“That’s all of them! Shove off!” Mechanic Deni ordered from her post at the stern of their boat.
Deni tossed off the line holding the stern to the dock, then used a pole to help push off as the sailors got their oars in the water and began pulling with the vigor of those hearing bullets headed their way.
“Asha,” Mari gasped, staring around frantically. “Did we get Asha to a ship, or are she and Dav still at a hospital?”
Alain pointed toward the shape of the Pride, which was growing in size as the boat approached it. “I can sense Asha on that ship. Mechanic Dav is surely with her.”
“Thank— Oww!”
Alain spun to look, alarmed, and saw Mechanic Alli hit Mari again. “Stop risking yourself like that!” Alli stretched far enough to hit Mechanic Calu as well. “You, too! I cannot be the only adult in this crowd!”
“I’m glad that you’re safe, too,” Calu said in a worn-out voice.
“Thank the stars that Alain listens to sense!” Alli sagged back, still holding her weapon, gazing at the flash of rifle shots from the dock. “You did an amazing job commanding the rear guard through most of the retreat, Calu. I love you. When we get nice and safe, I think I’m going to cry a little. I’m kind of stressed.”
“Me, too,” Mari said. “I’m going to slug you back once we get on the ship.”
They came alongside the Pride, sailors helping everyone up the ladder. Alain saw the boats being hooked up and hoisted out of the water, while other sailors brought up the anchor and unfurled sails that looked ghostly in the light of the rising moon.
“They’ll be looking for other boats in order to follow us and attack again,” Mechanic Deni commented to Alain as she passed. “Those killers, I mean. But the commons took every boat but ours and tied them up out on the water. We’ll be clear of this mess before you know it, Sir Mage.”
The Gray Lady led the way out of the harbor, out between other vessels that sat silent as she and the Pride wove their way toward open water.
Alain leaned on the railing as they passed the breakwater. The swells came stronger as the ships entered the open sea, the Pride rolling and twisting as she put on more sail and gained speed.
“Go west until we’re out of sight of land,” Mari told Captain Banda. “Then turn south.”
“South?”
“Yes, south. We’ll hold a conference tomorrow, or is it today now? In the morning.” Mari came over to Alain. “We made it. Do you think anyone will pay attention to me any more after that near disaster?”
“You may be surprised,” Alain said.
Mari woke to the rolling motion of the Pride and a sense of relief mingled with dread at the conference that had to be held.
She got out of the bunk carefully, somehow untangling herself from Alain without waking him despite the tight quarters.
Asha was in the other bunk, looking beat-up but otherwise all right. Mechanic Dav slept on the deck beside her bunk, still keeping guard.
Mari went out on deck, squinting against the light of the sun and a brisk wind that carried salt spray with it. The day looked beautiful, all four ships sailing together with the sun nearly overhead—
Four ships?
Mari shaded her eyes, staring. Each of the four ships flew the square banner of the new day from its highest mast. The Pride she was on, the Gray Lady was bounding along to starboard, and one of the other two must be the ship that Edinton had provided.
Captain Banda came up next to her, smiling. “A fine sight, isn’t it? Nothing beats a tall ship with the wind in her sails and a fair sea.”
“Where did we get four ships from?” Mari asked.
“That large one there to port is the Worthy Son, which was pirated out of the Edinton port itself in a daring raid and is now loaded with many rare and valuable Mechanic tools.” Banda pointed astern. “And that ship with all the boats is the Dolphin, a Confederation transport used for landing soldiers. Lost at sea, I was informed, fate unknown. It’s possible it was also captured by pirates.”
“Are there soldiers aboard it?” Mari asked, aghast.
“Aye. I’m not certain how many.”
“The Confederation isn’t supposed to be getting directly involved in anything yet! Captain, we need to hold a conference. I’ll give you a list of everyone who has to be there. They’re probably scattered on all four ships.”
Banda nodded. “No problem, Lady Master Mechanic. We’ll all bring in sail so we’re just drifting, and use boats to ferry anyone needed to the Pride.”
Mari gave Banda her list, then went back to the cabin. She found a tray of food and drink on the table and barely managed to avoid wolfing it all down. Alain woke up as she was eating and joined in, managing a smile which was almost perfectly done. From someone who had once been forced to forget how to smile, it was very nice to see.
They left the cabin quietly to avoid disturbing either Asha or Dav. The ships had all furled their sails. Now they rocked in the swells without moving forward, four stationary objects in a vast expanse of water. Mari could see boats already headed for the Pride.
Banda had offered his cabin for the meeting, since it doubled as a dining room for the Mechanics aboard and thus boasted a decent-sized table and multiple chairs and benches. When Mari finally entered she saw one seat left empty at the head of the table—the place Captain Banda usually sat—and another empty seat beside it. Everyone else was either seated or standing around the edges of the cabin.
Feeling awkward, Mari walked to the head of the table, steeling herself for the criticism she felt certain would soon be hurled at her. Would these Mechanics, Mages, and commons continue to listen to her after the mess which Edinton had turned into?
She reached her seat and paused while seeking words.
Master Mechanic Lukas began softly pounding the table with the palm of one hand. The others picked up the applause, some smiling at Mari and others just giving her looks of approval.
She wondered if her mouth had fallen open in astonishment.
“Well done, Master Mechanic,” Lukas said as the applause ended. “I wouldn’t have believed it possible.
“There—” Mari began. “There were mistakes—”
“No plan goes perfectly,” Mechanic Ken said. “But every time something went amiss, you knew what to do. How did you get Edinton to give up a ship so easily?”
“And that Mage who warned us,” Professor S’san said. “You sized her up, knew how to use her, and gave the right orders.”
“Those were Alli’s, and Calu’s, and Alain’s ideas!”
“You obviously listened to them,” Mechanic Kasi remarked. “And gave the right people the right jobs. What now, Master Mechanic?”
“Um…” Thrown off by not having to defend or excuse her actions in Edinton, Mari took a moment to gather her thoughts. “You are?” she asked a man in uniform.
“Major Sima,” he replied, standing up and saluting. “On long-term leave from the Confederation military to deal with family issues.”
Captain Banda smiled. “Exactly how many members of the Confederation military on long-term leave for family issues are aboard the Dolphin?”
“One hundred and three, counting my officers and me,” Sima replied.
“You’re not here representing the Confederation?” Mari asked.
“No. Anything I happen to do while on leave is strictly unofficial, unsanctioned, and unapproved.” Sima paused. “We had little time to find volunteers with long-term family issues, or there would have been more of us, daughter.”