Chapter 30
Adi quickly led Liza and the rest down below deck. She shouted at someone
nearby and soon Mary was also being helped out of the captain’s quarters down
below to a deck further down.
“Too dangerous with those many, many windows!” Adi said. She showed them
into a small room lined with shelves of provisions on the wall and barrels on
the floor.
“I will come back after this is done. Do not open the door unless you
hear my voice, or Henri’s, if I am hurt. Do not worry.” She turned to leave but
then turned back. “We might have some turbulence, so be prepared…”
She closed the door and left. A small lamp glowed in the corner, there
were no windows.
“What is going on?” Mary said, sounding much more awake than earlier in
the day.
“We’re under attack, the Dyab.” Liza said quietly.
“What did John say?” Will asked. “The dyab don’t have guns?”
“Yes, but evidently they do have them now…” Liza said.
“Dammit” Will said, hitting his hand on a barrel.
“Will!” The General barked.
“Sorry Sir, it is just that we are too late.”
“How?”
“This has Ingellsdin written all over it. These people or whatever they
are suddenly have guns now? After a hundred years or not having them? We need
to warn Henri about who he is dealing with. I fear things have changed more
than he will realize.”
“Well, I would imagine the guns would be a big clue to Henri.” Liza said
stiffly.
Will opened his mouth to reply but then shut it without a word. The room
fell silent and the noise of people yelling and random shots could be heard.
“We can’t just sit here.” Liza said.
“What are we to do?” The General replied. “If we venture out we’ll surely
get killed…”
“No.” Liza replied. “Well, maybe, but we can help. We have guns.”
Will gave a small snort. “We have guns?” He said. “Now this is a good
thing?
“No need to be churlish!” Liza said.
“I’m not, I am asking a question.”
“Well then, yes, it is a good thing. We can help fight off these people
or whatever they are.”
“So you plan to just go up, guns blazing away?”
“Well, yes, why not? I can handle
a pistol Will…”
“Certainly not Liza!” The General said.
“Why not?!”
“Young lady I am not going to let you go get yourself killed for no
reason!”
More silence followed. Then Moto cleared his throat.
“Actually, that might be an good idea” Moto said. The General started to
say something but Moto pressed on, “Not you Liza, of course, but perhaps Will
and I should venture above deck to see what is going on. At the very least we
should warn Henri and John that the Dyab might have help.”
“And why not me?!”
“Really Liza, if you persist-“
“Grandfather, you know very well I am an excellent shot.”
“Yes, young lady, on a range, under strictly controlled conditions, not
on a rocking ship a thousand feet above the earth while savages are attacking
you!”
“Stop this pointless bickering!” Mary said from her resting place on the
floor. “For the love of God stop trying to protect her dear General. She’s a
grown woman. If she wants to kill herself-“
“I never said that!”
Will stood up and motioned to Moto and then looked at Liza. “Mary’s
right, we’re wasting time. If you want to help Liza, then come with us but stay
hidden and act as our back-up and look out. Is that acceptable?”
“Will I have a gun?”
“We only have two-“
“What about this one?” The Colonel was holding a large gun that was about
a foot long. It had a fat barrel and a long carved wooden handle.
“What in the world-?” Will said.
“It’s a buffalo revolver.” Liza said walking over to the Colonel.
“That’ll do nicely Colonel. Remington, I believe. Fairly old, but looks like it
is in good condition. Are there bullets Colonel? 44 caliber I believe?”
The colonel handed her a small box, which she put in her pants pocket.
“Well then.. “Will said, scratching his head, “ I guess we’re ready.”
“Liza!” The General said, waiting for her to look at him. “Just… be
careful. And remember, those Remington’s-“
“Pull to the left. I will be Grandfather.” She said with a smile.
The scene on the deck was one of barely controlled chaos. Pirates were
running all around the deck, setting up what looked like stations. Not a
hundred yards off from the ship there was a flotilla of what looked like
floating animals with large woven baskets underneath. The baskets were large
enough that one could not see who, or what was in them.
“Liza, find John and tell him, I will go find Henri.” Will said as they
scanned the ship’s deck.
Liza spotted the tall figure of John right away and scrambled to the bow
of the ship where he was helped two other pirates arrange large barrels.
“John!” She said “John, I need to tell you something important!”
John looked up with a scowl on his face.
“This is not place for a woman, get back below.”
“Is it a place for this?” she said, holding up the buffalo gun with a
smile.
“For men who can shoot it” he said turning to help guide the last barrel
into position.
“Not you too! Look, we don’t have time for this. John, those Dyab that
are coming have help, and probably people on board with them.”
John stood up and took the short steps between himself and Liza.
“What evil have you brought with you?”
“None! I swear. These people, who are helping, came ahead of us. We’re
chasing them, trying to stop them. They mean nothing but harm and if they have
the Dyab helping them, it means they have gotten what they want. The man
backing them is only interested in the technology the Dyab offer him. He will
take it from them and destroy them.”
“Good then, the Dyab will get what they deserve.”
“No John, even they cannot deserve what he will do. But even more so,
after he destroys them he will destroy you and your people too. He will want
nothing in his way once he knows the secret of this technology you have.”
John paused. He brow furrowed.
“So, what are we to do?”
“Is there any way to call a truce or prevent the attack?”
He thought for a moment. One fothe men behind him yelled that the Dyab
were getting too close and were within range. John held up his hand.
“No” he told Liza. “They will attack, there is no reasoning with them…”
At this point Liza saw Henri followed by Will and Moto rushing over to
where they were.
“John!” Henri said, barely out of breath after striding the length of the
ship in seconds. “These fools tell me we will be destroyed!”
“I know father. So has this one. She says we must try to reason and talk
with the Dyab.”
“Impossible!”
“Please, sir, Henri, what Will and Moto have told you is correct. The man
behind this will stop at nothing to get your balloon technology. You know,
don’t you, that the British or the French would pay millions to get this
technology.”
“The Dyab would never deal with the white devil!”
“But they did, the guns!” Liza said. “You know that and you know what you
have it worth a lot, don’t you? Why else would you hide up here for 150 years?
You know what the Europeans or, even worse, the Americans, would do to you.
Let’s not stand on politeness Henri. As a black man you know that they would no problem taking this
and killing you.”
Henri stiffened. “And you, have you forgotten the color of your skin
girl?”
Liza held up the gun. “I am aware Sir, but do I look like the rest? I am
my own woman, I ma not a girl. You have my word, if we can get the Dyab to
listen to us and if we can get them to work with us, I will not let you be
taken advantage of.”
“Even if it means your life?” Henri asked in a low voice.
“Even if it means my own life.”
“But father, that still does not solve how we deal with the Dyab. They
will not listen to reason, we cannot parlay with them.”
Henri’s expression was serious as he thought for a moment. Then he spoke
slowly and deliberately.
“No, but we can surrender to them.”
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