Patchwork Earth Book 1: Chapter 12 (Patreon)

Chapter 12

Bose had wondered if he had died and gone to heaven when he and Goto had first arrived. He’d discarded the notion quickly, but now wasn’t so sure. After all, having a curvy French lady laugh at his jokes while he ate and drank his fill was pretty close to what he hoped the afterlife had in store for him.

If only that oversized parrot would stop begging for scraps. “Go on, git!”

Nathalie flashed Bose an apologetic smile. “I am sorry.” She shook her finger at the bird. “That is a bad Sally! Do not bother our guests. Shoo!” 

The creature let out a petulant squawk and hopped onto a wooden perch that seemed custom made for her. 

The captain’s mess was smaller than Bose had expected. He supposed space was limited on any vessel, and the steady vibration of the ship’s engine reminded him this would have less room to go around than most. It wasn’t made for men as tall or bulky as him, but he didn’t complain. He left that to his stool, which protested under his weight. 

The food was better, though. It was a flavorful stew full of tubers and vegetables he didn’t recognize.

Goto and Klai ate in sullen silence, clearly not finding the experience as heavenly as Bose. Well, Goto ate quietly. Klai was picking at her food in silence. Nathalie frowned when she noticed. “Is something the matter, Klai?” 

“I don’t want to seem ungrateful, but my people can’t eat plants.” Bose thought she was overstating things, after she’d munched down a hatful of berries before, but he didn’t see it as his place to contradict her. 

Nathalie brought a hand to her mouth. “Oh dear, I did not know! I have not dined with a delphen before. We need to do something about that.” She reached for a silver bell at the center of the dark stained, oaken table and rang it twice. 

A bald human peeked his head in. He wore a faded red robe, covered by a white toga. “Aye, Captain?”

Before Nathalie could reply, Klai leapt to her feet. At least, she tried to. In the narrow confines of the cabin, she only managed to bang her knee on the table, sending grog and soup sloshing about. She let out an irritated click, but turned baleful eyes at the man. “I knew you all were Romish! Bose, Goto, that’s how they dress. This was a trap all along!”

The pale man’s brows furrowed. “Captain, what’s the matter?”

For the first time since Bose had met Nathalie, anger creeped into her face. “Klai, if I wanted you dead, you would still be out in the wastes or passing through the innards of those sandtunnelers.”

Klai avoided the captain’s gaze. “I… The Romish are the ones who drove us out of our homes.”

Nathalie nodded. “I know that sad story all too well. Unfortunately, your people’s tale is not unique. La Récompense Éternel has crewmen from all over this continent, most wronged by the Romish Imperium.” She stood and clapped the Romish man’s arm twice. “I trust Flavius with my life, and I am no friend of Nova Roma.”

Flavius shook his head. “I pray thee, judge me not for my base countrymen.”

“I’m sure that Klai didn’t mean nothin’ by it,” Bose said. “Did you?” He willed her to make nice. He was still lonesome after too long on the trail, and he didn’t want anything to spoil his chances with the captain.

“I…” The defiance melted from her eyes and she smiled weakly at the Romish man. “I apologize.”

Flavius shook his head. “I understand. Truly, I do. It is a shame that my countrymen have such a reputation, but it is well earned. The stoics tell us to accept what we cannot change, so it is simply my burden to bear.”

Nathalie clapped her hands together. “In all the excitement, I forgot why I brought you in here, Flavius. Go fetch some of the salted fish for our guests here.”

He put his hand to his chest and left with a bow.

Goto coughed to get everyone’s attention. Bose noticed it was a habit with the samurai. Either it was a nervous tic, or he’d come down with something. “Captain Delacroix, I do not mean to be ungrateful, but I am not clear how we came upon us.”

The Frenchwoman tilted her head. “Hm? We spotted you from the sky and came to help. We would do it for any lost travelers.”

Goto shook his head. “I do not question that. It has simply occurred to me that there is a great deal of desert in the Outlands, and the only item of interest is the Blessed Oasis itself. The delphens do not seem to like outsiders, so I doubt you are here to trade. What brings you out here?”

Nathalie battered her eyes at Goto. “Would you believe it is a pleasure cruise?” Bose found her smile disarming. 

Goto clearly did not. “I am afraid I would not. If I had a flying ship and I could go wherever I pleased, I would not come here in a thousand years.”

Klai looked like she was to object, but stopped herself. Bose was thankful, since Goto was being objectionable enough for the lot of them. But, he let the samurai keep going, since he was curious too. 

