High Upon the Aether

While her head turned about from side to side, she was more interested in listening to the people and what they were up to.. Perhaps she could hear something interesting.

That was, though, until she heard the barman speak to her which had her head turn back towards him with a light smile "Ah.. Well. Harbor news.. and perhaps some bounty news if there is any.. " Which she greatly hoped for.
 
Greg chuckled a bit. "You know why I don't let you go tinkerin with Kai. I can handle him myself, and I don't need your help with him. I built him from the ground up, though I'm beggining to regret the addition of the speaker box from that traveller a few weeks back." He didn't really regret it, it gave Kai a bit of his own personality and he enjoyed the bantering he could have with the mechanical companion. "As for the work. I suppose I could have a look at teh engines and whatnot. I might have a few extra trinkets to add in there to impropve upon their capacity. Might increase the speed of the ship and the durability of the gears and..." He began to ramble on about the things he could and would to to the engines and the ship itself.



Kai rolled up to the door and called out rather exhasperatingly. "Quit banging on the door! The master is out you forgetful thing you." However, Kai opened the door anyway and gave a mechanical little chuckle at the sight which greeted him. Rolling to the back where the torch was he called back, "Make yourself at home there Roman I guess Ill get to you with out the master." He began rustling around through Greg's pile of junk searching for the torch.
 
TEN MINUTES LATER...

Roman sat by the shop window, Harry Harcrest beside him and still cuffed to his wrist. It was the mirror of their earlier scene, only instead of a bar to stare at they had only a view of the bustling docks. And instead of a bowl of stew between them they had a disgruntled steambot fiddling with a blowtorch.

"You know... I sometimes wonder... is there more to life?"

Harry looked across at the sergeant, his expression blank.

"Sure, the Aether Watch would be lost without my valour... but still... I feel I'm meant for something more."

"Dun worry, Sir. Ah'm sure they'll be sum good criminals soon," Harry said, as if apologising for his own kind.

"Her Majesty's Navy will never have me back," Roman continued. "That's where enemy of callibre are. Chinese Privateers. Russian Skylancers. The Diesel Sharks of the Serengeti. Rogues with backbone, you know?"

Harry nodded sympathetically as little sparks flew between them.

"We had the Officer Code too, back then. It didn't matter what side you were on, or if you were black, white or yellow. If you were an officer, you got treated with respect by the enemy. You know, I once shared a glass of champagne with a Chechen Skylord? Tried to stab me with a soup spoon. But before that, he was a charming fellow. You don't get that kind of thing in the Police business. There's no code of decency. I mean, look at this..."

He swept his right hand towards the window, forgetting it was cuffed to his prisoner, and Harry yelped as his wrist was pulled into the path of the blowtorch. Kai quickly pulled it away then gave Roman a slap on the head.

"GAAGH! Ahem. Sorry, old boy." He grinned at the steambot as it resumed its work, then carried on speaking as Harry sobbed quietly beside him. "This whole port is full of island-men, Harry. Everyone keeping to themselves and scratching their own living. There's no common cause, no camaraderie. It's a rotten thing, Harry - a damned rotten thing."

There was a dull THUNK as his cuff came loose. Roman gave his wrist a rub then glanced at his prisoner. "Well, it seems our union is at an end, young Harry."

Harry's eyes widened slightly as he sensed an opening. "Er.. right... well, ah'll be off then, Sir..." He got up, edged slowly towards the door, wiped the sweat from his brow, then opened the door and waddled swiftly into the street.

Roman didn't seem to notice. He was staring off into the distance, his eyes dull and contemplative. "Maybe it's time to give up police work."

Beside him, Kai watched the fat and wheezing criminal Harry Harcrest running off down the main street. "You may be right."
 
William had listened to the exchange between the two said persons. He still wished to get some poetry of his own. Maybe inspiration could come, out of nowhere, from it. Excitement bottled up with him. He could almost just let his emotion take over and just start out in song, right there. He was almost shaking for happiness. Looking back and forth between the two, kind of interjects himself.

"How much would it be for something more than 7 stanzas?" William asked.
 
"Huh?" Richard looked over his shoulder at the man. "Er, I don't charge by stanza count. It's just a flat rate. Let's see..." He pretended to think for a moment. Hey, maybe he could get both of the things he wanted out of this. "Well, seeing as it's my first time here," he said with his best smile, "maybe you could tell me what you think you should pay me? Of course, if you have information about my brother, James, then I could give you something for free."
 
He had drawn a blank. They were both fresh off the boat artist types. Being new himself, value of currency was a fog at best. His head had almost jolted from a sudden formed idea.

"Unforgivably, I am just off the boat like yourself. I don't even know where the closet bed is at. What if I trade a recording of a song for a poem!? " William exclaimed.

The young man smiles widely.

"Perhaps I could also help you find the said person."
 
A song didn't fill his stomach, but the man looked so eager to do something that Richard agreed.

"Of course. If it wouldn't be too much trouble, how about we move somewhere a little less..." he glanced at the crowded surroundings, "hectic that this? Do you have any idea where might be quieter?"
 
He felt good, thinking he could help a fellow newcomer. William almost scowls looking around the place. He saw nothing of an immediate solution. Adjusting his glasses he shrugged.

"I am as lost as you are, friend. I have nothing to help, either. I am pretty much stuck here making a name for myself to earn a spot back." He muttered.

 
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