Chapter Three Hundred and Sixty-Three - Booked for the Foreseeable Future

The Featherfall wasn’t equipped to handle all the people we had on board. So we flew for a couple of hours before deciding it was safe enough to start transferring people from one ship to another.

That means bringing the Featherfall and the Lunchbox in close to each other, then connecting the two together by means of a long gangplank and a bit of temporary rigging. It was a complex manoeuvre. The wind could shift at any moment and pull the ships apart or scrape them together, so the pilots had to pay very close attention and the crew on deck needed to be quick to act as well.

Fortunately, everyone was working well together, and the rescuees transfer was going along fairly well.

We decided to move the least injured onto the Lunchbox. It was easier for them to move and we didn’t want to disturb the freed harpy that had been hurt and who were resting in the Featherfall’s hold.

We also transferred some supplies and a few sylph from ship to ship. Basically, we were turning the Featherfall into a temporary hospital ship, at least until the fleet arrived back in Sylphfree and could reach better accommodations.

“We’ll be heading straight for the capital,” Caprica said. “The Royal Pride should be waiting for us out ahead. It’s also been damaged in the skirmish.”

“We’ll make quite the sight,” Calamity said with a grin. “Half a dozen dinged-up ships, flying in tatters.”

“But still victorious,” Amaryllis pointed out. “We accomplished much with rather little. I think everyone will be able to appreciate that. Saving the hostages alone will earn us all a fair amount of goodwill.”

Caprica nodded. “We’re going to have to hope that that goodwill is enough to dampen some of the... less good will we’ll be receiving from others. Some people will absolutely criticise this operation, saying we took enormous risks, acted outside of our prescribed authority, and raised international tensions by deploying the military in a foreign country. I think the fact that we were successful should quell most of the criticism, but we’re still going to have a few complaints to deal with.” She sighed and ran a hand through her hair. “Which leads to our biggest current issue. The Snowlanders.”

“The Snowlanders?” I asked.

The princess grimaced. “Yes. We trespassed onto their land. Now, we had all the excuses in the world to do it, and we left without harming them, but I can imagine them using this as an excuse to stir up trouble.”

“Would they do that?” Awen asked.

“Maybe. Maybe not,” Caprica said. “The Snowlanders are usually very reserved, especially when it comes to more international affairs. Out of all the major nations on this continent, they are perhaps the most secluded.”

“That doesn’t mean that they approve of piracy,” I said. “I bet all we have to do is tell them about all the mean things the pirates have done and they’ll be really annoyed. Do they have a police force of some sort?”

Amaryllis nodded. “They do. The Snowlander’s army isn’t as grand as the Harpy Mountains or Sylphfree’s but what it lacks in numbers it makes up for in technological edge. Actually, that’s how a lot of their things function. They make up for a small population by having an effective one.”

“Oh, I can’t wait to visit then,” I said. It sounded so different to any of the places I’d been to so far. I wanted to visit all the cool places on Dirt, of course!

“That might happen sooner than you’d think,” Caprica said. She straightened up a little, and I paid more attention. “Captain Bunch, Lady Albatross, Lady Bristlecone, Mister... Danger.” She cleared her throat. “I have a mission for you.”

“A mission?” I asked.

“Yes. I know this will mean basically no downtime between your preventing a war and now today’s assault on a pirate base, but I think it’s important,” she said.

Amaryllis huffed, but it was a huff that was at least a little curious. “Well, what’s this mission of yours?”

“I need someone to visit the capital of the Snowlands. Both to deliver some correspondence on my behalf, and to discover how deep Rainnewt’s grasp has reached. If he managed to turn one of the most advanced nations on Dirt against the rest of us, then we might very well be faced with an impending catastrophe. We need to know, and we need to act to stop anything terrible from happening. Also, the Baron Vonowl needs to be brought to justice. We don’t have the right to arrest him in foreign territory, but I’m certain a case could be made against him. He did support pirates and kidnap nobles from another nation and held them hostage within the Snowlands. That’s a political disaster and a half for the nation.”

“That’s a whole lot,” I said. “But I wouldn’t mind a trip to the Snowlands.”

“You’ll be compensated, of course,” Caprica said. “I have a supply of discretionary funds that I brought along to pay for this expedition. I can give you most of those.

"Wait," Amaryllis interjected. "You want us to depart immediately? Now?"

"If possible, yes," Caprica grimaced. "I would prefer if we had time to plan, but I would like to get you on Vonowl's trail before it goes cold."

"I'm sure it'll be fine!" I grinned. "If my days weren't booked solid, I'd probably explode, like one of those deep-sea fish."

Amaryllis squinted at me. "What?"

"In any case," Caprica valiantly continued, "The money I can give you is a sum meant to keep six ships afloat and functional for a couple of weeks. Not a vast fortune, but it should be enough gold to help.”

“A little gold is nice, but this seems like a terribly dangerous mission,” Amaryllis said. “And you’re sending a group of explorers on a task better suited to a group of commandos and professional diplomats with the sort of pay that would barely cover the cost of a transport ship. Is the nation of Sylphfree having funding issues?”

Caprica flushed. “That’s just what I can offer in gold now. Of course I can give you a promissory note that would cover the rest. I’m not cheap.”

