Chenda and the Airship Brofman (22 page)

He slid his legs over the side and knelt beside Chenda's bunk, never releasing her hand. Chenda slid out as well and he helped pull her to standing. Together they left the bunks behind and Fenimore pulled her down the passageway. Rather than going up to the deck and the cold night above, he pulled her around the stairs and further down the passageway, deeper into the airship where she had never been before. They passed several doors but took none until they reached the end of the passage. Fenimore pushed open a door marked
Engine Room
and stepped in, pulling Chenda in behind him.

As the door swung shut, Chenda's feet, so willing to follow Fenimore to this point, resisted more steps. Her eyes marveled at the great, beating heart of the
Brofman
. It glowed. Great silvery wheels flew past one another, flashing in the dim light. The quiet whirring sound of this great engine, to Chenda's ears, was the most pleasant sound ever made. The look of its graceful yet powerful motion soothed her like nothing ever had.

Fenimore looked back at her, seeing the wonder in her eyes. “Ah,” he said. “I knew you were one of us. You have airships in your blood, I think.”

Chenda nodded, not taking her eyes off the engine for a long time, soaking in the hum. Fenimore waited patiently, letting Chenda soak in her marvel, then said, “Come this way...”

Reluctantly, her legs started moving again, and she followed her guide to the far end of the engine room. Fenimore released her hand, stood on a small crate propped against the stern bulkhead, and pushed on a light fixture until Chenda heard a little pop. A crack appeared in the wooden paneling next to Fenimore. He slid his fingertips into the fissure and pulled it toward himself, revealing an entryway to a very narrow space.

“What is this?” Chenda asked.

“Cargo storage,” Fenimore said. “Undeclared.” He stepped in and said, “We can talk here and not be disturbed.” Chenda stepped in and looked around. The hold, just three feet wide, ran the entire width of the
Brofman's
stern. The scratches and scuff marks in the space hinted of many years of quickly hidden cargoes and other hasty seclusions. At the moment, the hold was almost empty – only a bedroll and an empty crate remained. Fenimore took Chenda by the hand again and guided her to take a seat on the crate. Still holding her hand, Fenimore rested himself on the bedroll.

They said nothing for a long time, but then blurted out together. “I'm sorry.”

Chenda giggled, “This is what it must be like between you and Verdu.”

Fenimore shook his head, “Naw, that was just a coincidence of mutual regret. What I share with Verdu is something else. Which brings us to what we need to talk about: Verdu.”

“I was hoping we would talk about you, Fen.”

“Later, I promise, but I need you to understand that Verdu believes
you
are the savior of his people, and he is a man of great tenacity. Right or wrong, he'll drive you to fill that role. He'll make it be so, even if he kills you in the process. With your eyes open, you must see that he's not following you, but the stones you carry. Not. You. Do you understand that?”

“Yes, but it doesn't matter.  He's coming, and that's all I want.  His reason is his own.” Chenda looked down at her hands in her lap, one still entwined with Fenimore's. “Not that I am saying you should, but why don't you let go of me?” She ran a finger down the back of his hand.

“I honestly don't know,” he said. “And I don't want to think too much about why, either. Much like with Verdu, I just can't fight the feeling when you are near.” He chuckled to himself. “OK. It's not the same as it is with him, but it rhymes.” He looked doubtful for a moment and said, “You really don't mind?”

Chenda smiled. “It's nice. I like having people so close here on the airship. It's one of the many things I'm really going to miss. I hate the idea of leaving it tomorrow, but I must.” She paused. “So, did you work things out with him?”

“More or less,” he said, rubbing his forehead. “We have agreed to disagree, for now.”

Chenda's heart sank. Surely this meant he would not be joining her. “I really am sorry that you two fought. I never wanted to have my task come between you. I'm like some kind of disease.”

Fenimore laughed. “More like you are the cure to our regular routine. Don't be so hard on yourself. We're all grown-ups here.”

