Rocky Landing

"I think that will do," Alistair answered, "unless you are in need of it."

"Not for a while," Ana replied. "While you're out, can you get some tiels converted into whatever this island uses?"

Luke had barely stood around to hear the last bit of Ana's request. With a zombie-like shamble, he headed down the stairs and for the exit of the ship.

"I will be certain to," Alistair replied, watching Luke leave. "Now about that umbrella..."

"Right!" Ana replied, heading for the door back back down the hall. She disappeared into her room and against all odds of it being some freaking pink polka dotted thing, returned with an old, worn, plain black umbrella. "'Ere we go. Make sure to return it in one piece."

"Thank you," Alistair answered in clipped tones then hurried out after Luke.

Lucas waited outside of the ship, watching as the last bits of hydrogen were being sucked out of the balloon. He kept his arms crossed tight for both comfort and warmth. Once he caught sight of Alistair, he started leading the way into the city, grumbling, "Ships are too dangerous. Should just settle down somewhere."

The thought of rain caused Dmitri to look outside while everyone else was talking. He didn't have an umbrella himself, all of his stuff probably in some evidence room on Phiah. Unless he could have a moment where the rain let up, he couldn't get himself one, either. With a small sigh, he sat down with his map, looking it over once again to try and figure out where he went wrong.

--

Now that the ordeal was over, Ivanna was feeling better, and happy that everyone was safe. She was worried for Luke, and the rest of the Fairchilds, but she still felt like her presence bothered him, so she didn't go to ask if he was okay yet. Instead, she sat on the floor next to Dmitri listening as he mumbled to himself the route over and over again.

"Now," Lavinia glared at Dmitri, "Please explain how we have come to Electric City now instead of Audumn three days from now."

-----

"We can't settle here," Alistair said firmly, opening the umbrella and huddling under it with Luke. "We have to leave in another day."

Dmitri looked up at Lavinia as she spoke, saying, "You know, that look doesn't suit you." Turning the map so that she could see, he started by pointing at Phiah. He then explained to her just how he went through his navigation.

Lavinia listened closely to his explanation as she looked over the charts, then, with a look that took most women years of interacting with naughty children to perfect, she calmly stated, "It appears you have mistaken the ascent bearing for the direction, and the direction bearing for the ascent." She took up the compass and measured the necessary angles to show him. "Electric City is 13.8, 79.4, 215.10." She showed the necessary measurements on the directional chart, then the ascent chart. "Audum is 79.4, 13.8, 609.34." This she also measured out for him.

Luke looked a bit surprised by the umbrella and the offer to share, though didn't do anything to stop Alistair from sharing. "That's oddly specific. Something come up?" He asked, choking down complaints and a desire to just stay down on flat land.

"A person I do not wish to meet with is coming here," Alistair answered with a scowl.

Again, Dmitri was mostly almost oblivious to Lavinia's look as he listened to her explanation. After she finished explaining, Dmitri said, "That's not how they do it in Naughtsa." Standing up, he sighed. As a sort of joke, he asked, "Want to take any bets on how long it'll take for me to live this little mistake down?"

"You're being vague again," Luke replied. "You keep too many secrets."

"A lady does not gamble."

--------

Alistair glanced at his brother. "The current Lord Fairfax."

"Lord Fairfax? That implies nobility," Luke replied hesitantly. While he knew the lords and ladies of Phiah quite well, most other islands were beyond his scope of experience. "You realizing 'aving a lord as an enemy makes life real difficult. They've got some sort of club type thing going on. Some professional courtesy."

"Well, unless you've got some way to convince him that bloody Syme was mistaken and I really can talk to ghosts, it's best to avoid him. And Miss Cardham too, for that matter," Alistair grumbled, his mood matching the sky for once. Lightning crackled across the electricity net above them. "Of all the bloody cities for him to find me in," he muttered, watching the electricity surge along the wires.

"Guess we should avoid them them. I'd say we should camp in the woods, but it isn't going to be easy 'ere." Luke mused, his face beginning to look at least somewhat less ghastly. The outside air was doing him a world of good, as well as some separation from the ship itself. The air, however, did nothing or his exhaust.

As the two moved down the city streets, the ship-filled lots slowly being replaced by tall buildings. Despite the rain and the storm, people of all walks of life continued their lives as normal in an umbrella dotted sea of eel men, humans and Centricrus. Small crowds gathered around street venders, the rhythm of barkers creating music against the drum of the rain.

Luke paused in the street when he spotted something that caught his eyes. A young vender, looking around 16 years old, waving his hands in front of a bright red cart decorated in "gold" lining.

Alistair followed his brother's gaze after noting the sudden pause. The young man was certainly charming, the way he drew the crowd. The fact the boy was selling "Genuine Miracle Tonic" was, of course, suspicious. In fact, Alistair couldn't help but spot another man in the business when he saw one. If that boy was the age he looked, Alistair would be quite astonished at how precocious he was. The way the boy easily drew them in, sold them on the many uses of the tonic... Ten to one it was simply mislabeled rose water or a bit of gin mixed with ink.

Keeping an eye on the young man, Alistair murmured to Luke, "Miracle tonic, eh? More like colored water."

With a smirk, Dmitri said, "I wasn't aware you were a lady." He went to leave the cockpit, heading toward his room. Since there wasn't much more to do, he thought, and he couldn't really leave the ship anyway, he would go take a nap.

"That's the bastard. That's one of the bastards who duped me," Luke growled, his hands curling into fists, His nostrils failed in anger as he tried to plow through the crowd toward the salesman.

Alistair grabbed Luke's elbow, trying to stop his brother from causing a scene. "Luke!" he hissed, "I know you're angry but this is not the best way to solve this! I will find a way to get your money back, alright?"

Luke stopped his charge, growling at Alistair, "I'm not interested in my money, I want revenge."

"Which will be much more satisfying if you make him pay interest," Alistair insisted. "He can shake off pain. I've already recovered from the punches to the face you laid on me. Loss of income will be a greater punishment to him." Besides, he added silently, we could both use new suits.

Luke paused a moment to think over his options. "Alright,we try it your way. But if we don't get 'im the first try I'm besting 'im." He them looked around the area. "So, what's your brilliant plan?"