2nd of August - 2763

  A great flock of black, white and grey gulls swooped down from the clouds and made a spectacular spin around the Bechman farm, leaving a grand trail of electrical fractals in their path.

  It made for a great display for Julius to watch as he worked on the final touches to the Tesla Bike that his uncle had loaned out to him. With a handy combination wrench, he was able to tighten a second seat behind the driver’s. With great reluctance, he may mention.

  That morning at an early breakfast, Selena insisted that she would come with him on his journey. Two contractors were a better chance for success than one. She wouldn’t take no for an answer, especially when Kelly was quite taken by her charm. And when one had Aunt Kelly on their side, they’d win no matter the discussion before or after the fact.

  Carter had elected to remain at the farm, to keep an eye on the family to ensure no one came calling to cause trouble. Julius also agreed and then suggested that the Hunter remain as well, as that would draw too much attention on their journey. And Carter could use it to sail it back to his lodge to make sure it still flew after the punishment it went through the previous day.

  Carter agreed and figured it was about time that he upgraded to an airship.

  Maximus brought out Augustus’ old bike on a wooden trolley from a shed by the back of the house. He, Julius and Selena got to work setting up the bike. It was in rough shape, having not been used for literally years. And it was an older model, a Mk. III. The Tesla stone was broken, but Maximus willingly gave up a stone from his supply to give the bike life. After a couple of hours of tinkering, replacing and nearly breaking, they were done.

  Standing back to survey their work, Julius rubbed his neck with some worry creasing his brow.

  “I hope this doesn’t blow up.” He said.

  Selena shook her head with pride. “No it won’t! It’s an old girl. Once we get her up and running, she’ll skirt the clouds like an eager sky-whale.”

  Maximus clapped his nephew on the shoulder. “She’ll fly fine. She’s got a good pilot.”

  “Two good pilots.” Selena smiled as she dusted the oil and grime from her fingers.

  Julius noted a splotch of oil on her left cheek. “Oh, uh, there’s a bit you-”

  He pointed at his face. Selena looked at him quizzically and proceeded to touch her face and not reach the place he was certain that he had clearly pointed out. He rolled his eyes, pulled out a rag and gently took her chin with his fingers and carefully wiped the oil from her cheek.

  Her eyes locked on his. And Julius soon realised how close he was to her.

  He coughed and stepped back. “There, all clean.”

  Selena watched him with another of those odd looks he had been seeing her make at him.

  “Thank you.” She said as she headed to the pile of supplies that Kelly and Patsy helped arrange.

  Maximus watched her walk away. “Careful. Remember what you did.” He said to Julius.

  Julius looked to his uncle. “Of course I do.”

  “Good, because you can be certain that she remembers too.” Maximus began to pack up his tools. “That girl’s going through something. She must have been suffering badly before seeing you. And now she’s letting you to clean her face like that? She must be feeling confused on how she feels for you. Don’t compound these feelings of her by doing intimate things.”

  Julius helped his uncle by picking up a second bag of tools and then gave him a grin. “Is that advice from you, or Aunt Kelly?”

  Maximus snorted a laugh. “That woman sees all and knows all. I would just say that you need to be careful with how you act around Selena. Don’t break her heart again.”

  “Never.” Julius affirmed. “I care for her.”

  They headed back towards the shed.

  “That is good… Do you still have feelings for her?” Maximus asked.

  “I don’t know.” Julius rubbed his head.

  They dropped the tools inside and his uncle locked the doors with three padlocks on three separate latch-locks.

  Julius blew out air with emotional fatigue. “I mean, it’s been two years. I ran away from all that, just so I didn’t have to deal with it. I was a coward for not staying and talking it through. So much time since… I haven’t a clue how she feels about me.”

  “Seeing as she coming with you? I’d say she still cares for you deeply.”

  “Despite what I did?”

  “Maybe she’s stronger than you give her credit for?”

  Maximus patted his shoulder and gestured back to the bike. “Come on, let’s you squared away before your aunt changes her mind and tries to do something desperate to keep you here.”

