01
It was a five-round walk from Cloud Home to Mountain Vale. As we neared our destination we came upon deforested or young forested valleys and foothills and several large smoldering charcoal kilns along the way, which explained the lack of forests, charcoal being the fuel of choice, at least in the margins. Ahead lay what appeared to be a smoldering volcano, with a faint plume of blue smoke rising in the twilit distance above a wide, flat topped ridge. When we reached this ridge and looked down into the valley of Mountain Vale, it all became clear. Or as clear as the smoke allowed.
Half a mountain side had been dug out and half of that converted to slag piles. There were half a dozen smelters or mills in the valley, all powered one way or another by charcoal. The valley floor was a hodgepodge of ore refineries, slag heaps, a commercial center, with rail lines from the mountainside diggings woven into the pattern. At the edge of the town was a wide paved landing field to accommodate the gyro-barges that carried out the processed iron, nickel, silver and gold that the mountain produced. The residential city itself, in a rather futile effort to escape the smoke and ash, had crawled up the ridge line in a series of terraces and winding roads.
'The first thing we need to do is find some lodgings,' said KaRaya. 'And preferably before we reach the bottom. We'll work our way down. You take your side of the street, I'll take mine. We're looking for a sign in a window or on a gate that says "R&M", which tells us some enterprising homeowner rents out a room with a meal to travelers.'
'How likely is that? This doesn't look to be a tourist hot spot.'
'Aye, but it attracts people like us. Keep a sharp lookout. We don't want to end up in a flop house at the bottom if we can help it.'
We found a grey stone cottage (all the stone cottages were grey - smoke stained and sooty) amongst a stand of stunted pines about half way down. We entered through a clean, bright green gate and presented ourselves at the cottage door - KaRaya and I, with Hissi, standing straight and tall between us, decked out in her ribbons and broaches, with her naturally smiling mouth closed to mostly hide her teeth. It's amazing how prim, proper and mild looking a Simla dragon can look, if she sets her mind to it. Still, the poor housewife looked rather startled when she opened the door to the three of us. But she was made of sterner stuff, and asked, 'Yes?' in a quiet, vaguely wary voice.
'Greetings, Ma'am. We're looking for a room while we seek employment below.'
'I have only one room...'
'That would be no problem. We'll be out for much of the time searching for a berth, and can either sleep in shifts or Captain Wilitang here can sleep on the floor. We're five rounds from the Cloud Home Community and are used to sleeping rough,' and seeing her hesitate, KaRaya continued, 'We'll pay three rounds in advance, and for two extra meals as well, and a bit extra for hot water to bathe in.'
'You say you've come from the community?'
'Aye. We've spent the last four hundred rounds as the assistants of a Magistrate...'
Her eyes widened and she shot Hissi a renewed glance. 'Not Magistrate LinPy?'
'The very. You've heard of Magistrate LinPy, have you?'
'All sorts of accounts from my regular commercial travelers. Then, you'd be?'
'Gossip had us ex-pirates. But we're actually plain, ordinary wide-sky sailors.'
'But why are you here?'
'Magistrate LinPy is to be an Advocate now, so our services were not needed. So we're here to find a berth that will eventually lead us back to the wide-skies. Being both experienced hands and sober, I expect we'll find one in short order.'
She seemed a bit skeptical, but let it pass. She glanced again at the smiling dragon, with her bright, carefully tied ribbons and scarves, and smiled. 'Yes, you must be who you say you are, so I'll take you in for a week. I expect one of my regulars to be back in a week, but until then, you're welcome to stay.' She stepped back and invited us in and showed us a small, but prim bedroom.
We spent the next several hours, washing the dirt and soot of travel off of us, and then enjoying a substantial meal ('Hissi will eat anything we can, no special diet is required.').
Our host proved quite cheerful and helpful. I suspect that hosting the famous ex-pirates and the Simla dragon of Magistrate LinPy would be a new feather in her crown of feathers once word got around the neighborhood.
'You and Hissi get some sleep. I'll go down and have a look around to get a feel for our prospects,' said KaRaya, brightly, having bathed and eaten.
I gave her a hard look, but she just flashed back an innocent smile. I suppose I had to trust her. Still, 'Don't do anything I wouldn't do.'
'I have no intention of sullying the virtue we've worked so long to build. I've more character than that. Indeed, I've character up to my feathery crown. My only weak link is that I, all to easily, fall into bad company, of the male type.'
'Then stay away from all males...'
'Easier said than done,' she replied with an airy wave, and set out down the hazy lane for the smoky factories below.