Fianna Kelly Versus the Jeebees: A Collection of Steampunk Stories by Harry Dodgson Read Free Book Online Page A

Lieutenants, "Why aren't you using the railway gun?"
    "We
had to wait until we came to a complete stop to change the power couplings. The
steam engine cannot run both the train and the gun at the same time."
    A
jeebee dropped to the ground as I shot it. I figured I could be useful here and
be better prepared to compete tomorrow. That first shot got the attention of
the others though and they angled their shields towards me. This also made me a
possible target.
    I
heard a sound, much too loud and too low pitched to be a rifle. Then I saw a
small object going upwards in the distance. Shortly, there were more flying
objects and more sounds. Lieutenant Reed had the telescope trained on them.
    He
said, "These ones can fly. I think the other jeebees are firing them out
of cannons at us."
    I
set my rifle telescope so I could see them. Two arms were holding wings and two
arms held their version of a rifle. One leg had some kind of fin on it while
the other two braced it. I tried to shoot one of these flying jeebees several
times with no visible effect. I was sure that I hit it at least once.
    Lieutenant
Mills had been busy preparing the railway gun. The train had stopped, but the
steam engine was running as if we were going at full speed. I also heard a
whining sound, almost like when Bevin held the same note while playing. It
seemed to get quieter right before he fired a shell and a flying jeebee became
a falling jeebee.
    I
resumed firing at the jeebees on foot. The least I could do is distract them
and make them angle their shields towards me. That way the soldiers on foot had
an opening for their guns. The jeebees seemed to have no limit to their
numbers. They kept trying to reach the train and we kept shooting them. Bradan
had been placing clips behind me as I needed them. I reached behind me for
another one and was surprised when none were left. I realised that I had fired
the entire case and the only cartridges near me were spent ones.
    "Why
do I keep running out of cartridges? How about we run out of jeebees
instead?" I asked.
    Lieutenant
Mills offered, "You can borrow my pistol and belt."
    He
unbuckled the belt with one hand and slid it over to me without breaking his
concentration. I didn't have time to tell him I had a pistol too.
    Just
as I was bending to pick it up, I noticed a jeebee standing behind us. It had a
rifle similar to the ones the others carried, but this had an extension. It
looked like one of the fans I carry with me and was opened like a book across
the front. I saw blue sparks moving chaotically about the fan. Suddenly, the two
soldiers were face down on the rail-car. I looked over at Bradan. He was not
moving either.
    Unlike
the rest of the jeebees that were colourless, this one had a skin shade of
bright green. It also was wearing an olive green robe made of six-sided metal
plates. On its head was a matching helmet that only had inch high slits where
its mouth and three eyes were. If the others had been adorned like this, it
would have been much harder to kill them. The jeebee made a tinkling sound as
it moved. It would have been funny if it hadn't just shot the two soldiers and
Bradan.
    It
said, "Keep loading the weapon, and you will not be harmed."
    "But..."
    I
stopped myself in time. That would have been stupid to tell it that I was not
the one loading the gun.
    "I
will, to be sure."
    Either
the jeebee couldn't see my gun in its holster or it did not consider women as a
possible threat. I just needed to wait until it was distracted.
    It
boasted, "As I expected, you earthlings built and delivered our weapon to
us."
    "What?"
    "We
left the plans where they could be discovered."
    "What
are you going to do with it now that you have it?"
    "First,
I will remove those annoying airships from the sky. They are in my way."
    I
protested, "You can't do that!"
    My
friends will have been on one that arrived yesterday and are likely waiting
impatiently for me at the station. Just because the people in those