  “You think it’s wise?” Aunt Kelly asked again. “I mean, Dandelion’s a dangerous man. He’ll be expecting you.”

  Julius and Selena had settled on the bike, with their supplies stored in the baggage holds on the rear and their weapons - Selena’s duel revolvers, Julius’ rifle, revolver and cutlass - all holstered in the holds on either side of their seats. Julius checked the gauges, his chronometer, a compass that Pasty had found and attached on the handlebars, and then flicked the switches along the handlebars themselves - this was a strange design to have for the bike. The lights on the bike’s display came on and the gauges’ needle arrows flickered to subtle life.

  Carter, Maximus, Kelly and Patsy were gathered outside on the front veranda to see them off.

  “He won’t.” Julius reassured Kelly. “He won’t expect me to come for him directly. The contract will make him think I’m running for my life. When we get him, then the head of the snake is cut off and his crew will fall apart. The contract falls with him.”

  “God, it’s so damned risky.” Kelly chewed her fingernail. She looked to Carter. “Surely you could get help from other contractors.”

  “There’s not a chance.” Carter shook his head. “That reward is the biggest I’ve seen since I started my business. No self-respecting contractor will pass up that chance.”

  Maximus nodded. “A smaller number of people will move faster than a larger one. Just stay from popular ports or the other bounty lodges. Keep moving, don’t stay in a place more than two days. You have any idea where to find that son of a bitch?”

  Julius nodded grimly. He shared the same ire that his uncle harboured in his voice. Since learning that Dandelion was solely responsible for the deaths of Darius and Julia, Maximus had fully supported the pirate’s death.

  “Selena’s got a lead in the West.” He tapped the compass. “We’ll fly there to start our hunt.” Julius gave them a thumbs up. “We’ll be back.”

  “You better be.” Kelly warned. “Or I’ll come after you.”

  Julius laughed. “I’ll be quick then. Stand back now.”

  Julius twisted the ignition key and the bike’s exhaust gave a sputtering roar that coughed out dust and condensation from the steel pipes. But the coughing noise slowly ceased and was replaced by a low growl as the Tesla stone powered the once dead engine to vibrant joy.

  “Here we go.” Julius said. “Hold on.”

  Selena tightened her straps locked on her jacket’s buckles and checked his. “You don’t have to tell me that!”

  Julius twisted the throttle and the propulsion belched hot air and electricity underneath. Julius felt the intense heat under his boots and had no worry for the platform as it made from exceptionally hardy iron and steel. All was left as the bike slowly rose up was a darkened and reddish patch of heated metal where the electricity burned. The bike rose up higher and higher.

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  “Okay!” Julius shouted at the surveyors below. “Wish us luck!”

  The family waved and Carter gave them a thumbs up.

  Julius made an OK hand sign before gunning the bike forward, spinning wheels flaring static blue sparks, outwards towards the Western horizon.

  *****

  Two hours of flying later, Julius guided the bike down through the gathering of a nimbostratus. They decided to stay close to the clouds for the most of the journey, in case they get sighted by any airship.

  They didn’t wish to risk anyone noting them coming from anywhere. Then again, it wasn’t so much worry to have. There was no picture with the contract, so only people familiar with Julius would note him. Still thought better safe then sorry.

  In the cloud cover though, rain began to soak the pair of airfarers. The flight helmets and caps and the uniforms they had on were well-designed, able to throw off the worst of the cold water and keep them from reaching into the dry spots. But the sodden feeling did gather on their exposed cheeks on their faces.

  Selena tapped his shoulder wordlessly and pointed ahead of them.

  Julius peered forward and saw the flash of lightning that appeared for a second in the far off distance. A brewing storm. No, not today. They didn’t come all this way just to get blown out of the sky.

  Julius gave Selena a thumbs up and pointed up.

  Selena leant forward and held onto him as Julius ascended the bike up out of the nimbostratus.

  Once out of the cloud, they were back in the clear sky. With the rolling thunder underneath them, they rose a little higher to steer clear of it.