“I guess I am just a selfish grown-up, then. I don't care much at all
why
Verdu is coming with me; I am just pleased that he is. Edison said it needed to be so, and there it is. I've made my leap of faith, with Edison's letter and the vision. I know that I have to follow where it leads.”

“I understand. Really. But I worry. I really don't think you will mange well in Tugrulia without someone like Verdu to help you along. He will help you find the man you seek. The problem is getting back out again. I'm worried that Verdu will keep you there too long, or try to get you to be something you aren't. I know him, and he may just try to do something noble that will get him killed, leaving you and Candice unprotected and trapped by a world you don't fully understand.

“But there's more to it than that. Verdu is like a brother to me. You've seen the way we are tied to one another. It's beyond friendship, beyond brotherhood. I'm not sure that if we separated for very long, part of me wouldn't just die. I'm truly afraid of that. Even though I have not known you very long, I feel a similar pull toward you as well.”

Fenimore shook his head. “So, as you have asked me to do, I have thought it over and I'm going to go with you. Not because Edison told you I needed to go, and not because Verdu needs someone to keep him from taking on the Emperor personally. I'm going because I can't be left behind. Verdu follows you because he thinks you are the Pramuc, and I follow you both because I want to be where you are.”

Chenda dropped her hand from his and wrapped her arms around his neck. He sat very still as she pulled him close and whispered in his ear, “Thank you.” After a long moment, she held him at arm’s length. “I know this was a difficult choice for you, but I am happy you've chosen to join us... me. This is right, I can feel it.”

She embraced him again, and this time she felt his arms wrap around her. She sighed and sank into his chest, feeling like some key had just fit into a lock within her, freeing her to go on to the next part of her life.

Fenimore and Chenda held each other until they heard the bells chime the hour. “It's time I head up on deck. I need to take over in the wheelhouse.” He released her from his warm embrace. “Say, would you like to watch the sun rise again?”

Captain Endicott stood outside Candice's door. He hated to apologize, but as much as he hated to admit it, he was squarely in the wrong. However, he was also thoroughly a scoundrel when he needed to be. He wanted to keep his crew together, and perhaps Candice would help those lads see reason if he was persuasive enough.

He knocked.

Candice swung the door open wide and scowled at Captain Endicott. "Max," she said in an unfriendly greeting.

“Candice,” he said in a singsong voice. “May I come in, darling?”

“It's your airship, but keep your 'darling',” she said stepping back. He entered the small space and sat on her bed, stretching his legs out in front of him and crossing his forearms behind his head. He drew up his most charming smile and let his eyes sparkle at Candice.

“Oh, here we go. I've seen that tack before. You look like a delinquent freshman who wants a second crack at a failed term paper.” She crossed her arms in front of her chest, defiant.

“I'm just here to say I'm sorry,” he said. “You are right. Those boys
can
choose to leave my ship at any time. But what kind of captain would I be if I didn't try to keep my crew safe and out of trouble?” He dropped one arm and gestured Candice to come sit beside him. Candice frowned slightly, but she sat anyway.

His voice dropped to a sultry whisper and he put his arm around Candice's shoulder, “I want to keep
you
safe, too. There is something about you – it suits me.” He started to pull her towards his chest, but Candice resisted.

“I see what you are doing here! NO!” She slapped at his pulling arm. “Fiddlesticks!” She slapped again. Twice.

The captain laughed out loud at her mock resistance and swept her into a bear hug, tipping her backwards across his lap. She gasped, but didn't struggle.

“You're gonna forgive me,” he said smiling.

Candice sniffed her denial, but her eyes smiled at him. “Max, I'm not going to help you talk Verdu and Fenimore into staying on this ship.”

He frowned slightly, and tapped Candice on the end of her nose. “It was worth a try,” he said. “Now, about you and me,” he whispered. He kicked his foot off the bed, knocking the door to Candice's cabin closed. He pulled her close to him and he kissed her, hard. All of Candice's professorial dignity melted and years of pent up longing were released as she wrapped her arms around the captain, her captain, and she let her long dormant passion take over.

