Captain Gravenor’s Airship Equinox (Steampunk Smugglers) by Heather Hiestand Page B

as a sailor if they knew who he
was.
    Her smile changed the planes of her face, taking a decade
from her flesh. “I am pleased. You know I’ve never made anything this fancy.
I’ve seen them of course, when Rand or Everard would land an airship on our
property.” She yawned.
    “Perhaps we should wait until full light to test it?”
    She yawned again. “I should be getting used to these
conditions by now, but I’m holding onto my irritation. I want out of here.”
    He wasn’t quite sure he agreed.
    *****
    Another day later, Brecon found himself staring at the brass
hand from his pallet, wondering if he’d slept at all. But sun rays were already
heating the cage, and he found he didn’t need his blanket any more. He’d lost
track of the days down here, but felt them in the stiffness of his fingers as
he opened and closed his hand. Sometime today he’d get a new hand, one that
would never tire, at least until the battery wore out.
    Philadelphia slept on, in the cot across the cage. He didn’t
want to wake her, so he crawled over to the bench and stared at the hand. Could
he put it on himself? Since he still had his arm, it attached by a tightly
laced sleeve that fit over what flesh he had left. She had made the lacing
yesterday, showing him where it was attached inside the hand so he could
replace it when it became worn.
    The movement of his wrist would give the hand its
instructions, and his nervous system would receive some feedback so that he’d
be less likely to injure his arm. She had admitted she didn’t know if this was
how the Blockader models worked, but her version of the brass hand would be
controlled by a delicate dance of wrist movements that he’d need to learn.
    He found a page containing diagrams of movement and studied
it, trying to memorize the positions. The sooner he mastered the device the
sooner they could leave the cage. She didn’t deserve to be down here in the
dark. He knew they couldn’t stay alone here forever, as much as he had learned
to enjoy her company. Already, she had developed a slight cough.
    Surely as soon as she proved herself, the captain would find
them suitable accommodations. Philadelphia enjoyed her work so much, she and
the captain could come to an agreement, just as he had a few months ago, to
continue projects that would benefit the free traders. How could such an
independent life not appeal to her?
    Yes, he had quite a rosy future imagined by the time the
clanging of boots on the stairs woke up the inventress.
    Philadelphia yawned and stayed against the window wall of
the cage while the twins performed their usual morning duties. When One caught
sight of the brass hand on the bench as he was emptying the chamber pot he did
a double take and nearly spilled the contents.
    “You have finished it?”
    “It hasn’t been tested,” Brecon said.
    “But it will be today?” said One, his eyes bright with avarice.
    Brecon realized the hand would be worth an incalculable
amount of money. Without thinking, he took a step toward it just as the twin
did. They stared each other down, One with the odiferous chamber pot in hand,
him with his sharp iron hook poised at chest level.
    With a glance at his hook, One sneered and high-stepped out
of the cage. He slammed the door shut and marched off with the chamber pot
sloshing. Two trailed after his brother, leaving their food tray just out of
reach.
    Philadelphia knuckled her eyes with an air of utter
confusion.
    “Male posturing,” Brecon said by way of apology.
    “You mean stupidity,” she said. “Can you pull in the tray?
We have nothing but an inch or two of water. I cannot think and starve at the
same time.”
    “The only way it would work is if I could stab the hook into
the tray and it’s too far for that.”
    “We’ll get the brass hand working then. With your reach it
may just be doable.”
    He nodded, wishing his first act with the hand would be more
noble than fetching a tray of porridge, but it couldn’t be