Dawn of Steam: Gods of the Sun (31 page)

With so much going on, I find myself all the more desirous of some ability to more easily follow current events. I shall now be wondering until the next ship arrives some two months from now.

I have shared all of this news with Sir James, who is walking daily now and soon will be moving into the inn. He has filled out again significantly and looks almost up to his former self, though some trouble with infected wounds has left a number of scars to the left side of his face and marks of a whip to his back that may never heal. No doubt the women of England shall simply find the former to give him a new, rugged handsomeness. Despite these marks, he seems unconcerned about matters of vanity, and indeed, I may be more worried for the impact to his social standing than he is.

Every time we speak over card games now, he wishes to hear more of the news, especially the political, and questions me endlessly about my thoughts on these affairs. I have not yet been allowed to smuggle papers to him, as the doctor remains concerned that he may suffer some relapse if given too great a shock, but we are permitted to speak, and perhaps the fact that it is done over an activity that obviously seems to relax Sir James helps ease the physician's mind.

Miss Coltrane has also passed on to both her brother and myself that the battle suit is fully reconstructed and even improved upon, with aid from Dr. Mitchell. The airship is another matter entirely. The pair of them will not accept substandard materials, and there is no shortage of monies, so it is just a matter of time and supply now. Were we in any way physically more ready to begin our travels again, they might make some sacrifices, but for as long as there is the appearance of unlimited time, they are continuing to insist upon supplying themselves as the ships come in. They placed a large order from England to be brought to them upon the next voyage, paid half up front to encourage the next captain not to leave anything behind to save on space.

Eddy has continued to throw himself into what work they will give him and shows no ill effect any longer from his injuries. He divides the rest of his time between drinks with a group of war veterans and talks with some of the local farmers. The former is an activity I share in on some days when I am feeling up to it. My ribs seem to have healed nicely, no longer giving me any trouble, but the pains in my shoulder come and go. I am not certain what it is Eddy seeks to learn among the farming community, but when he speaks with them, these conversations usually appear quite serious in demeanor. I certainly do not fault him whatever interests he might wish to pursue, but I certainly did not know he had any aspirations towards agriculture. I do wish that he would come and speak with Sir James, who asks after Eddy and his moods and activities almost daily now.

We still have not a word from our wayward group members, and I have begun to despair that we ever shall. Certainly if she did not wish to be found, Miss Bowe could disappear quite readily. I hold out significant hope that at least nothing untoward has happened to the two of them, and that we will hear something from them – or at least of them – soon.

From the journals of Gregory Conan Watts,

August 13th, 1816

33º51' S 151º12' E

Sir James has at last been permitted to move fully into the inn, though with cautions as to exertion. Being permitted to get back into some level of activity seems to have inspired him significantly, and at last I have no doubts he will make a full recovery. He has introduced himself to the local community quickly and has already become quite the popular figure here. Sir James has, of course, come forward to all of our company that will speak to him and offered his apologies, but publicly, the deception created between the siblings continues.

He continues to tell the fascinated war veterans tales of his exploits, even if they were learned from his sister's neatly organized diaries. It is difficult to hear now, but I go along, knowing the necessity of it all. For our success and continued support, he must remain the decorated war hero and inventor. Certainly there were a lot of people here hanging on every bit of news of his health and recovery. They wished to congratulate him on both his newfound health and his successes so far, even if he spent much of that time in York's hands. To his credit, Sir James deflects much of the credit for the deeds of the past year to all of us. He instead shares stories, edited to be suitable for a polite audience, of course, of the struggle to survive while he was a prisoner.

Now that he has been able to move among our company again, he has finally told us something of this time as well. He told them very little, particularly little that they did not already know, or could not find out more simply through some other means. Part of this is simply owed to a certain amount of ignorance. That he could not tell them anything about the technical aspects of the suit and its construction, as he did not know, he believes they attributed to some great will and ability to overcome the poisoner's toxins somehow. This is what they were primarily interested in. He speculated briefly on our voyages going forward, but they had not asked. Almost anyone with reasonable political connections in England and the obvious series of travelogues could have learned most of that information.

This has put us all on guard once more, but that is probably for the best. After so long without any sign of them, we must not forge
t that we have enemies who have shown a willingness to resort to the lowest of measures to see us dead. Thankfully, we still have no word of them entering the Australian colonies, though we check often. I can perhaps hope that the injuries to Reilly and York himself were severe enough as to require as much time in rest as we have required ourselves. We could not be so lucky as to have York die of some infection, however much I might hope that our fortune might turn for the better in such a manner.

Though it is early yet, Sir James has already held discussions with his family members, with the Captain, and with myself over what direction our fellowship should take once we are on our way again. He seems as determined to succeed and carry on, at least through Japan, as I am. This, at least, alleviates one of my worries, though the group we can be certain will be moving on is significantly smaller than that which we set out with, and many uncertainties remain. Eddy shows every sign of continuing his grudge, and efforts by Sir James to communicate have been politely, but firmly rebuffed. That Eddy still speaks with Miss Coltrane, who will surely intercede on her brother's behalf more as time goes on, offers some hope in this matter, at least.

