Bactine (35 page)

Abnezer went round and round, making sure people were okay, handing out food and water to drink. Daniel had not thought the wrestler had that in him. At the same time he felt bad about the people they had lost in the fight. He did not have much time to feel these things though...

"Twanngggg..." The sound was accompanied by a shudder that went through the airship, causing many people to get up. That again made the airship sway.

"People, all sit down!" Tomlin yelled. He and Daniel went around the airship to see what could have caused the unnerving sound. Tomlin found the problem in one of the floaters that held the airship in the air: one of the cables that held the thing to the ship had ripped. It was still there, it was just flapping about, out of reach.

They made several attempts to grab the line, but it mocked them, staying out of reach of their fingers. Daniel looked up, estimating the danger. So far the floater was still captured in the net of five cables, but there would be a serious problem if one of the two cables next to the ripped one would go also.

Over the days that followed, they made a few attempts using a stick and a hook to get to the flying cable. They all failed, the only result one of the sticks falling down.

"Leave it," Daniel said. "I don't want anyone going down after that stick. We'll just have to be careful and pray that no other cable snaps." It worried him that they were flying so high up to catch the proper wind. A problem here, at over nine hundred feet high, would immediately turn into a disaster. Also, nobody had thought of bringing thick clothes and more blankets, and the air temperature up there was uncomfortable. Daniel, and also Tomlin, had not considered that. Their experience did not cover those things.

Shivering, Aldrick and the skipper were conferring about their course. Following the coast line was their safest bet. Going over sea was the shortest route, but the idea of flying at this altitude with nothing but water underneath, with so many people on board, and the problem with one of the floaters, gave safety right of way.

Sitting at the bow Daniel looked down. He saw some ships sailing far below. Ulaman and Stroro, who had by now recovered enough, sat next to him. "Wind's wrong down there," Daniel remarked.

Ulaman nodded. "Yes." He put his handless arm on Daniel's shoulder. "I don't know how to thank you, Daniel."

"No need to, Ulaman," Daniel said. "I had to do this. Anyone would have."

Ulaman's silence could mean anything.

"Still, you did it, and you got us out of there," Stroro filled in. "We all owe you our lives."

"Let's first see about getting home," Daniel said. "We're not there yet." He looked to where Xandree was taking care of two sailors who had gone feverish. These two, and the ones most badly hurt, had been put as close to the steam cylinder as possible. They had even taken some of the cabin around it apart, to make the warmth easier accessible. The others on the airship took turns near the hot engine.

"Daniel?" Aldrick half askingly said.

Daniel got up. "Yes?"

"I think the skipper is not well..." Aldrick pointed at the man who was lying on the floor.

Daniel hurried over to the man, who did not react to calling, shaking or splashes of water. That was the last thing they needed. "Do you know where we are?" Daniel asked Aldrick, as Abnezer and Stroro put the skipper somewhere out of the way. One more patient for Xandree to watch over, he thought wryly.

"He was just explaining that to me," Aldrick said. The look on his face already told Daniel the bad news. "But before he could point it out, he collapsed."

Daniel closed his eyes for a moment. Not that too. "Ulaman, can you come over here?"

The big man, holding on to the lines with his remaining hand and avoiding to look down, came to the cabin.

"Can you tell where we are?"

Ulaman carefully looked around and then at the map. He muttered something, looked a few times more and then shook his head. "I'm sorry, Daniel. I can't make this out. Air navigation is not the same. Things look wrong."

The coast line, far below, was a long straight line. Trouble was that the coast line on the map contained many straight lines. They could be over any one of those.

"Aldrick, when did you last see a large town?" Daniel asked.

The man looked surprised and lost. "Uhm... I didn't really pay attention... I'm sorry."

Daniel looked around. "I want everyone who can look from his or her eyes, to look out for the next town. We have to get down, and near a town is the only option that we get anywhere. Once we are-"

"Daniel, you mean like there?" Abnezer said, pointing, his teeth clattering from the cold wind..

The man's eyes were amazing, Daniel thought. In the far distance, almost impossible to make it out, was a little blob that might indeed be a town. Together with Ulaman he started calculating how far the town might still be. Then, after discussing things with Aldrick, he decided that they would keep their current altitude for another half hour.

After that time, Aldrick started releasing steam from the floaters, gently taking them downwards. The change in altitude quickly brought about a change in temperature, and everyone relaxed. As the airship came in lower air-levels, Daniel, Tomlin and Abnezer worked the sails like madmen, to keep the ship on course, while Aldrick did what he could on his end.

The crew members of the Pricosine that would be able to help had to grit their teeth, as they could not do a thing except sit to keep the airship level.

At one point, the airship dropped down hard, as if a layer of air just gave way. Everyone grabbed something or someone, many fell to the bottom of the boat. Abnezer hung from a line, Draiky holding on to his legs to prevent him from falling down.

"Crap, what was that!" Daniel cried out, his worry venting. "Is everyone okay?"

From everywhere voices said they were okay. Xandree looked worried but gestured that her patients were no worse than before.

The town came closer and closer, as the airship flew at no more than thirty feet at best.

"Damn it, Daniel!" Ulaman then yelled out, "that is Boragov!"

"What?!" Daniel could not believe it. Boragov was a town only some forty miles away from Skarak.

