Chapter Five Hundred and Forty-Eight — Water in the Desert
Chapter Five Hundred and Forty-Eight — Water in the Desert The Weakling's Rest came up ahead of us, and it was a strange sight to see. If Come Here and Die was a metropolis, then the Weakling's Rest was barely a polis.Or something like that.The town was sitting in a sea of dunes. Far, far to the west were the mountains we'd been keeping to our side, but ahead and back and to our right was nothing but sand as far as the eyes could see.Weakling's Rest sat on a small raised plateau of sandy-brown rocks. They weren't raised all that high, just enough that the rocks stood out from the dunes all around them. In the middle of the rocky area was a small bump in the landscape atop which were a few taller peaks. They were about as tall as the Beaver was long, serving as a natural set of towers that poked out above the sea of dunes.In the shadow of these huge stones was a tiny lake.I wasn't sure if lake was the right term for it, really. I'd seen ponds that were about as big. I was pretty sure that if we landed the Beaver in there, we'd fit with barely a few metres of clearance.Still, it was the only body of water far out in the middle of the desert, and so a small town had grown around it.There were a few buildings made of stacked stones, cut into rough square blocks and covered in what looked like a layer of clay. Most of the homes here, however, were tents. Large walls of cloth, sometimes open at the sides and mostly covering these dug-out holes in the ground. Probably a trick to keep the temperature down. It looked like most of the houses were set up where they'd be in as much shade as possible as well."That makes no sense," Amaryllis said."Huh?" I asked.She gestured with a wing at the lake. "Water flows down Broccoli. How could there be a basin like that when it's elevated over the rest?""Uh, I don't know," I said. "Maybe it's a natural spring?"Amaryllis grumbled about geography and geology and other geo-things, but I didn't care, it looked like a really neat little oasis, and it made sense that some people would settle here where it was nice and cool compared to the rest of the swelteringly hot Ostri desert.There were six airships moored around the town. All of them had just dropped their anchors into the dunes a short walk from Weakling's Rest. We circled the town very slowly while debating over whether or not to land."How's our fuel looking?" I asked Awen as she came up from below deck.She scrubbed her hands with a cloth while speaking. "We used up about a quarter of our fuel making it this far. We're fine on everything else for a while.""A quarter of our fuel for a third of the journey," Amaryllis said. "At this rate, we'll make it to Southerfell with two-fifths left in the tank.""That's good," I said."That's good if we can refuel once there. If we can't, then we'll be stuck in a foreign land without enough fuel to make it back here, let alone back to someplace more civilized," Amaryllis said.I rubbed at my chin. "Would Southerfell have fuel? Are they a nation or just a city?""They're part of Pyrowalk," Amaryllis said. "I don't believe that the Pyrowalkians have invested nearly as much into air travel as we have."That was strange. Why not? Airships were cool!We ended up deciding to land, mostly because while Weakling's Rest was small, it did have the facilities to refuel ships. One of the six airships was having fuel pumped into it from a cart at the moment, and there was a row of large metal tanks out to one side of town that looked like they probably held more fuel.We came down not too far from there, slowly lowering the Beaver until we dropped anchor and were able to bring the keel to a hover just a pace over the sandy ground.Interestingly, no one came out to greet us. The people in town sometimes looked towards the Beaver but there didn't seem to be all that much interest. We were just another passing airship.Before hopping off the side of the ship, we had to decide who was going. Awen didn't seem too keen to leave the ship, and wanted to tinker on something while the Beaver was stationary, and Caprica was forbidden from leaving by an overprotective Bastion, so the away crew turned out to be me, Amaryllis, Calamity and Desiree.Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator.Four was a good number! A ladder was rolled off the side of the ship, and I helped hold the bottom steady as my friends came down, then we started trudging through the sand towards town.As it turned out, airships stopping here was pretty common. There was a bar, even, called the Airshipman's Rest. Its entrance looked almost like a cave, with a sign hanging over the door and steps carved into the stone.Ducking in, we found ourselves in a tight little tavern, with a few chairs, a few tables, and a tiny bar at the back.It was comfy, though, and the old ostri manning the place was welcoming.We asked about fuel, he made us an offer, and Amaryllis got red in the face trying to haggle him down, but he wouldn't budge much. He was the only one selling fuel out here, and if we wanted a better deal we just had to fly a few days east and go buy some elsewhere.Fortunately, we didn't need that much to top off our bunkers. It still cost us as much to buy a quarter tank than it would to buy half a tank elsewhere, but I kind of understood. There was supply and demand to think of, and this place was out in the middle of nowhere.While Amaryllis was finishing that up and Desiree and Calamity had some local snacks, a man approached me.He was human, wearing a nice navy-blue suit and a captain's