Sky Pirates

Chapter 49

"Nate, can you send them along and hold here for a moment? Perhaps have some luncheon with me?" Parker Greene asked a question, but it was clear that it was a polite order.

"Oh, of course, sir." The small foreman ran to his crew and after a moment he returned to Lord Greene. "At your service."

Greene led Nate into the dining room where the table was set for two. After taking seats, Greene poured a bit of wine into their glasses, he stared hard at the man, noticing the glint of sun off the pointed ring on his right hand. "Sir, time is short." Parker's voice was low and soft. "And, while this may cost my life, I must know, with certainty, are you with me?" His eyes never left his luncheon companion.

With his hand raised, holding the glass, he whispered back, "I am, my Lord." Nate's eyes held Parker Greene's.

"Then we must make haste. We'll skip through this meal and then adjourn to my workroom upstairs—"

A servant entered the room with a platter of steaming meats and potatoes.

Nate smiled brightly, his eyes twinkling like Ole St. Nicholas. "Oh, my Lord, you can trust all of us, to a one."

"Excuse me? I know there are those on these islands that can't be trusted. I have seen the heads on poles and the poor souls rotting and going to the rats."

"The pirates cannot be trusted, except perhaps your friend." Here Nate winked with a knowing turn of his head. "But us, the wee ones, your small friends, we dwarfs, that is the we I mean. We are to be trusted. And, we are to be rescued no matter what your amazing plan might be. We are an army. A force. We have been planning an escape for years. Without a leader and without the ability to truly take by force our means of escape, which can only be the Balsa Robin, we have been patiently waiting. But, we are ready and willing at a moment's notice to follow whomever might prove to be our leader, our savior. And, it is without doubt, that is you." Nate lifted his glass in toast.

"Share then, if you'd be so kind, what plans you have already made, and I shall then complete the details of our escape."

"Well, each of us is prepared to depart quickly. We have a signal in place and upon hearing or seeing the sign, day or night, we all know to meet at a point just beyond the great hangar where the Robin roosts when she is in port. We all are prepared to leave with only that which can securely and easily fit within the pockets of our clothing. It is why many of the women have taken to wearing so many layers and flounces."

Lord Greene thought back to the odd way so many of the women were dressed, with corsets on the outside of their garments, flowing skirts with many pockets, and so forth. He had to smile. "Go on," he encouraged.

"We have restrained ourselves and have had no children while on these islands. That has been a chore, to say the least, but we have agreed, to a one. We did not want choices to include wee babes. We have held back the greatest of the inventions, saying that we can't get them to work, so that we might use the magical weapons and devices for ourselves. We are quite well armed. And," here he held up his ringed hand. "And, we have all been trained to kill using just this point. It is rather messy, but can be done quickly, especially if there are two or three of us together. Our rings are delivery devices with a deadly poison inside. The points are sharp and can cut a man's arteries."

Greene sat back in his chair. "Is there more?"

"Yes, sir. I can go through each item and the order in which it will happen upon the signal if you wish."

"Our meal will get cold. We should eat first."

"And, you have begun to develop a plan?" Nate heaped enough food for two or three men onto his plate and dug in noisily.

"I have the beginnings of a plan, but it will be easier now and altered because of what you have told me. How many of you are there?"

"Two hundred and seven," said Nate through a mouthful of potato.

"And, can you fly the Balsa?"

Nate swallowed. "Not exactly. There are some aspects that we cannot master. We are not tall enough to stoke the furnaces that heat the water to steam the ship. We have tried several ideas, but the space really is designed for strong, tall, nimble young men."

Greene once again remembered the young stoker he returned to his post when the Barkley had been attacked and he wondered what had become of him.

"My Lord, are you okay?"

"Oh, yes, just thinking. Is there anything else?

"Well, sir, rigging. We can't climb the rigging with our short legs and stubby arms. But, that is all. We have already worked into teams and crews. We have practiced. We know we can do everything else. We have all served on the ship at one time or another and know the passages and methods."

"Okay then. It isclear what must be done." He drank off his glass of wine. "Eat, eat. I have astack of plans. Weapons and devices that will aid us. We will talk more. Youwill build me my tools. And, we will finalize a plan of attack to get all of usoff of these islands.

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