A crescent moon reflected along the waves as a small ship plotted a course along the shore. Bookworm Hienrichs rested against the railing of the courier ship. The air was cold, but fresh and clean, a reprieve from the harsh ozone of New Babbage. She took a single deep breath and allowed herself to relax for the moment. Though she had made Babbage her home she would only endure its atmosphere. In her heart, she loved the smell of mountains and plains. As she exhaled, her breath trailed behind her towards the churning paddles and her friend Mariah Lanfier.
“Enjoying the calm before the storm?” Mariah asked as she joined Bookworm to lean on the rail.
“I must be. I didn’t hear you coming.” Bookworm smiled, knowing that if Mariah wanted to remain hidden on a ship, Book would not have found her. Her friend had spent forty years on vessels much bigger than this one. Bookworm’s smile faded as her friend’s expression remained grim. “Is there trouble?”
“Not yet,” Mariah shook her head, but her grim tone warned of future danger. “You should have informed me Wright once worked for Violet Solano.”
“He what?!” Bookworm yelped, her relaxed posture straightening up in her shock.
Mariah scowled before turning back to the calm sea and stars, “You should vet our compatriots more thoroughly. There is blood in his footsteps, and we need to be wary.”
“I’ve gotten hints of his history,” Bookworm pointed out quietly. “Whatever his past, though, he was a great help to us at the asylum. We may need him here, too.”
“We have little choice, unless we were to maroon him,” Mariah replied as she stood, turning towards the main cabin. “But if he told her about our little trip she’ll have prepared for our departure. Your departure.”
Bookworm had no retort for her friend. She stood silently watching the stars twinkle in the midnight sky, but there was no serenity to be found in them anymore. She turned back to the ship’s cabins, one cabin acted as the bridge and the other was a lounge with a stair leading below deck. The old ship was covered in algae and rust, which made Bookworm pause a moment and turn back to Mariah, “I hope the ship is dependable, despite its rough edges?”
“I wouldn’t have let us board if she wasn’t. And she will never betray you to your enemy,“ Mariah replied, adding a counterpoint to Bookworms unspoken argument. She walked away before more words were said in bitterness. Book went towards the bridge by accident, but she decided to check on their ferryman.
As Bookworm opened the door, Yang Moreau turned his upper body to greet her and gave a bow of his head, “I was starting to believe everyone had forgotten me. My arms were getting tired.” He chuckled as he turned back to the helm, proving he was in high spirits despite his complaint.
“Sorry Mr. Moreau, we are still getting acclimated with everything. Is there anything you need?”
“Tepic has kept me company. He brought me snacks, coffee, and played his flute until he almost put me to sleep.”
Bookworm smiled, at least Tepic would prove good company in the days ahead. Still, she had not come to discuss her companions with him. “I was hoping to get more information about Wuldram Shores before we arrived. We haven’t discussed the people yet. Should we anticipate trouble from them?”
“I would almost believe them all related to giants. They are a mountain folk living in a harsh environment, and weakness is not tolerated in anyone. We should be safe enough among them, Captain. They welcome outsiders, even if they are not friendly.”
Yang paused as he realized this had confused Bookworm. He tried again. “They are easily offended and violent towards any perceived insult. Their welcome is more out of apathy than friendliness.” Mr. Moreau paused for a moment and then gestured to his face for a moment and wiggled his large ears. “I am human, born to human parents. Few believe me, but only the monks ever scoffed at me in Wuldram Shores. The citizens treated me with their vision of decorum if I treated them with respect.”
Bookworm nodded along as a series of small crashes could be heard from below, pausing their conversation. After a moment of silence, Bookworm returned to her questions. “What of the power station and mountains?”
“I know nothing of Aquila IX except that it is near the center of the peninsula and surrounded by the Hildskal mountain range. It is a short journey from Wuldram Shores, but even reaching the city this time of year is dangerous. Icebergs, storms, and instrument failure make travel by air or sea dangerous. If your friend landed near the bridges then she was near the start of the peninsula, the furthest point on her journey and the easiest to lose her path.”
“So if we can reach Wuldram Shores by sea, we will pass Dr. Falcon?” Bookworm asked rhetorically.
“It is unlikely we will reach the city, but if we do we can enlist the aid o-.”
The boiler at the rear of the ship let out a loud unnatural groan and the power from the engine cut off. The paddles ceased their relentless march, and the instruments ceased to respond to Yang’s attempts.
“That was our boiler failing, wasn’t it?” Bookworm asked Yang, who kicked the helm lightly with his foot and then set to full stop.
Yang grabbed a nearby lantern and prepared it. “We will have to see. I hope it is a simple problem. I can operate an engine, but I am not a mechanic. If it is more complicated than a broken pressure valve, then we may be stranded.” After a few moments with that dread thought, he added more cheerfully, “Hopefully we shall just have to deal with a Gremlin.”
“A Gremlin?” Bookworm opened the door for Yang as he led the way to the opposite cabin.
Yang grinned, “It was a joke, Captain. Gremlins are an old folk tale. They tear apart working machines and then craft their own monstrosities. They plague air and steamships while they are traveling and cause terrible accidents.”
Bookworm didn’t see the humor of Yang’s tale, but these stories seemed to give the odd man comfort. Before they entered the living cabin, Mariah turned the corner bearing an even grimmer expression than before. “We have a stow away.”
“Are you certain?” Bookworm asked in surprise, “How?”
“Someone fitted a barrel to the aft using a lasso. There was food in it to last a few hours, but judging by the dry deck, they snuck on board some time ago.”
Bookworm frowned as she wondered if a ‘Gremlin’ had sabotaged their mission. One hired by someone who did not want Bookworm or the others to return alive. She opened the door and her fears turned to amusement. Below deck, Loki Gearhead was trying to promise Mr. Wright, who was holding him up by the back of his coat, that he could fix his mistake.
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