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Adventures on the Lost Continent (Midnight Lass x Blood Red Romeo)

"Welkin's pharmacy," the pleasant voice of an older man answered. "Mr. Gower speaking. How may I help you today?"
 
“Hello, this is Captain James Orson. I’m calling to contact a customer of yours, a Dr. Tamra Wilson. Is she there?” he asked, glad to be speaking to someone seemed to be friendly.
 
"Dr. Winston...Dr.Winston..." Mr. Gower muttered, then shouted out, "Gladys, do we know a Dr. Winston? A lady Dr. Winston?"

"She's that nice dark American who picks up donuts and eats at the lunch counter sometimes," a female voice shouted back. "Works for the University. You know her, she was in here today."

"Right, right," Mr. Gower answered. "Sorry, she's not here right now. Lunch counter is closed for the day. But I'm sure if you give the switchboard operator at the University a call, they can at least take a message for you."
 
“Okay. Thank you very much,” he said politely before hanging up. She had said that she was going to be coming back to the airship after meeting with Vu. However, it was reasonable that she might make a stop at the university. If she did, that’d be the most convienebt place for her to search.

He used the directory to find the number for the university and placed the call. He asked the person on the other line to redirect him to Dr. Wilson’s department.
 
"Dr. Wilson isn't scheduled for any lectures this afternoon," the secretary advised him. "She might be in one of the restoration or storage rooms. However, if you're wanting to contact her personally, I would be quick about it. She's on indefinite leave effective immediately. I suspect that means she has an expedition lined up. That's what that usually means, when a member of our department goes on indefinite leave."

A tap on Orson's shoulder was followed by Tamra's voice saying, "You looking for me? The twins and Miharu suggested you might be down here. Well, between Ninah and Cimonah arguing. Apparently, it takes them time to get into synch when they start a new project. Anyway, I told you I'd be back at the airship as soon as I got done. No need to try to track me down."
 
“Ah, sorry,” he said, gingerly rubbing the back of his neck. “The twins put in a request, so I thought I’d call you since it’s might be easier to do it before you came back. But clearly that didn’t work,” he explained with a small laugh.

“First, how was Vu? Was she interested in the offer?” he first asked. “And the twins have requested we have a mathematician join the crew. Apparently they believe having one will allow for a wider range of projects.”
 
"Well, Vu wants to go, but this is going to be different than with the twins or Mahiru.. We're not talking about just talking to a single guardian. I'm having to negotiate with a representative of the family. And before you ask, Orson," Tamra continued, holding up a hand, "No, it wouldn't help if you tried to step in and tell them Vu wants go to so they need to say their goodbyes. I'm not sure I'll be able to get her onboard and, quite frankly, Orson, you'd kill the deal before it even starts. Seriously, there are cultural mines in place that you'd trip all over. Why don't we head back to the airship and I'll talk to you about the rest?"

As the pair made their way back to the Midnight Curse, Tamra continued. "I got back in the middle of the argument between the twins. They both decided that they need a dedicated mathematician to take care of the Analytical Engine they installed on the Midnight Curse. I personally think either of them could make that Engine jump through hoops, but that's just my opinion. Unfortunately, both of them are convinced that they need a specific mathematician from the University. The one Ninah wants is an old relic who looks like a stiff wind would blow him apart. The one Cimonah wants has the nickname Creeper, which is why I suspect Simonah really doesn't know him that well. And bringing another man on the ship besides you would be a deal breaker with Safa. And I don't know anybody in the University's Mathematics department, other than I'm pretty sure than not even the Mathematics department's secretary is female. So, I'll see if I can either find someone who can fit into Captain James' all girl crew, or I'll convince the twins they really don't need a mathematician."

"And on a cheerier note, I grabbed a copy of the Evening Edition of the Island News. You know Eduardo Chavez, the Polynesian Air Pirate? The British Fleet captured him and his crew, somewhere near the Cook Islands. So that's the last of the great Air Pirates incarcerated. One bit of good news, right?" Tamra asked with a shrug.
 
