Lord of the High Reaches Read online

  "Cam, your ships should be right outside," she said lowly.

  We saw my skyships and headed for them. One was lit, so we went aboard. La-mar came on deck to meet us.

  "M'lady, if it's not too late, you need to get away from this wretched guy. He's always getting us into trouble," La-mar teased.

  She chuckled. "It's too late, I'm afraid. Trouble has found us."

  He turned serious. "What do you need?"

  "We don’t have much time. Not a word of this to anyone. There was a coup attempt; it failed. I'm taking Lady Isla and her daughter, Alyse, to High Reaches. You hire a crew for our three skyships and buy supplies for us while staying at High Reaches. Bring families, if you want. Meet us there."

  Down below, I opened the strongbox and gave him half the money, then 10,000 more from my half. "We also need two long guns, and two short guns."

  He nodded and went to get the guns. Before leaving the hold, I grabbed a couple of military ration boxes.

  Topside, La-mar and I shook hands. "Safe travels, brother.”

  "You as well, brother," he replied.

  We went back to the royal yacht. Its balloon was full and almost ready to depart. Quickly, we went below and stowed our things, then went back on deck. Alyse sat down beside the pilot's wheel in the cockpit and stayed out of the way. I thought that was a good idea and sat beside her.

  "Do you practice this often?” I asked.

  "Every three or four months."

  "You did well," I acknowledged.

  The hanger door opened, and they pushed us out. Outside, the ground crew loosened the ends of the aft and stern ropes from ground cleats holding the ship in place. It began to rise. When we were high enough, Isla pulled a lever and opened the sails. We rose at a good clip, and the wind began filling our sail. We were on our way.

  * * *

  Once away from the capital, I raised the diplomatic streamers. I didn't want to make the same mistake twice.

  "In case that doesn't work, I'm taking us southwest for a while. Then we'll turn east until sunrise, then north. That should keep us clear of any trouble," Isla said.

  “Just tell me what needs to be done. I'll take care of it," I said, turning my fur back to charcoal and black.

  "We’re fine for now. After sunrise, I'll teach you about the yacht."

  Alyse brought blankets, and we bundled up in the cockpit. It was much colder at this altitude. It wasn't long before Alyse was asleep.

  “This is a fast ship, not that I’ve been on many ships," I commented, as Isla turned the ship east.

  She patted the ship’s console. "She is. Uncle made everyone think that was all she was, but she's got other qualities that few suspect. Everyone thought he just liked flying fast, which he did, but she's much more."

  "I noticed, she climbed quickly. I figured it was because she was smaller and her balloons larger than most."

  "She is smaller, but she needs the extra balloons because of her weight. She is armed and has extra equipment, which makes her special. You'll see."

  Chapter 10

  At dawn, we turned north. "Alyse," Isla gave her a gentle shake. Alyse opened her eyes. "We are aboard ship that makes you crew. You have duties."

  "Yes, Captain," she yawned, getting out of her blankets and going below.

  "I'll check the rigging and balloons, Captain." I took off my boots so I could climb better.

  This skyship was of a unique design, very different than the others I had been on. The others were open deck ships; this one was a closed deck. There was only a small walkway used as the deck with a high center that enclosed the below decks. The high center had windows, allowing outside views. The sails were different too. These had a top mast that folded along the side of the ship when stowed. When open the masts swung out and the sails dropped down, supported by smaller masts or ribs. It was all controlled from the cockpit.

  Checking the rigging, netting, and balloons, all was well. Back in the cockpit, Alyse was there with our breakfast. She had prepared meat and cheese rolls with hot tea.

  "Thank you for the meal, Alyse. Everything looked good with the rigging and balloons, Captain. No problems."

  "Glad to hear. Even a good skyship needs ongoing attention. Eat while it's hot. We'll descend when the sun gets a little higher, so it won't be as cold."

  I wasn't hurting, but my fur was not a thick as it had been. When we finished, Alyse took our dishes below, washed, and put them away.