  Julius raised his hand made a talking gesture in Selena’s eyesight.

  Selena made a thumbs up. She turned in her seat and opened up a satchel strapped to the side of the bike next to the stored weapons.

  She grabbed out two small rubber tubes with screw caps on either side. She then applied one tube’s end to a small screw hole that was by her mouth area of her gas mask and the other tube was attached to a smiler screw hole of her flight helmet that covered her right ear.

  When that was done, she then reached around and applied the other ends to Julius’ two similar holes, mouth tube to his ear’s hole and her ear tube to his mouth.

  “Can you hear me?” Selena spoke. Her voice traveled down the speaking tube. “Loud and clear.” Julius replied with a smile. “So what’s this lead you have for us?”

  “I have an idea how to track Dandelion down and know where he is. There’s a woman we need to see.”

  “Okay. Wouldn’t it be better just go after a pirate and interrogate them for the info?”

  “Or maybe you’d want hear my idea before you shut it down?”

  “Sorry. Go for it.”

  “Thank you. It would be better to hit him where it really hurts. His money and weapons.”

  “His weapons? Money? And what about the lead?”

  “That is the lead. Listen, the last couple weeks I’ve been on contract, I’ve been hearing rumours. Whispers of some big ‘thing’ Everett is planning. He’s been gathering supplies, weapons, manpower and enough money to pay for it all.”

  “Maybe he’s making a fleet.”

  “That’s my fear. So obviously he’s going to need suppliers, right? Not above-the-table ones either, they’ll be arrested for treason for selling any army supplies to criminals.”

  “Who do you have in mind?”

  “Her name is Bethany Leonard Grady. She was a merchant who got mixed up in drug trafficking. Made bail but she got disbarred from the MTC and was forced to leave the capital. She’s made her living since then as a black market merchant. Selling contraband all across the independent outposts. Normally, she’d be out of the line of sight from the MTC and the Millenia Navy, but she did something really reckless. She organised a convoy heist on a trade ship that was transporting newly forged weapons for a recently established naval battalion in the capital. Three crates worth of rifles, two crates of grenades, two crates of flame-swords and God knows what else she found. She plans to sell it all to Dandelion.”

  “Christ… that is crazy. What the hell does that man have planned?”

  “No clue. But the MTC had had enough and a private contract was made out for her arrest, alive only. I was one of the lucky few to receive the notice and I was on my way to catch her, until I ran into your troubles.”

  “Which is why we’re going to the Miami Outpost. She’s operates there. We get there, we grab her and she’ll tell us everything.”

  “Correct.”

  The pair flew on. Then Julius jibed. “So when I said that we should go after someone and interrogate them for the info just now… That wasn’t the right idea?”

  Selena didn’t say anything at that until she replied with a quiet: “Shut up.”

  Julius chuckled.

  “How do you have private contracts?” Julius later asked.

  “I made a good reputation for myself.”

  “Oh really? And what am I, chopped goose liver? I’ve been a contractor for years, certainly longer than you, and I’ve never heard of a private contract. How much is the bounty?”

  “Five thousand.”

  “What??” Julius swerved the bike as he whipped his head over his shoulder fix Selena with a glare. “Are you joking?”

  “Geez, someone’s jealous.” She giggled.

  “Damned right I am! Five thousand…” he turned back and grumbled under his breath. “And I got one thousand for my last contract.”

  “Raise your standards, then. I did.”

  “Is that also why we broke up, you raised your standards?” He asked with a snarky tone.

  Selena laughed hollowly. “Oh hoho! Is that how you’re gonna play it?”

  She reached over and began flicking at the back of his head.

  Julius began to swipe at her hand the best he could, but he had to stay on course or they may fall into a tailspin. “Quit it!”

  Selena continue to flick. “You don’t get to make snarky comments like that. You know why we broke up and I haven’t forgotten about it, you dumbass.”

  Flick.

  “Do that again and I’ll make a barrel roll!” He threatened.

  Flick.

  “Go on!” She dared.

  Flick.

  “I will!” He snapped.

  Flick.