“I’m in agreement with you on the subject of Vu. I would definitely not be good at talking parents into letting their daughter sail the skies. It only worked with Dandy and Tarloff because they knew me,” he admitted. Orson was not a great diplomat. He was an explorer, a soldier, and a pilot, but he was not a statesman. He tried his best when he had to with varying results.

“I’m with you. No one nicknamed Creeper allowed on the ship. That should be a new rule,” he agreed. He also smiled at her comment about the all girl crew. It was funny how it had turned out that way. Though her way of phrasing it made him sound just a bit like a creeper himself. But with Asafa signed on, that had become an ironclad rule. Hopefully one that wouldn’t turn against him.

“That’s excellent news. We don’t need people like that running free.” Orson was always glad to hear that pirates had been captured. Too many good people had lost their lives to them. Plus he was now an explorer, a career very susceptible to pirates. So self-interest played a part in his joy. “Now we just have to wait and see how long until someone tries to fill the space.”

“There might be someone. I can ask around a bit myself as well. My friend on the police tends to know a lot about interesting people in town. As to Vu, I leave the matter entirely up to you. I’ll help you as best I can if you need, but I trust you to be in charge of it.” This was the first real job he had given Tamra as his second in command. He hoped it worked out for them.
 
"I'll let you know about Vu," Tamra assured him. "And I'll calm down the twins, letting them know we're both working on the problem with the mathematician. And to be honest, I really don't think this Analytical Engine isn't anything the twins can't handle. After all, they installed it. Anything else we need to work on?"
 
“Could you make sure everyone knows that we’re going to have a crew meeting tomorrow to discuss some important things in regards to the expedition? I’m going to go back and make sure everything I need is ready,” he told her. “And Tamra, thanks for everything you’ve done. You’re pretty incredible.” Instead of going to the bridge like she was, he went to the Captain’s Quarters. So much to do, so little time.
 
Tamra nodded and head up to the bridge. Miharu had headed to the armory, to get the guns, knives and other weapons in order and secured. The twins were arguing nonstop, which Tamra decided must have been what drove Miharu off the bridge.

"Enough!"

Ninah and Cimonah stopped in mid-sentence, staring open mouthed and wide eyed at Tamra.

"Sorry, Dr. Winston, it's just that...." one of the twins began, before Tamra waved her quiet.

"Before I begin, do you two have any other problems besides someone running the computer?"

The twins looked at each other before shaking their heads and answering in unison, "No, Dr. Winston."

"And the next question, I want a yes or no answer. No argument, okay?" Tamra emphasized, "Just yes or no, okay?"

The twins nodded solemnly.

"If we can't get a mathematician that both of you agree on, and one that's good for all of the crew, can both of you handle that computer?"

The twins nodded, but one started to answer, "Yes, but..."

Tamra waved the sister silent. "Captain James and I will try to get you a mathematician, but if all else fails, I know you can handle it. Okay?"

"Yes, Doctor Winston," the twins answered solemnly.

"Okay, now that that's settled, I'd like to take a tour of the bridge, but I need to go down to the docks to make a few phone calls," Tamra said.

"Oh you can make that call here, Dr. Winston," Ninah explained.

Tamra look confused. "You can make a telephone call from the bridge? Why didn't Captain James do that?"

"He didn't ask," Nina began, "And we didn't..."

"...know he was going to make a phone call," Cimonah continued, "Until you showed up..."

"...and we guessed where he went. Or offered multiples guesses. Anyway, the cable..."

"...that runs to the airship and connects us to the dock's generator, well, we ran another line..,."

"...to hook us up to the exchange. Well, just temporarily. But you can make your calls..."

"...from there," one twin concluded, pointing to the bridge's communication station.

Tamra took a seat at the communications console and, after a few minutes of instruction, made her first call to Safa. After a few exchanges in Bangla and, after an exasperated sigh, agreed to what Safa was asking. She then told Safa about the meeting tomorrow, and the woman agreed to be there.

