Patchwork Earth Chapter 21 (Patreon)

Art of Klai by https://www.instagram.com/ilustreguilherme/

Hey all, just a quick note. I'm switching Patchwork Earth from guaranteed two chapters bi-weekly to "when I want to work on it."  The reason is that I don't know how many on here are really reading it, and I'm hitting a point in Magpie Wizard where I want to focus on it more (a bunch of the setup phase of Book 3 is over, and the rubber is about to hit the road). 

That being said, I'm not abandoning this story, and this is in a similar point where we're getting closer to the ending. I just know you all are here for Magpie Wizard, and I want to make sure I give you the best version of that I have. 

*****************

Chapter 21

Saxtin was still a stranger to them, but Goto couldn’t find fault with how the formerly eight-legged man managed the crew. He also admired how the Romish had designed their ship. It seemed like most of the vessel’s space was dedicated to the weapons and the cargo hold below, but the whole operation could be managed from the small bridge. Klai sat at the control yoke under Saxtin’s watchful gaze, while one of the remaining Tralingans assisted with navigation.

Goto was left feeling like the odd man out. Bose had set himself behind Klai as her bodyguard, since they couldn’t be entirely sure that Saxtin’s crew wouldn’t try anything untoward.

Goto had nowhere else to go, so he leaned against the wall. He had tried to inspect the controls, but his limited experience doing grunt work for the railroad didn’t give him the context to make out the strange displays. He wasn’t even sure what he was looking at. It looked like a printed sheet of paper, but behind a faintly glowing glass window, and the strange characters would change themselves periodically. He wanted to ask what it was, but he also didn’t want to appear ignorant in front of the Tralingans.

So, he contented himself with stating the obvious. “This is a smooth ride. Since I cannot see outside, I can hardly tell we are moving.”

Saxtin couldn’t nod, properly speaking, but the way he swayed his bulbous head made Goto think the meaning was the same. “The beautiful thing about air travel out here in uncivilized airspace…”

“Ahem,” said Klai.

“My apologies. The beautiful thing about travel in low traffic airspace is that as long as you fly high enough, there is almost nothing to get in your way. There is much more empty space than not, on the balance.”

“We should watch out for deathwings,” said Klai. “I’ve heard they attack airships all the time.”

“Deathwings? Those scavengers?” The other Tralingan let out a wet, scornful cough. “You delphens are certainly a superstitious people! Don’t worry, they avoid airships.”

“No call for y’all to be rude to Klai,” said Bose. “Unless I miss my guess, she ain’t had any call to leave the Oasis before. There’s a lot of tall tales you hear that sound good ‘til you’ve had a little travel.”

Goto noticed that Klai’s expression was puzzled. It was like she could not decide whether to be grateful that Bose had come to her defense, or to be miffed that he was being condescending too.

“She did not have a choice in the matter,” said Goto. “It sounds like the delphens have been forced to live in the Blessed Oasis.”

“It is a wonderful place,” she said. “If the Romish would leave us alone, we could live in peace and plenty.”

“Speaking of the Romish,” said Goto, turning to face his ensign. “Your people were not supposed to be out here at all. Might I ask what you are doing with a hull full of shoveltusker bodies?”

“Mine is not to question the will of my Captain,” replied Atticus.

“Does that mean you won’t tell us?” asked Bose.

Atticus scratched the back of his head, clearly embarrassed. “It more means they, ah, never told me exactly why we were here. They said we were out here to hunt pirates to defend the treaty border, but that seems to have been less than truthful.”

“Spoken like a politician’s son,” replied Goto disdainfully. “If you do not know, speak plainly.”

“The Romish probably want to make sure the delphens can’t get strong enough to challenge them again,” said Saxtin. “If there is less game to hunt, then that means fewer delphens. Not that I approve, Ms. Klai,” he added, cutting off her inevitable protest. “I think what was done to you was disgusting, personally. The Tralingan cities are not much freer than yours. We simply have our warships to keep the Romish honest.”

“Keep ‘em honest?” asked Bose in a flabbergasted tone. “Listen yourself, and then think of how you came to be here.”

“That… Hm. I wish I could disagree with you.” The square eyes of the Tralingan settled on Atticus. “It’s a shame you could not have left someone more knowledgeable alive, Goto.”

