The Dragon Chase: A Tale of the Everburning City

Chapter 21: Valerie

"What the hell do you mean, there's a boat docked on my wall?" Captain Valerie Olgen asked a panting runner, as she handed the girl a skin of water, and waited for the messenger to catch her breath.

"Exactly that..." she panted, as she took small sips. "...ma'am. Big ship, flies... Tied itself to the wall, near the comm station."

The airship. That strange thing that had flown past the wall towards Rustov's section of the wall less than an hour ago. The strangest thing in a night of strange sightings and too little information. That ship would have answers, at least about what happened to Rustov.

The line for her cable-car had gone slack, and blooms of fire had flashed in the distance, just beyond the sight of the observation towers. Her aide and the soldiers she sent with him were still in the field, and she had no new information from any of her Lieutenants.

"Get some water, and catch your breath." She told the messenger. The comm station was less than a half hour walk, but her line of sight was blocked by one of the defensive towers. She decided to take the trip at a slow run, surprised by how eager she was to be moving.

"Sebastian, Elsa, with me." She ordered a pair of soldiers standing watch along the wall, who seemed startled by the call to action. They fell in behind her, and followed a few steps back as she jogged towards the watchtower.

The three of them passed underneath the Watchtower a few minutes later, nearly running into a small group of soldiers standing in front of the arms shed, in the poorly lit corridor. She was pleased to see the sergeant stop, salute, and shout "Attention!"

She smiled, recognizing the voice even in the dim light. "Sergeant Reeves." She said, as the pair of soldiers behind her saluted. She followed suit, and said, "you return to us. Were you successful?"

"Aye, ma'am. We didn't return the way we expected to, but the Fourth platoon is whole again." He said, clearly relieved. "We, ah, returned on an airship, ma'am. It's visible just past the Watchtower. Its Captain was hoping to meet you, at your pleasure."

Its Captain. So it was a military vessel. And the phrase 'at your pleasure' meant this airship Captain wasn't pressing any issues of rank or seniority. The ship might even be willing to take direction.

Abyss below. She could look for her missing Lieutenants.

She noticed there were nearly a dozen soldiers with Reeves, with small carts, and the now open doors that lead into the armoury. "You're taking my guns?"

"Outfitting the ship, ma'am. Our last engagement emptied our stock."

"Engagement?" Captain Olgen asked.

"Hot extraction. Gloamtaken cornered Rustov about half a mile past the cable-car dock. We encountered something new from beyond the last Wall. We wouldn't have made it without the ship's Captain."

Olgen shook her head, disbelieving. Something new? "Where's Rustov? And this Airship Captain? I want to debrief them, at least."

"At the ship, awaiting a communication from Central," Reeves replied. "And I should mention, ma'am, he wants your Valkyries."

She laughed, spitefully. "The Bore will freeze over first." She said, and started away. The others saluted, and her escort followed in step.

When she stepped out of the watchtower, she finally got a good look at the ship.

Something that massive shouldn't be able to fly. The steel hull blocked nearly half a dozen battlements, stretching along the Wall as if it were a part of the fortification. The ship glimmered in the dark, gleaming in the soft orange light that emanated from the bag the steel ship was chained to.