Four steamer trunks of stuff, Tamra thought, shaking her head. Well, the twins undoubtedly knew where to store stuff.

The next two calls were to Ayisha and Bianca . As chance would have it, Bianca was visiting Ayisha at the doctor's boardinghouse. The two were discussing what exactly the sickbay of the Midnight Curse needed. Tamra told the two of the crew meeting tomorrow, and both agreed to be there.

Tamra would have liked to give Vu a call, but the telephony exchange had barely begun to reach into the City's Eastern Quarter or Asian Town. Safa's lineage had gotten a telephone to her house and shop. Vu's family didn't rate such a courtesy.

The next call she made was to a friend in the University's Mathematics department, who had helped in the past in mapping out potential underground sites and other ways a trained mathematicians can help an archaeological dig. When she outlined what she needed, her friend said he couldn't think of anyone off the top of his head, but he'd asked around.

"We're working on it," she assured. "Okay, now that I got all the calls out of the way, why don't you show me all the innovations you've put on Captain James' ship?"

With an air of excitement, the twins began showing how the scope for the radio detection device worked.

* * * * *

At the entrance of the city's General Hospital, a wasp that had not flown for more than two thousand years made its way through an opening door.

* * * * *

In a small room above a restaurant on the edge of Asian Town, whose cuisine attracted patrons from other sections of the city, Vu was talking with her cousin Qui about her dream of serving as a chef on an airship and going to exotic places. Qui told her cousin she wouldn't mind the same dream. Both girls knew they would probably never leave the city, and be married off to the advantage of their family, but it was still a nice dream.

* * * * *

In a small room in the Mathematics Department, one of the custodial staff was taking her break in a lecture hall. She was looking at a very complex problem on the board and scribbling on her notepad furiously. When her boss came in, she put away her notepad and went back to work.

* * * * *

Somewhere between the City, the Lost Continent, and the Other Side of the world, two young ladies were sitting in an aeroplane. Aeroplanes were a new technology to begin with, but this one was unique. It was an aeroplane whose wheels had been replaced by floats. In addition, there were hooks on the top surface of the aeroplane's wings, though what purpose the hooks served were anybody guesses.

The plane was halfway on a tropical beach, and halfway in the water.

Both women were wearing coveralls, gathered around a large, metal makeshift kettle over a fighter. The Polynesian woman turned to the Mediterranean woman and said, "That should get us up and running, boss. So what should we do now?"

"Now," the woman who was obviously in charge answered, "We go get ourselves a new airship."
 
Orson was in his room, pouring over charts and documents. Some were obtained from others, some were made by himself. They outlined the best course of action that they had. He also gave a heavy sigh. Tomorrow was coming. He would be honest with them, something that may not end well. He expected at least one person to back out. He hoped no one would, but they were only human. He imagined that tomorrow would make the situation seem far more real. Still, he would not hide the truth from them. Orson wasn’t a diplomat. He wasn’t able to move great crowds or make massively complex plans. He’d never make it as an admiral. But he wasn’t out to be an admiral. He was a Captain.

——————

The next day came. As the sun rose, so did Orson. He gathered up everything he had prepared and went to the bridge, pausing briefly to grab some food from the pantry. He was a bit saddened as he remembered his conversation with Tamra about Vu and how she might not be able to serve on the ship.

A cook wasn’t necessary, it was true. So many foods were preserved that it’d be possible to live off of that for years. But those foods were bland and samey. There was little joy in eating them. Joy. It was one of those things people take for granted. That wasn’t to say lives were easier. Many people worked hard to maintain their lives, plenty working just as hard if not harder than those that served on ships. But there were options for things to do. They could buy new food, talk to new people, find something enjoyable. Orson had been prepared for the boredom of his first voyage. In many ways, it was dangerous to the health of a crew. So while they weren’t a necessity, good food and a good story were more valuable than many realized.