  Upon her return, she began familiarizing me with the vessel. "Cam, you are aboard the racing ship, King's Mistress. She is 48 feet long, 16 feet wide. Her below deck space is 12 feet at her highest point, down to one foot at the bow. She’s made of bamboo laminate backed by 1/16-inch metal sheeting, and 1/8-inch metal sheeting around the boiler. That wouldn't stop cannon fire but will stop most gun fire. She is, as far as I know, the only ship that has vacuum tanks."

  "What are vacuum tanks?"

  Isla interrupted. "Alyse, take the wheel. Stay on the same heading. Keep a sharp eye."

  "Same heading, aye, Captain," Alyse affirmed, taking the wheel.

  "If you'll come with me, Cam, I'll show you the tanks, down below."

  The boiler was toward the stern, and the tanks were along the sides about halfway forward. Isla walked up to cylindrical tanks, approximately eight feet high and three feet in diameter.

  "These vacuum tanks allow us to, for lack of a better word, suck the gases out of the balloons and hold those gases in the tanks so we don't lose them. Reversing that pushes gas back into the balloons. By doing this we can descend and ascend rapidly. Far faster than any other ship, which comes in handy when an enemy is trying to board you."

  "Amazing."

  We walked further forward and stopped at a kind of barrel in the middle of the floor. "She’s also armed with two cannons that fire from the front," she pointed forward. "And one small one that can be rotated 360° around and 180° beneath us." She unclasped the barrel and moved it. There was a deck-sweeper pointing down with two small steering wheels attached. “This opens the hatch to lower it down into firing position." Turning the wheels, she explained. "The wheel on the right turns the cannon 360°around the ship, and this one on the left turns it to a maximum of 180° under us."

  "Do all your war skyships have these?"

  "Not yet, but we’re working on it. The gun's load is in these bags. One bag is shot or chain; the other is powder. Powder goes in first, shot second, this plug last, so the bag doesn’t fall out when you rotate the gun down. They usually won't once tamped in, but the plug ensures it. We carry 10 bags of each.

  “Look into this tube. This is the sighting tube which uses mirrors to show you the area outside the ship. The red dot is the aiming point. The gunner aims and fires on the captain’s command."

  I looked toward the door. "That’s a long way to yell."

  She tapped a funnel looking piece over the gun. "This is a voice pipe. There’s one it in the cockpit. The person there speaks, sometimes yells, into it. You hear it here and can speak back.”

  Continuing, she said, "Let's go look at the forward cannons. These are fixed in place and don’t rotate. They’re fired from the cockpit. This lever opens the small window-like coverings on the gun ports. Before firing, always ensure the ports are uncovered least you blow a hole in a closed one.”

  She lifted a lever, and the butt end of the cannon opened. “These guns are loaded from the rear. Plug goes in first, then shot, then powder. Then close the end, push this lever down, she's ready to fire. Both sides work the same, but fire independently of each other." She let me operate the lever and end cap a few times to make sure I knew what to do.

  We went back to the stern, the location of the boiler. "This is a high-pressure boiler because of the additives, a combination of powders to make the fire burn hotter, using less wood. It also makes the lifting gas." She pointed to where everything was stored. "Questions?"

  "No, I understand everything you've shown me and can operate
everything if called upon."

  “Uh huh. We’ll see.”

  An hour later, we had a practice drill, where I had to put the cannons into operation, but not actually load them. Alyse watched me, as she was already trained. According to her, I did everything right, so I passed my test. It was a little amusing to be schooled by a youngster, but she knew what she was doing when it came to the skyship.

  Piloting time was shared, each taking an hour. Between shifts, we sat in the cockpit, talking.

  "What do you do, Sir Cam?" Alyse asked.

  "Do?"

  "Yes, do. I know you are a landowner and act as an emissary. What else do you do? What endeavors? What future plans?"

  "Well, I'm learning to be a better landowner, how to harvest timber, and after learning more, will attempt some mining. I’m also looking to start a trading company or at least invest in one. And I want to learn more about skyships. What of you, Lady Alyse?"

