Early next morning Thunderchild set out with Domino and Nagy to the Patricians Palace, he wore a cloak with a hood so that no-one would recognise him. He hoped to make a quiet journey over to the Patricians Palace.

Of course, people recognised Nagy and Domino and there were cheers and waves at them as they passed, sadly…many people seemed scared of Domino and shied away from her when she went to speak to them.

"The people around here have long memories and no discretion…you're a genome…they fear you."

Domino sighed

"Don't worry…I'm used to it…the genome race hasn't exactly been popular with people."

Thunderchild nodded

"Neither was the Klatchian Army…"

"What do you mean?" she asked

"He means it took him a while to adjust to life in Ankh-Morpork…" said Nagy

Domino nodded

"I think I know what you mean."

They walked to the end of God street and then turned right onto Widdershins Broadway.

"Seems odd to think that only two days ago we were fighting for our lives," said Nagy

Thunderchild just nodded

"And I was still a slave to Jara…" said Domino

Again, Thunderchild just nodded

"Look…you've hardly said a word since we left…what's wrong now?" asked Nagy

Thunderchild sighed and leaned against the street wall.

"I fear our battle isn't over…"

"What do you mean 'isn't over'! Jara is dead!"

Thunderchild shook his head

"I don't think she is…You can't kill her that easily…"

" 'That easily'? Thunderchild…that battle nearly killed you and Domino…it wasn't easy, far from it."

Domino just looked at Thunderchild while Nagy created a storm of protest.

"You really believe that don't you?" she asked

"I fear so." He replied

Domino shook her head

"But…Dragon Trance…and the Palace…how could she have escaped…?"

Thunderchild shrugged and continued walking down Widdershins Broadway past the turning into Lower Broadway and then onto Turnwise Broadway which lead them to the Patricians Palace.

"I just sense trouble ahead…a lot of it…our ordeal isn't over." He warned

Domino nodded

"I understand…I feel it too…but I thought it was the ordeal of getting home."

Thunderchild shrugged again.

"Either way…we've got to get to Klatch."

As he said that they arrived outside the Patricians Palace, Thunderchild was surprised to see Captain Carrot on duty outside, normally it was the Palace Guard who patrolled the outside of the Patricians Palace…but not today it seemed.

Thunderchild went to walk into the Palace but Carrot reached out and stopped him.

"I'm sorry but I can't let you through."

Thunderchild pulled back his hood, revealing his face to Carrot

"It's ok…it's me, I need to speak to the Patrician…it's quite urgent,"

Carrot saluted him.

"And none of that please Carrot…it's bad enough with people bowing at me everywhere I go…"

"Oh…ok, sir…if you'd like to follow me I'll take you to the Patrician."

They followed Carrot through the corridors of the Patricians Palace, there had been some damage sustained by the palace but many people were hard at work repairing it.

"How's Angua?" Nagy asked Carrot

"She'll be fine thank you…we all will be. I'm sorry we didn't manage to send many reinforcements…Jara had destroyed the clacks network so we were unable to signal…we've managed to get a limited system running again now…it'll be a while before the proper network is running again."

Nagy nodded

"That's ok…in the event we didn't really need reinforcements…the people at the bottom distracted Jara enough to get us in."

Carrot nodded

"Yes…I've heard about your raid at the Palace…and this," he turned to Domino "Must be the Domino I've heard so much about."

Domino raised an eyebrow

"Depends who you've heard it from." She replied

Carrot laughed

"All good things do not worry…I am pleased to have finally met you…the story of you and Thunderchilds adventures on Gaia have been doing the rounds of the city quite quickly…out on the beat with Corporal Nobbs you tend to hear quite a few things."

Thunderchild laughed loudly

"With Nobby…yeah, I should imagine you hear quite a few things!"

Carrot frowned and carried on walking.

Before long they reached the doors which lead into the Oblong office, the two city watch officers on duty either side of the door saluted Carrot as he knocked.

"Enter." Came a dry voice from the other side of the door.

Carrot opened the door and walked in, saluting the Patrician.

