Chapter 5: Branch 1: The Discovery

Day 3 - Evening

*knock* *knock*

Eh?

"Yes? Hello?"

I turn the brass knob and open the white baroque door of my cabin. Not to see one of the Discovery’s handful of servants in the hallway. But it's captain instead.

"Oh, hi. What are you doing here Wendel?"

The giant in the fancy navy officers uniform is giving me that fake friendly smile again.

"Hello, Mr Barton." His voice sounds like a british boulder rolling downhill. "Thought I would stop by. Have time for a chat?"

Hmm…

“Actually," adjust my coat, "I’m on my way out to dinner.”

He’s still grinning.

“Yes, and so am I. Better I escort you. So there will not be any… misunderstandings.”

Eh?

“But it's only one deck up.”

Yeah, I get it. You don't like me. Rocky's face still wears a smile that doesn't reach his eyes as he nods and replies. 

“Indeed.”

Ugh.

“Fine. Whatever.”

The seven footer steps back and motions for me to join him in the passageway. I'm still suspicious as hell but there's not much I can do about it while a couple thousand feet in the air.

This morning I was given some new clothes to wear that fit decently. So now look almost presentable in a dark brown frockcoat, grey waistcoat, white high collar shirt, and grey trousers. The black leather shoes fit surprisingly well for not being magical.

The servant that brought them also said to not go to dinner armed. So my now two revolvers, rapier, and firenades are in the rings. As are the lightning grenades I worked on today. Yeah, I could draw and use them a lot faster on the outside. But at least I’ll have them with me.

Sure as hell not leaving them in the cabin.

Been keeping an eye out but still not seeing anything like the Spencer Repeating Rifle. What arms I do see use black powder, minnie balls, and percussion caps. Five to seven shot revolvers and single shot rifles. Even a few single or two shot pistols.

A version of the Spencer might be the perfect first product for my store.

Speaking of guns, did some counting and each gun deck on this airship has ten cannon per side. Though I can't tell what caliber they are. Nor if there are any in the bow or stern.

Yesterday, I turned in as soon as we left Botsund. Tired, and a bit traumatized, figured sleep was what I needed. And I was right. Woke up feeling downright refreshed.

Until I looked out the window and saw the morning sun was on our starboard, not port, side. Meaning we are steaming north. Not south. Considering I wanted to go "south." Well, was not too happy about it.

However, the servant who answered my ring, a Miss Jenny, stated that everything would be explained over dinner in the captain's mess. And to just wait until then.

Okay…

Oh, and not “ring” as in telephone. There’s a cord, in the room, you can pull that rings a bell in the servant’s area. There’s also pneumatic message tubes and voicepipes. But those aren't in the guest cabins.

Being told to hurry up and wait means I've been pretty bored all day, wandering the ship. As a "guest," I'm only allowed on the main deck, guest deck and forward fourth deck. For a while, just watched the ground crawl by from two to three thousand feet up.

A very rough guess would have us clocking around thirty miles an hour. Varying a lot depending on headwinds. Yeah, learned right quick why everyone has goggles. Fortunately, was able to buy one from the quartermaster. Though I’m sure he ripped me off.

If we've been puffing all night? We’ll be hundreds of miles from the late Jesper’s home by now. Maybe even a thousand. By the time I woke up, the fall forests and hills of Botsund had been replaced with snowy forests and lakes. Until we started hugging a long chain of mountains to our port.

Cold as tits outside but still toasty warm inside. Thanks to all the steam pipes.

[Analysis] gave me some weird results when I checked them. There's mana "in" the steam. A lot more than the normal background counts. It's infused, similar to magic items like my magefire bullets and the storage rings.

Which raises the question. Are they using magic mechanically? Wouldn't it be better to channel mana directly, like with undead and golems, instead of using steam as a middleman?

Maybe I'll get the answers over dinner.

With little else to do, I spent most the day pondering and guesstimating. About a variety of things. Including the Discovery herself.

Let’s see… The airship’s “hull,” with bowsprit, is almost two hundred feet long. About forty feet wide on top. Where the fore and aft castles attach to the lift bag. Slanting out to nearly sixty, at the bottom. She's around sixty feet tall and does look a lot like the big sailing ships from those pirate shows. Except the rear part with all the windows is up front. And the keel is flat enough that she could rest on the ground without tilting.