I held back a giggle, but stepped in before Amaryllis could really get going. I loved my best harpy friend, but sometimes she was a little avaricious when she saw the potential to make a heap of gold. “I think we wouldn’t mind,” I said. “I don’t think we had any big business left in Sylphfree, did we?”

“Perfect!” Caprica said. “In that case, we’re going to have to arrange for a second air-to-air transfer, this time with the Beaver Cleaver. And... technically a change of command now that the Admiral is leaving.”

I laughed at that. I’d kinda forgotten in all the excitement that Admiral Orange was in charge of this entire operation. I think she’d done a fantastic job of it, all things considered. “Oh! Is she going to get a medal?”

Caprica’s nose twitched. “Uh... she might, actually. This kind of gung-ho, semi-unlawful operation that still succeeds is exactly the kind of thing that elevated our most famous leaders to the status of heroes. It’s very much the kind of thing that gets a slap on the wrist and a medal pinned to your chest.”

I grinned. I kind of liked the idea of getting a shiny medal or two. I was sure people would take me more seriously if I had a few medals. I could even use them as hairclips!

Once the Featherfall had cast off from the Lunchbox, we continued to fly on for a little bit. Just another half hour or so. Bastion thought that it was wiser to get more distance between us and the place where we’d ended up stopping, in case the pirates were very quick to repair their ships and wanted to ambush us on our return to Sylphfree.

After all, it was pretty obvious which direction we were travelling in, so any pirate that wanted to intercept us would know more or less where to go.

Still, we did kind of mess up all of their ships. Two of them were still able to fly, but they were both heavily damaged, so they would probably have difficulty catching up to us. Hopefully, they wouldn't try anything. Our own fleet wasn’t looking too sparkly and new at the moment either.

Eventually, we got the Lunchbox and the Beaver Cleaver to line up, and then one of the sylph onboard the Beaver flew over with a line to connect the two ships.

We brought the two ships closer together, the Beaver’s wideness actually coming in handy since we didn’t need as long of a gangplank between the two. A few poles tied between the ships prevented them from accidentally ramming together too.

Then it was time to get resources across.

Since the fleet was heading back home already and were just about a day’s flight away, we got to load up the Beaver with all sorts of supplies. Food and water, of course, but also some things that Caprica thought might be handy, like extra clothes, old, well-worn uniforms, and some medical supplies.

“You’ll be able to disguise yourselves as merchants at this rate,” Caprica said as she watched a crate being carried across. “I hope you won’t need that kind of deception, but if it comes to it...”

“Yeah, better to have it and not need it, right?” I asked as I stood next to the gangplank.

It was, unfortunately, time for goodbyes again. Those were always bittersweet moments. Bastion tore himself away from his endless work and endured a good hug. I knew he wasn’t a very hug-y person, but he was a nice enough friend that he allowed me to give him a squeeze anyway.

While I stole Bastion for hugs, the others said their goodbyes to Caprica. I was happy to see that all of my friends were getting along, old and new.

Then I said goodbye to Caprica too, which involved more hugs!

“I’m going to miss this,” she admitted, voice low enough that only I could hear.

“Then I’ll give you a few more for the road,” I said as I squeezed tighter.

She laughed, and I found myself smiling. There was nothing quite like hugging someone who was laughing to make you feel better. “That reminds me. I’m going to have a package moved onboard the Beaver, into my former room, open it once you’re a little ways away, alright?”

“Sure,” I said.

The hug ended, and then Caprica engaged with Amaryllis. A clinking pouch changed hands and Amaryllis smugly thanked the princess for her contributions, before they paused and stared at each other. Then they hugged, and it was all I could do not to clap and do a little dance.

They were learning!

But, as with all goodbyes, this one came to an end. We crossed the gangplank back onto the Beaver Cleaver, with Calamity taking the lead (and showing a cat’s disregard for heights as he did) before the rest of us followed.

“Welcome back, Captain,” Clive said as he saluted us. The last of the sylph onboard the Beaver were heading off, while a few were still carrying some final crates across.

“Hello, Clive,” I said. “I saw that fight earlier, that was exciting!”

“Aye,” the old sailor said. “A bit too exciting for my old bones, but the ship held himself together well enough, and we gave those pirates a reason to think twice with Miss Awen’s contraption. Oda is quite enamoured with the device.”

I grinned. “How is he holding up?” I asked with a gesture to the Beaver.

“Well enough. A few scratches and maybe a scuff or two, but nothing that a lick of paint won’t fix,” he said. “He’s ready for your orders.”

“Great!” I said. “We’re heading westward, away from the rest of the fleet. I think we’ll have to fly fast at first, but once we’re a ways away we can slow down and let the wind carry us on. How’s our fuel situation?”

“Bunkers are three-quarters full,” he said. “Enough to get us from one end of the Harpy Mountains to another, I’d judge.”

“Brilliant! Let’s wait until the last of the cargo is on, and then we’ll take off. Awen, can you check to see if your turret’s in tip-top shape? Amaryllis, check the charts please, we need to know where we’re going. Uh... Calamity, maybe join up with the Scallywags, I’m sure they can show you a trick or two for sailing!”

The deck filled with the busy clonk of books moving about. I watched the last of the cargo get loaded on--including one large crate that went down to the room Caprica had used--and then I climbed up behind the wheel and helped Clive disengage us from the Lunchbox.

It was time to head off onto another jaunt!

***