With those thoughts in his head, he arrived at the bridge and began to setup. It would still be some time until everyone arrived. He’d spend the rest of the time getting ready. There’s no such thing as too much preparation.
 
Tamra was the first to arrive on the bridge for the meeting. After the Captain, of course. She had brought her own charts and a couple of notebooks from her visit to the Lost Continent.

"I'll be able to give you an answer on Vu tonight," Tamra said, as she walked on the bridge. "And no progress on getting a mathematician.." Looking out the forward window, she added, "And Safa won't be taking off the veil, not while we're docked. Just so you know. Dr. Motwani and Nurse Costa will be running late. They're picking up last minute supplies for sickbay. Miharu was right behind me. They're a gym right next to the armory. And that girl really, really, really likes her swords and knives. And the twins are making some last minute adjustments somewhere below us."

"By the way, did you see the story this morning on the Polynesian Air Pirate? Supposedly his daughter escaped in an aeroplane, with the aeroplane's mechanic no less," Tamra repeated.
 
“Safa is welcome to wear it whenever she likes. It doesn’t bother me at all,” Orson replied. He wondered how much hatred she had received for clothing since arriving in the city. She seemed oddly quick to promise it’s removal or explain it. Of course, that was mere speculation on his part.

“Those two don’t need to rush too much. Based on my current plans, I want takeoff to happen in two weeks, though that may move depending on everyone’s needs. Though I do appreciate the haste. Better to have done now rather than right before launch.”

“As to the pirate, I hope she’s learned from her father’s mistakes. And if not, I hope she gets shot down.” Orson didn’t even attempt to hide his disdain for the people. He really hated sky pirates. Granted, a decent number of those pirates hated him, which was understandable. He was the one that caused the Midnight Curse after all. He wondered if they ever talked about that.

“As to the meeting, I’ll be making the regular sort of announcements and make sure everyone knows of your new position. Then I’ll be outlining the plan for the expedition, and then a few final touches at the end. You mind discussing your own experiences after I’ve finished?”
 
"I was about to ask you the same thing," Tamra replied. "For example, Midnight Curse seems an odd name for an airship."
 
“Oh, right. I guess that you wouldn’t know about that,” Orson said, turning his attention towards her. “It’s kind of an old story at this point. But do you remember Blake Kingston? He was one great air pirates. He famously had a large fleet that he was able to use in lightning fast raids and attacks, then vanish like it was nothing. He popped up all over the place, very hard to track. But then he died suddenly eleven years ago with most of his fleet.” Orson raised his hand in the air. “Yeah, that was me.”

“It was actually an accident combined with idiocy and dumb luck. See, when I was fourteen, I ran away from home, signed up with a crew that wasn’t exactly concerned about age. That’s actually where I met Dandy, Tarloff, Doc and Eddie. Three years into my time there, we’re on this simple job in Peru. We had been delayed, so we didn’t get to the location we were headed for until night, and even then we got it wrong. It was a new moon, so it was completely dark out. A few of us were sent to scout, see if we could figure out where the hell we were and if we could find the town we were supposed to go to.”

“So we’re out there, wandering around, trying to find something, when we see a glow through the jungle. We think it’s the light of the town. We pass through and it’s a clearing full of completely unsavory types all in a big camp. Everyone freezes for a few seconds. We see the flag of Kingston, they see a random group of airship crew members in the middle of the jungles of Peru in the middle of the night. Then a bullet is fired. It didn’t hit anyone, but then everything happened.”

“People started yelling and grabbing weapons. All of us turn and run like crazy. Dandy was there and he gives the order to split. We all run in different direction, going back to the ship in indirect paths. It’s so we’re harder to follow and if people are caught up with, only one person dies, not the entire team.”

“So then you have me. Seventeen, reckless, and wanting to prove myself. In the chaos, I hide instead of running. In the dark, I’m completely passed by their group. I instead run back for their camp, eventually finding where their ships are docked. There’s eleven of them. Fast ones with powerful guns. We are absolutely screwed if they pursue us. So I decide to stop them.”

