We were on the upper main deck, but above us was a poop deck where the bridge was. Officers leaned over the rails watching the ship's progress. I wondered how the bridge was relaying orders to the pilot-musicians, or if the bridge was giving orders at all. True, a captain hands the conn over to the pilot when entering or leaving harbor, but what about in open sea?
I felt eyes on me, and looked toward the starboard flying bridge. A stocky, bearded man in a gold uniform was staring at me. The captain. No, not actually staring ― appraising, sizing me up, the shiny visor of his cap starred with sunlight. I couldn't see his eyes, but I felt their clinical gaze.
I took Winnie's hand and we went back inside. We took a long trek through the ship, avoiding main areas of activity. We passed near a dining area filling up with hungry patrons, went by a ballroom, a darkened theater, skirted the trade and shopping deck, and then found a narrow stairway that led all the way down to C Deck. Below, we encountered an empty six-bed infirmary looking very underequipped, found lockers, storerooms, and strangely enough, a sign that read TOPSIDE HOLDS 5-10. I had thought that cargo would be shipped belowdecks, but some items were probably too fragile for beast-gizzards.
We finally came to the crew quarters. I looked around, found a maintenance closet full of mops and pails, and told Winnie to wait inside. She looked at me nervously, then crept inside and sat in a comer, her big eyes glowing in the shadows. I whispered to her reassuringly, telling her I'd be right back and not to be afraid. I hoped she understood ― but then, my communication problem with her seemed to be one-way, with me having all the trouble.
The crew area was divided up into little cabins of four or five bunks each. Most of the hatches were closed, but I saw a few sailors racked out on their bunks, asleep. It had been a long watch. Luckily, there were name plates listing the occupants of each cabin; perversely, only first initials and surnames were used. Think of asking for her last name? Not you, Jake. I took a stroll through the maze of passages, squinting in the dim light. I found a total of four L. Somebodys. Lorelei Mikhailovich? Not likely, but you never know. Lorelei Sou-phanouvong? Improbable. That narrowed it to two, L. Fin-kelhor and L. Peters. Peters it is. I knocked.
A muffled reply. I knocked again. Grumbling and general complaining.
The hatch opened and there was Lorelei looking bleary-eyed in a tattered blue robe. "Yes?" She squinted at me. "Who're you?"
"Is my face that forgettable?"
After a second, it hit her. "Oh, yeah, the truckie." Her eyes grew wary. "What do you want?"
"A favor… and a chance to appeal to your conscience."
"Huh?"
"I'm in a spot, and I need your help."
She frowned, puzzled, then shrugged. "Come in, then," she said, widening the hatch.
"First I want to show you something. Or rather someone."
"Who?" she wanted to know. "Hey, where're you going?"
"Want you to meet a friend of mine," I said, walking down the hall. I stopped and beckoned. "Come on."
"I'm not sure I should," she said sourly. "Aren't you the one that was going to stick a torch up my behind?"
I was about to explain that I'd mistaken her for a man, but caught that faux pas by its ugly little tail before it scampered out. "Sorry about that. I was jittery as hell. First time I ever parked inside a sea monster."
This mollified her somewhat. She stepped out into the passageway. "Okay, but any weird stuff and I scream rape. You won't like what happens to you after that."
Probably not. She followed me at a good distance. I got to the closet, opened the door. This made Lorelei stop and eye me all the more distrustingly.
"Okay, Winnie," I called.
When Winnie peeked around the bulkhead, Lorelei came out of her tough-cynical character like a fresh pea from a wrinkled pod, suddenly all girlish smile and looking even younger than I first thought her to be. The smile looked much better on her than her usual sullen pout.
"Oh, isn't she cute!" Lorelei beamed. "It is a she, isn't it? Where'd she come from?"
"Winnie," I said, pointing, "this is Lorelei."
"Hi, Winnie!"
"Hi! Hi!"
"Winnie comes from a planet named Hothouse. Ever hear of it?"
She came forward and stroked Winnie's head, feeling the thick glossy fur. "No. Is that back in T-Maze?"
"Yes. Were you born here? I mean, in the Outworids?"
"Uh-huh. Look at those ears. Oh, she's darling. Is she yours?"
"Uh… Winnie's not a pet. She's a person ― but, yes, she's traveling with me and I'm responsible for her. How would you like to look after her for me?"
Lorelei giggled. Winnie seemed to be fascinated with the color and texture of Lorelei's robe, fingering and sniffing the cloth. "Oh, I wouldn't mind…." she began, then bit her lip. "Gee, I don't know. I'm pulling double-duty all this run. We're shorthanded, and I don't know when I'd get the time."
"You won't need much. Winnie's able to take care of herself. Actually, I had something specific in mind."
"What's that?" Then, remembering, she said, "Didn't you say you were in trouble?"
"Winnie's the one who's in trouble."
"She is?"
"Yes. I want you to hide her. You must know every nook and cranny of this ship, places where she could stay without anyone discovering her. Right?"
"Well, yeah, but why?"
"Lorelei, there are people on this boat who want to kidnap Winnie. Maybe worse. She's in great danger."
She was shocked. "Who'd want to hurt her? And why, for God's sake?"
"It's difficult to explain, but basically the situation is this. Winnie has some valuable information, and these people want it badly. And to get it, they need to get her."
Lorelei put a protective arm around Winnie's shoulders. "She has information? What could she know that anyone would―?"
"Winnie's a very intelligent creature. Don't let her looks fool you. As I said, she's a person, not an animal."
"Hm." She looked at me skeptically, a little of the cynicism returning. "How do I know you haven't kidnapped her?"
"Ask Winnie."
She screwed up her face to make a snide retort, but thought better of it. She bent over toward Winnie and pointed to me. "Is he your friend, Winnie? That man there. Friend?"
Winnie turned to me and smiled adoringly. "Fwenn!" she said and reached over to clutch my hand. "Jake fwenn!" She nuzzled my arm. "Fwenn fwenn fwenn! Jake-fwenn!" I was only a little embarrassed.
Lorelei grinned sheepishly. "I guess you're not fooling!"
She straightened up and stuck out a smudged hand. "Glad to meet you, Jake."
I took her hand, then heard voices in the adjoining corridor. "Quick, in here," I whispered. We piled into the closet.
When the two sailors had gone I said, "What do you say, Lorelei? Will you help us out?"