Landquaker by Dean F. Wilson

Author:Dean F. Wilson [Wilson, Dean F.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Dioscuri Press
Published: 2016-04-16T23:00:00+00:00

The door creaked open, and in stepped a man who looked more than a little familiar. Jacob looked at him from over his shoulder. He was a little surprised to see anyone frequenting this place at all, but he was more surprised by the man's attire. He looked awfully like a sky pirate.

 “Jacob Black,” the man said.

 Jacob turned around fully. He glanced at the gun strapped to his thigh. He did not feel up for a fight. He did not think the whiskey would help.

 “Who's asking?”

 “My name doesn't matter,” the pirate said. “I'm here for El Abra.”

 “He's dead.”

 “That's why I'm here.”

 Jacob knew it. Revenge did not have a time of day or a place of residence. It could come anywhere at any time.

 The pirate reached inside his pocket, and Jacob reached for his gun.

 “You can put that away,” the pirate said. “I didn't come here for a fight.”

 “What's that you've got?” Jacob asked.

 The pirate pulled a little wooden toy horse from his pocket, and held it up. “This is something the Snake wanted you to have.” He placed it on the counter next to Jacob.

 “Seems you got a birthday you're not telling us about,” Lorelai said. “First the coils, now this. Maybe I should have baked a cake.”

 Those were the kind of lines Jacob might have said, and might have laughed at, were his focus not stolen by that little mahogany horse on the counter. He picked it up. His eyes welled immediately. Who knew that the dam could be broken so easily, with such a little thing? He was only a little thing himself when he last saw it.

 “He kept it,” Jacob said. “He kept it all these years. We could not play with the toys we were forced to make. So one day he stole one from the conveyor belt. He got in so much trouble. Olbaron beat us anyway, but he got ten times the beating then. They searched high and low, but they couldn't find it. I thought he'd gotten rid of it.”

 “Well,” the pirate said. “Now it's yours. It took me quite a while to find you. I came here a few days back, but they said you left. I figured you'd be back at some point. When you're in El Abra's crew, you quickly learn about honour. He made me promise to get this to you, and I had to honour my word.”

 “Thank you,” Jacob said. “It means a lot.”

 “I only wish he was still around. The seas and the skies are a lot quieter now.”

 “Why did he do it?” Jacob asked. “I mean, why did he join the battle against the Black Barge?”

 “I guess he felt he had to honour his friendship with you. He took a nasty wound from that landship, but he doesn't hold grudges, not like the Masked Menace up north. He knew he was going to die. I guess he felt he should do something good before he went out. He knew it was his swansong. It's why he gave me this task before he set sail that final time.

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