“I find some explosives, dynamite they had for some reason. Probably for an attack on the town we were going to. I bundle them up, soak the wicks in vodka, and add some match tips for a bit extra. Then I put it in one of the ship’s engines. All the while, people are running and trying to get organized. Of course, it takes time for them to do that. Problem with such a large group. I end up getting eight of these makeshift bombs in engines before they start to take off. I probably should’ve run at this point, but I didn’t.” Orson pauses here to laugh at his own insanity. He really had been crazy back then.

“I board one of their ships. Though I was at least smart enough to get on one of the ones I didn’t put a bomb on. I move towards the bridge, somehow avoiding detection. Luckily, it wasn’t built like this bridge. One door. One way in, one way out. I wait until we’re airborne, and then I move in, shooting the pilot in the head. There are three others in the room. I get two more before they can draw their guns, but the third guy gets me in the shoulder.” He raised his hand, tapping the spot of the old wound. He still remembered how badly it hurt. That had been his first real gunfight. It was also the first time he killed someone.

“I lock the door so no one else can get in, but I’m not sure what to do at this point. I’m bleeding, running on pure adrenaline, and in charge of a ship full of people that want to kill me. Still, I know I’m not just going to lay down and die. So I head to wheel. And it turns out that was how long it took for the engine to heat up enough for the wicks to catch on fire. I’m watching out the window when the first explosion happens. Then another. Then another. These things were built to take gunfire, not internal bombs. Ships are starting to fall, heading to the ground. Then I see one of the other ships near the one I’m on and this one isn’t exploding. So I do what any idiot ready to die in a blaze of glory would: I crash my ship into theirs.” Orson stopped again, letting it sink in. He wondered what Tamra must think of her captain at this point.

“And honestly, my memory after that is blank. When I woke up, I was in the medical bay on our ship. I had survived the crash, but had gotten badly hurt in the process. Combine that with the bullet in my arm and I probably should have died. But it turns out Eddie had insisted on going back to check out the explosions. He and Dandy had found and rescued me. Then Doc operated on me. Saved my arm and my life. Of the eleven ships in Kingston’s fleet, I had taken out ten of them. Though it wasn’t a complete victory. Our scouting party was ten people. Only Dandy and one other made it back. The rest had been caught by the pirates.”

“Anyway, the last ship had run away when the other ships started blowing up and crashing into each other. They got back to the port and started telling people about it. Since no one knew there had been a stowaway and pirates can be a superstitious bunch, they began saying it was a curse that Kingston had brought on. Apparently they had raided a tomb of some sorts earlier that day. For dramatic effect, they said the explosions started exactly at midnight. So people started calling the incident the Midnight Curse.”

“We stuck around and finished the job, though I was in bed the entire time. When we got back, people started talking, mostly about their insane and crazy lucky rookie that had killed Kingston. People eventually caught on and learned what had happened, but the name still stuck. I was a minor celebrity in that port while we were there. I had more than one round of drinks bought for me.”

“As to why the ship is called The Midnight Curse, it was my idea for self promotion. I was hoping that it would make me seem more credible, make people want to work for the guy who killed Kingston. Turns out it didn’t work out in the end. I’m considering changing it, but it looks bad to change a ship’s name without going on a single mission with it. Makes a person look indecisive, especially for a new captain.” Orson watched his second in command nervously. Hopefully she didn’t think he was too insane to work for now.
 
Tamra remained silent for more than a few moments before speaking.

"Most people mistake me for American," Tamra began. "I did grow up in Canada, but my mother's family was from the southern United States. Her meeting with my father is another story. As a citizen of the Commonwealth, I have the almost ingrained disdain for pirates in general and air pirates in general that citizens of the Commonwealth have, though a good deal of us tend to overlook the fact that historical figures such as Francis Drake were considered by brigands to the rest of the world."

