The hum of the gaslights sounded out their drone as Cassius walked along a now abandoned street towards the local pub. The stench of the harbor assaulted his senses, making his unaccustomed nose burn and his eyes water. The stench of Whale entrails and rotting fish was something he would never get used to. You see, Cassius wouldn't have been in this Strange City if not ordered by Her Majesty Queen Victoria herself. This harbor city, Dynadrift as they would soon find it to be called after arriving, was discovered by a ship months before, and Cassius was sent with a small crew to act as a delegate for the Queen. Cassius was a part of the Royal Airship Corps, tough low ranking compared to the others, he was more than capable. So traveling by Airship had caused quite a stir in Dynadrift.
These people had never seen a machine that could take to the air like a ship to the sea. The idea seemed almost impossible to them. The Iron ships of Dynadrift came as a shock to all of the envoy including Cassius. He knew those Americans were working on Iron "Riverboats" Cassius recalled, but they were crude designs and not yet functional, nor did they have the almost rough elegance of these monsters. Though what powered these iron behemoths? They ran, along with the entire city, on Whale Oil, a substance created from the blubber of the whales the fishermen caught and killed offshore. It was smelly and a disgusting viscous liquid. Cassius didn't understand how these people could stand the smell.
All of Queen Victoria's armada ran off steam energy from massive boilers, far less foul smelling. Though he must admit, they were just as superstitious. Walking to the local Pub, It was a stout building. Wooden with a surprising grace of it. It was a place called "The Rusty Ratchet," a disgusting sounding name but the food was surprisingly good and the Liquor was even better. Cassius was no drinker, but he didn't deny a cup or two. Even with the long distance, alcohol was still a constant in the world.
Many nights were spent by the Airships crewmen there drinking, eating and conversing, though they kept to ourselves most of the time. Cassius was determined to talk to one of the gruff sailors from Dynadrift, he needed to find out more about this place.
Upon entering the Rusty Ratchet, Cassius was both amazed and appalled at the smell coming from the place. The sweet smell of Ale, the smell of the Lavender plants next to the door, and the putrid smell of sailors and butchers coming from the docks after a hard days work. It took all he could to not vomit at the assault.
Sitting at the bar, Cassius ordered a mug of the Malty Ale that was the favorite around the city and listened to the other patrons. Many conversations were happening, he could hear a group of sailors talking about him and the rest of the Airmen, hopefully not in a foul manner. Another group was talking about some large whale, the "Leviathan" they seemed to call it, and another was talking about the politics of the continent. That's the conversation he needed.
"The Empress would never do that, she's never gone to war before," one sailor said. That worried Cassius, a war with whom, hopefully not with Britain.
"Well, this new technology, she may want it, and what's to stop her, you saw how those airheads reacted to our ships, they don't have that back in their London," Another gruffer voice replied.
"But Edgar, you'd have to be insane to go to war with them, they have control of the sky," The other replied. Edgar let out a low growl.
"Are you saying the Empress wouldn't be able to hold her own against their Queen, Douglas," asked Edgar. Douglas started to sputter out his answer, and Cassius decided to butt in.
"I'm sure Douglas was just playing Devil's Advocate, he meant no harm by it," Cassius said to the now angry Edgar. Cassius was now able to get a good look at the sailor. He was a tall muscular man, with a round gruff face, and meaty hands that could punch Cassius' lights out quicker than he could say 'Airship'. Edgar stood up showing his full height, a full head above Cassius.
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Of Steam and Oil
Science-FictionWhen Steampunk Meets Whalepunk. A short story for the writing competition Punkwars