It was the farthest north they had even been. Past England, past the highlands, into the thick of Irish territory. As Captain Palmer walked across the sturdy wood, the cold air ran through her, sending short strands of short dark blonde hair and causing her to pull the dark blue jacket of her uniform tighter around her. So far, the journey had been smooth. No signs of storms, pirates, or wayward birds getting caught in the sails. They thought they had a helium leak earlier, but that turned out to be a false alarm.
The Daedalus was an older model airship, basically designed like an English merchant ship except for the steam engines at the bottom and zeppelin keeping it in the skies. But it was robust and had survived countless trips across what was left of British Empire and the Disputed Territories, and weathered storms, wars, and pirates of all varieties with an equal sturdy crew.
She had was discussing their route with the navigator when they both heard it.
“Stowaway! We have a stowaway!”
Captain Palmer turned around as the navigator, a lanky man with neatly cut ginger hair sighed. “Better go get reign them in before they terrorize whoever it is, too much.” The deck crew had developed a reputation of having “fun” mocking stowaways before throwing them in the brig.
Rolling her eyes, Captain Palmer hurried out the door and up to the deck, where as suddenly as it started the roars of laughter stopped, in fact they were eerily still. Her sense of urgency intensifying, she ran across the deck, a gathering of the crew coming into view, all of them frozen.
“What did you do?!” Captain Palmer demanded pushing through, freezing herself as she saw what quieted her crew.
Standing in the middle of the mob, was boy of about nine or ten with shaggy, uncut brown hair. He was thin, emaciated almost, his clothes pratically rags, and he was currently shaking with fear and cold.
“We didn’t know…” One of the deckhands hushed.
Not entirely sure what to do, the captain knelt down in front of the young stowaway. “You have a name?”
The boy just looked between the sailors. Several backed away, whether they simply thought not crowding the boy would help or if they were uncomfortable with the turn of events or both, Captain Palmer wasn’t sure. However, they were the teary-eyed boys’ focus, his eyes frantically darting between each of them. The skywoman thought she was cased-hardened, but she could swear her heart just broke.
“They call me Palmer.” She told him, “Well, technically they call me Captain Palmer. I’m the one in charge around here.”
The boy still said nothing, still looking everywhere but her.
“We didna know it was just a wee lad.” One of engineers, a strapping Scotsman named MacDuff, spoke up remorsefully.
Reaching out, Captain Palmer cupped the boy’s face in her hands, stripping away strands of hair from his forehead and looking into his wide, terrified eyes. “Don’t look at anyone else, just look at me, okay? I’m not gonna let anyone hurt you. You’re safe with me.”
The child let out a shuddering breath. “I-I’m safe w-with you.”
Captain Palmer smiled. “Yeah, that’s right. You’re safe with me.” She stood up, taking the boy by the hand, pulling a bras-colored communicator with the other. “Dr. Arrow, I’ll need to see you in my quarters. We might have a patient for you, I want to make sure he’s not hurt. Now, let’s have this talk in private, shall we?”
#
In her personal quarters, Captain Palmer was finally able to get some answers. The boy’s name was Kay and according to Dr. Arrow he was malnourish and mildly dehydrated, nothing proper food and water couldn’t fix, and according to boy himself his parents had both died within a few years of each other. He had been out on the streets ever since.
“You seem a bit young for that.” Captain Palmer noted once the doctor had left, part concerned, part skeptical. Most urchins didn’t make it as long as Kay was claiming he had on their own.
“Well, there was man for a few years, “Kay explained, looking down, “But then when I got bigger, he wanted me to do things. Bad things.” After a beat he added, “But I ran before I actually did any of them.” All was quiet for a moment then Kay said, “I didn’t mean to hide away with you. Honest. I only wanted to sleep for a little bit, but when I woke up…your ship was already in the air.”
His story seemed at least plausible to the captain. She imagined that by the time he normally found a safe place to sleep, he was too tired to wake easily.
Kay looked up at her with large copper-colored eyes filled with fear. “Are you going to throw me overboard?”
Captain Palmer gritted her back teeth. “The crew told you they were going to do that before they got a good look at you, didn’t they?”
Kay nodded.
“We’re not barbarians, Kay,” Captain Palmer said, then seeing the confused look on Kay’s face, said, “That’s just a posh way of saying, no, of course we’re not going to throw you overboard. But I think you and me can help each other.”
Kay gulped. “What do you mean?”
“You need a place to stay,” Captain Palmer smiled slyly, “And we need a cabin boy.”
It wasn’t exactly untrue; the crew didn’t have a cabin boy. But so far, they had managed to function without one. Well, they had one now.
“What’s a cabin boy?” Kay asked.