"Americans have a different take on pirates, I think in part because how pirates like Jean Lafitte figure into their history," Tamra continued. "My own father was Donald Turnsby's top fighting man on the Liberty's Beacon whom, like John Brown's raiders, were considered fighters for liberty or the unnecessary instigators of the four bloodiest years in the history of the United States of America, depending on how one's ancestors fared in the aftermath of the American Civil War. My own family history leans me toward the former interpretation," Tamra added with a wan smile.

"Colonel Mosby's Raider used an airship occasionally, the Gray Ghost, and I am told that his effectiveness made more than a few Union generals believe that Mosby had made a deal with the Devil himself."

Tamra laughed and apologized. "Sorry, Orson, I didn't mean to go off on a tangent. The danger of talking to any academic, I suppose. At any rate, considering the city we are all gathered in, I believe you will find all your crew has been touched by the activities of air pirates,, though I doubt any as significantly as yours have. Doctor Motwani even mentioned once to me about sharing a form with the daughter of an air pirate once a boarding school. At any rate, I am proud to be aboard the Midnight Curse, and made more proud because of her history."

"Speaking of Dr. Motwani, I was going to warn you about being overly familiar with her when addressing her, or referring to her in conversation," Tamra began. "She's a very lovely woman and, from what I heard and seen, an outstanding physician and researcher, but her obtaining her medical degree wasn't easy. In addition, well, she's very, very British, and it takes some time before she feels comfortable with the use of her given name in conversation."

Tamra looked to be about to say something more, when there were several arrivals into the bridge. The twins arrive in coveralls, happily discussing some recent technical innovation in unison, followed by Miharu. They were followed by Bianca, Ayisha and Safa, with Ayisha and Safa talking in an unknown language. Safa had boarded the ship in a long flowing dress, her hair covered with a scarf and her face veiled.

"Nurse Costa and I finished earlier than I thought," Ayisha explained, "And on our way here, we met Miss Basta and her escorts. We've been having a lovely discussion in Marathi. Or I should say Miss Basta has, and I've been trying to keep up. I haven't spoken Marathi regularly since I was a little girl." Ayisha said something to Safa in the language they had been using, which made Safa put her hand over her mouth to stifle a giggle.

"We've all been assembled, Captain James," Tamra began, switching to a more formal tone. "What now?"
 
“It might surprise you to know she’s not the only Brit on board,” Orson remarked. It was true, he had grown up in Newcastle. But his family and been a rough working class one. The type who lacked the famed British stuffiness, though no less prideful. Most couldn’t tell that was where Orson was from. After all, he had left half a lifetime ago. Traveling and working with so many people had helped to shape his accent into the unique mess that came along with every sentence he said.

With everyone on board, they all moved around, forming a circle around the table with all of the charts. He looked around, admiring the beautiful and talented women he had assembled. This group of people would be able to conquer the secrets of the lost continent. He felt it.

“Welcome everyone,” he said with a smile. “I have brought you all together for a few reasons today. The first is an ego boost for myself at having actually formed a crew,” he joked, but then he became a bit more serious. He also made sure to take regular pauses to allow Tamra to translate for Safa. “We are the entire crew of The Midnight Curse. I will be going over some important information relevant to all of us in preparation of our upcoming journey. I’d like to ask that everyone let me say everything in order, saving comments and questions for after the fact. It’ll help things by keeping them from getting off track.”

“The first thing I want to tell you is that Dr. Tamra Wilson has been appointed as my second-in-command. This does not mean I think her more valuable than any of you, just that I think it being a job she is the most well suited for. If something happens to me, she is the new Captain.” That was the first somber note of the meeting, but it wouldn’t be the last.

“Now, I am fully aware The Midnight Curse is a strange name for a ship. To most, I doubt you’ve even heard of the event it takes its name from. I figure it’s something all of you, as its crew, should know.” He proceeded to tell the same story he had just told Tamar, though he was less awkward about it having already warmed up about it. He also hope this conveyed why he struggled to hate Eddie. The man had saved his life.