hat not too unlike my own. He bowed slightly, then glanced at my captain's hat before meeting my eye. "Hello, young miss," he said. "Pardon me for the intrusion, but would you happen to be the captain of the interesting vessel that just alighted nearby?""I am, yes," I said. "I'm Broccoli Bunch, Captain Broccoli Bunch. And his name's the Beaver Cleaver.""His? Ah, and here I thought all ships were women."I shrugged. Why couldn't the Beaver be a boy ship? "Are you a captain too?""Ah yes, where are my manners? I'm Captain Gum, of the PMS Streaker.""The... PMS?" I asked."Pyrowalkian Merchant Ship," he replied."Oh! That must be one of the ships parked around town," I said.He nodded. "Indeed. The Streaker is the red merchantman. We're being refuelled at the moment, but our ship isn't alone. We're part of a merchant caravan. Do you mind if I inquire as to your destination?""Southerfell," I said. Captain Gum seemed pretty nice, all things considered. I didn't get a bad feeling from him, and I trusted my gut. And my C-Rank Friendmaking. "We've never really traveled to Pyrowalk before, but we're on a mission from the Exploration Guild.""Oh, The Exploration Guild? Interesting. That's something like the Adventurer's Guild of Pyrowalk?""I think so," I said. "Ah, but maybe not? The Exploration Guild is more about finding new places and things, like new dungeons and such, and clearing them for the first time. The Guild has a lot of really strong people in it!""I see! How intriguing. Well, Captain Bunch, I have an offer to make you, one that may be mutually beneficial.""I'm listening," I said."The Streaker and its sister ships, the Bloody Mess and the Cramped Quarters are returning to Pyrowalk. We're quite fat with goods at the moment, and we're justifiably worried that we may encounter pirates on the way back. You might have to worry about the same as a lone ship. If you wish, we can make room for your... Beaver Cleaver in our convoy. More ships make for a less appetising target for ne'er-do-wells.""Huh... yeah, we've done a fair bit of anti-piracy stuff. Have you ever heard of the Pirate Lord Megumin? The Beaver was one of the ships that fought her! And she's not the first pirate we've tangled with either.""Your vessel is so formidable?" he asked."Don't underestimate him! But it's mostly the crew, I think." I smiled. I'd always be proud of my friends. "Let me talk to my first mate and we'll see. But I'm tempted. Since this is our first time heading to Southerfell, being with others who know the way seems like common sense to me."
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Chapter Five Hundred and Forty-Nine — All Four One Formation
Chapter Five Hundred and Forty-Nine — All Four One Formation When we stepped out of the tavern it was to discover the sun was already kissing the top of the dunes, its bottom half swallowed by the sea of sand. It was nice, the orange sky reflected off the surface and turned the sand all glittery and shiny.Ah, but it wasn't the best thing either.Sunset meant night, and the convoy was only going to depart in the morning.I returned to the Beaver with my friends and told them what Captain Gum had told me about the three Pyrowalkian ships heading back to the same destination as us.Amaryllis was immediately suspicious. "And he just invited us along? Did you not consider that he might be a pirate as well?""I mean, maybe, but my gut says otherwise," I replied.We could see the other ships now, and they didn't look very pirate-y. The three were anchored near each other, and had lights on their decks. The crews looked normal enough from afar. All human, all looking rather relaxed, and it seemed like they even had uniforms.Not that pirates couldn't have uniforms, but I imagined that most piratical uniforms were more... thematic than clothes made from the same place.Plus, the ships looked well-maintained and not all that well-armed. Two of them had large ballistae on their fore-decks, but that was it. Nothing like the amount of armament I'd seen on warships and even pirate vessels.Maybe they had concealed weapons, but if so, they were well-hidden."There are some merchants from Pyrowalk that come this way," Awen said. "They make it to Mattergrove, buy weird things, then leave again.""Weird things?" Caprica asked.Awen nodded. "Stuff from the rest of the continent. Sylph candies, small harpy-made machines... stuff.""Things they can't get in Pyrowalk," I said. "They probably resell them all for a whole bunch.""I suppose Captain Gum's group might be legitimate," Amaryllis said. She still squinted at the other ships. "Fine. We're stuck here until daybreak anyway, unless we plan on departing in the dark of night."It was possible. There was nothing stopping us from working by spell-light and then taking off in the middle of the night, but it was a bit troublesome, and everyone onboard needed some sleep. So, even if we did take off, we wouldn't be flying all-out anyway, especially since the dead of night made it harder to spot landmarks and keep track of travel time.So, the morning was safer, and the Pyrowalkians ships looked professional enough that I was sure they'd be launching at first light.We set up a watch rotation, just in case, but throughout the night no one approached. I was on the last rotation, so I was wide awake when the sun came up. Before that, I had a blanket over my shoulders because it got cold in the desert at night. Almost as soon as the sun hit the horizon, the air started to warm right up.We started prepping for launch while some of the crew made breakfast.About then, a small group