Nathalie leaned back and pulled on one of her silver hoop earrings. The blue stud at their lowest point flashed brightly as it caught the light through the round porthole at the back of the mess. “You underestimate the allure of the desert when you do not have to walk through it. However, I must confess that I am here on business. I am always interested when newcomers arrive in Patchwork Earth.”

“Patchwork Earth?”

“Or just Patchwork for short,” the captain added.

“It’s what the Romish call our world,” said Klai. “It’s an ugly name. We prefer Gyas.”

“That just means dirt in your tongue,” countered Nathalie. “Besides, it is appropriate for a world made of the castoff bits of other planes. Bose, Goto, you two are quite fortunate! Very few are brought to this land, and you have been given gifts that put you above most mortal men.”

“I’m not sure what you mean by gifts,” said Goto.

“Our…” Goto didn’t have the leverage to hurt Bose by stomping his foot, but he got the message. Tarnation, he’d let himself get too trusting. “Our friend here is right. We ain’t sure what you’re talking about.”

“No need to be coy with me. I am a newcomer, too. Every newcomer gets a gift. I imagine it is Goto’s sword and your gun, yes?” She scooted her chair closer to Bose and pressed against his arm. 

Bose gulped, judiciously ignoring her décolletage as she came in close. That had always been his favorite word the fancy women in New Orleans taught him. He forced his mind off of those pleasant memories and flashed her a confident grin. “Sorry, ma’am. A fella’s got to have a few secrets.”

“Good, I am glad to see you are not a fool.” Nathalie straightened back up. “Trust nobody, Bose. There are predators in this world, and not just beasts.”

Klai rolled her black eyes. “Newcomer? Worldwalker is such a better name. You humans have no poetry.”

“And you delphens seem to have no manners. Stop interrupting!” Nathalie waved her off. “Regardless, it is one of the quirks of Patchwork. The force that brings us here tries to make to make you the best version of yourself.”

Bose leaned in, seeing a chance to drive the conversation. “What did bring us here?”

Nathalie shrugged. “That is the great question that keeps the philosophers and magicians up at night. Some rogue god? A mistake in the plan of the universe? I do not know. Frankly, I prefer to explore this wonderful place than worry about why I am here.”

Goto steepled his fingers. “You keep dodging the question. You still have not said what brought you out here.”

Nathalie giggled coquettishly. “You have your secrets, and I have mine. I don’t see where it matters. Don’t you agree, Bose?” She batted her eyes at him. 

That was finally too blatant for Bose to ignore. “Ma’am, we have two expressions back home. You don’t look a gift horse in the mouth, but y’all shouldn’t trust Greeks bearing gifts. The way I see it, they cancel out. We’re mighty grateful for the assist, but I also have to wonder why you happened to be in the right place at the right time.” 

“La Récompense Éternel is an exploratory vessel,” she replied. “There is a treasure I am searching for. Finding you was truly dumb luck, though you might doubt it. Well…” She gestured in the direction of the door to the mess. “Dumb luck with some help. Some time ago, I purchased a device that can detect newcomers. It has not given a reading in many years. When I saw two at the same time, I was not going to pass up the chance to meet you both.”

Klai’s frown deepened at the slight, but she didn’t say anything.

Bose and Goto’s eyes met. The samurai nodded. Bose took that to mean that he trusted the explanation as well. “What is this treasure?”

“Well…” Captain Delacroix’s words were cut off as Flavius returned with a covered tray. “Thank you, Flavius! Why the long face? Surely it wasn’t that hard finding the barrel.”

“No, Captain,” the Romish man said as he placed the silver tray at the center of the table. “I overheard a commotion from the engine room. I think you ought to investigate.”

Nathalie frowned. “And you did not check first why?”

“I got… that is, if it is an emergency, I thought telling you first took priority.”

She blew a strand of black hair out of her eyes with an annoyed grunt. “As much as I am enjoying myself, a captain’s work is never done. I will be back shortly.”

Klai let out a startled squeak. “Emergency?”

“No, no, I am sure it is nothing. I’ll be right back. Sally, you stay right there.” She was playing with her earring again, which Bose took to be a nervous tick.

Before any of them could object, Nathalie and Flavius had slammed the door behind them. Sally squawked an objection, but went back to scratching and pecking at her body with her beak. 

As soon as they were alone, Klai let out a sustained sigh from her blowhole. “We need to get off this ship as soon as possible! That woman is not to be trusted.”

Bose blinked twice. “Huh?”

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