Mostly redwood on the inside. While the outer hull is plated in a copper alloy. Giving it a metallic orange color.

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There are six decks. Bottom, first, is the storage deck. Can confirm because I helped unload supplies for the Botsund survivors. Second is a gun deck. Third is another gun deck. Fourth is the main deck and first floor of the fore and aft castles. Fifth forward is the guest deck. Sixth forward is the captain and officers deck.

Ship’s galley and infirmary are on the fourth forward deck. Front of the sixth deck and part of the lift bag above it are an impressive navigation and piloting room with an overhang. Only got a peek but there was a ton of glass and brass.

The three aftcastle decks appear to, mostly, be one giant steam engine room. With a pair of upward angled sweptback smokestacks sticking out each side. Still haven’t got a good look at the rear propellers. But they sound huge. There are two smaller forward ones which I can see that remind me of a swamp boat. You know, have those big rudders on them.

Now the fifth “guest” fore deck has three cabins on each side. Ten by ten with an attached five by five en suite. The two forward cabins also have a five by five walk in closet. Each includes a full size porthole window that can only be opened a little bit.

I’m in the forward port guest cabin.

There is also a little glass and brass enclosed observation deck, all the way forward on fifth, with some secured seating. The view is outstanding.

Overall the guest deck has a “baroque” feel. White walls. Deep red floors. Lots of gold edging and molding with elaborate decoration. Plenty of twists and curves in the frames of the furniture. Fancily embroidered cushions.

And all of it bolted to the floor or folds away into the walls.

Above the hull is the lift bag. Diameter is, I’m thinking, around eighty feet. Length? Two fifty looks about right. Covered in a tan, pale brown, fabric. Has a rigid frame and seems very sturdy.

Doing a lot of counting and figuring puts the crew between three and four hundred. Altogether? This is a hell of a lot of stuff to be dragging way past the ass end of nowhere. Something is going on. Probably a big something. And for whatever reason, involves me.

Sigh…

Back to the present I look at Rocky who motions again and says, "After you."

Half expecting a knife in my back I step into the passageway and head for the stairwell. Now these corridors are only five feet wide and eight feet high. Not counting the pipes. So there is no way we can walk side by side. Six paces later and we've already reached the stairwell.

A couple crew and a servant go by. The captain starts his "chat."

"Please, Mr Barton, wait a moment."

Here it comes.

I turn, cross my arms, palm a lightning grenade and wait for whatever deal or threat Cappy's going to make.

"Alright, out with it Wendel. My dinner’s getting cold."

See him get angry, just for a second, before he suppresses it again. Bet this guy is a nightmare when he cuts loose.

"Mr Barton, what are your intentions towards Lady Heaton?"

Don't even pause before answering. 

"Well, I'm hoping to get laid. But if that doesn't pan out? I'll at least aim for a hummer."

The captain of the Discovery’s eyes get big as plates, he locks up and stutters.

"Do you… Are you being humorous? Do you believe this is some kind of joke?"

Flashback to the many, many, warnings and threats I've received over decades spent on three different worlds. And who, or in some cases what, I got them from.

Look him in the eye and chuckle.

"You know, Wendy." Give him my best Burt Reynolds grin. "Yeah, I kinda do."

Ooh, look at that vein pop in Rocky's forehead. He is pissed. Good. Bring it, bitch.

Big guy winds up to throw down. Though this is probably not going to be the thrashing he expects. Nano me’s have been steadily buffing this bod. So I should be able to give as good as I get. Maybe better even.

Been ages since I had a knock down drag out fist fi-

*ahem*

"The Mistress is waiting, Captain Wyverstone."

Going to be a while longer, I guess. Considering the feminine voice, from up the stairwell, that just interrupted our macho moment.

Standing on the stairs is a fine lady wearing a Victorian maid outfit. Looking every bit the prim and proper servant. Well, except for the fur. Oh, and the tail. Then there's those ears. Plus the whiskers.

"Hi, Miss Jenny." I give her a wink. "You look ravishing this evening.”

Yep, Miss Jenny the catgirl.

…

Did I forget to mention that?

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