  “Bite me!” She snapped back.

  Julius paused. “What?”

  No flick. “What?”

  “Why on earth would I do that? Bite you?” He asked confusedly.

  Selena cocked her head. “I- I don’t know. I just heard it was a phrase to say to someone when you want to win an argument.”

  “It doesn’t make any sense…”

  The pair paused and then burst into raucous laughter.

  Selena laughed good and hard before resting against Julius’ back.

  “What are we doing, Julius?” She asked. “This really is insane.”

  “Yeah…” Julius nodded, as he stele back into his seat. “Hard to believe two days ago, I was in some grimy inn, sleeping off a bad case of drink and food. Just getting through the day and living my life the best way I can. Now look where I am.”

  Selena patted his shoulder. “From where I’m sitting, you seem pretty okay.”

  “I’m making do. But you though! Private contracts, connections to the capital, insider information. You’ve been busy the last two years. And you’re a contractor to start with!”

  “Yeah, so?”

  “So? I thought you were going to study architecture, You know, expanding New Malta like you wanted.”

  “I was. And I would have. But I made the silly mistake of falling for a man in an inn and having a mad, shitty two Peso novel romance with.”

  “Oh.”

  “After what happened… I couldn’t stay in Malta. Bad memories, you know.” She playfully tapped his back with her gloved fingers. “I found myself in Millenia City. God, Julius… you really should go. It is the most incredible place you’ll ever see.”

  “I’ve seen pictures in the Gull Newsread. ‘A Shining Beacon of Humanity’, seven tiers of civilisation with hundreds of sectors that match size of New Malta… I bet its something else.”

  Selena gripped his shoulders.

  “And so much more! Anyways, I went there because I wanted to do something else with my life. Just to achieve something of worth. I came across a bounty lodge and applied. Found myself enjoying the job a hell of a lot than I thought I would.”

  “That’s great.”

  “I get it, Julius. I really do.” Selena said. “The rush of the chase, living day by day on the edge of a sword or gun, not knowing if you’ll win or lose? All the freedom in the sky. To go where you want to go. I get it. And I understand your feelings on it. I do now. ”

  “So you forgive me?”

  “Let’s not get ahead of ourselves. Hold on, what’s that? Julius! On your one o’clock.”

  Both of them whipped their heads towards that direction as their bike skirted the top the cloud sea. It was calm and silent. But what drew Selena’s eyes happened again. A flock of gulls burst from the clouds in a mad scatter. But it was followed and hunted the flock that made the airfarers stare.

  They saw the mouth first. A pair of gigantic jaws filled with razor sharp teeth the length of two full grown man, erupting from the clouds and devouring half the flock with a single bite. The surviving gulls dispersed wildly and away from the threat. The jaws’ snapping boom echoed over the sky. Its black scales shone brilliantly against the sun like polished granite.

  Three pairs of great leathery black-scaled wings beat the air ferociously, sending extreme wind currents into the clouds, dispersing them into nothingness. A multitude of Tesla stones lay embedded in the underbelly of the beast. Silver spines, barbed and curling, protruded from the back of the monster like fins of a shark, with one tall thin knife-like horn acting as a central dorsal fin.

  The creature was over one hundred and thirty-five metres in length, over three times the length of any airship they’ve seen. Its long, legless, snakelike body twisted and flicked with its motion, ending with a webbed dorsal tail that beat extra thrusting power away from its rear.

  A pair of crimson eyes in a giant snakelike head noted the gulls’ manic flight as the creature twisted in the air and dove back down into the cloud sea. And then exploding back up to hunt after the rest of the flock with a cloud-shuddering roar that shook the airfarers' eardrums. Both it and the gulls flew away, heading towards the North.

  Without saying another word, Julius pushed the bike into speedier action. Selena wordlessly clenched tightly on his back. Terrified by the sight, they drove the bike back down into the clouds to hide. They would not leave that cover for the rest of the journey to Miami.

  They’d rather contend with cold rain and erratic lightning than draw the insatiable hunger and the unbeatable rage of a sky-snake.