The day started with Rinvar going to the warehouse where the broken mechanical fighters were stored. He wasn’t there to examine the wrecks, but watch them be hauled off into another truck. The beds were covered in canvas; four armed guards were to look after the subjects of interest.

  This much security for what was essentially a pile of junk. The secrets this scrap contained were more than enough to spark a renewed rivalry within the Empire.

  Farin arrived almost five minutes after the captain. The reddish paleness of her head was reflected by the rays of sunlight coming out of the top window. She had a strange way of dressing up in uniform; almost creaseless, as if she commanded her clothing to be orderly. Rinvar’s attire didn’t look worse, though the aging threads of his overcoat took away all appeal of how he carried Imperial military dress.

  “Cold morning, Director.” Rinvar looked at her and threw a lazy salute. “Wait. I don’t have to say that to you. I swear I saw smoke threads coming out of your outfit.”

  “It’s called ‘fresh off the steamer’, Captain,” Farin smirked before returning salutes of the others in the warehouse. “You should do this more often, and maybe, consider getting a better coat.”

  “This one’s the best I have, so far.” Rinvar looked at the brown sleeve. “Almost as good as Elena’s embrace.”

  “Remind me to put you on a week off when we get anywhere near Luminberg.” Farin was putting a glove on her left hand. “Also, another change of plans. Our esteemed academics want to see these machines for themselves. We’re going to Aurelburg.”

  “There?” Rinvar shook his head twice. “That’s going to mean the amphitheater is going to be ‘closed’. I have little reason to not see envoys of the First Families poke around the pile of scrap.”

  “At least my office there is more accommodating than the room I had to make do here.” Farin put on her cap and looked at Rinvar. “You know what to do: I trust the captain is there to take the lead and protect his superior, who will, of course, stay behind.”

  “Sure, Director.”

  Farin took her eyes off her subordinate and watched the last hull secured in a box. This, in turn, joined the rest inside the awaiting vehicle. There was no time for conversation since then. Rinvar was aboard the truck carrying the constructs’ remains, while the director was aboard an armored car that would look after the truck from behind.

  It was a simple convoy: two armored cars guarded the transport front and back. The canvas sheets covering their turrets fluttered in the air as the machines picked up speed. The outline of Altrecht faded from behind after almost an hour.

  The convoy drove into a clearing, where a skeletal tower stood while overlooking two grey house-like structures around it. Rinvar quickly saw that a seventy-meter dirigible was selected to carry them to the city; its hull resembled two cigars squashed together as its shadow loomed closer to the ground. Ground crews were pulling cables to moor the vehicle; there was a dull wind blowing at the time, and the vessel was hardly resisting.

  “They were this serious? I can imagine their excitement right now.” Rinvar disembarked from the lead vehicle and approached the copper-colored mast where the airship was being tethered.

  “At least, I look forward to sitting comfortably and not sweltering on the road for hours.” Farin was closely behind.

  They were at the base of the mast; Rinvar was close to the dirigible to see the outlines of the helmsman and captain. He lost track of time, watching the gondola almost disappear when the envelope blocked the sun and hid everything beneath it. The truck’s contents were slid out of the bed and loaded into the airship’s hold. The captain’s eyes remained focused on the parked aircraft when he felt a rapid series of taps on his shoulder.

  “Don’t take a nap while standing, Captain.” Farin was in front of him; a faint curve of her lips was visible even in the shade. “There’s enough time to rest when we get aboard.”

  ????

  The humming monotone of the airship turbines traveled through the gondola. It was far from a distraction, unless Rinvar stuck his ear close to the window glass. Farin was sitting in the opposite chair, facing him.

  “Just our luck. This is one of the new airship models.”

  “The ‘fast airships’?”. Rinvar looked outside and noticed the lack of propellers on the engines. “No propeller. This airship uses crystal turbo- no, turbine model?”

  “I think so too.” Farin stood up and looked at the window. “This means you’re going to have to hold that nap until we get to Aurelburg. You look like you still have the attention to make a quick review of what we know of those machines, so far.”

  “No use to disagree.”

  Rinvar stood up and looked around. There was a trolley that held tea and a small assortment of pastries. He chose to fill his plate with coffee-colored cookies before returning to his seat.

  “So, what are we supposed to recap?” Rinvar took the first cookie and stuffed it in his mouth.

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  “We understand that this machine is made of a few local parts.”

  Farin spilled the contents of her folder. Documents and a small envelope, probably for photographs. Rinvar gave a single glance and looked away – he compiled most of these files. How could he forget? He probably memorized at least half of what the director held.

  “The hydraulics are of Federation design, but with some changes probably to make them easier to produce here.” Rinvar swallowed and cleared his throat of cookie crumbs. “I can’t believe someone dug up older Imperial designs. It’s that anti-aircraft rifle the Army shelved a while back. Packs a punch, but couldn’t keep up with airplanes.”

  “What the core was is something we’ll leave to the scientists and the engineers.” Farin looked at a picture of the hull’s blackened interior.

  “I’d guess that power cell must be small, yet packed with plenty of energy to burn a largely-metal chassis from inside.”

