Mornington was feeling quite happy with himself today.
Ms Psaltery had visted earlier in the day, no doubt thoughts of repaying her debt for the airship was on her mind and she wanted to get it over and done with. Mornington himself had no need of the money, and no need of an airship since the Fullarton, a 90m long airship was permanently parked above the hotel, little used as an airship now, mostly there for wide angle advertising.
Ms Psaltery must have been reading Morningtons mind…as she offered to take the long route to Steelhead’s municipal warehouse and drop off a large consignment of goods that Mornington needed for the hotel and… his own consumption. Looking out the window and waving off Ms Psaltery, Mornington spotted old Thornberry, one of the afternoon dockworkers, running up and into the hotel…
“Mista Morningtun! Mista Mornington!”
“Whoaaaaaaaaaaa… slow down there old man…whats the matter?” Asked Mornington as he poured himself and Thornberry a glass of Johhny Walker.
“It’s her! That red haired yin, the commodore of the fleet…shes comin over ‘ere demanding to see the real shipping mainifests of all your vessels!”
Mornington chocked and started coughing….
It wasn’t long before Mornington was in the cellar grabbing certain sheets of paper and books and was heading up to the stove to burn them when he ran face to face into Jed Dagger.
“Going somewhere?” Jed Dagger looked at Mornington with the stare only a Commodore could manage, it seemed to cut right into Mornington’s eyes and bury deep inside his paniced brain.
“Me?! Ohhhhhhh no, no! Not at all! I was just handing these….documents… to old Thornberr…” Mornington looked at where Thornberry was sitting…the chair was empty. Obviously the old codger has made a sharp exit via the basement entrance, leving Vic to face Jed alone.
“Shipping documents eh?”
“Yes! Thats right, full backup legal copies of the SS McAndrews shipping manifests”
Jed looked at Mornington and a slight grin appeared.
“We both know Mornington that it’s not just your own trade vessel thats bring items in past my dock clearences…”
Mornington started to sweat a little.
Jed put her hands on her hips and looked at the calendar which was sitting open at the bar, then turned to Mornington with a strange grin on her face.
“The Militia Belevolence Fund…the one run for ex service folks and their families who are in need, you normally donate during Summer.”
Mornington nodded quickly, and with that Jed Dagger simply turned and walked out…leaving Mornington standing there, sweating…
Two hours later, Mornington was seen by several urchins driving to the Milita HQ on his car and getting out with a worried look on his face carrying a bankers draft and cheque book…
Good show!
Not that anything has been smuggled through the portal network that could be traced in those documents. No, all above board and legal! *nods*
And of course we always offer free travel to Miltia members! Yay!