Free Skykeep by Joseph R. Lallo Page B

folks do,
though? Make your own art and look at other folks’s art?”
    “Oh no. We do… well, we do everything you
people do out here. It just tends to be a bit more elaborate. More
deliberate.”
    Lil removed the final screw and slowly
released the pressure on the top. “I thought you said there was a
spring squeezed in here.”
    “There should be. For regulating
pressure.”
    “It didn’t pop or nothing.” She pulled the
top off. Inside was a set of rods holding a cover on an opening in
the main pipe.
    “Let me see that,” Nita said.
    Lil handed it over. “Is it broke or
something?”
    “It isn’t broken. This never would have
worked. The way these pieces are… this was designed to fail.”
    “That’s no good. Where’d’ya reckon they got
this, then?”
    “We’re certainly going to find out,” Nita
said. She set the remainder of her sandwich down on the tray and
paced to the door, opening it. “Matthews! Would you come here
please?”
    Lil coughed. “Gosh dang it that fug smell is
strong with that door open,” she said, waving the stench away.
    In moments the sound of footsteps echoed
toward them, accompanied by the light of a mining helmet. Matthews,
in his bizarre mixture of business attire accessorized with mining
equipment, appeared at the door.
    “Good evening. I trust the food was to your
liking?” he said, stepping inside and shutting the door behind
him.
    “That it was, darlin’. My compliments to the
cook,” Lil said.
    “May I ask where you got these parts?” Nita
asked.
    “Most of them were salvaged from the broken
airships of whatever unfortunate soul was most recently banned by
the fug folk.”
    “This one is very fresh. It doesn’t
look like it was ever used.”
    “It probably never was. Most of the people
banned by the fug folk have their ships returned to them prior to
repair work being done. That means a lot of replacement parts are
left on board from the prerepair inspection.”
    “Well, this part is very dangerous, and
deliberately so. There should be a spring in here, and it was
replaced with a solid rod. This isn’t broken. I don’t think there’s
any other word for it but sabotage.”
    “Really…” he said, taking the part to look it
over. “You’re sure?”
    “This isn’t the sort of thing that could be
done by mistake.”
    He looked over the part for a few more
seconds, then handed it back. “Here. Take it. I’ll summon the
mayor. He’ll want to hear about this personally. Is there any work
you can continue to do while I fetch him?”
    “There’s plenty left to be done. As long as
none of the other parts are dangerous, we can leave the relief
valve for last.”
    “If you would do so, it would be much
appreciated,” he said. “I’ll get the mayor right away.”
    He opened the door and quickly shut it behind
him. Lil and Nita went back to work, both of them crouching over
the remaining parts to look over them with a bit more care in light
of this discovery. After a few moments, Lil paused and put her hand
to Nita’s shoulder, stopping her as well.
    “What is it?” Nita asked.
    Lil made a shushing motion with her finger
and leaned close, whispering in Nita’s ear. “He said he was going
to go see the mayor right quick, didn’t he?”
    “Yes,” Nita replied quietly.
    “Then how come I didn’t hear no footsteps?”
Lil asked. She brushed her hand against the hem of her coat,
lifting it to reveal a pistol on her belt. She raised her voice.
“Matthews, you still hanging about?”
    There was no answer. She put her hand to the
grip and stood, creeping toward the door. Nita slipped the largest
of the wrenches in her sash free and hefted it. Lil reached the
door and tried the handle. She turned to Nita and mouthed the word, Locked.
    “Matthews? Would you please come here a
moment? I’ve got something else you need to see,” Nita called
out.
    Still there was no sound of footsteps.
    “I don’t like this one bit. We’re getting out
of here,