All right, this one is shorter and mostly character development. To keep your interest, I sneaked in a bit of Volger-Barlow action. Still not sure if it'll go somewhere. I have to say, it is very fun to right as Volger.
Chapter 4
"Volger, are you sure this is the same man?"
"I remember the von Richthofens very well. What their eldest son is doing running an airbase in Palestine is more confusing."
"And you are sure we can trust him?"
"Your father was not unknown amongst the military elite of both Austria and Germany. Some resented him for his peaceful mentality but others understood that it was the best course for Austria-Hungary. Even soldiers tire of war. The von Richthofens were such a family. I knew Baron Albrecht the best but his sons shared his views."
"Sharing political viewpoints is one thing. Hiding fugitives is quite another!"
"I appreciate your concern, Hoffman," Volger said, steel entering his voice, "But this is our only chance to get off this accursed ship before we are used as some bargaining chip by the British government in exile."
Alek cleared his throat, aware that they did not have much time before one of the Darwinists could find their hiding space.
"So tell me about this 'Manfred von Richthofen'."
"Barking spiders!"
The assembled men span around. Dylan was standing in the doorway to his cabin, staring at them.
"What are you doing here?"
Alek stood forward.
"Volger was worried that our cabins had recording beasts in them so he insisted we find someplace they wouldn't suspect. He suggested here."
"Why would he pick..."
Dylan paled. Alek turned and noticed that the Count was giving Dylan a hard stare, like he did when Alek had forgotten something important and was trying to remind him without saying it. Volger broke the suddenly cold silence.
"Don't worry. Mr Sharp is going to help us, isn't he?"
Volger's gaze remained locked with Dylan's.
"Stop it, Volger. Dylan will help us if he wants to. Do you, Dylan?"
The boy nodded, his face still pale.
"Good. And calm down. Volger isn't going to stab you or anything."
Dylan sat on the edge of his bed, some colour returning to his face.
"Volger knows the commander at German airbase about twenty miles inside the coast. If we can sneak off, we can reach the base and fly to a friendly power."
Dylan shook his head.
"What friendly powers are left?"
"The United States will probably take us. They have been very isolationist the past few years so they hopefully won't throw us back to the Germans. Definitely preferable to whatever the British government-in-exile will do."
Dylan frowned.
"You don't trust Lord Churchill? I mean he stole the Ottoman's warship but..."
"The LuftKorps took a lot of prisoners when they stormed London. Some of whom are definitely important enough to be worth exchanging some Austrian nobleman for."
"Aye, I see."
Dylan seemed lost for a moment.
"I suppose I won't be seeing you again."
Alek felt a twang of pain. Dylan had been at his side through everything since Switzerland. All those weeks aboard the Leviathan. He had shown him how to swallow ones fear and hang from the ratlines at eight hundred metres. Suddenly, he remembered that cold night, just before they reached Istanbul. Dylan had spoken out about his father's death for the first time. Perhaps it was the cabin's dim light but Alek thought he could see the same paleness, the same drawn lines across his friend's face.
"Perhaps I can take a letter for you. To your family in Britain. We will have to refuel in London after all."
Dylan looked up.
"London..."
Suddenly the boy's paleness disappeared. He jumped to his feet.
"I'll be back in just a second!"
Volger watched him go, with not the faintest sign of alarm. Bauer stuck his head out the cabin door.
"He did head towards the bridge, sir."
"Don't worry about Dylan."
Volger and Alek said together. And maybe it was just his imagination but Alek thought there was something strange about the way Volger said "Dylan".
The Captain was strangely enthusiastic about allowing five important political prisoners to walk off his ship freely, to the point where he offered a crewman to accompany them. Volger was a suspicious man at the best of times and when the Captain had walked up to him in his crisp blue uniform and his forced smile, Volger had been very much tempted to call the man's bluff. But he had swallowed that particular temptation. If he had learnt anything from babysitting Alek, it was how to restrain oneself when you really, really wanted to hit someone. Still, Dylan or whatever that girl was called, was not a bad ally to have and they might need someone with experience of beasts and English as their native tongue.
"Herr Volger?"
He turned, his eyebrows furrowing into a frown.
"Ah, Dr Barlow. News?"
'Herr' had been an old insult, thrown at him by the boys of the greater families who mocked the mere 'wildcount's son'. But somehow, from this female Darwinist he had only met a month and a half ago, it did not hurt.
"The Captain has forbidden it. Completely and utterly."
"I wasn't under the impression you were going to listen to him anyway."
"Right as always, Herr Volger."
"And you have a plan?"
"If asking questions you already know the answer to makes you feel superior to others..."
Volger smiled. This Darwinist woman was sharp. Sharper than most. But of course he already knew that.
"I am hurt, Ms Barlow."
Her eyes darkened and Volger felt a flicker of satisfaction. It was an unspoken game they played, baiting each other, testing...
Dr Barlow began to walk towards her cabin and Volger called out to her as she reached the doorway.
"Are there many female fabricators in Britain?"
She turned and gave him a haughty stare.
"No. I am the only one."
Then she was gone. Volger watched the door slam and he began to laugh quietly to himself.
Saying goodbye was harder than she had thought. Every other time Deryn had left it, she knew she would be returning. But now the Leviathan was disappearing off to the other side of the world and she would be heading off in the opposite direction. She patted the Leviathan's leathery flank, feeling one last time the hum of membranes and the totality of the airbeast's ecosystems. Deryn rested her head against the membrane. She wondered if this would be her last time with a beastie like the
Leviathan. The Germans had probably destroyed any left in Britain. She would be heading to Clanker country now.
"Mr Sharp!"
Newkirk waved from the top of the airbeast.
"The Clankers are getting ready to leave!"
"Aye!"
Deryn called back. Going near a German airfield was a big risk for a beastie the size of the Leviathan so they needed to be quick. Back in the gondola she almost hugged Newkirk and Mr Rigby before she realised how THAT would look. So she contented herself with a firm handshake. They smiled and laughed and joked about little things. Newkirk promised not to get too scared of the sniffer dogs now that Deryn wouldn't be around to help him. Mr Rigby told her that he would give her a test on the family trees of the message lizard subspecies as soon as she got back. When it finally came time to leave, Deryn felt a tightness in her chest. But Alek was waiting for her, Bauer and Klopp too. Of course that meant Volger would be with them but when it came down to it, Deryn knew that she which side she wanted to be on.
The tightness stayed long after the crewmen's waves blurred and the Leviathan dipped below the horizon, towards the rising moon.
PS: Yes. THAT Manfred von Richthofen. Well, I needed a German nobleman who is also a pilot and its world war one so who couldn't resist sneaking the Red Baron in there. If anyone is offended by my character interpretation (next chapter) then I stress this is a work of fiction. If you get really, really offended I'll change the character's name. (If you haven't noticed, I got flamed on a previous forum for my "alternate character interpretations" of historic figures. Not a pleasant experience). To end on a high, expect some action in the next chapter (half done) and a familiar face in the one after (planned but not started). And finally, thank you for all the wonderful reviews. You keep me motivated to churn these out.