It did not take them long to reach Boragov. Aldrick proved to be a master of landing: he let the airship's hull touch over the water and slowed it down as Daniel and Tomlin released the steam from the floaters. They kept enough hot air in them to keep them hovering. Aldrick had warned them a few more times that they had to remain dry. As the boat reached the shore, they were near the harbour of Boragov, where dozens of people had witnessed the approach of the strange flying object and its landing, and now were cheering at their approach.

Daniel, Stroro, Tomlin and a few others carefully brought the floaters close to the boat and tied them up high, to keep them out of water's reach. Then, on a single sail, they slowly came into the harbour.

As soon as they were in shouting range, Tomlin requested medical assistance, and blankets for everyone. They had been flying low for a while, but still most people on board were still suffering from the cold, most of all the ones that had been living in poor circumstances while being under the cruel supervision of pirates.

People came running with all kinds of things that the ship faring people might need. Everyone was taken off the airship, now bobbing on the water and tied to the quay as a normal boat. Gallons of tea, fake coffee and stronger things were brought, along with food, and two doctors were there who had been alarmed were tending to the sick.

A police officer came closer. "What is the matter here, gentlemen? Is anyone able to tell me?"

Daniel hoisted himself to his feet, a cup of hot strong tea in his hands. He told the man their story, incredible as it sounded.

"You've been... flying? In that?" The policeman pointed at the blue boat. "I hope you do not mind me asking what is in your cup, sir..."

"It is tea, officer."

Some of the people who had been there when the airship had landed on the water came to Daniel's help and vowed to the policeman that the boat had indeed flown.

"And what are your plans now, sir, after your upheaval creating arrival?"

"Once our sick have been seen to, we go on to Skarak, officer," said Daniel.

"Ah. I see. And you will be... flying there, I assume? With your boat?"

"Airship," Aldrick corrected him. The vessel had proven to be worthy of the title.

"Airship, you say. It does look like a boat to me, sir. And you are?" The policeman feigned professionalism. It was obvious though that curiosity was his ulterior motive.

"I am Aldrick Bunzing. Inventor. I created this airship."

"Of course, sir..." After a frown, the policeman sauntered off, but did not leave the harbour area. He wanted to see the rest of this.

An hour after that, the doctors agreed that the sick people could be moved further. "We shall inform our medical brothers in Skarak about them," one of them said, already reaching for the hydger in his bag.

"Thank you, sir," Daniel said, as lightning seemed to hit him. He left Tomlin to arrange some things and he walked off, taking his own hydger. He looked up the number of the mysterious person and requested a connection, but there was no answer. He decided he'd try again later, put away his device and returned to the boat, where most people had gone aboard again already. The sick ones were safely tucked in, and the broken line on the floater had been repaired.

Aldrick took his position at the engine. Daniel and Abnezer set the sails, as Ulaman was at the map and the compass. Accompanied by the sound of many cheers the small ship left the harbour. The policeman stood to the far side, watching the proceedings.

Aldrick, once the ship had left the harbour, did his trick with the levers. The floaters filled up. The straps that had held them up were released to allow the balloons all the space they needed. And then Aldrick added the gas for the extra lift. Slowly the airship was lifted from the water. Daniel grinned at Ulaman and Tomlin. The sails were raised. This time the wind was with them; it had changed and it was ready to push them to Skarak in almost a straight line. As they flew off, the crowds in the Boragov harbour went crazy with cheers and whistles.

The last leg of their journey went by as in a dream, so quickly. In far less than two hours they crossed the last forty miles to Skarak.

-=-=-

Tomlin used his hydger to inform some people they were coming in, once they were in range to connect. Daniel, in that time, was talking to Seigner Waldo Skinsh ko Talush, the president of the Ship Owner Society, to inform him about the rescued people from the Pricosine.

Aldrick had decided to land the airship outside the harbour again and sail in, like they had done in Boragov.

A strip in the harbour had been cleared for them. There were many people present, many of them family members of the sailors. The news of their arrival had spread like wildfire.

Daniel smiled as he spotted a tiny woman with white hair among the masses. He touched Draiky's shoulder for a moment and was rewarded with a hug and a big smile.

The airship moored at a spot where several policemen had cleared a large area. After that, everyone left the small ship. It bore the signs of being home to so many people for many days. The sick were carefully brought ashore and taken away to the hospital for a proper check-up and treatment. There were reporters of the newspapers. Seigner Skinsh ko Talush had a speech prepared, and all eyes and ears were his as he spoke. Clelem Dandra ko Galem was there, with his son Warlem. Clelem mingled with the people of the crew, but for unspoken reasons he ignored Daniel.

Before he could approach the owner of the Pricosine, Daniel was called to the front by Skinsh ko Talush. He was awarded an honorary title that did not mean much to him. As soon as he could, he retreated to the back of the crowd, where he found a spot to sit. He had never felt so tired. He had not allowed himself sleep aboard the airship, almost feeling bad to discover when he had nodded off. He'd see to Clelem later-

"Daniel..." a soft voice said. Daniel recognised it without looking.

"Warlem."

"You did the amazing, Daniel. The impossible. And with such style. I hate to trouble you, but I do need to speak with you," said the young man.

There was an urgency in his voice that Daniel could not resist. He got up. "Okay. Where? Here?"

Warlem shook his head. "No. Too public."

Daniel nodded. "Give me a moment." He went to where Tomlin, Aldrick and the Skipper were standing, told them he was leaving quietly and returned to where Warlem was waiting.

They walked off, to a carriage, Daniel wondering what this would be all about.