The City in the Sky

A vibration shook his body. Then another. Consciousness returned to him in waves. He felt himself in a seated position, sitting on something hard. Something soft pressed into his right arm. But most disturbing to him was the feeling that he was hurtling forward through space without his consent or control. Fighting the urge to vomit, he opened his eyes only to see more accursed blackness through the lenses of a mask. He turned his head to his right and found Jana bouncing against him, apparently still unconscious or dead. His hand found her wrist and he pressed his fingertips against it. Her pulse came slow but steady. He breathed a sigh of relief, and, much to his delight, found he could easily do so. He looked to his left to discover a man that he had never seen before seated next to him. His face was smudged with black soot. He wore goggles and a pith helmet and was dressed in brown coveralls. He had not yet noticed Mulligan as his focus was directed in front of them. Mulligan felt a sudden surge of surprise as he realized he could see the man’s face. He wasn’t wearing a mask.

The movement must have caught his attention, because the stranger turned to look in Mulligan’s direction. Seeing the detective eyeing him curiously, the stranger grinned and said, “Well, look who’s awake. Are you still functional?”

Now that the man had turned his face, Mulligan could see by the shinning golden eyes that he was an automaton.

“Yes, thank you”, Mulligan replied, trying to ignore the pain that still dug into his side.

The Clockwork continued, “You’re both quite lucky. If I hadn’t happened on you during my expedition, you would have been just another couple of souls claimed by the dark sargasso.”

“Our masks...what happened?“, asked Mulligan.

“Oh, those aren’t your masks. Your masks were done for. Luckily we carry spares on all the carts in case we get a visiting ministry official. Looks like I got to you just in time. You were semi-conscious and delirious when I found you. Kept saying Lucy over and over again. Is ‘Lucy’ your lady friend?“, asked the Clockwork as he nodded at Jana.

Suddenly Jana stirred and her hand squeezed Mulligan’s.

Mulligan shook his head and said, “Please, I don’t mean to be rude, but, who are you?”

The Clockwork sighed, “I should be asking you the same thing, I suppose. I guess it’s high-time for introductions, and seeing as how you asked first: My name is Model Number 133,455, but everyone just calls me ‘Wolfgang’. I’m the primary engineer for the Clockwork Coal Collective.”

“I’m detective James Mulligan of MCA, and this is...”

“Captain Jana Windfury, at yeh service,” interjected Jana, having just regained consciousness. “Thank yeh for rescuing us, Wolfgang.” Mulligan felt a sense of dismay at how weak Jana’s voice sounded. He gave her a concerned look.

The Clockwork didn’t seem to notice. “Oh it’s no problem”, said Wolfgang cheerfully. “I’m afraid the expedition was a wash anyhow. I was just about to return home when I almost ran over the two of you.” He gave a short laugh, “Can you imagine the odds?”

The Clockwork suddenly fell silent for a moment in apparent thought and frowned before asking, “You’re from the Ministry you say?”

“That’s correct.”

Wolfgang’s frown deepened. “I thought we made it pretty clear last time that we had no interest in your offer”, he said unpleasantly.

“Pardon?“, replied Mulligan, who was now thoroughly confused.

“That’s why the Ministry sent you, isn’t it? To buy the Collective? You can just tell them we will never sell! Not until they agree to grant us equality!”

The sudden outburst of emotion, especially coming from a Clockwork, caught Mulligan by total surprise. “I’m sorry. I’m from Clockwork affairs.... I have no idea....“, was the best he could manage as a response.

“Right! It makes sense they would send someone with a knowledge of Clockwork culture to try and reason with us.” By this time, Wolfgang seemed completely agitated. Mulligan grew fearful of further angering their savior, and sat quietly thinking about how to calm him down. Mercifully the little cart began to lose speed until it coasted to a complete stop.

Wolfgang said, “Excuse me for a moment”, and leapt from the vehicle. James craned his neck to see the Clockwork walk around the back of the tubular framed conveyance. From somewhere inside his coveralls, the automaton pulled a crank and slipped it over a square nut on the side of the cart’s engine compartment. He rapidly turned it for several minutes. As he was doing so, Mulligan heard the sound of a large spring being wound. Apparently satisfied by this, Wolfgang returned to his place in the driver’s seat and engaged the acceleration lever. He heaved a sigh before saying, “I’m sorry. I should not have treated you so poorly. Ministry or not you are my guests. Please accept my apologies.”