"Thunderchild, Nagy and Domino to see you sir!"

"Thank you Carrot…show them in and then you may go."

Carrot nodded and ushered Thunderchild, Nagy and Domino in, shutting the door behind them as he left.

Thunderchild walked forward and saluted the Patrician

"Greetings sir." He said

The Patrician of Ankh-Morpork got to where he was by making sure other people weren't there when he arrived. He had been schooled in the Assassins guild but had often got bad reports for not attending lectures…Vetinari had actually attended all of those lectures but had merely been practicing his concealment skills.

He sat in his swivel chair, piles of paperwork sitting either side of him.

Isn't it amazing he thought The city goes through a major siege and overthrow of power…and still people want me to spend my day signing rubbish.

He looked up from a demand from the Unseen University for money to rebuild their Tower of Art and looked at Thunderchild

"Ah…so you're the 'hero' they're talking so much about." He said

Thunderchild blushed slightly

"Well…err, I wouldn't so much use the word hero…more a case of right time, right place."

Nagy snorted in indignation

"You disagree Nagy?" asked the Patrician

Nagy jumped that the Patrician should know his name…but then reminded himself that the Patricians intelligence service was so good that he would probably know exactly what he had for breakfast this morning.

"Bacon Sandwich." Said the Patrician, looking back at some paperwork

Nagy just stared at the Patrician.

Thunderchild chuckled, he'd seen that one coming. He walked forward and sat down in front of the Patrician.

"Well, sir, as you probably already know…myself and Domino aren't originally from the Discworld…we're from planets far away…and we need to get home."

The Patrician glanced at another piece of paper.

"Ah yes, Terra and Gay…Gi…"

"Gaia, sir."

"Yes…Gaia…well…how do you propose to do so?"

Thunderchild sighed and sat back in the chair

"Well…I need to get to Klatch…"

The Patrician put his hands together in front of him.

"To get your space ship." He said

"Yes…"

The Patrician nodded

"I know…there is a ship waiting in the docks for you…you'll know which one when you see it, I believe it is one that Jaras forces created while they were here."

Thunderchild leaned forward, his face concerned

"That's just the thing sir…I'm going to need more than one ship."

The Patrician raised and eyebrow and sat back in his chair, waiting for Thunderchild to explain himself.

"Nagy, Dom…could you give us a moment alone." Asked Thunderchild

Nagy nodded and took Domino with him out of the room.

"Care to explain that?" asked the Patrician "How many ships does one man need to get to Klatch?"

Thunderchild sighed and then took a stab in the dark, hoping he'd get lucky

"I'm guessing that on your desk right now is an intelligence report saying that either a large army has been spotted in the Klatchian desert and…or…the Klatchians have lost contact with some of their outlying towns…am I correct."

For the first time in his life the Patrician was surprised.

"It came this morning…yes."

Thunderchild sighed and uttered a curse softly under his breath.

"It's Jara sir…she isn't dead…and that's her army."

The Patrician raised his eyebrow again and shuffled some papers on his desk.

"Even if that is the case…why should it bother us here on the other side of the Circle Sea?"

"Because as soon as Jara has gathered her forces together in Klatch and organised herself she'll attack here again…not as strongly as before…but it'll still be enough to retake this city."

The Patrician nodded

"You do have a point…so…what plan do you have in mind?"

Thunderchild leaned forward

"Well…It goes like this……."

Nagy and Domino sat waiting outside, they waited for ten minutes before Thunderchild came out of the Oblong office.

"Right," he said "That's sorted…we sail this afternoon."

"So early?" asked Domino

Thunderchild nodded

"Yes…the sooner we get to Klatch, the sooner we can get home."

Domino nodded

"Ok…but before we go…I need to talk to you."

Thunderchild stopped and said

"Go on then."

"Alone."

Thunderchild nodded at Nagy

"Ok…you go on ahead Nagy, we'll meet you at Mizrahs place…tell them that whoever wants to come to Klatch to get ready to leave this afternoon at about 4 o clock."

