Imprudence by Gail Carriger Read Free Book Online Page A

Dama had made certain of it. This one was a mite bigger than the muff pistols she’d learned on but seemed to function about the same in theory. It took both her thumbs to cock it, and she hoped not to have to actually shoot; it’d have a terrific kick.
    Upon seeing her facing him with a revolver and not a mop, the man became wary.
    â€œWhat do you want with this ship?” Rue demanded.
    â€œIt’s not us. It’s ’em as hired us.”
    Rue was annoyed enough to wiggle the pistol. “That is
not
an answer.”
    The man smiled. “That’s all you’re getting.” He ran for the railing.
    Rue was surprised enough not to shoot. They were about rooftop height above the ground. It wasn’t a fall most daylight folk could survive. Except as he jumped, he shed his massive overcoat and had some kind of boxy device strapped to his back. She leaned over the railing to watch. It deployed into an articulated gliding apparatus which lifted off his shoulders with the pull of a strap.
    Rue had never seen the like. He seemed to catch the breeze and sail about, directing himself with a tilt this way and a tilt that way, like a bat. It looked pretty darn fun and Rue instantly wanted a whole bunch of them for her crew. Parachutes were one thing, but this was much more mobile.
    â€œNifty,” said Spoo. “Can we get us some of those, Lady Captain?”
    â€œI was pondering along similar lines. I’ve not seen such a contraption before. Have you, Spoo?”
    â€œNo, I ain’t.”
    â€œWell, then, new gadget, pretty advanced at that.” Which made Rue think of Quesnel’s mysterious fern tank down in the boiler room. Perhaps these men were after that? Exo-splorers, apparat-collectors, and cog-burglars weren’t so uncommon these days, and if they heard of something new outside patent control, they might risk boarding her airship to steal it. Although, they didn’t seem prepared to transport something as big.
    As everything seemed to be controlled on deck, Rue ran below to find that Aggie had pulled an enormous metal carapace over the tank, which bolted to the floor through one of the securing rings meant for a boiler. Definitely Lefoux design. Rue had seen Quesnel in a steam roly-poly transport made with exactly the same kind of carapace.
    If anyone was after that tech, they certainly weren’t getting it. Rue was oddly reassured over its safety, especially given no one had asked her opinion on its presence.
    Back on deck, Tasherit had her mouse supine and panting under one large paw. The decklings had their lemur tree felled and were sitting on every available part of him. They looked mighty pleased with themselves. Rue decided she would put on a very nice tea for them tomorrow as a thank-you.
I shall get some hot cross buns from Lottapiggle’s.
    While they had been trained to repel invaders, it wasn’t until that moment that Rue realised they were not at all equipped to take prisoners.
    â€œDecklings, you’re good with rope. Could you determine a way to tie these men up for questioning?”
    â€œYes, Lady Captain!”
    They did their best, but the ropes they had were big, being intended for balloon work, so both men were rather wrapped about as if they were mooring posts. Still, they didn’t look likely to escape and, being injured, were docile enough.
    Tasherit, with a meaningful glance at Rue, disappeared below, emerging some time later in human form with two greasers in tow – big burly men with large fish knives at the ready.
    â€œAh, good, Miss Sekhmet, there you are.”
    They established early on that their werelioness did not want to be known as a werelioness. Her people had gone into hiding centuries ago and she wished to respect their secrecy. Whether this was preference or some sacred vow, Rue had never been so bold as to ask. It was clearly a private supernatural matter and the entire crew honoured the werecat’s