Chapter 2
I collect my drink and I slide in between the boys, ‘Morning, Scud.’
Scud tosses his mop of brown hair and looks past me, ‘Oh…, yes…, morning, Nina.’ Scud never meets anyone’s gaze, even me his best and oldest friend.
I introduce the boys, 'Fernando, this is Scud. Scud, this is Fernando.' They know of each other, of course, which is why I'm annoyed when Fernando thrusts his hand straight across the table, smiling radiantly, 'Hi, how you doing, mate.' Scud stares out the window, ignoring him.
Fernando turns his attention to me, ‘What’s this all about, Nina.’ Swarthy, full lipped, and handsome, with auburn hair like mine; his eyes are a deep watery brown that you can just dive into, like wells, drawing you in to their charming trap.
I have never been one of his conquests, though I might admit to one or two flirtations at parties. He’s just not my type The way my parent’s behaved has left me with a deep desire for someone trustworthy -- someone I can respect. Fernando is neither of these, though he might be my equal.
‘Well, if my Mother were here,’ I catch Scud rolling his eyes, but I don’t let it put me off, ‘she would say, a great opportunity has arisen and you are the lucky recipients.’
Fernando leans across the table, ‘Meaning?’
I stare longingly into those deep brown pools – sometimes I just want to throw myself in without a care; then I remember who owns those eyes and crawl out again. ‘Meaning, that now flight school is out, I’m recruiting a crew for the summer.’
‘You’re not looking for intern work?’
‘Not this year – I’m following my own path.’
‘What about a ship?’ he asks.
I am prepared, ‘This morning I used the remains of my Mother’s estate, my inheritance, to purchase a gorgeous airship.’ Fernando knows all about inheritances.
He doesn’t look very impressed, so I try again, ‘I’m offering you a job on a secret mission.’
Scud nods once, ‘I’m in.’
‘How can you ‘be in’?’ Fernando demands, ‘You don’t even know what the job is yet?’ Fernando glares at Scud, who glares out the window again.
Moulding these two into a team could be a challenge. Maybe a bigger threat that either of them would do the trick - perhaps I should make them both hate me, though I don’t believe Scud would ever hate me, even if I give him good reason.
Scud shrugs his shoulder, ‘It’s Nina – how can I not be in?’ He is so pathetically cute sometimes.
‘You’re going to retrace your Mother’s last expedition and find out how she died,’ Fernando says.
‘How….’
‘You’ve told everyone, Nina. It’s no secret.’
‘Oh,’ I fix him with my lilac eyes, ‘Well I need your navigation skills.’
‘Rates?’
‘Standard Guild rates.’ We all belong to the Aviator’s Guild, as officer apprentices. Soon, when we pass our exams, we will gain promotion to officer grades on commercial airships. At sixteen, though, we already qualify to pilot our own private craft, which is exactly what I intend to do.
'Why'd you bring a klutz like him along?' Fernando hisses, as if Scud can't hear him.
How do I explain to someone like Fernando, who will never understand? How do I describe a lifetime of friendship and mutual support?
When my mother left, I became an instant pariah: all my friend's parents' stopped encouraging their child to pal up with the ex-mayor’s daughter. Those I thought were friends disappeared, like a breath of wind, leaving me alone and isolated. At six I learned to be wary of those who love you for what you are rather than for yourself - a suspicion I retain, aggressively, to this day.
As a loner, I gravitated naturally towards the other loner in my year: Scud. The awkward rude Scud, the genius Scud, whose personality skills are virtually non-existent. Scud, who is incapable of loving someone for what they are or for their connections. Even as a child, it took a long time to accept Scud on his own terms, - I needed to learn to love him for himself.
Scud sailed through the entrance exam for flight school, but it was me who coached him for hours each week to get him through his Guild interview. ‘If you can’t look the interviewer in the eye, Scud, look at their nose, or forehead, or at the wall behind their head – it is close enough.’
Scud will never make it as a Captain or any other sort of leader, but as a ship’s Master he will know every intimate detail of any ship he ever steps on board, right down to the number of rivets. Especially the number of rivets.
When he’s agitated, which is often, Scud counts. He counts rivets by choice, but anything will do. I bet he’s counting something now as he stares out the window trying to ignore intimacy with Fernando.
‘Because I need him,’ It’s the best I can conjure up.
‘This airship, it’s not the wreck moored on the North pier is it?’ For all his charm Fernando can sometime be cruel, which is another reason I have never hooked up with him.
It is my very first airship. It might be old and it might need some reconstruction, but it is glorious. ‘It might need a few running repairs,’ I admit.
Fernando laughs raucously, ‘Ok then, I got nothing else to do this summer. I’m in.’
I suspect the large-living Fernando desperately needs the money and a summer away from his creditors, and his many girlfriends – just as I hoped. Step three of my plan has fallen neatly into place.
Suddenly, a waitress slides into the spare seat opposite. I wait for the boys to react.
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