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"Do we have any trade goods?" Anna asked.

"I can provide some foodstuffs out of the growth vats. More yet, if I upgrade them, and even with your appetite we’d run a surplus. We have Scholar charts and intelligence, although most of it is on paper," I said. A tremendously inefficient medium, I truly was glad I had not tried to convert myself into something partly magical where such things seemed commonplace.

"The charts are too valuable to trade," Anna said with a frown. "Can you get any research value outside of the rest?"

It was a good question. We'd been so focused on survival I hadn't had the opportunity to try yet.

"I'll find out," I said.

Anna drummed her fingers on the throne. "Do that. We'll need a cover story too. Identifying ourselves as the former flagship of Lady Sylax can only cause problems."

"Whatever it is, you are going to have to explain the state of the ship," I said.

"It depends on who and what we find. If that’s a military installation, we don't want to claim to be mutineers, but that story might work if they’re pirates. If they're Scholars or Righteous, we're fucked from the start," Anna said.

"Are you going to identify yourself as a queen? You hardly look the part," I asked.

"I'm seated on a throne stained crimson. I couldn't look the part any more if I tried. My title isn't negotiable. Add a name to the hull, we're calling ourselves the Powerhungry," Anna said.

I'd have appreciated being asked for my opinion first, but I didn't object. Whatever Anna's desires, we were first and foremost a research vessel. I was dedicated to SCIENCE. That said, knowledge was power. The name fit.

"Get some sleep before you stain your throne in drool," I said.

Anna gave my drone a long look, but nodded after a moment and set off for her cabin.

Two days wasn't much time. I could focus the crew on doing what urgent repairs the ship needed, but in the time-frame they just couldn't do much. Giving us the appearance of being in better shape was another matter.

The massive rents in the hull were patched over with thin strips held in place with energy shielding provided by the Research deck. The shipboard cannons were polished so no trace of scorch marks remained, the damaged components hidden with fakes, and the main coils repaired just enough to hold a charge so it could at least appear we were charging our weaponry.

The Powerhungry was becoming a lie. The talents of the Research deck were then devoted into developing us a set of sensor blockers. The result wasn't satisfactory, they'd burn through power and possibly fry their own circuitry entirely too quickly. A failure at the wrong moment could reveal our true weakness, but at least for a time we could present an illusion of strength.

There were some things I couldn't fix no matter how much I wished it. We didn't move quickly, we weren't maneuverable, and our engines vibrated in a way that clearly showed we were in some distress. That damage I didn't attempt to hide, there was no point, and it explained our desire for a maintenance dock.

If we presented the image that I hoped, then we looked like a large airship with powerful weaponry well-capable of defending itself, but with some sort of engine trouble. The sort of conditions that would incline the greedy to simply try to overcharge us for repair supplies—not destroy us and take us for spare parts.

Still, that was a real concern. As we got closer I began to pick up transmissions between ships and was finally able to get some idea where were heading.

Quite a few vessels of a size similar to ours were traders, running goods between cities. We heard them checking with other trade vessels for conditions in their area. Smaller vessels frequently discussed potential prizes—piracy was alive and well. In addition there were ships of various militaries loudly pronouncing their presence and broadcasting their willingness to engage on behalf of any nearby friendly vessels.

It was a strange blend, and not a peaceful one. More than once I detected an exchange of weapons fire. As we drew nearer to the city two small vessels got close enough to us to get a good look. The proportion of weapons-to-ship size hinted that they were there for a fight. Thankfully, at the sight of our seemingly operational cannons they pulled back. We weren't a fight they wanted to pick.

Any attempts at communication with us we were ignoring, but as we neared the city there was one I had to share with Anna. It was an encrypted message using codes I'd found within the Scholar systems.

Aware of the condition of Lady Sylax

Aware of your vessel's identity

Cleared for dock C13 in the lower ward

"WELL, that seems like an invitation to a trap," Anna said.

"We can try to get clearance for another dock. Someone that doesn't know who you are might be less inclined to kill us," I said.

"If they’re Scholar spies, they aren't in friendly territory either. Have the Wolves gear up and let’s accept their invite. I want to see where this goes," Anna said.

11

The city was called Reevesport and it floated perhaps four hundred feet above a volcano. It looked to be made completely of former airships, sections of old hull and engines visible here and there. Platforms had been built on top of them, connecting them together. Thick cables extended down to the volcano and I detected the flow of power. They were utilizing it as a fuel source to help keep the whole place running.

I wondered what would inspire someone to construct a city like this instead of simply harvesting parts to make something more functional. I suspected it had grown over time. It certainly looked as if it had been here for a long while.

We were given no trouble on approach and only asked if we had a dock arranged. When the dock number was provided they gave us instructions for docking. We were getting scanned heavily, but so far our blockers were holding up.

At last we were able to dock, the airship settling into a skeletal framework of metal limbs.

"Kill the engines, but keep us on reserve power. Have the Wolves meet me at the ramp," Anna said.

I cut the engines. The metal supports held, our frame groaning as the ship’s weight settled down. I ordered all repair teams to focus on the engines at once. The hull we could repair later in the air if needed, but the opportunity to service the engines was a lot of the reason we were here.

I sent Candice with Anna, who was taking no chances. The Wolves were in heavy armor with battle rifles, while Anna wore a red gown I made for the occasion. I suppose that she thought a fancy dress would help her to play diplomat. Silly Anna—it did nothing to help her personality.

I lowered the ramp. A small party was waiting, a distinguished-looking older man flanked by a pair of blonde twins in armor of green and black.

"Welcome," said the man with a tilt of his head. "The Hungered Castle has changed a lot since Lady Sylax held it."

Was that the former name of this ship? I didn't like it. I didn't like much about the Lady Sylax.

"You're not a member of the Shadowed Niche," Anna said, looking him over with a critical gaze and then sparing a glimpse to the blondes and their armor. "Who are you?"

"A friend," the man said.

"Doubtful," Anna said.

"She is incapable of making them," I said through Candice.

Anna gave my human drone a frown before looking back to the man. "Not quite true, but they are a small circle. Try again."

"You can call me Cutout. I'm a businessman whose interests stretch far."

"So you're a smuggler?"

"I'm many things. What I am right now is a man wondering which is more valuable. The friendship of those whole stole Lady Sylax's flagship, or whatever Sylax would pay me for its location," Cutout said.

"Choose the one that keeps you alive. We have you outgunned," Anna said.