“Think nothing of it”, said Jana weakly with a smile in her voice.

“But”, Mulligan continued, “I’ve been trying to tell you, I’m from MCA. We deal with crimes involving Clockworks. I have nothing to do with coal.”

Now it was Wolfgang who looked confused. “Then why did they send you here?“, he shot back.

“That’s just it!“, said Mulligan trying to control his vexation. “‘They’ didn’t send us. Our airship crashed! Our destination was NUK New London before we went down.”

Wolfgang stared at the both of them with disbelief for a moment and then started laughing. Mulligan and Jana found this incredibly strange and felt there was nothing to laugh at, but said nothing.

“You poor bastards!“, he said between gasps. Then after regaining some control, he went on, “Forgive my suspicions, it’s just that the Ministry has been leaning on us pretty hard lately.”

“You said they made you an offer?“, inquired Jana, who was just grateful the laughing fits had subsided.

“Yeah”, responded Wolfgang with a scowl, “Tried to buy the Collective rights out from under the Prime Models.”

“The Prime Models? You mean the Devonshires?“, asked Mulligan in astonishment that he may have stumbled on to something important.

“That’s right.”

“But I thought the Collective was legal property of the Devonshires”

“That seems to be the Ministry’s take on it as well. But, in reality the Coal Collective is property of all Clockworks. The Prime Models were given rights to represent us by the Queen. They are the instructors of all Clockworks, but we consider every model to be equal.”

Mulligan was taken aback and couldn’t stop from asking, “If that’s so, then why do some of you live on the floating continents, while others are forced to labor down in this smoke filled hell?”

Wolfgang chuckled at the detective’s view and replied, “Don’t you understand, Detective Mulligan? Nothing is more important to a Clockwork than its purpose, and I can think of no purpose more important or rewarding than providing energy for the masses. Besides life down here is not so bad, as you will soon see. Look, we have come to the road.” Wolfgang pointed at lights looming out of the darkness. Lights which were issued from the first of a row of lanterns which lined both sides of the road.

As the cart bounced onto the path the ground felt more rigid and level. Mulligan could hear the metal wheels grind against the stone ground. As they progressed, activity around them began to increase. They passed an occasional cart travelling in the other direction and Wolfgang would exchange waves with the vehicles driver’s. Eventually they caught up with up with a convoy of larger carts loaded with coal that were moving so slow that Wolfgang felt compelled to skirt around them and resume their previous cruising speed. Finally they came to a pair of large metal gates, blackened by the soot and laden with springs and gears.

“Hold on a sec”, said Wolfgang as he applied the brakes and leapt from the vehicle. He ran up to the brick wall in which the gates were set and pushed a lever upwards. With a loud shriek, the gears groaned and began to turn until the large bolt which locked the gateway shot back with an even louder metallic clang. Wolfgang returned to the cart and they proceeded onward.

“Do you get many uninvited guests?“, asked Mulligan as he watched the gates spring closed behind them.

“You are a witty fellow, Detective. Actually they came with the place and we just keep them functional in honor of our Creator.”

“Creator?“, asked Mulligan with bewilderment. Though he couldn’t believe it, he found his suspicions confirmed as they arrived at a large brick building. Two sentries opened the large wooden carriage doors to grant them entrance. As they passed through, Mulligan looked up and read aloud the large dilapidated sign posted above them.

“Devonshire & Co.!?“, asked Mulligan emphatically in wonder. “Is this...”

“This was the workshop of our father, Detective”, Wolfgang corrected. “However, today it serves a different purpose: It is the center of our operations and our home.”

They stopped at a secondary set of doors and the others closed behind them. A powerful wind rushed through the little box they sat in which cleared the air of much of the smog. When it had stopped the doors in front of them opened. Wolfgang pulled the cart into the back of a row of similar vehicles and bade them both to follow.

“Welcome to the Mechology”, said Wolfgang grandly.

Mulligan had a hard time taking it all in. The inside of the building was a beehive of activity. It was at least three stories tall. The entire left wall from floor to ceiling was made up by stacks of bunks, not unlike the cells of a beehive, many of which were currently occupied by resting Clockworks. The center of the building was, for the most part, open. Over half of it was taken by vehicles or long wooden tables at which several Clockworks sat eating, conversing and studying maps. The right side was the only part enclosed by rooms which ran its length from floor to ceiling and was serviced by a single lift that moved between the 3 stories.