“Basically, you’d be running errands for me and helping the cook with meals and anything else we need you to do.” Captain Plamer said, “The pay’s not great, but it comes with room and board.” After a beat she added, “I started as a cabin girl myself. So, what do you say, Kay? Do we have an accord?” She held out her hand to shake.
“Yes, Miss.” Kay said, shaking her hand, “Oh, sorry, Captain.”
#
Kay peaked out the galley door anxiously, nearly dropping the tray in his hand before it with a gasp, the stew sloshing in their rough clay bowels.
“It’s alright, love.” The ship’s cook, a sturdy-built woman with steel gray-streaked hair done up in a bun that didn’t keep a few strands from falling into her face. “I know you didn’t have the best introduction, but I’m sure they’ll be on their best behavior now.”
Kay wasn’t so sure. Sure, Captain Palmer and Cook were nice, but in his experience, on couldn’t trust most adults.
“The Captain will be out there.” Cook pointed out, “You think they’d lay a hand on you with her around?”
You’re safe with me. The words rang out in Kay’s mind. And he knew he couldn’t stay there forever.
He took a few steps out onto the ship, calling out, “Chow!”
The crew turned towards the call, several of them tying off ropes and finishing jobs to come over. “Good lad.” Mr. MacDuff told him ,ruffling his hair.
The others gathered their meals with similar sentiments, several of them even apologizing. Coming last was Captain Palmer, crouching down to get the bowl. “You eat this, ma’am?” He asked.
“What else would I eat?” Captain Palmer responded, before putting a spoonful of salt-pork-and-bean stew in her mouth.
“Don’t Captains and officers usually eat the prime stuff?” Kay asked.
“Never really been my style.” Captain Palmer said, “Take a bowl of Officer Munch. He’s up in office.” She pointed the way.
“Yes, ma’am.” Kay agreed, running up that way.
#
Officer Munch’s office was rather spartan when it came to furniture and niceties but was not wanting for maps. Map covered the walls, stacked on the table. The man himself was currently laid out on the floor, engrossed in more maps.
“Sir?” Kay asked, causing the man to leap up with a start, and causing Kay to take a few steps back. “Sorry, sir, I didn’t mean to sneak up on. Honest. The captain just wanted me to bring you supper, is all.”
“Of course, you didn’t.” Officer Munch said, taking the boy, then staring down at the maps while he ate.
Kay stared at him, curious but too nervous to speak. He didn’t want to get in trouble on his first day.
Looking up, Officer Munch smiled. “You want to look?”
“I’m sorry, sir, I really have to go—” Kay said, before turning and running the other way.
#
Captain Palmer knocked on the door of the galley, which was quickly opened by a rather surprised-looking Cook. “Captain? Wasn’t expecting you to be here at this hour.”
“I just wanted to talk to Kay for a moment.” Captain Palmer explained, “May I come in?”
A stunned Cook fumbled. “W-Of course. “Come right in. He’s on the cot in the corner.”
Captain Palmer quickly spotted Kay in the corner by the stove, laying on a thin mattress with two woolen blankets pulled over him. He must have sensed someone near because he shot up.
“Relax,” Captain Palmer soothed, crouching down next to his coat, “It’s just me. Officer Munch asked me to talk to you. He was worried about you, after the way you ran out of there.”
“He’s not mad, is he?” Kay asked, wide-eyed.
“No, he’s not mad.” Captain Palmer assured him, “No one’s mad at you. In fact, he wanted to tell you, that as long as it’s on your off time you can stop by to look at your maps anytime you like.”
The boy just stared at her, incredulous.
You never really had anyone look out for you until now, haven’t you? She thought, gently brushing back the hair that had fallen into his face again. “Now, get some sleep sailor.”
#
The rest of the journey saw Kay quickly adjust to life aboard the ship. Most of his days were spent either running around the ship on Captain Palmer’s orders, in the galley with the cook, and in his off hours, Officer Munch’s office.
“Kay!” Mr. MacDuff called out as they neared port, “Captain needs you at the helm!”
Kay quickly rushed up to the helm like lighting, finding Captain Palmer at the wheel. “Ah, there, you are.” She said, turning so one of her hands was gripping the wheel, “I need you to take the helm for me for a moment, while I radio in our location.”
Kay’s eyes widened. “I can do that?!”
“Of course,” Captain Palmer said, “Come here, I’ll help you.”
Kay tentively stepped up to the wheel.
“Okay but your hands on it like this.” Captain Palmer said, helping him to position it, “You know how we taught you about starboard and port?”
“Uh-huh,” Kay said, staring in front of him like it was a beast about to swallow him whole.
“It’s alright, you got it,” Captain Palmer hushed, “Well, you steer this way, it goes starboard, this way, the port. But we’ll need to go straight to get to Dublin, so just keep us going straight unless we’re about to hit something or a flock of birds or ship comes by. You see pirates, you shout into the horn, you understand?”
