave the wheel to the Navigations Officer.”

Mulligan found her smile both beautiful and infectious. “You mean Reg?“, he asked.

“Yeh’ve met, then? Wonderful, that will save some time with the introductions.” Then, noticing the glass in his hand, she observed, “I see yeh’ve found the galley. I hope Whitman wasn’t too much of an ass.”

A flash of anger against the man burned inside Mulligan as he wondered how to phrase his reply, but in the end he decided to remain tactful as ever. “He was actually quite accommodating, for the most part. He didn’t seem to care too much for Reg, though.”

Windfury’s expression darkened as she read in Mulligan’s face what had transpired. “He told yeh he didn’t approve of my decision to hire a Clockwork?”

“That’s about the gist of it, yeah.”

“When we lost our previous Navigations Officer almost a year ago, I believe he had wanted me to pick someone else to fill the position. However, in my opinion, Reginald was far more qualified. And”, she said pulling herself up to her full height, “seeing as how I am captain of this ship, my opinion is law.”

“And, in spite of this conflict of ‘opinion’, you keep him as part of your crew?”

“He may be an ass, but he is still one hell of a gunner. And not a bad cook to boot.”

The resonance of agitation in her reply wasn’t lost on Mulligan, but the detective in him couldn’t let the matter rest. “I see, and how do you feel about working with a Clockwork?“, Mulligan pressed.

“I hired him, didn’t I? I could care less what he is, so long as he’s the best at what he does.”

The response filled James with affection for the young captain. He wanted to continue, to pry into the heart of this odd yet alluring woman, but he was afraid of alienating Jana any more than he already had. It was Windfury who mercifully broke the silence first.

“Care for a refresher?” she asked pointing to his nearly empty glass.

Mulligan paused for a second to gauge his level of inebriation. “Actually...“, he began, but without waiting for him to finish, Jana grabbed his cup and made for the stairs.

“Err...thanks?“, he mumbled at her retreating backside. He couldn’t help but admire her ever-present swagger as she stepped out of sight. He took advantage of the solitude to review the notes he had taken from the dossier on the latest slaying.

Male Clockwork murdered. No motives. As he reached the part about the witness he felt an energy flow through his body. His fingers tingled and his hands slightly shook. “Just the alcohol? Or perhaps the souls of the deceased?“, he mused. Eliza Devonshire. The name seemed to mean something to him, but the answer was lost in the folds of his mind. Who was this woman and what would she have to reveal to him? Maybe it was she who murdered Mr. Devonshire? 99 times out of 100 it’s the significant other who kills their partner. It seems people kill out of love as much or more than out of hate. But it just seemed too farfetched. What were the witness and the victim to each other? “Cohabitant”, Archer had said. Roommates or something more? Then there was the stumbling block of the “violence inhibitors”. Technically it was impossible for Clockwork to do such a thing. But... he was absolutely certain that the crimes had been committed by a Clockwork, wasn’t he? Under the mantra of “anything’s possible” Mulligan decided to not make a decision until he had spoken with Ms. Devonshire.

“Wotcha have there?” Jana’s voice came over his shoulder startling him. He turned his head to find her standing behind him holding two glasses. James was grateful to hear she sounded much calmer upon her return.

He stuffed the notes back into his pocket and took the glass Jana was offering him. “Nothing really”, he lied, not sure that his Ministry status would sit well with the privateer.

Jana quickly saw through the deflection and interjected, “Mr. Mulligan, out of principle I never ask why my passengers are travelling with me. Keeps my hands clean of any unpleasantness, if yeh get me?” She looked quite serious.

“I do”, said James, allayed that she was not pursuing the topic. “And please, call me James”.

And with that, the tension dissipated. Jana leaned back in her chair and smiled. “Well, James, I have to give yeh credit. Yeh handled yourself quite well back there. A lesser man might have gone to pieces on me when Her Majesty’s forces opened fire on us.”

Mulligan grinned, “Heh. And I must admit I’ve never seen such magnificent piloting before.”

Jana’s non-monocled green eye shone at the compliment and her smiled broadened. She seemed to be looking at the detective differently now.

“Have yeh spent much time aboard a ship then?“, she asked with bona fide interest.

Mulligan took another sip of rum. Too late, he realized the powerful drink was taking its toll. He felt his thinking grow fuzzy as he replied, “No, not really.”

’Would yeh like to? We’ve just had a vacancy.” Jana smiled wryly, and swayed a little in her chair. As she gazed at him dreamily, Mulligan wondered whether it was her or the rum speaking. He wasn’t sure how to reply to what Jana was insinuating. He grew discombobulated as he searched his booze soaked brain for a proper response. This only encouraged the inebriated Jana, who leaned in closer to give him a better view of her bust.

“It was very kind what ye did for me out there. Chivalry is becoming so hard to find in a man these days.”

Mulligan blushed at the compliment and mumbled, “Oh, it was nothing.”

“We still have a few hours before we land. I’m sure we can find some way to repay yeh.”

She didn’t wait for a reply. She straddled the still seated Mulligan, grabbed him by the lapels of his jacked and pressed her soft lips against his. Mulligan felt like a pile of dismembered parts of which his brain had lost any control. Sluggishly it began to focus on the warmth of her mouth and the heat of her body where it contacted his. He felt his hands slide around her waist coming to rest on the small of her leather clad back. For a brief, shining second it all seemed possible. He would abandon his post at the Ministry to accompany this bold and beautiful woman wherever the Kestrel may take them. He saw Windfury and himself standing side by side conquering all the challenges a privateer’s life could throw at them. Together. He would leave his little townhouse with all its quiet trappings of a domestic life. He would leave them all behind: Pennywhistle, Archer, Drakolisk, and...Lucy? Lucy. Though he could find no logical reason, he felt a stab of guilt and pulled away to the surprise of Jana who gave him a puzzled look.

“Is something wrong, James?“, she asked.

“No. It’s....nothing”, he offered lamely.

“Did I do something wrong?“, she inquired hurt and confusion rising in her voice.

“No! no. It’s just...“, said Mulligan trying to reassure her, but it was too late. The walls came up behind her eyes.

“It’s okay”, she said in a calm, even tone. “We can keep this professional, Mr. Mulligan. Ye are my passenger, and I’ll see yeh safely to port.”

“Jana, wait...“, said James, but she was already out the cabin door to resume her post at the ship’s wheel. Mulligan found himself left alone to try and make sense of the preceding events as the encroaching evening’s darkness consumed the skies.