Once the story was done, he looked around at the faces of his crew, wondering what their reaction to their captain’s antics would be. Still, he had plenty more to say. So he continued. “Now, we need to discuss the actual mission itself.” He unfurled a map of the region of the lost continent they would be traveling to. “This right here is where we’re going, at least initially. Our first goal is searching for a local contact. Tamra thinks she may have one, so we’ll do our best to track them down. From there, we’ll be looking for the local cure for the disease Chimera’s Bite. The reasons we do this is three fold. First, a friend of man has contracted the disease. This expedition is the only chance at him surviving. Second, it is widespread enough among people who visit the lost continent that there is a genuine fear that one of us will catch it. I want a cure before we need it. I’m sure our medical professionals would agree with that,” he said, nodding towards Ayisha and Bianca. “Finally, for the non-sentimental of you, this cure is highly sought after. If we can find it and negotiate a deal with a pharmaceutical company, we would certainly be able to turn quite the profit on the entire expedition.”

“After that, we have the real journey,” he began, his own excitement leaking into his words. “I am sure most of you know this, but in case not, let me explain why exploration of the lost continent has yet to happen.” He pointed at the mountains on the map in front of them. “These are called the Blue Mountains. They run a circle around the entire interior of continent, varying from twenty to thirty miles inland of the coast. These mountains are tall, making passing over them at that altitude dangerous in itself. But the nickname for the mountains is the Circle of Storms. That is because the upper parts of every mountain is covered in an incredibly dangerous thunderstorm. Blistering wind, sleet and snow, and far too much lightning. No ship alive could handle that for as long as needed.”

“That’s why we’ll be going through one of the only ways through the mountain range. The so called ‘Graveyard Pass.’ It’s a winding narrow pass between the mountains. Due to the storms, there constant wind blowing through the place, enough to knock off course any ship that’d be small enough to enter it. But it’s not impossible. With my piloting skills and the modifications made by the de la Vegas, I’m certain we’ll make it past. From there, we are flying completely blind. That’s where the expedition truly begins.”

He paused again, letting everyone process what he had just told them. Then he continued to the last part. “Before we can depart, there is one thing everyone needs to do. We will all need to create an updated version of our will.” This was when the conversation turned dark. But as optimistic as Orson was, he also needed to be practical. “I am confident that I will be able to guide everyone to safety. But unpredictable things happen. We need to know what to do should something happen. Make sure to designate who should be informed upon your passing as well as who or what shall receive your cut of profits. Everyone on board will be getting an equal cut of money made on the venture. Even if you don’t make back, you will have earned it.”

“Once you’ve completed it, please deliver it to Miharu who I must ask to take these to Damdy. I called him last night and he agreed to keep them for us as the most trustworthy person I know.” He let this whole thing sink in. The life of adventure sounded fun and romantic. This was the part where the real danger of the situation usually sank in. “Finally, you are all free to withdraw from the crew at any time before departure. You forfeit any cut of the final profit and cannot request payment for services rendered to the crew while you were on board.” He then stepped back from the table, letting everyone know he was done.
 
The assembled crew was fairly somber with the briefing, but Bianca seemed to be the only one who was truly unsettled by it. The rest had had their brushes with mortality more than once in their young lives. Safa seemed almost philosophical when you said, "Mani raka."

"Why don't we take a break and let everything settle in?" Tamra announced. The others quickly nodded, with Ayisha putting an arm around Bianca's shoulders, leading her toward the airship's exit while quietly talking to her.

"We need to go try to track down..." Nina began

"...an interruption to the feed to the radio detection device," Cimonah completed. With that, the two disappeared, tugging the agile Miharu with them.

"I already have one of those forms on file with the University, from my previous expedition to the Lost Continent, though the only earthly treasures that were going to be forwarded to my parents in the event of my earthly demise were a few books and some office supplies," Tamra explained with a wry smile.