From the journals of Gregory Conan Watts,

September 12th, 1816

33º51' S 151º12' E

Another ship has arrived, sooner than expected, with more people and further news. Famine has struck the American colonies in a terrible and tragic fashion. The move westward has picked up greatly, though there is now conflict with some of the tribes living east of the Mississippi River over the sudden influx. With winter approaching there, the land will be no more generous, so new conflict is certainly not what the American colonists need. It is still hoped that the survivors of this difficult winter can make something more of next year's crop. Australia has also faced trouble from Tambora's effects, but with a much lower population, there has been no real risk of food riots.

England has had its own difficulties, and a number of the farmers have been pushed to seek other work in the cities, lest they starve. Farming land which will not produce is a thankless trade. Despite this, Eddy has grown all the more intere
sted in encouraging the local farmers with the idea that when the land recovers and light returns, prices for food can only rise with demand.  I have learned, when able to talk to him, that despite his talent for the arts of war, he is very much hoping, whenever he is finished with our venture, to retire from England's armed forces and turn his attention towards tending his lands, perhaps purchasing more. He is hoping that the Americas or this place may have somewhere he may work the land and hunt. I certainly cannot fault his goals, and that he is not already talking as if he is done with us gives me some hope that he may continue on. I do not know for certain what he is waiting on, but he has not yet spoken a word to Sir James.

On the note of people who have not spoken with Sir James, Mr. Franzini has been hard at work preparing for the next leg of our journey. He has apparently done well enough for himself at the gambling table to gather his own group of local toughs about him. “For protection,” he states. On this newest ship, he has also found a former airship engineer who knows something of flying. Mr. Franzini has been most interested in this fellow. Apparently, this engineer, a Mr. Edwards, found himself out of work following the war, struggled to adjust to a new life, and was eventually brought here for petty crimes. He is now most interested in again serving on board a ship.

This wish struck Mr. Franzini with the idea that we could use another engineer – and that we should also have our own mercenaries with us to be better prepared to inevitably engage York again. In some ways this is a sound idea, and we might be able to make some new room aboard the ship. However, I am not entirely pleased that he has already taken it upon himself to carry out this plan without any approval, or that he has placed himself in charge of selecting these new crew members without any regard for anyone else's agreement.

Sir James himself has not committed a great deal one way or another. I believe that he is waiting until we are closer to our departure, which is still some time away, before he addresses it. He knows the value Mr. Franzini brings to our company, which he does not wish to shrink any further, but is not comfortable with the idea of Mr. Franzini taking charge of these operations as if he had some command role.

Otherwise, Sir James is recovering well, having taken up some amount of work about the ship from time to time, testing his constitution regularly to try to speed the full return of his physical faculties. He and his sister have gone back to their regular private meetings, and likely some decision will be made soon over where we will be venturing next, with some idea of a time scale on that venture. Whenever it is, we should have a fully functioning dirigible by which to travel. Sir James has also approached Dr. Mitchell with some questions related to possible improvements in function.

So far, we have still had no word of Miss Bowe or Miss Penn, and I have begun to despair that they will be returning at all. If this is the case, we may never know if some hazard was the end of them, or if they have simply found someplace suiting them among the local populations. Sir James has not yet given up on them, and so neither will I.

From the journals of Gregory Conan Watts,

October 4th, 1816

33º51' S 151º12' E

We have the first word of our travelers. One of the locals made contact with one of the native people of the land, with whom some small trade has begun. The man reported that his tribe was host to two white women some time back, but after staying there for a short time, they moved on of their own volition. When asked, he did not know where the women went afterward, but during the time they were there, they had asked after other groups in contact with this tribe.

One of the women spoke the
local Koori people’s language, which I shall not attempt to spell, along with bits and pieces of other Australian tribal languages. She spent what time she could while with them practicing her fluency in these with the members of the tribe who had most contact with their neighbors. Apparently, there are a great many differing languages among Australia's native populations, and they are spread all over the continent.

Based upon this information, we have some new hope that our companions are still alive somewhere, moving from one people to another, studying as they go. Apparently, the woman in finer dress, almost certainly Miss Penn, was especially interested in their culture and beliefs. She spent a great deal of time documenting everything she could learn
, while the taller woman, certainly Miss Bowe, made herself very much at home, helping in all ways she could in the tribe's day-to-day life while she was there.
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When they had what they were seeking, they moved northward.

Sir James has proposed that they may, in fact, be about a portion of our original mission, mapping and documenting a path across the internal portion of Australia. So far, settlements have only been established close to water, and our health and the conditions of the country after the relentless time without sunlight led to not even discussing this goal.

Without the push for exploration over all other concerns that was present in the original wager, this has not been one of our major concerns, or even a topic for much discussion. If travel through many of the drier regions of this country is already harsh under normal conditions, then moving overland through them during this year's conditions would seem suicidal. Even so, if anyone can take another person through such desolate regions as have been described to me, Miss Bowe may.

In a later time, it should be little difficulty to verify any route traveled from the dirigible and make maps of inland Australia. Until now, the restriction of dirigibles for military purpose has simply discouraged any such exploration. This thought also does give me some hope that they may not have abandoned us after all. In proposing that this may be their goal, Sir James has supposed that Miss Bowe in particular may still be quite inspired by the original purpose for which she agreed to come along: proving that her father's fantastic journeys are, in fact, factual. That she would be so inspired has to mean she genuinely believes there is proof of it, and so far, her experiences and knowledge make it hard to dispute. In observing him, this topic also seems to have inspired Sir James to some other deep considerations, but he has not spoken yet to me in any detail what is on his mind.