Nagy nodded, stood up and left.

"What's the matter Dom?" he asked

"It's my Bahamut…" she said and then she started crying.

Thunderchild put his arm around her and held her close

"Hey…hey…hey, what's all this about?" he asked

"She stole my Bahamut from me…robbed me of her."

"Your what?"

Domino wiped some of the tears from her eyes

"Bahamut…she's one of my main eidolons…like you can summon Silveria…I can summon Bahamut…but Jara took Bahamut from me, now…I cannot feel her anymore."

Thunderchild looked deep into Dominos eyes and sense a loneliness that he hadn't seen in the genome since he had first met her.

"Bahamut's more than just an eidolon isn't she?"

Domino nodded

"When I was first created…Lawrence attempted to merge me with a Bahamut…the experiment failed because I lost control and went on a rampage destroying everything... but my Bahamut remained close to me, even though we were not directed linked any more as she was removed. After a time on Gaia I realised I could summon Bahamut to help me through strife…now I cannot…Bahamut is lost to me."

"I think I understand Domino…I think I understand."

Domino nodded and sobbed into his cloak

"If Jara is still alive then I have to find her…I have to get Bahamut back…There's no telling what she could do in the wrong hands."

Thunderchild nodded and stood up, taking Domino with him.

"Don't worry…we'll get Bahamut back."

Domino smiled faintly at him and he smiled back.

Later that afternoon Thunderchild and Domino arrived at the Ankh-Morpork docks…the Patrician was right, Thunderchild knew exactly what ship he was to use when he first saw it.

It was named after him.

The Thunderchild was moored to the side of the harbour, the afternoon sun glinting off it's three forward cannons. It was way advanced for the Discworld, its twin funnels suggesting that it was powered by something other than the wind.

"It's a steam ship." Said Domino as she looked on in awe.

Thunderchild nodded as he looked the ship up and down. It was wooden, like a standard Morporkian ship but it had paddles either side which were powered by steam engines deep inside the ship, it's top section appeared to be made of iron, as did the revolving cannons, three cannons to a revolving platform, but as a backup the Thunderchild also had standard sails to catch the wind.

But the main thing Thunderchild noticed was the word THUNDERCHILD painted on the bow of the ship…this was his ship!

Smiling he turned to Domino and said

"Let's have a closer look at this ship while we're waiting for the others."

Domino nodded and so they walked up the gangplank and onto the ship, on the main deck of the Thunderchild they met an old man with tuffs of white hair spreading out from the side of his face.

Lawrence! warned Domino

Thunderchild shook his head

"Mr Quirm I presume." He said

The old man turned around and saw Thunderchild, clapping his hands together and walked over.

"Ah…Thunderchild…greetings. You're the person I've heard so much about."

"And I heard so much about you Mr Quirm…for one thing you've not been seen for nearly twenty years…where have you been?"
Leonard of Quirm shuffled his feet slightly and then changed the subject.

"Remarkable ship you have here…"

Thunderchild nodded

"Yeah…remarkable…erm…what are you doing?"

"Making notes about the design and construction of this vessel."

Thunderchild looked at Leonards notes to see extremely accurate technical sketches on the Thunderchild.

"Erm…can I just speak to you alone for a moment Leonard." Said Thunderchild putting an arm around his shoulder.

"Certainly…what about?" the old man replied

"I don't really think you should be making those notes."

"But without the notes how are we to be expected to build more of these incredible ships…but…ah…I see…."

"Yes, you know exactly what these ships would be used for, and it isn't for cargo routes. Leonard, once I'm in Klatch I'm going to have these ships destroyed…the Thunderchild," he peered at the other two steamships moored alongside "The Defiant and the….Enterprise."

"Destroyed?" Leonards eyebrows shot up his forehead

"Yes…and hopefully with them all chances of the Disc getting its hands on steam technology too early for them to deal with."

Leonard nodded

"Please…can I keep the drawings, if I hide them away…"

Thunderchild sighed

"Oh alright then Leonard…just, for the sake of this planet…keep them well hidden!"