Wolfgang turned to face them and smiled as he said, “I think it’s safe to remove your masks.” As they did so they could immediately tell the air inside the building was almost untainted due to the large exhaust fans on the back wall.

“Detective!“, exclaimed Wolfgang, “You’re bleeding!”

Mulligan had been so taken by his new surroundings, he had forgotten about his wound. He looked down to see the side of his shirt soaked in blood.

“Wolfgang!“, said a reprimanding voice behind them.

Mulligan turned to see a female Clockwork with copper colored eyes walking purposefully towards them. With her long, dark curly hair, she looked a bit like...

“Lucy! Good Lord!“, blurted Mulligan. “Wolfgang, I need to get to New London right away!”

Wolfgang laughed, “Who is this ‘Lucy’? Never mind. You’re not going anywhere until you get medical treatment, Detective.”

Then, not waiting for an argument, he turned to the impatient looking female Clockwork and said, “Tessa, can you take the good Detective and Captain Windfury to Surgical Repair?”

Tessa turned to James and Jana to give each a quick bow and smile during these informal introductions, but quickly returned to her perturbed state as she began her interrogation anew, “Of course, but first how about you tell me why you decided to venture out alone? What if you had unwound? You could have been lost forever!”

“Oh, Tessa, you worry too much. Nothing happened. I’m fine. I know how long I can last on a full wind right down to the second.”

Feeling things were not proceeding quickly enough, Mulligan decided to speak up:

“I hate to interrupt”, he said trying to hide the impatience in his voice, “But I am truly in a rush. It’s a matter of life and death!”

Wolfgang became a little more somber, and perhaps somewhat relieved at finding this convenient exit from his dressing down by Tessa, said, “My apologies. Tessa will take you to S.R. I will catch a quick bath, and we will meet back here in 15 minutes.” With that he turned towards the lift.

“He can be so infuriating at times”, said Tessa shaking her head in spite of the smile that tugged at the corners of her mouth. “Please come with me.” She started walking towards the right, rear corner of the Mechology. James turned to Jana and gave her a reassuring smile. Her face was smudged with soot. She tried to return his grin, but was taken by sudden fit of coughing.

“Jana, are you alright!?”

She nodded as she coughed, but was unable to speak for a minute. “Yeah”, she finally managed to get out, “but I’m afraid I might have a touch of smoke inhalation.”

Her reassurances did nothing to calm the alarm he felt at the paleness of her skin and the unsteadiness of her walk. Not waiting for permission, he scooped her up and followed Tessa.

Surgical Repair was made up of a small treatment/operating room and a larger room full of beds used for recovery and hospitalization. It was also obviously tailored to treating patients of the mechanical kind as it took the Medmech several minutes to locate the human oriented first aid kit. The Medmech was a sincere looking man with a ginger beard and silver eyes named Otto. Having removed his shirt, Mulligan was surprised to see the five inch laceration that ran down the lower side of his torso was much deeper than he suspected. Otto suggested suturing it closed, but Mulligan was pressed for time and refuted the treatment. The Medmech simply shrugged and bandaged the wound, warning the detective to “not push himself too hard.”

Otto lay his head on Jana’s chest as she reclined on a recovery bed and told her to take a couple of deep breaths. Mulligan held Jana’s hand and couldn’t help but notice how clammy it felt. After making some notes in his ledger, Otto turned to Mulligan with a grave expression and said, “Her lungs sound congested. I think it would be wise to leave her on ventilation to recover for a few days.”

Mulligan nodded and asked, “She will be safe here, then?”

“Most certainly. We have plenty of fresh water and we always keep some rations on hand for visitors.”

“Thank you, Doctor.”

When the Medmech had finished setting up the ventilator, he bowed and stepped out of the room. Mulligan kneeled next to the bed on which Jana lay. The bellows of the machine rhythmically hissed as they rose and fell. A tube ran to a mask covering Jana’s mouth and nose. As he took her hand, she opened her eyes and smiled at him.

“You have to go, I know”, she said.

Mulligan felt torn at the prospect of leaving her in such a fragile state, but he knew she was right.

“You’re going to be ok?”

“Give me a day or two and a new ship, and I will be right as rain”, she joked.

Mulligan laughed. “When this is over, I will find you. After all I am still in your debt.”

She grinned and said, “You know where to find me.”

“Feel better, Jana”, said Mulligan sadly as he leaned forward and kissed her on the forehead.

“Farewell, James”, she whispered after him as he closed the door behind him.