Inside the Fortune Hunter's flagship zeppelin, the Pandora, Phred met the subject of his comics, a man immortalized in printed media all over the North American Nations; Nathan Zachary, gentleman air-pirate. Zachary went and met Phred in the hanger after Phred had accomplished the highly complicated process of docking with a zeppelin in the air, which Phred managed to do with little trouble. For all his awkwardness, Nathan could see that Phred was a decent pilot with a sharp mind. Nathan offered Phred a handshake, which Phred accepted.

Phred studied the man he was shaking hands with. Nathan was taller than Phred by three or four inches. His brown hair was trimmed neatly above the eyebrows, above steel blue eyes. He was wearing a white, buttoned, short sleeved shirt over a slightly muscular frame. His handshake was firm, but not threatening.

"Well Phred," said Nathan in his usual baritone, "I owe you one for watching my back up there."

"I-it was n-no problem Mr. Zachary," Phred stammered

Zachary laughed. "I'm no executive Phred. Nathan will do fine"

"Y-yes, well…it was no problem Nathan. I was just in the right place at the right time," said Phred awkwardly. "Say how do you know my name?"

Nathan laughed again. Somehow though it didn't annoy Phred like Van Buren's or Devro's… at least not as much.

"Come on," chuckled Nathan, "Let's go down to the galley to talk. I at least owe you something to eat and drink."

The galley on the Pandora was about the size of a small café. The walls were wood panels that looked like they had seen better days with electric lights along the sides. There were no windows as the galley was inside the zep gondola to make more room for gun stations along the promenade.

Phred sipped his small class of champagne slowly, as did Nathan. They both knew that high altitude plus alcohol equals a very drunk man, however Nathan insisted that they share a celebratory drink of his best stolen wine. Once finished the conversation began.

"So how did you know my name again?" asked Phred.

"Your editor told me," chuckled Nathan "George Van Buren serviced aircraft in my unit durring the Great War. We try to keep in touch, but my choice of occupation," Nathan indicated the room, "makes staying in touch with anyone difficult. I didn't get the letter he sent until yesterday."

"What letter?"

"The letter explaining that you were on your way to Sky Haven and that we were to meet up with you there and pretend to kidnap you."

Phred was stunned. "But I thought that I was supposed to find you and…k-kidnap me! W-what do you mean k-kidnap me?"

"Well that's George's idea of a joke."

"A joke?" Phred fought the urge to scream. He found the imaginary image of his fist ramming into the editor's face relaxed him in an odd way.

"The whole thing was supposed to loosen you up a little...well all except the Top Hat part," said Nathan, "Say how did you get mixed up with a gang like that anyhow?"

Phred sighed. "I was in Swift Jimmy's bar trying find some clue on where the Fortune Hunters were. I must have asked too many questions because he asked me if I was 'writing a book'. I took him too literally and said that I was writing a comic book. I suppose Arge overheard me and I suppose he thought he would introduce me to his boss. It turned out that Devro hates comic books and…you know the rest."

Nathan smiled. "Sure, you drew out the Top Hats long enough for the Pandora to steal their loot waiting to be shipped off in trucks to their stash in the Rockies."

"What?"

"It was unintentional on your part but when Devro sent his entire zeppelin after you, leaving his goods almost totally ungarded, it was a golden opportunity for us to…guard it for him."

"Oh," murmured Phred, disheartened at the fact that he had been used as a tool.

"So here you go," said Nathan as he handed Phred a piece of paper.

"What is it?" said Phred

"It's your cut. It's hazardous work being a diversion."

Phred unfolded it and gasped. "One thousand dollars!"

"Well almost. We can't just turn the stolen loot into cash, so my marker will have to do until we sell our new ill gotten gains in Arixo." Nathan smiled as he got up to leave.

"A-Arixo!" Phred exclaimed, "I-I was hoping I could just interview you all…then I could l-leave."

"Sorry Phred but the Top Hats are still out there and I don't think they'll be quite as nice to you as they were before." Nathan chuckled, " Besides just think, as a crew member of the Pandora you get a cut of whatever we make. Can't beat that." And Nathan left alone in the galley.

Phred looked around the empty galley and sighed. In the silence he could faintly hear "You'll be back before you know it. And just think of all the ADVENTURES you'll have. You're going to love it!" Phred's scream was drowned out by the Pandora's harmonious engines and the wind whistling by as the zeppelin hurried south towards Arixo.

And that concludes my first FANFIC! Woot woot! Remember if you need info on the Crimson Skies Universe please see the link on my profile. Thanks for all your great reviews!