“Yes, Captain.” Kay said with a nod. After a beat he asked, “Did you have to do this? When you were Cabin Girl?”
“I did.” Captain Palmer confirmed, “And I was nervous too, the first time, but I did well, and I’m sure you’ll do fine, too.” With that she stood up, walking away.
Kay gripped the wheel for dear life, staring straight ahead. He was not going to let the captain down. Not after how kind she had been.
So far, all had been going well. Barely a cloud in the sky, let alone a flock of birds.
That was when he saw it. Upon the horizon, straight ahead, was a hulking teak-colored airship, held aloft by serval smaller helium balloons.
Their flag was black with a skull and crossbones.
His heart feeling like he was about to burst out of his chest, Kay reached for the horn, shouting into it, “Pirates off the Starboard bow! I repeat Pirates off the Starboard bow!”
Captain Palmer had been halfway back to the helm when the call came out. “At arms!” she shouted, running down the floor, “To the canons! We’re not letting them take this ship!”
“Captain!” The first mate called out as he went to the cannons, “Where are you going?!”
“I have to get Kay!” Captain Palmer shouted back.
Kay was frozen in his place, staring up fearfully as ropes came down from the ship, the pirates sliding down them. What did he do? He looked around for anything he could use to fight.
As the first cannon fired, sending its acidic, smoky smell through the air, he felt a hand on his shoulder that turned cause him to turn around with a jump.
“It’s only me.” Captain Palmer told him urgently, crouching down so that they were eye to eye, “Kay, I need you to go down to the gally and hide until we come get you.”
“But—” Kay began to protest. He couldn’t just leave them to fight! He had a duty, didn’t he?
“That’s an order.” Captain Palmer cut him off, “Now go!”
He ran off just as the first pirates hit the deck, two of them one man, one woman, ran for the captain, who was already pulling her cutlass from her scabbard. The three swords clink a loudly and they were off.
The woman pirate swerved. The captain dodged then lunged. The pirate man blocked her blow. It went on this for a good minute when Captain Palmer felt a sharp cut in her arm. She knew she had been hit.
She stumbled back but managed to regain her footing. She didn’tgive up the fight that easily. They were not taking this ship. She could hear the pirate ship’s cannons, their cannons firing back, she wasn’t sure which side was winning. No time to worry about that. The male pirate’s sword was about to land when she blocked, causing her wound to scream in pain and blood to drip onto the deck.
Suddenly she felt a sharp pain in her send, sending her to her knees. The pirates had their swords drawn, reading for the killing blow, when something hit the male, causing him to the fall to the ground. Just then, one of the crewmen grabbed the female pirate.
Captain Palmer looked up in time to see Kay, clinging to the mass, holding more projectiles in his hand.
“I tried to get to the galley, ma’am.” Kay called down, “Honest.”
That was the last thing Captain Palmer heard before everything went black.
#
She came back to consciousness slowly, first aware of the aching pain radiating throughout her body. “Ah,” She groaned, slowly managing to open her eyes. As her vision cleared, she recognized the wood-paneled walls of her quarters, and Kay sitting at the foot of her bed, his face creased with worried.
“K-Kay.” Captain Palmer groaned, struggling to get up only for pain to rip through her back, eliciting an embarrassing gasp, and causing her to fall back into the bed.
“Don’t move.” Kay told her urgently, “I’ll got get Dr. Arrow.”
The little cabin boy was out of the door before she could protest.
According to Dr. Arrow, in addition to the gash to her arm, she had sustained a mild concussion, in addition to bruised tissue and bones. She should be fine in a few weeks, in the meantime he was ordering rest and for the first mate to handle everything.
“Who’s handling the tea shipment?” Captain Palmer asked, managing to set up in the bed.
“As I just said, Mr. Avery.” Dr. Arrow said, “Now, I made my orders clear?”
“Crystal.” Captain Palmer agreed reluctantly.
“Good.” Dr. Arrow said, before taking his leave, leaving Captain Palmer and the nervous cabin boy alone.
“They would have had me if it wasn’t for you.” Captain Palmer said gratefully, “Thank you.”
“I was just doing my job, ma’am.” Kay said bashfully.
“I think we need to review what your duties are.” Captain Palmer quipped, before moving the wrong way, and gritting back a gasp of pain.
Kay jumped to his feet. “What can I do?”
“It’s fine, Kay, really.” Captain Palmer insisted, “This just isn’t going to be a pleasant few days.”
In response Kay reached out, caressing me. “It’s alright. You’re safe with me.”
Captain Palmer couldn’t help but smile, whispering, “ Yeah that’s right. I’m safe with you.”