  “I am still intrigued by that gun.” The director took a cup of tea from the table. It was going cold, so she drank everything in a slow gulp.

  “We’ll never know what was used against those machines. At least, we’re sure it’s nothing the Empire produces has that much power. We may have to check if there’s anything similar from the Far East.”

  “The Far East?” Farin cupped her chin.

  “Some of the fighters used smuggled arms. Many of them were older models. Yellow Empire design, from the Dragon Army. Their home country issues these to conscripts. They must have a large stock of these here.” Rinvar went to the back area of the gondola and returned to the table carrying a metal case. “Speaking of guns, I found this souvenir from the Grey Fox’s fort.”

  Rinvar set it on the floor, unlocking the metal clasps that held the case shut. Inside was a shotgun and some shell cartridges. It had a dark finish; its monotone was broken by the wooden-looking slide handle and butt stock. There was a bayonet almost the size of a short sword that could be attached to the weapon.

  “The Grey Fox has quite a liking for Federation-made arms. Do you remember the Albertans collecting these during their raid?”

  “I would have to ask them if I have enough permissions from the ministers.” Farin stood behind her subordinate while looking at what she understood as the captain’s new toy. “I know what you’re thinking, and that’s going to need documents and approvals, Rinvar.”

  “I’ll just have to keep this close to me until it’s ready – or it’s needed. Who knows?” He lifted the gun out of the container, looking at the exterior. He saw the outline of his face on the finish; whorled lines of his fingers left almost invisible marks on the gun’s surface. He puts it back in the case before closing the container and standing up.

  “Just so you know, Captain, you’ll cover any fees for documents.” Farin looked at the officer, who was heading back to the rear area of the passenger cabin.

  “And I’ll be handing this to the armorers so that it’s chambered for our shells. These things are going to cost me, again.”

  “That will teach you to place your trust in Imperial firearms.” Farin waited for the captain to return to the cabin. The next part of the discussion started with:

  “Now, about those engravings found inside the hulls, I’ve never seen any kind of proof mark or logo similar to those. There’s not a serial number found in any of them.”

  “Could they be a kind of seal?”

  “A seal? For what?” Farin took a cookie and bit off a chunk.

  “I can’t say, but I feel the answer leans on the unconventional.” Rinvar shrugged his shoulders before glancing at the empty sky ahead. “These things, maybe moving on their own is mysterious enough.”

  The towers of Aurelburg dotted the ground below. Another few minutes and the vessel would enter the airbase. Rinvar is mad to make do with taking a nap once the airship is moored at the destination.

  ????

  “Can’t have everything.”

  There were more clouds in Aurelburg than in sunny Altrecht. On the bright side, the captain could be more easily lulled to sleep, ignoring the city’s many amenities. Rinvar looked up while waiting for the rest of the cargo to be unloaded from the docked airship. This airfield had more people coming in and out than usual; a small crowd formed around the lighter-than-air vehicle. They were probably those up-to-date with Imperial innovations, and he couldn’t blame them if this rare model appeared before them like something out of a myth. He would have been watching too. Rinvar realized this was something he could share on a tea table with Elena once he returned to Luminberg.

  Farin was overseeing how the boxes were loaded into a new truck. She blended well with the rank-and-file; the green and black shades of her uniform melted with the busy hangar. Rinvar could pick out his superior from anywhere. There was a benefit to getting used to seeing Imperial Armed Forces colors.

  The final leg of the travel brought nothing but the sight of Aurelburg’s roads. The city was more orderly compared to the rundown town Rinvar was in not long ago. Not a speck of refuse littered the roads; there were more people on the sidewalks, and automobile traffic was heavier. No one was hiding their wariness every time the convoy had to slow down. Between the occasional blanket of heavy white steam and the whistling of piston engines, the captain had to scan between the mostly grey stone buildings. Nobody knew what surprises an alley held – even in broad daylight.

  They have reached the destination: Aurelburg’s constabulary building welcomed them with open gates. There were more automobiles parked inside the grounds – more than what Altrecht fielded, even with the fire engines combined. A city should have this much, Rinvar thought. This place could also use more colors than the ash-toned and marble white buildings around it. He heard the engines making a final chug before their vehicles settled in the parking area.

  Farin, in her usual vigilance, supervised the boxes’ move from the truck bed to a warehouse, where they would be stored as long as until Blaurosen decided to take the remains for more studies. It was almost noon when the transport task was done. She exited the constabulary building; Rinvar was waiting beside the main entrance.

  “Your room.” Farin tossed a set of keys his way. Rinvar caught it with two fingers. “I’m not yet done for the day. Going to hand these keys over to the other gents and go out for lunch somewhere. You’re coming?”

  “I’m going to have to decline, Director.” Rinvar stretched; a yawn escaped from his open mouth. “I crave sleep. I’d have to make up for it with a big dinner.”

  “There’s a good restaurant nearby. I’ll spare you a seat if you change your mind.”

  “Happy eating, then.”

  Rinvar watched Farin’s outline exit the building’s perimeter. He looked at his room keys, wondering what kind of bed awaited him there.