The Aeronaut's Daughter

The Tower and the Observatory

(Lee Scoresby P.O.V) 

After a long eventful day of asking questions, I finally managed to get a lead on Gruman. A waitress said that he had once worked at an observatory just in the hill slopes not too far away. I notified Iera where I would be going and assured her I would be back soon. 

When I made it to the top, I only saw a man on the staircase with a lemur daemon. Luckily I was allowed inside. 

"What brings you to the observatory Mr Scoresby?" the man asked.

"I've got a couple of questions if you don't mind," 

We entered the telescope room through a curtain. "Isn't that something?" I observed. 

"It works even better when the fog is lifted. So tell me what brings you here?"

"Dr Haley, have you ever heard of a Mr Stanislaus Grumman?"

The moment I asked that question, the astronomer seemed to stiffen. 

"An Englishman, despite the name. I understand that he worked her some years ago,"

"What do you want with Dr Gruman?" 

"I believe he was in contact with my wife...four years. I was hoping I could meet him, perhaps...I could get a lead on...where my wife disappeared. You don't know where he is now, do you?"

Dr Haley turned to me. His face seemed to send a shiver down my spine. He was making me nervous.

"Somewhere up the Yenisei river," he pulled off his glasses. 

"So he is alive?"

"Dr Gruman...is a heretic," 

"I...did not know that," I said quickly. "Well...you've been most helpful sir. I'll just be on my way,"

I wanted to turn around but the astronomer gave me a suspicious glance that continued to make me quiver.  

"By their fruits shall ye know them. By their questions shall ye see the serpent gnawing at the heart," his daemon growled. 

Hester looked a little scared. 

"Amen," was what I said. "You have a good day sir," And with that, I turned and went through the curtain, Hester right by my side. 

"That was weird," I said quietly. "Come on. Let's head up the..."

Suddenly I heard the shot of a gun. I fell to the wooden floor, pulling out my revolver. Without a voice, I fired. Then again. And again. The shooting behind the curtain stopped. I breathed heavily. I carefully stepped through. I saw Dr Haley slumped against the telescope, his military gun clattered on the floor, his wounded daemon in his arms. 

"You damm fool. Why did you do that?!" I shouted. I pulled off my coat, unable to let him die despite him trying to kill him. "Let me help you," I bent down. 

"Dr Gruman is an enemy of the Magisterium," he grabbed my throat. "And so are you,"

I stared at him. 

"If your wife knew that man, then she was an enemy too. A heretic whelp,"

I frowned. "Don't you ever speak of my wife like that again," 

"The Magisterium will bring justice for this," and with that, he died. HIs Darmon disappeared. 

I stammered. I was shocked. I had killed a guy. 

"He didn't give us a choice," Hester said with pity. "You didn't shoot to kill," I was close to tears for what I had done. We need to go,"

"Is there a place which the Magisterium hasn't infiltrated?!" I cursed, pulling on my coat.