  "All the above," she answered, nonchalantly. "Can you teach me to speak cat clannish?"

  Surprised, my eyebrows rose. "I suppose I could,” I smiled. “King Edward speaks it."

  "Did you teach him?"

  "No, he had a cat tutor for a time as a child. Although, I don't know how fluent he is."

  "I would like to learn."

  "Then I shall teach you. Didn't I see a journal below?"

  Alyse got up and went below and came back with the journal, pen, and ink.

  “Your first lesson is to learn to count to 10," I wrote the numbers, then the clannish words. Passing the book to her, I spoke the numbers. She repeated as she read them.

  "And your first phrase is, ‘What is this in clannish?’ Now when you want to know what something is in clannish, you say that.” I repeated the phrase as she read it. “We'll keep your book up to date. That way you'll learn to read and write clannish at the same time."

  She was all smiles. "Thank you," she said in clannish.

  "You are welcome," I replied in kind. She repeated, “You are welcome,” practicing.

  * * *

  Isla sat in the pilot’s chair, beginning an easterly turn. “Cam, there’s a harbor town called ‘East Coastal’. You said we'd need supplies before we get to High Reaches. We’ll stop there. They’re used to seeing cats and skyships, so we won't cause a stir. Plenty of shops, so we should be able to find everything before leaving.”

  "Good. That would be better than closer to home." I struck the diplomatic colors, then changed into my kilt, vest, and, of course, my weapons harness and weapons. My fur color changed to a standard golden.

  Approaching East Coastal, Isla landed in a yard for skyships. As we tied the ship down, an older man approached. Isla went forward, asking, "You have the watch?"

  "I do, Mistress."

  She handed him coins. "I still have crew aboard, but keep watch."

  "Yes, Mistress."

  She showed him two silvers. "What traders have been here of late?"

  "Only the Burks and the Lesters in the last two weeks, but arriving a week apart. They approached from the north, left heading southeast. I'm not sure if those are true headings."

  She handed him the coins and motioned me to follow.

  Before we landed the ship, I had given her two of my 1000 sovereign banknotes, saying, "Buy plenty of supplies and whatever you and Alyse may need. Don't scrimp.”

  She looked at the banknotes. "Thank you," she said, eyes damp, which I thought odd.

  The first place we stopped was the bank where she cashed the notes. Cash in hand, we headed for the trading houses. There were three main merchant houses here with large warehouses. This must be where sea ships and skyships did a lot of trading. Isla was in her element, and a joy to watch. She knew what she wanted and the going rates of exchange. The trading house managers recognized a professional merchant and treated her with due respect. They dealt hard, but respectfully.

  Between trading houses, she slowed, looking at shops along the way. Stopping in front of one, "Alyse and I will need work or ordinary clothes," she said, not looking at me.

  "Buy what you need and don't scrimp."

  She gave a quick nod, and we entered the shop. From what I could tell, she bought good quality clothes for all three of us. The owner followed her like a puppy, taking notes as she walked the aisles. I stayed out of the way. At every trading house and shop where purchases were made, she arranged deliveries to the Mistress.

  Last stop was an inn. She ordered a large meal and told the proprietor to deliver it to the Mistress in an hour. When we arrived back, there were wagons waiting for us. We got busy loading and storing everything. Alyse worked like crew, never saying a word or slowing down. Our dinner arrived just as we finished stowing all the supplies. We enjoyed our meal, rest, and hot tea. As soon as it was dark, we lifted. We went straight up, out of sight of anyone watching then headed north-northwest toward High Reaches.

  * * *

  We approached from the south, staying over the center of the mountains. Staying low, hopefully, no one on the east or west sides of the mountain could see us. This was my first look at the length of the mountain’s central valley. Several miles long, it followed the stream. The width varied, some places wider than others. It was obvious why La-Mar’s people chose this area. Thick green forest, it was naturally hidden and had abundant resources.

  On slow approach to the large overhang, we kept sharp eyes, making sure no one had taken up residence. It appeared to be empty.

