Read Online Wind Dancer: Secret War Steampunk Series - Adventure, Mystery + Mad Science by Raven Bond - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Raven Bond
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others, but not I.”
“No, captain,” Devi continued, “I ask this, because it is
possible for one to lose one’s way when you are fixed on a goal too much. I
fear this for you. If you make any deal with Hu Fan that allows him to keep his
life, than I fear that you are indeed lost.” She paused, “I will not be lost
with you.” Will looked at her soberly.
"Devi.” he began, and was saved by the ship's chime.
"Captain to the Bridge, Captain to the Bridge." He stood up, grabbing
his tea mug. Looking down at her, he spoke, "You're the best Devi. Perhaps
I needed to hear that, I don’t know, I can’t say. Keep her in the sky for
me."
“Do not get us lost,” She returned bleakly. He nodded, a
quick jerk of his head.
Will walked briskly to the bridge, thinking on what Devi had
said. It was true that while he would like nothing better than to kill Hu Fan
himself, he had been thinking of ways to get the thingamabob back
without a fight. He’d been telling himself that he owed it to his crew to avoid
a fight when he could, which was true enough. But if he was honest, he really
didn’t want any chance that he would lose a chance to get his father’s killers.
After all, it wasn’t his job to police the world, was it? He crossed over to
Lawrence Rogers at the map table.
"What have we got?" He asked looking down at the
map. Rogers pointed to it.
"Crow’s nest just spotted a Chinese junk on the horizon,
here," the First Officer reported.
"Huh," Will studied the map, sipping his tea.
"We couldn't really have gotten that lucky could we?"
"We’re too far away to make a definite
identification." Rogers said. "Still think that Hu Fan is running
that bright red hull?" Will snorted, and took another sip of tea.
“Of course he is,” he said certainly. “Hu is one of the old
style scum. He still thinks that proclaiming his joss is stronger than anyone
else's makes him unbeatable. Let's close on her." Will snorted, and took
another sip. Rogers gave the orders and then pulled Will off to one side of the
bridge.
"He did get away from us at Japan." Rogers said in
a low voice, reminding Will of their last encounter.
"True words," Will said. He sat his cup down and
leaned on the map table, looking out at the sea. "This time though, he
doesn’t have a bunch of innocents for pawns."
"That we know of," Rogers insisted. "He may
though, that is his business."
"Aiya, maybe." Will looked out silently for a
moment. Maybe Devi was right, Will thought. After all the shady deals, the
compromises, maybe it was time to actually do it right, just this once.
"Lawrence,” he said in decision, “this time Hu Fan
doesn’t get away. If the crow comes to the corn, burn him to the water."
Rogers looked at his Captain carefully,
"I thought that our mission was recovering the
packet," he reminded Will. Will nodded agreement.
"And so it is. But Hu Fan isn't going to go free without
a by your leave, hear me?" Hunting Owl fixed his gaze on his First
Officer.
"Will," Rogers said softly, "you can't kill
all the villains in the world." Will grinned his boyish grin at him,
reaching for his tea mug.
"Wait and see," he vowed cockily. Will breathed
easier. This decision felt right to him. If a deal could be struck, he’d honor
it, however much he’d hate it, but it felt better to know that.
"And if he has hostages again?" Rogers continued
remorselessly. Will's jaw hardened. At that moment, Naomi Walters spoke from
across the bridge.
"Crow’s nest reports water ship has red hull,” she
reported. Ship is underway with both sail and prop." Will looked at
Rogers, and grinned again.
“That’s him,” Will asserted. “Let’s dance then." He
pushed off from the map table tugging absently at one of his braids.
"Mister Walters," Rogers called out, "Sound
action stations." The chime followed by her voice rang through the ship.
"Michael," Will said, bracing his legs and staring
out at the ocean waves. "See if you can make a connection. It’s
“No, captain,” Devi continued, “I ask this, because it is
possible for one to lose one’s way when you are fixed on a goal too much. I
fear this for you. If you make any deal with Hu Fan that allows him to keep his
life, than I fear that you are indeed lost.” She paused, “I will not be lost
with you.” Will looked at her soberly.
"Devi.” he began, and was saved by the ship's chime.
"Captain to the Bridge, Captain to the Bridge." He stood up, grabbing
his tea mug. Looking down at her, he spoke, "You're the best Devi. Perhaps
I needed to hear that, I don’t know, I can’t say. Keep her in the sky for
me."
“Do not get us lost,” She returned bleakly. He nodded, a
quick jerk of his head.
Will walked briskly to the bridge, thinking on what Devi had
said. It was true that while he would like nothing better than to kill Hu Fan
himself, he had been thinking of ways to get the thingamabob back
without a fight. He’d been telling himself that he owed it to his crew to avoid
a fight when he could, which was true enough. But if he was honest, he really
didn’t want any chance that he would lose a chance to get his father’s killers.
After all, it wasn’t his job to police the world, was it? He crossed over to
Lawrence Rogers at the map table.
"What have we got?" He asked looking down at the
map. Rogers pointed to it.
"Crow’s nest just spotted a Chinese junk on the horizon,
here," the First Officer reported.
"Huh," Will studied the map, sipping his tea.
"We couldn't really have gotten that lucky could we?"
"We’re too far away to make a definite
identification." Rogers said. "Still think that Hu Fan is running
that bright red hull?" Will snorted, and took another sip of tea.
“Of course he is,” he said certainly. “Hu is one of the old
style scum. He still thinks that proclaiming his joss is stronger than anyone
else's makes him unbeatable. Let's close on her." Will snorted, and took
another sip. Rogers gave the orders and then pulled Will off to one side of the
bridge.
"He did get away from us at Japan." Rogers said in
a low voice, reminding Will of their last encounter.
"True words," Will said. He sat his cup down and
leaned on the map table, looking out at the sea. "This time though, he
doesn’t have a bunch of innocents for pawns."
"That we know of," Rogers insisted. "He may
though, that is his business."
"Aiya, maybe." Will looked out silently for a
moment. Maybe Devi was right, Will thought. After all the shady deals, the
compromises, maybe it was time to actually do it right, just this once.
"Lawrence,” he said in decision, “this time Hu Fan
doesn’t get away. If the crow comes to the corn, burn him to the water."
Rogers looked at his Captain carefully,
"I thought that our mission was recovering the
packet," he reminded Will. Will nodded agreement.
"And so it is. But Hu Fan isn't going to go free without
a by your leave, hear me?" Hunting Owl fixed his gaze on his First
Officer.
"Will," Rogers said softly, "you can't kill
all the villains in the world." Will grinned his boyish grin at him,
reaching for his tea mug.
"Wait and see," he vowed cockily. Will breathed
easier. This decision felt right to him. If a deal could be struck, he’d honor
it, however much he’d hate it, but it felt better to know that.
"And if he has hostages again?" Rogers continued
remorselessly. Will's jaw hardened. At that moment, Naomi Walters spoke from
across the bridge.
"Crow’s nest reports water ship has red hull,” she
reported. Ship is underway with both sail and prop." Will looked at
Rogers, and grinned again.
“That’s him,” Will asserted. “Let’s dance then." He
pushed off from the map table tugging absently at one of his braids.
"Mister Walters," Rogers called out, "Sound
action stations." The chime followed by her voice rang through the ship.
"Michael," Will said, bracing his legs and staring
out at the ocean waves. "See if you can make a connection. It’s
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