Day 16: Dragon Sight

“They’re coming around again!” Marey tried, mostly successfully, to push down the apprehension from the statement. Feet drummed over the ship’s metal decks the crew scurried about trying to spot which direction the Air Guard approached from this time. Marey didn’t see anything. Not yet, but, if the scope had spotted it, they were out there somewhere, and she’d see them quick enough. She’d other fools to deal with first. She ducked lower and scurried toward the fore. Her mother’s words chased behind her.

“Marey, don’t you go running off. He’ll be the death of you if you do.”

If she’d had time to close her eyes, which she didn’t, Marey would’ve have seen that moment again like she relived it. Her mother’s stern disapproval as she’d stood on the deck outside their home. Johnny behind her and her mother’s scowl before. She’d felt the pull of what Johnny offered like a gale tearing at the decks. Her mother had looked shocked when she’d chosen freedom instead of the tired life there.

Her mother hadn’t called after her though when she’d taken Johnny’s hand and run. Marey supposed in her mind, her mother figured she’d warned and warned and warned her daughter. And, tarnation, she’d been right.

And wrong. Just not about Johnny.

She scowled at him standing obstinately are the fore of the ship ignoring the recall. His hands were locked on the still steaming rail gun. He swung the gun’s line about with his heavy gloves not bothering to look back. Marey jumped back to keep from being burned when it came too close to her.

“Watch it, Johnny,” she hollered.

He glanced over his shoulder at her and smirked. “Perhaps you should watch where you’re walking.”

Marey scowled right back. “I’ll walk wherever the Captain sends me.” The wrong thing to have said. His smirk darkened into a glower. Johnny had gotten terser and terser over the months since she’d joined the ship. It wasn’t her fault Captain Janestone had taken a liking to her and promoted her over him. Marey had always been skilled at reading the clouds for incoming ships.

He’d probably find a way to blame her for today’s fiasco with the crew again. No matter if she’d been below decks off duty at the time. Johnny was well loved on the ship. By everybody except for the Captain. Janestone wouldn’t believe him, but that didn’t leave Marey in a good spot. About as comfortable as she found herself at the moment. Dodging being burned.

“Captain Janestone ordered you to hold,” Marey said, relaying the message as she crouched near him. Carefully perched so his line couldn’t brush against her accidentally.

Johnny looked over his shoulder and smirked at her. “Did the Captain now?”

“Yes, she did,” Marey said. Each word clipped, scowling at him. Being upset she’d been promoted over him was one thing. Ignoring the Captain was another.

“Must have missed over the noise.”

Marey snorted. “Your shots ain’t doing nothing. These guard have reinforced hulls.”

Johnny spat. “So, we just surrender?”

“No, but you stand down. Janestone’s got something up her sleeve. Something you, pecking away and ignoring orders, will mess with.” She punched his shoulder lightly for emphasis.

He scowled at her, and yanked his shoulder away, rolling it as if the light blow had been offending. Marey rolled her eyes right back at him.

The Air Guard ship rose in front of them, and Johnny and Marey both turned toward it. Johnny’s hands clenched around the controls for his rail gun, and she heard the steam whistling in the hose already. Reaching over, Marey grabbed one of his hands, yanking it off the trigger. The steam hissed mostly harmlessly into the air. They’d both have raw skin tomorrow, but there’d be a tomorrow. The line repressurizing would take more time than Janestone needed.

The front of the ship rumbled, and Marey felt the new mechanisms grinding away within as a plume of steam burst from the front of the ship. The ship lurched forward and up as if bucking from something being released.

Johnny grabbed his gun again, but this time to steady himself instead of to fire. “What the?”

Marey didn’t bother answering him. She didn’t need to. In front of the ship a platform rose with Captain Janestone. We’d installed the platform at the ship’s last docking, and Marey knew the Captain had been itching to use the new cannon. Multiple steam lines run to the beauty, and even Johnny whistled low in appreciation.

“A Dragon Sight?” he said appreciation creeping into his voice. “When Janestone get a dragon sight?”

Marey grinned. Dragon Sights were named that because whatever they hit, they tore apart. Even most Air Guard ship’s didn’t have them. They drained the engines of steam of most ships, but this wasn’t most ships. Marey punched his shoulder again. “When are you going to stop doubting the Captain?”

The Dragon Sight had cost a goodly amount. All of Janestone’s and my take from the last haul. But Janestone and Marey had agreed. Having the firepower with the increase in the Air Guard’s presence would prove useful. Today Janestone would reteach the guard why no one messed with the Argo.