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A few minutes later and the hull was down to nine percent and the makeshift thrusters were ready. I set a collision course with the fliers and gave the all-clear signal to Doctor Batavius. She had cordoned off an area of deck five with energy shielding, using it to direct a blast from several explosive packs. She pressed the detonation button.

The charge bucked the ship and knocked us into a roll as we plowed into the fliers.

Instead of the ship full of breaches we'd presented moments before, now they were faced with our undamaged bottom hull. There were a series of repeated thuds that were almost like hail upon the surface of the ship. One flier after another exploded against our keel—then we were through the swarm to the other side.

The Wolves opened fire from breaches throughout the ship, gunning down remainders of the swarm. We hadn't eliminated the threat, but we'd cleared enough that the Wolves stood a chance. The hull was down to six percent and the screeching of metal and violent tremors was becoming more pronounced.

I was hesitant to land us again even at this point for fear it might finally wreck the hull completely, but staying airborne would do the same with even less chance of survival for everyone. We were on the way down when I finally got the message.

Shielding System Restored

System Status: 15%

Power Reserve: 44%

IT WASN'T MUCH, but I'd take it. I signaled to the crew I was about to engage the shields and triggered them. A shimmering field of green energy enveloped the ship and in an instant the roar of wind and the violent shaking stopped.

"Good work, people," Anna said, walking amongst the crew on the Engineering deck. It looked like in addition to her battle wounds she'd picked up a few electrical burns from helping with the system repair. It had made an impression, the newly recruited crew all seemed to be treating her with a great deal of respect.

I told Anna, "We're airborne for now, but there isn't a system on this ship in good condition. It is as beat up and ragged as you."

"Can we maintain flight?" Anna asked.

I'd been trying to figure that out. This was as far as my planning had gone, lifting off and carrying out repairs. Beyond that, there was a limit to what we could do. We'd gotten the engines working to some extent, but while the system was active, everything else that needed to be done simply wasn't possible.

"For now. It’s like you and eating healthy—long-term, there will be failure," I said.

"What about charts of the area?"

That was a good idea. Now that I had access to all the ship’s systems I could pull up data files. They weren't of much help. Much of the documentation was on paper and what was electronic only showed large sections of the Rim blocked out with "Hazardous" markers. We were in one of those areas.

Those maps came from somewhere though, and we had sensors on board to scan the surroundings. I didn't see anything but jungle and mountains close, but farther out there were other airships in some sort of large concentration I thought must be a kind of port.

"Negative,” I told Anna. “The Scholars must not have been here to ever map it. I do have what I believe to be some kind of port two days out. We could make it. While I am sure you won't, might the rest of us find friends there?"

"It wouldn't be the Righteous, not out this far. We aren't the only factions although we're two of the largest. Most of them aren't very friendly, but I don't see where we have a choice," Anna said.

I agreed with her—rarely a good sign. We couldn't stay airborne indefinitely and setting down in the jungle would invite another attack. At least there was some chance of finding allies elsewhere.

"Setting course. You can congratulate the crew for not completely destroying this vessel and get some sleep," I said.

Anna shook her head. "The crew needs to get used to me. Find the head of the Rats and tell him to meet me in the throne room. Once everyone has kissed my ring, then I'll get some sleep."

10

"Your glorious magnificence is a splendorous delight. Your striking beauty is outshone only by your renowned mercy and non-murderous intentions," said Chief Ratimus.

The meeting with the Rat’s leader had been going on for awhile. Anna had intended a quick chat, but instead she got a prolonged encounter where the problem wasn’t getting the Rats to acknowledge her authority—but rather getting them to stop doing so.

"You may go, Chief," Anna said, pushing herself back in her throne. The bone was stained with blood. It had been a rough day and while Anna's accelerated healing sealed wounds quickly, her clothing was still soaked.

"Although it would pain me to depart such a warm and comforting presence, where your merest gaze is like the sunlight of a summer day, it is a testament indeed that you give your loyal and dedicated servants leave to move as they will," Chief Ratimus said.

Anna rubbed her eyes between thumb and forefinger.

I said, "While I am certain your Queen has the poor judgment to find your rambling endearing and charming, let me assure you that I have little use for rodents who aren't pulling their own pudgy weight—except as science experiments."

Chief Ratimus squeaked and after a good five minutes of genuflecting managed to back out of the throne room and scamper back to Engineering.

"Sometimes your complete lack of any social graces is a virtue," Anna said, with a weary sigh.

"If only we could find a way to turn your weak points into strengths. We'd be the most fearsome force the world has ever seen," I said.

"A set of working cannons would help a lot with that. We're flying towards a bunch of ships without us having any means of self-defense."

"While I find myself boggled it is even possible, you may be underestimating yourself and this vessel," I said.

Anna smiled at that and sat forward. "Perhaps. Let’s break it down then. What we have working against us is that our ship is in tatters and no matter how much you scare the Rats, it’s going to be that way until we can get some time in a dock."

We could perhaps get by without a maintenance dock. Given enough time and enough Biomatter I could convert the ship’s hull into an organic matrix and most of the systems as well. However, it would be time-consuming, and so resource-intensive even grinding up Ophelia again wouldn't make it feasible.

"We also have the ship’s previous core still hunting us and it has an army," I said.

"A negative point. On the positive side, we have a skilled crew for most of the ship’s functions. Everything except for Espionage," Anna said.

"The Mists having been entirely too good at that. We'll need to replace them," I said.

Anna let out a frustrated sigh. "That means finding someone we can trust. I'm thinking Mechos and the Mechanites."

They made more sense as engineers, but we already had engineers. At least Mechos with his abilities could build stealth equipment and manufacture spy drones.

"Part of that job is sabotage, and Mechos and his people have proved worthless in fights. Hot Stuff is our strongest single combatant, but she is as stealthy as she is celibate," I said.

"Ophelia," Anna said.

"Currently in quarantine, which means she is being useless as always, except for those occasions of being draped over someone injured," I said.

"Her power isn't something flashy that stands out—that’s good for Espionage. But it will keep her and her lieutenants alive—when she has some—and the Mechanites can see them equipped with suitable gear," Anna said.

Anna wanted a group of spies with accelerated healing and high-tech equipment. It was a workable idea.

"I've no objection. Perhaps she will manage to whine less with a real job," I said.