Safa chose that moment to say something, which Tamra translated. "She wants to know if there is somewhere that the three of us can have a private conversation."
 
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“Well, I was going to say hopefully there will be more for them this time, but that’s completely wrong. I hope and will do everything in my power so that I never have to learn what’s in those wills,” he replied. He hoped they understood the situation better now. He had heard of crews sugar coating their briefings in the past, a practice he fundamentally disagreed with. These were people’s lives. They needed to know what they were risking. It would be wrong to mislead them.

“Of course,” he told Safa, gesturing for the two to follow him. He led out of the bridge, down the hall, and into the Captain’s Quarters. “I hope you don’t mind using my room. No one else will come here. What do you want to talk about?”
 
Safa said something to Tamra, who translated it for Orson. "Safa says whatever your...timetable, sorry, not a word that comes up often in Bangla," Safa apologized, "Whatever your timetable for leaving, you need to move it up."

"Kichu dikaira haya," Safa said. The words sounded harsh, especially so considering how musical her normal speech sounded.

"Something is hunting," Tamra translated darkly.
 
Orson paused. That sounded bad. Very bad. Considering the situation st hand, he began to weigh various options. “I was planning to leave in two weeks...” he muttered. Loading, prepping, all sorts of processes. Annoyingly, it took time to ready a ship that had been at port for so long. He still needed to fuel up for it as well.

“Three days,” he said. “Is that enough time? Or do we need to leave even sooner?”
 
Tamra translated to Safa, who considered the number then nodded.

"I'll have an answer for our cook tonight, and I'll either get a mathematician for the twins, or convince them they don't need one," Tamra added. "From her reaction concerning the briefing, I don't know if Bianca is staying or not, but I'm pretty sure the rest are. I'll make sure everyone has what they need to turn in to Miharu. Also, I may have to put a lock on the library." When she saw the confused look on Orson's face, she added with a laugh, "All my Arabian tasles are the unedited versions that Sir Burton brought back, not the ones that are cleaned up for our school students. Trust me, the original ones are fairly spicy!"

After laughing at her own joke, she added, "I'll also go see where Dr. Motwani is with Nurse Costa, and get back to you sometime this evening."
 
At first, Orson wondered why erotic stories would need to be locked up. Then, perverted bastard he secretly was, he got completely distracted by the idea of Tamra reading erotic stories. He really was weak willed in certain situations.

“I’ll leave Vu to you. If you need to offer them something reasonable to get her on board, go for it. I’d take a pay cut to get her on board,” he explained. “If you do get her, immediately start having her plan a menu using preserved goods. We’ll need to get the ingredients list to Tarloff tomorrow if we’re leaving in three days. As to Bianca, make sure she knows that she will mostly he working on or only immediately around the ship. She will not be expected to go on the deep expeditions or scouting missions. It might make her feel safer. But also make sure she knows no one will judge her if she needs to back off. I don’t want to pressure someone into this.”

He was almost done, but then he got an idea. Possibly a bit crazy and more than a little chance of failure, but they weren’t working with a timeframe that allowed exclusively well thought out plans. “Can you let me look for a mathematician? You’ve got a ton to do already. It wouldn’t be suitable for me to let you handle everything.”
 
"Well, I made a call to a friend of mine in the Mathematics Department, but so far I have had no luck," Tamra said with a shrug. "So if you have an idea about how to go about this, I'd certainly appreciate it."

Safa said something, and Tamra nodded.

"Safa said if you have no objections, she'll go ahead and begin moving on board the Midnight Curse. I'll help her with the papers."

"And I'm only half joking about locking the library," she laughed. "The Books of Chilam Balam might be dry reading for a non-archaeologist, and the Hagakure would only appeal to a true warrior, but the unadulterated versions of A Thousand and One Nights or the Seven Voyages of Sinbad are definitely tomes we wouldn't want to expose our more naive crew members to the Middle Eastern literature Sir Richard Burton brought back!"
 
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