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shot one of ours.” The lines deepened around his grey eyes. “I’d waste the whole army for spilling a drop of my crew’s blood.”
    My heart thrummed with pride. All those years ago when I ran away from home, luck had been on my side.
    “Some pirates,” he scoffed and pressed his cigar into an ashtray to put it out. “Real pirates follow the Code. Those Morlock bastards don’t care who they kill and what they destroy. They’ve torched airships and left them to plummet to the land.”
    I picked up the cigar before it completely extinguished and took a drag. “Good thing we’re not like that, eh?” The taste of tobacco entered my throat, and my nerves slowed to a simmer. 
    “I suppose I’ll go talk with Geoff.” Captain Morris roused himself from his chair. “He’s probably neck deep in his work right now and could use the help.”
    “Better you than me.” I flicked my wrist to ash the cigar and put the embers out for good. “Our navigational system might as well be ancient Latin. I can’t figure out anything from it.”
    He laughed. “Come now, all this time aboard and you still can’t triangulate our location?” We exchanged wry grins, and I followed him out. Morris made the right turn down the hallway toward the navigational chambers while I stopped by my cabin. Opening the locked cherry wood box on my dresser, I rummaged for the long velvet bag and withdrew my brass telescope. We sailed at a fast pace, but my instincts remained on guard for the merchant ship.
    I tucked the multi-magnifying scope into the clasped pocket on my holster belt and headed for the upper levels to breathe some fresh air. Wooden steps sloped upward as I ascended and the ceiling stopped upon entering the deck. The old girl’s helium balloon loomed overhead, white like the surrounding clouds. Against the side, large black font spelled the word ‘Desire.’ Anyone from miles away knew who we were, so stealth missions, like the last one, started at the docks.   
    On deck, the sun pierced the sky and soaked into my skin. Our crew bustled across the faded wooden planks while Spade stood steady at the helm. Because of Spade and Geoff, our ship avoided most turbulent pockets and cut straight through our courses like a turbine bike on the racetrack. Out in the open, nothing muted the sound of our propellers from the ship’s rear and the buzz roared in my ears. The mighty chrome blades whirred with the fury of our steam-powered engine.
    I walked to the bulwark on the starboard side of the ship, since if the Brits trailed us, they’d be approaching from this side. Despite shoddy navigation skills, I still knew my points on a compass. As I leaned against the wooden ledge and peered over the side, the occasional cloud’s condensation kissed my face.
    Blue spread all around me, like someone slapped a glob of pastel paint on an open canvas. I stretched the retractile segments of my telescope to full length, the scope spanning from my thumb to my pinkie finger. Peering through the eyepiece, I scanned a horizon amplified by the refracted crystals within the lens. A whole lot of sky came into focus but no flash of their Union Jack flag.
    The copper glint of a mail delivery bird zoomed past my view. We hadn’t gotten a visit from those miniature mechanized birds since Edwin received his last batch of experimental astragalus. If the Brits pursued us they could always take cover in the clouds, but even still, I should’ve been able to see the sheen of a balloon or dark splotches of wood. I sighed and leaned against the bulwark. Wind rippled past my face and tossed strands of my hair like pennants until I got fed up and tucked the pieces behind my ear.
    “Never pinned you for one of those philosopher types.” Jensen sidled next to me. “What are you musing about? The best thing before sliced bread?”
    I waved the telescope in my hand. “Come on now, you’re thinking too well of me. I figured I’d check for pursuers.” I drank in