Leonard nodded

"The others are here!" shouted Domino

Thunderchild thanked Leonard and ran over to Domino, looking down onto the side of the dock he could see Mizrah, Nagy, Proeliator, Beowolf, Zidane and Mikoto standing there looking in amazement at the Thunderchild.

"Nice ship isn't she?" shouted Thunderchild

"It's…different," said Nagy "How does it work?"

"Steam." Said Domino but she didn't say any more as Thunderchild shot her an evil look.

"Yeah…suffice to say it does work so that's all that needs to be said really."

Mizrah looked up at Thunderchild

"I won't be coming with you to Klatch…there's a lot of work that needs to be done here and I need to help Snikity with organising it all."

Thunderchild nodded

"I understand Mizrah," he jumped down from the side of the ship onto the dock and walked over to her "And I thank you for your help."

She gave him a brief hug

"No Thunderchild…thank you for your help…without it I'd most likely be dead, along with most of Ankh-Morpork."

Thunderchild returned the embrace and then bowed to her

"Just doing my duty," he turned to the others "The rest of you coming then?" he asked

The rest of them nodded

"Ok…could Beowolf and Proeliator captain the Defiant, Zidane and Mikoto you go with Nagy, Nagy you take the Enterprise and I'll take the Thunderchild…our crews are genomes, don't worry…they know how to operate the ship, we'll keep in contact using shattered magical mirror pieces. The rest of the fleet will follow behind us."

"Wait a minute," said Proeliator "Captain the ship…I don't know a damn thing about captaining a ship."

"It's easy Pro…just follow me in the Thunderchild, I'll help you out via Magic Mirror."

Proeliator still seemed unsure but nodded in agreement

"Ok…then we sail…get to your ships, We'll set out in about twenty to thirty minutes…I'll launch a fireball when we're ready to go…ok?"

The four of them split up and went to their respective vessels, Thunderchild walked up the gangplank back onto the Thunderchild, he then walked up onto the bridge where some genomes were already waiting for him.

"Captain," one said "The ship is ready to depart when you give the order."

Thunderchild nodded and took his seat just behind the main control station

Blimey Jara knows how to design these things he thought

"Are the mirrors in place and working."

"Yes sir, we have contact with the rest of the fleet."

"Patch through the captains of the Defiant and the Enterprise." Ordered Thunderchild as Domino walked onto the bridge, she'd never seen Thunderchild so relaxed.

This is what he thrives at she thought in command of a ship, well, it's not a space ship or an air ship but it's still a ship.

Small imagines of Nagy and Proeliator appeared on mirrors set into a panel on the wall.

"Are you ready to get underway Gentlemen?" asked Thunderchild crossing his hands behind his back.

Nagy nodded but Proeliator seemed a little uncertain

"Are you sure about these genomes?" he asked

"Don't worry about it Pro…they know a lot more about the ship than you do, and they're on OUR side."

Proeliator nodded

"Yeah…alright, if you say so."

Thunderchild nodded

"Ok…I'll send the signal."

He walked outside and drawing himself up to full height, focused energy into a space in front of him and then created a medium fireball which shot up into the air above the fleet and exploded with a dull thump.

When he walked back onto the bridge he turned to the genome at the helm of the ship and ordered

"Ok…main engines ahead one third, bring us out into the centre of the river," he turned to the mirrors on the wall "Get your crewmen to set in the same course as us." He ordered the other two steam ships.

The Thunderchilds paddles slowly began turning as its steam engines powered themselves into life, the great steamship moved out into the middle of the channel of the river Ankh sending smaller ships scurrying out of the way, the Defiant and the Enterprise followed suit, the Defiant settling to the right of the Thunderchild and the Enterprise to the left, the rest of the fleet moved themselves into position behind the three steam ships.

And so it was that the Morporkian fleet left Ankh-Morpork harbour and entered the Circle Sea, but unbeknown to Thunderchild as he and Domino stood watching the sunset over the Circle Sea that evil eyes were watching their progress.