For Chenda, the day passed quickly. She spent the first part standing beside Fenimore in the wheelhouse. She loved watching the crew bring the
Brofman
out of her slumber and power up for the day. Fenimore lived to pilot the airship. His hand flew over the controls as the first rays of the sun released energy through the photovoltaic tubes. Chenda thrilled at the flurry of activity and the airship's leap forward. Fenimore checked their heading and relaxed at the helm, pleased at the feeling of gentle vibration that ran through the wheel into his hands. He and Chenda stood there, standing hip to hip, talking the morning away. They spoke of a hundred unimportant things: about growing up, about going to school, people they had met along the way, books, songs, food and dreams, one story leading into the next.

Verdu arrived at midday to relieve Fenimore. Chenda eyed each man curiously as Verdu entered the wheelhouse.

“I'll take her from here.” Verdu said quietly.

“The girl or the ship?” Fenimore asked slyly.

“Both, if you let me, brother.”

The exchange seemed friendly, but there was still a thread of tension as the men passed each other in the small space. Chenda could tell the worst of the conflict had passed, but there was still something that needed resolving between them.

Verdu turned to Chenda, “Your companionship is welcome here if you wish to stay.”

Her eyes flicked from Verdu to Fenimore. “Sure,” she said. “I love being here in the wheelhouse. I'll stay a bit. I'll see you later, Fen.”

Fenimore nodded and backed out the door. Chenda focused her attention on Verdu. “How are you today?”

“I'm excited,” he replied. “It's always exciting for me to sneak into the Empire. The trick is sneaking back out again. That's where the danger is.”

“So, you are going to help me get back out again?” Chenda said timidly.

“Of course I will. Why wouldn't I?”

“Well, Fen seems to think that you might not want me to leave, that you might keep me there to fulfill the prophecy or something....” She trailed off, not wanting to look up at Verdu's expression.

“He doesn't know where your destiny leads, and I won't keep you where you don't want to be.” He took one of his hands off the wheel and rested it on the back of Chenda's neck. He stroked the skin under her jaw with his thumb. “I promise, I will be your guide and protector as best I can, but your will is your own. I won't pilot your fate.”

Chenda sighed and wrapped an arm around the big man's waist. “Thank you,” she said. They stood there in silence for a time; then Verdu started to sing. Chenda recognized it as the song of the Pramuc. She started to hum along, and he hugged her closer. The bubble Verdu had held between them seemed to have burst, and Chenda was pleased to share his contact again.

The captain and Candice emerged from her cabin in the middle of the afternoon. Endicott kissed the top of her head and released her from strong arms. She handed him his flight coat, which he pulled on as he walked up the stairs. She sighed and returned to her room to pack.

Up on deck, the captain finished buckling his coat as he walked toward the bow, where Fenimore stood watching the horizon. The young officer took one look at the captain's placid smile and said, “You didn't?”

“I did,” he said, his grin widening.

“You dog!”

“Woof!” The captain said with a laughing bark. After a moment his frivolity evaporated. “You. You're leaving me, too, I guess.”

“I am. But I will do whatever I can to get each of them back safely. I think I am even going to ask you for a favor.”

“HA! After what you two are trying to pull on my ship. I ought to throw you overboard.” He snorted with indignation. “You're lucky that you've caught me at a very happy and relaxed moment. Let's hear it, then.”

“I don't know how long this little adventure is going to take, but I think if we can get in and out fast, we have a better chance of living through it. As soon as Chenda meets up with her... whatever he is... I'm going to beat a hasty retreat. I know it's out of your way, but if you could see your way clear to dock at Crider Island sometime soon, I will try to meet you there. That island is the closest free port to the Tugrulian Coast. I'll owe you.”

“You already do, but I will let you owe me again.” Endicott smiled. “Here's what I can do. I'll make it my business to do a little trading there in ten days time. I'll dock one night, then I will need to deliver some cargo back to Atoll Belles. I'll see if I can get a bit more to trade there and come back. Let's call that another ten days. If you can't make it back to Crider Island in 20 days...”