Tanager's Fledglings (The Tanager Book 1) by Cedar Sanderson

Author:Cedar Sanderson [Sanderson, Cedar]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Publisher: Stonycroft Publishing
Published: 2017-04-27T06:00:00+00:00

Chapter 18: Tianjin Station

When the first load of cargo arrived in the station’s morning, Jem hadn’t been to bed. He’d discovered that when the refit crew had painted holds in Flinders, they had managed to paint two partitions into place. It wasn’t a permanent problem, but it had taken him longer and used more solvent than he cared to think about. He was just glad he’d thought to change out of the good duds into a worn shipsuit.

He’d gone through two pots of the good coffee, though, and the dog had abandoned him, presumably to sleep on Jem’s bunk. Jem didn’t allow that when he was in the cabin, but the dog slept in it when he wasn’t there. Jem knew this, as he found dog hair on his pillow regularly. Moskvin had awakened, grunted at Jem - the man was not a morning person, and it wasn’t even morning ship’s time - and drank the last cup of coffee.

“Want me to make more?” He’d eyed Jem, who was rinsing his cup out.

“No, thanks. Loads start arriving,” he checked his wrist, “in less than ten minutes.”

“Want help?” Moskvin didn’t look like he was volunteering. He sat down at the table.

Jem shook his head. “They still don’t know you’re even here. Or if they do, they haven’t brought it up.”

“So I’m to make like a mushroom.”

“Huh?” Jem didn’t follow that one.

“Sit in the dark and you’ll feed me shit.” Moskvin picked up his cup and sipped at it delicately. “Good coffee.”

Jem shook his head. Moskvin’s sense of humor seemed to deteriorate when he was confined. “Don’t worry, we leave for Tianjin as soon as the load is secured.”

“And how long will that be? I’m getting a bit stir-crazy.” Moskvin asked.

Jem shook his head and headed for the hatch. “Ya think? I’ll let you know. There’s going to be a lot of loading.”

“I know, I know. Stay in my cabin.” Moskvin called after him.

Jem was walking across the entry hold when the hatch started chiming. He slapped the button and stepped back. The float pallet came in slowly, and Ahmed was on the heels of the dock worker. He made a hasty gesture, more of a nod and clap of the hands. Jem followed suit a little more formally. He wasn’t entirely sure if there was a way he could mess this up.

“Ready for this?” Ahmed asked.

Jem nodded. “Through there,” he pointed at the far hatch. “Then the first hatch on the left. It’s open.”

He turned back to Ahmed as the float pallet was pushed away. Ahmed stepped further away from the hatch as another man came through. “I should have sent a crew to help you prepare.”

Jem shrugged. “I had a refit at Flinders. Wasn’t much to do.”

Ahmed beamed at him. “You are an excellent captain.”

Jem squirmed a little, still uncomfortable with the formal title. “I do what needs done.”

Ahmed nodded. “Then I shall return to expedite on my end, and leave this in your capable hands.”

He repeated the abbreviated gesture, and Jem imitated him.

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