from one of the Pyrowalkian ships made their way over. A man in an officer's uniform with two sailors.I waved at them. "Hello!"The man returned my wave with a polite smile and a little bow. He was older, with lines around his eyes and a big bushy moustache that didn't quite match his shaved head. "Good morning, Captain," he said. "I'm Officer Gel, first mate aboard the Cramped. Our captain asked that I confirm arrangements with you.""Oh! Sure thing," I said. "We're just about ready to take off. Did you want to come aboard, we can drop a ladder for you."Mister Gel shook his head. "No, but thank you, Captain. I shan't be staying long. We just need to confirm our flying formation before we take off. Our vessels are about ready to weigh anchor.""Did you want us to fly in a specific formation?" I asked.He nodded. "A simple wedge, if it pleases you. The Streaker takes point, Bloody Mess to starboard, Cramped to port. You can take port as well."So, a wedge with a longer side? Like geese! We could do that! "Alright! I'll let the helmsbird know!" I called down.Gel's moustache twitched. "Good to hear. We'll be aiming for altitude two hundred feet to start, ascending with the morning thermals. Should give us smooth air. Departure in forty.""Got it," I said with a thumbs-up. "See you in the skies!"Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there.He saluted with two fingers to the brim of his hat, then turned to march back across the sand, boots crunching on the uneven surface.Behind me, Calamity leaned over the railing. "Was that guy's ship really called the Cramped?""Apparently," I said. "I guess it must be tight in there." I giggled. "Maybe we should invite them over sometime. Trade recipes, complain about legroom, make some more friends?"Amaryllis stomped over, feathers all ruffled up. "Don't get attached, this is a transaction, not an alliance. When are they going to take off?""Forty minutes," I said.Amaryllis hummed, then glared up into the sky. "This will slow us down a little.""Is that bad?""We're on a deadline, Broccoli," she said. "But this might also be safer, and I can't say that's a bad thing. Convoys make for poor targets for pirates and monsters alike. There's a reason clever birds fly in flocks.""Mhm!" I agreed.By the time breakfast was done, we were pulling up anchor. Awen ran through the engine checks one last time and the ship rumbled beneath our feet. I took my place next to Clive at the helm.The Pyrowalkian ships were already rising, one by one, their balloons swelling as the morning sun crept higher. The Streaker was first, floating up with all the leisurely dignity of a noblewoman's carriage, then Bloody Mess and Cramped followed, angling into a loose formation.I steered us gently up, finding our place in the wedge just a little behind the Cramped. The air was smooth, just like Officer Gel had said, and I could already feel the breeze catching the Beaver's fins.The Beaver caught up quickly enough. It... well, I loved my Beaver, but he wasn't the fastest thing around. In fact, I was pretty sure that the shape of this airship made it kind of awful, plus we were weighed down quite a bit.Still, the Beaver was much smaller than the three merchant airships. All of them were almost as wide and twice as long as the Beaver was, with outboard engines in little nacelles sticking out of their sides. They were a bit more like the airships I could remember seeing in old movies and such. So, not exactly speedy."Desert flying's not so bad," Calamity said as he joined me at the railing. He had his goggles pushed up onto his forehead and a snack bar half-chewed in his mouth. "Just a lot of beige.""Beige can be nice," I said. Then I eyed him. "Some of your fur is beige. Wait, I'm beige!""Yeah, but it's such a dull colour. You get tired of it."Clive chuckled, then shifted his pipe around. "Must be weird, all that fur in place of proper feathers," he said. "Now, keep an eye out. Don't know what kind of beast occupies the skies 'round here, but I'm betting they're not all friendly as the captain.""Peepers peeled, got it!" I said with a rap of my knuckles to the side of my head.We hit a stretch of gentle turbulence, the kind that made the ropes creak and the sails flutter, but Clive adjusted the pitch and we settled into a lazy, slightly tilted cruise. The Pyrowalkian ships adjusted with us, their crews clearly used to travelling together. I spotted sailors with flags flashing simple signals back and forth between the vessels. Just course corrections and such."They're really well-trained," I said."They must make this route often," Calamity said. "Didn't think I'd ever be this far from home, you know.""Homesick?""Nah," he said. "Though... can I be homesick but just for the food?"I laughed. "I think so!"We coasted along above the dunes, the sun rising higher and slowly washing the desert in sweltering gold.Ahead, the Streaker led us in a steady line westward, her sails taut and proud, while the Bloody Mess trailed a few dozen metres to the right, her hull glinting red whenever the light caught the lacquer just-so.Below us, the desert began to change. The soft, sleepy dunes near Weakling's Rest gave way to harder, flatter terrain, with big stone shelves jutting out of the sand like the spines on a half-buried dragon. We passed over a cluster of ruined buildings, too square to be natural, with walls half-swallowed by the dunes. Maybe it had once been a town, or an outpost.Right now, it was just another thing to fly over. Soon, we'd be on a whole new continent!
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