The City in the Sky

The Kestrel was almost invisible as it melded into the surrounding predawn darkness. A single lamp in the window of the Captain’s quarters was the only sign of life, but slightly bolstered Mulligan’s already dwindling hopes. He ran up the gangway and frantically knocked on the cabin door. A moments silence followed and then came footsteps which grew louder as they approached. The door opened to reveal a sleepy looking Jana dressed in a brief nightgown rubbing the sleep from her eyes. James was struck with amazement that anyone could look so good within moments of waking up.

“James”, she said in raspy whisper, “what are yeh doing here?”

“Jana, I’m sorry, but please, I’ve nowhere else to turn. I know we parted on rocky terms yesterday, but..”

“Yeh thought you’d patch things up by dropping by at an ungodly hour and interrupting my much needed rest?“, offered Jana with an unmistakable hint of sarcasm in spite of her sleepy state.

“Jana, please. I have nowhere else to turn...”

“I told yeh yesterday, it was nothing personal, Mr. Mulligan. I am willing to overturn that decision”, said Jana with resolution. As she turned to shut the door on him once more, James played the only card he had left in his hand: the truth.

“I am Detective James Mulligan from M.C.A. If you don’t help me someone will be murdered!” He blurted the whole explanation out with such desperation, he wondered if Windfury would doubt it’s credibility, let alone his sanity. But it seemed to work. Jana paused with a look of concern on her face.

“M.C.A.? Is that what this is about?“, asked Jana with realization replacing the sleepiness in her eyes. “That means yeh must be working the ‘Slayer’ case.”

James nodded gravely. “I know who he’s targeted next. She’s someone very dear to me and if I don’t get there soon, she will die.”

A small tense smile played on Jana’s lips and her eyes dropped to the ground. “Now I understand”, she said with short laugh. “I just can’t believe I didn’t see it before.” She returned her gaze to meet his. “Very well, ‘Detective James Mulligan’“, she said still smiling, “I’ll help yeh, but my price has doubled.”

“Of course”, said Mulligan, “anything you require.”

“Yeh have yourself a deal, Detective Mulligan. Now if you will just give me a moment, I need to change into something more befitting our journey.”

Before Mulligan could say another word the door had closed. In a matter of minutes, Captain Windfury stepped from her quarters looking like a force to be reckoned with, right down the grim expression she wore on her pretty features. She walked over to the wheel where she briskly cranked a lever around several times and spoke into a brass horn.

“Now hear this! All hands on deck”, her voice blared over the phonograph system.

Within seconds the pounding of footsteps could be heard as the crew charged up to the deck from their sleeping quarters in the holds below.

“Gentlemen, I need this ship flightworthy as of 5 minutes ago!” she said in a loud clear voice.

“How long till the boiler is ready, Benedict?” she addressed to the stout bearded man Mulligan recognized as the maintenance engineer.

“At least 30 minutes, Captain.”

“Make it 15!” she said with such authority, it was clear to all there would be no argument.

“Aye, Captain”, he said before disappearing below decks.

“Whitman!”

The gunner stood up a little straighter, but his expression of disdain towards his current situation didn’t dissipate in the slightest.

“Spare me the insolence, Whitman. I need the guns at the ready. Now!”

“Aye, Captain”, said the crewman, with such emphasis on the last word, the bitterness was unmistakable. Nevertheless, the gunner also made his way below decks.

“Reg!”

The Clockwork’s face was a mask of inscrutable calm as he awaited his orders.

“We are sailing for Central. Chart me the quickest course you can.”

“I will have it ready in 5, Captain.”

Windfury smiled and simply said, “Good man.”

“The rest of you, I want the rigging checked and secured and I want tea in my cabin by the time we shove off. That is all.”

The remaining crew darted off in different directions to attend to their respective tasks. Mulligan might have been impressed if he weren’t so preoccupied with his own predicament. It seemed like an eternity to him before he finally heard the ships boiler begin to hiss with a sense of urgency to match his own.

“To yer stations, gentlemen”, said Jana over the phonograph as she took her place at the wheel. She then turned to the dismayed detective and said, “James, if yeh will please wait in the cabin, I’ll be in to join yeh shortly.”

The city was just a speck on the horizon when the door finally creaked open and Jana stepped inside.

“Why don’t yeh help yourself to some tea, James, and, seeing as how we have some time, yeh can tell me what all this is about.”

“I thought you didn’t get mixed up in your passenger’s affairs, Jana.”

“In case yeh haven’t noticed, I’ve already made exceptions on yer behalf, Detective. At this point I’m willing to do it again.”

James took a deep breath and hesitated for a moment to consider the ramifications of revealing the sensitive nature of his task before replying, “Okay.” He then proceeded to give the captain a condensed version of his investigation. When he had finished, Jana sat back in her chair, a blank look on her face as she mulled over the pile of information that had been dropped in her lap.

“Sounds like serious business”, she finally said, “There’s just one thing I need to know: Do I have cause to be concerned, James?”

James could only laugh. “You’re kidding right? Jana, you just saved my ass twice now. I am in your debt.”

Her face relaxed a bit and the confident smile she usually wore returned to her expression.

Jana opened her mouth to reply when the ship suddenly violently shuddered. Smoke billowed around the side of the ship and across the cabin’s windows.

Reginald burst through the door looking as calm as ever but said, “Captain, we have a bit of a situation...”

Jana didn’t need to hear more. She had already donned her long coat. Mulligan followed close on her heels. As they stepped out into the bright sunlight James pulled his goggles on and blinked a few times. He turned towards the sounds of yelling coming from his right. Much to his alarm he saw another ship about 30 yards away that was tethered to the them broadside by a large harpoon. No doubt the source of the explosion.

The ship was large. Almost twice the size of the Kestrel. On the bow the word REQUIEM was printed in voluminous, gold script. A large, rowdy group of men lined the rails of the airship yelling incomprehensively en masse. Everything grew silent as a short man with curly black hair and an olive complexion stepped forward to the front of the crew.

“Granger”, yelled Jana with recognition and scorn. “You’re still alive, I see. Congratulations.”

“Why, Jana”, replied the short man, his voice oily smooth in spite of yelling, “do I detect an expression of concern for my well-being?”

“Dear Granger, I’m hurt”, said Jana with mock umbrage in her voice.

“Of course, my dear. Tell me, was it out of this concern that you disabled my ship and robbed me of my cargo? Was it out of this concern that you left me adrift to die?!” The oily voice rose to an angry scream.

Jana seemed unfazed. “Haha. We both know that cargo was stolen to begin with, my dear Granger. And stealing from petty thieves, like yerself, is what Her Majesty pays me for. As for leaving yeh, well you’re still here, aren’t ye?”

Though his face was still flushed, Granger’s voice regained some of its oily nature. “So I am, dear Jana. Let’s see if we can say the same thing for you.” With that, he disappeared behind his crew who began their tirade anew.

“To your stations, gentlemen. Guns at the ready!“, yelled Windfury.

A perplexed Mulligan grabbed the young captain by her arm and exclaimed, “Jana, who is that? What’s going on here?!”

Jana turned to face the detective and calmly said, “Yeh might call him the competition, James, and it seems he is going to fire on us. Ye had better find something to hold onto.”