Morning became afternoon as Hell Divers and crew loaded the airship. Michael spent much of that time working on Cricket in the launch bay, improvising and installing some spare parts that Samson had somehow “happened to find.”
Not only was the robot being fitted with two more arms, it was also getting additional armor and several new cameras. There wasn’t time to finish, though, and by midafternoon, Michael called it quits to help with the other divers.
“Almost there, buddy,” he said to Cricket. “I’ll get you fully operational once we take off.”
The robot chirped and followed him to the oil rig’s safety railing. Magnolia and Rodger were there looking down at the water, where Cazadores loaded Star Grazer with fresh supplies.
By early evening, both groups had finished their work. Timothy confirmed that Discovery was ready to fly, all systems checking out.
Michael tied the red bandanna with the Raptor logo around his head and put on his Hell Diver armor, clicking the red battery unit into its chest slot.
Finally, he grabbed a blaster from the crate and holstered it on his thigh.
The other divers chose their primary weapons, and Michael took one of the two laser rifles. Magnolia took the other, and Arlo selected an assault rifle with a new stock and barrel.
“She’s beautiful,” Arlo said, kissing the barrel.
“Careful where you point that,” Magnolia said. “Don’t want you to mess up that pretty smile.”
Several divers laughed, then stopped at the sound of distant shouting.
“Hear that?” Michael said to Magnolia.
“Yeah, I do,” Magnolia said. “Must be coming from the deck of Star Grazer.”
The shouts became more rhythmic, turning into what sounded like a chant.
Michael and Magnolia walked over to see what was going on. Edgar and Alexander were already standing on the platform where X had held the ceremony decommissioning the Hive.
The four veteran divers looked at the deck of the warship to see the most decorated veteran of all.
“What the hell is X doing there?” Michael said.
The other divers shook their heads. No one had been informed about their leader’s plans to board the warship.
X climbed the access ladder onto Star Grazer with Rhino and a small team of militia soldiers. They made their way around fifty Cazador warriors standing in ranks before the stacked containers on the deck.
All the soldiers wore thick armor and held gas masks and a primary weapon in their hands. Mechanics and deckhands were busy loading spearguns and feeding ammunition into the machine guns protected by armored turrets.
The warriors tapped their spear butts against the steel deck as they chanted.
“¡El General de la Muerte!” they yelled.
“What are they saying?” Alexander asked.
“‘The General of Death,’” Magnolia replied. She pointed at the observation platform overlooking the lower deck and frowned. “General Santiago, my favorite Cazador general, is leading them into battle.”
The old warrior stood on the platform dressed in full Cazador armor with a bright-orange cloak draping his back.
“And you’re going into battle with him, right?” Edgar asked.
“Yeah,” Mags said, raising her laser rifle. “And if anyone tries anything, they’ll get a nice bolt to their pearls.”
“So, who’s that?” Alexander asked.
Michael squinted at a husky naked man being led up an access ladder from the piers below. Two Cazadores led him on a chain that connected to shackles around his ankles and hands.
“That must be the bastard that killed DJ,” said Edgar.
“His name’s Javier,” Magnolia replied.
The Cazador holding the chain pulled hard, forcing Javier to his knees. Now Michael could see that he wore a loincloth.
General Santiago held up a hand, silencing the chanting and the beat of spear shafts. X and Rhino climbed to the top of the upper platform, where the general waited for them.
“Well, this ought to be good,” Magnolia said.
Michael let out a sigh. “What in the wastes are you doing now, old man?”
The last time X had seen a Cazador company this big, he was part of it and heading out on a monster-hunting mission. But he was no longer a slave. He was their king, and he was hiding a terrible secret about the fate of another Cazador company.
The paranoid part of his brain wondered whether Santiago, now standing beside him, suspected his people of having something to do with those deaths. But his gut told him the old general didn’t know shit.
What X did know beyond a doubt was that the warriors on the deck below him wanted blood. He could smell it as surely as a Siren could smell fresh meat.
More Cazadores filed onto the deck as he waited to address them. Carmela, wearing her battle armor and feathers in her braided hair, led a group of them. Her annoying parrot, Kotchee, perched on an armored shoulder pad.
Six Praetorian Guards flanked the Black Order. Next came Imulah, leading a group of scribes in brown robes. Finally, a Cazador accountant in a faded green suit walked onto the deck, carrying a clipboard under his arm. He put on his spectacles and began to count heads while the scribes began recording what they witnessed today.
Imulah joined X, General Santiago, and General Rhino on the top deck while everyone else, including the militia, remained below.
“I am here to interpret, my king,” Imulah said, bowing slightly.
Rhino moved out of the way so the scribe could stand beside X.
X raised his hands in the air. “I stand before you tonight to discuss several things,” he said. “First, my sincerest condolences for the loss of the Lion and her crew. I know what it’s like to lose warriors in battle, and tonight I join you in mourning those men and women.”
It wasn’t entirely a lie, although his heart didn’t feel the loss the way it did when sky people died. Ada was right about one thing: the Cazadores on that ship had indeed been part of the crew who killed Katrina. And that was exactly why he had decided to keep it a secret—not only to save Ada’s life, but also to keep the islands at peace.
What he had to do now was extend a peace offering that would also distract them.
When Imulah had finished interpreting his words, X said, “Second, I’m offering Javier a chance at redemption for murdering a sky engineer.”
X gestured to the guards holding the Cazador mechanic on the deck below. They got him to his feet and brought him forward.
Imulah finished interpreting, and X continued with his speech.
“General Santiago has requested that I reopen the Sky Arena, and that is exactly what I’m going to do tonight. I’ve already made the arrangements with Colonel Moreto, who has put together a lineup.”
When Imulah translated this, cheers rang out from the assembled ranks.
“You want your human sacrifice for the Octopus Lords?” X shouted.
Imulah spoke, and the warriors all shouted their response.
“¡Sí!”
“You’re going to have several by the end of the night!” X yelled. He pointed to Javier, who stood below. One of the guards kicked him to his knees, where he remained, head bowed.
Every Cazador on the deck raised his weapon in the air, chanting something about the Sky Arena.
Well, that was easy.
He had come here to appease the Cazadores and divert their attention from the loss of the Lion and its crew. That goal was now accomplished, but he still had to rally them for their mission to the wastes.