  We moored the Mistress in the cradle beside my other ship. Before allowing the ladies to disembark, I jumped down and did a ground check to ensure we were really alone. Once sure, we shut the boiler down and covered her with nets.

  We stood looking over the valley. "I love it," Alyse breathed in the smell of the trees: pines, evergreens, spruces.

  "Come look at the other side," I took them up to the plateau and looked east. "This is my land.” I don't know why I felt the need to impress them.

  "All of it?" Alyse asked, smiling, looking left to right

  "Well, as far as the eye can see anyway."

  “It’s beautiful."

  "No, this is just land. Home is when your family is with you." As soon as it was said, I thought how she might take it. Seems I kept putting my foot in my mouth. I looked east to avoid eye contact.

  "Well," Alyse paused, then raised an eyebrow. "Based on my recent experience with family, I'd rather have you around."

  "Here, here," Isla concurred.

  I looked at them. Both were smiling.

  I was pleased. "And there is nowhere I'd rather be."

  We went back down to the overhang huts. Making a sweeping hand gesture, "Take your pick, ladies.”

  "Where is yours?" Isla asked.

  I shrugged. "I haven't decided yet. I'm not going to take the biggest one. That’s reserved for Captain La-mar. I'll probably take a small one, closer to the moorings."

  "Let's go look and see what's there." Isla began walking with Alyse and me in tow. The hut farthest out seemed to be a good site to monitor the security of the skyships. It had only one room, but was all I needed. The hut next to it had three rooms. There was a main room which included the cooking area and two small bedrooms. Isla and Alyse took it for their use. We used the next hut as storage and unloaded cargo from the Mistress into it.

  "Where did all the chickens come from?" Alyse asked, pointing.

  "They were in cages. Before leaving, we released them to fend for themselves. They seemed to have multiplied. How about chicken for dinner?

  "As much as I love chicken, we need to discuss delivering my cousin’s answer to your king. When will you do so?" Isla asked.

  I thought a moment. "You’re right. The stakes are high. Sooner would be better than later."

  "How long will it take you to get there?"

  "Seven days travel to River's Fork, then four days by train to the capital."

  "How long by skyship, Mother?"

  "Two or three days."

 
; "Well, that's an easy enough decision," Alyse informed us.

  "Let’s think this through. Do we want anyone to know that the south and the east have a treaty? If a skyship is spotted landing at the palace, I guarantee word will spread like fire.”

  "Based on how many times they tried to kill you, I'd say they already know," Isla observed.

  "That may be true, but I don't really want everyone to know that the cat they were trying to kill was me. The more anonymity I have, the safer I am."

  "So, change back to white. Most humans can't tell the difference between C-cats when they change colors," Alyse replied.

  "Isla, what would you suggest?"

  "Let’s go visit King Edward, emissary colors flying. With you in white, everyone will think you’re part of my entourage. In private, we'll give him a full report and the signed treaty."

  "Ladies, break out your finery."

  * * *

  On the way to the capital, we planned how we would proceed. The name I would use as emissary from the Southern Kingdom would be Baron Du-cat. Isla would be herself, King Micah's cousin, accompanied by her daughter, Alyse. As far as finery, Isla had some for me as well. Seems royalty travel with extra clothes for most every occasion.

  We arrived at the capital on the afternoon of the second day. Diplomatic colors flying, we approached the palace slowly. By the time we made the royal moorings, a color guard was on hand. They moored us as we landed. Wearing blue with white fur, I stepped down to meet their emissary.

  I bowed. "I am Baron Du-cat, Emissary from King Micha Whitehall of the Southern Kingdom, accompanying Lady Isla Whitehall. We seek an audience with King Edward."

  “I shall deliver your request with haste, Baron," he bowed and scurried away, robes flying behind him.

  It’s amazing how fast people move when royalty are involved. A year ago, I was an unwanted, homeless cat. Now, people were bowing and “moving with haste” at my utterances. The fawning attention was uncomfortable, but it got things done. About 15 minutes passed when a royal escort approached.