“I will be more careful the next time I have to fight an entire naval crew by myself,” he replied.

“I still can’t believe you walked away from that in one piece,” said Bose.

“It’s the power of the worldwalkers,” said Klai.

Goto felt her words like a gut punch. “I think one of us should go check on the Saxtin’s wounded man. I volunteer.”

Saxtin swayed his affirmation again.

Klai stood. “I could use a break from piloting. I’ll come with you, Goto.”

Bose raised his eyebrow at that, but kept quiet. Saxtin took Klai’s spot in the seat, though the way he had to contort himself to get a pair of working tentacles on the control yoke looked awfully uncomfortable.

“You seem troubled, Goto,” said Klai once the door to the bridge was closed behind them.

“I am surprised you noticed.” Or cared, he left unsaid. “It is nothing you need worry yourself about. Let’s go check on Yarnis.”

She shook her head. “I can’t accept that. Was it something I said?”

He paused and turned to face her. He had become accustomed to the oddness of the oni’s face. It helped that unlike the Tralingans, her eyes carried the spark of humanity, and he could tell that his mood was bringing her down. “It is nothing you did wrong, but it is not manly to complain of such trifles. Forget about it.”

“Then it’s manly to sulk like a baby instead? Come now, you know my problems. Fair is fair.” She slipped around him and barred his path. “Besides, I’m curious what has the big, strong samurai so concerned.”

“It isn’t samurai, it’s… Wait, you said it right that time.”

She smirked. “I do try. Now come on, tell me.”

“You know that I could just break through and not tell you, right?”

“Certainly,” she said. “But I know you won’t.”

He let out a long sigh. “Very well. I have trained my entire life to learn the way of the sword. I was never the best among my brothers. In fact, they almost always beat me. Then, I was sent away to work a job I hated in case a brewing war back home went against us. It told me that they believed the time I had put into training was a waste, and that I was best used as a day laborer.”

Klai’s beaked face contorted into a frown. “Were your people invaded, like us?”

He shook his head. “It is internal. There are many who want to overthrow the Shogun and put the Emperor back at the head of the government. The fools would throw away our whole way of life just because Bose’s people can make a few baubles and trinkets we cannot.” He left out the military technologies of the British and Americans since, frankly, they hurt his case.

Klai tilted her head. “Wait, if he is the Emperor, why is he not already in charge?”

He waved her off. “It is a long and complicated history. Regardless, I ended up here and I performed a great feat of arms, worthy of the old legends and poems.” He looked at his enchanted sword suspiciously. “Then you pointed out that it was the magic of being a worldwalker that did it. I cannot find fault in it. It is not my triumph. It was my sword and my robe. It is… a disappointment.”

“That’s a stupid way of looking at things,” Klai said without hesitation.

Goto rolled his eyes. “I knew you would not understand. It is why I did not want to tell you. Only a warrior could grasp it.” He tried to brush past the delphen, but she bobbed and weaved to block him.

Klai folded her arms under her chest. “I have been a warrior longer than you have, fighting off pirates and poachers. Many of my kinsmen don’t survive those fights because we fight with spears and magic against ray guns. I would kill for your gifts, because it’s better to fight unfairly and win than to die with honor. Besides, Bose had gifts just like you. Did he rush in to fight an entire boatload of Romish by himself?”

That brought Goto up short. “He did not.”

She let out a pleased squeal. “Exactly! It isn’t the weapon, it’s the man, and the man in front of me is bold and courageous. You have a fighting spirit, and your gifts don’t take that away from you.” She cocked her head to the side. “What is that look for?”

“It is nothing,” he replied. It wasn’t that he was suddenly attracted to the oni, of course. Any young man would feel his heart stir hearing those words in such a lovely voice.

Not that her voice was lovely, of course. Perish the thought. Where had that thought even come from?

He shook his head to clear it. Such thinking was dangerous. “Thank you, Klai. We should get going, but I appreciate the sentiment.”

“That’s good,” she said, giving him a brief hug before turning to go. She seemed able to read the signs in the Romish language, so he followed her. He couldn’t help but notice that from behind, she looked awfully human…

He shook his head again. That was not a productive line of thought.

Yet, it would not leave his mind.

*************

Next Chapter: Pending