Phoenix Rising by Bryony Pearce Read Free Book Online Page A

filtered into our tanks. Dobbs is working his team as fast as he can, but I need all hands on deck right now, so he has a skeleton crew. We can’t use the sails in this weather – they’d be ripped to shreds. Get that boiler fixed and I’ll put more men to pumping the fuel. I’ll leave the sails up till it gets dangerous. If that boiler isn’t running by then, we’re sitting ducks.”
    Toby hung up the tube then stood stock-still. The boiler was never switched off. Ever. Even in port, a small fire was maintained to keep her low-power systems going. There was only one way to turn the boiler off. He was going to have to put out the Phoenix ’s fire.
    Toby unhooked the blackened fire extinguisher from the wall by the door. With his thumb he rubbed rust from the corroded pin as he strode towards the combustion chamber.
    “Stand back,” he said to the boy. Then Toby aimed theextinguisher, yanked the pin and squeezed. Noxious white foam spread over the flames and slowly but surely the Phoenix ’s heart went cold.
    Together the boys stood and watched the embers go out. Combustion fuel broke into small pieces as it cooled and the boiler ticked solemnly.
    “OK,” Toby said. “Right.” He felt off balance. The whole sound of the Phoenix had been thrown out. “OK,” he repeated.
    Polly climbed on to his shoulder and nuzzled his cheek.
    The strange boy put his hand on Toby’s arm, making him jump. “What do you need to do to fix this?” Big brown eyes stared up at him and Toby exhaled.
    “I haven’t got anything I can use to repair the delivery line that won’t just break or melt as soon as the steam hits it. I need a new line.”
    “Have you got one?” the boy asked.
    Toby’s mouth twisted. “Sort of,” he murmured.
    The boy’s eyes widened. “Sort of?”
    “The captain’s been looking to trade for spares for a couple of months. There is only one other line on board that’s long enough.”
    “And you can’t get it?”
    “Technically I can.” Toby rubbed his eyes again.
    “Technically? What does that mean?”
    Toby sighed. “It means nothing is ever simple.”
    The boy lost his footing and grabbed at the feed-water tubes as he fell.
    “The sea’s getting rough.” Toby braced his legs and offered a hand to pull the boy to his feet. Then he began undoing the screws on one end of a delivery line that disappeared into the wall. “What do I call you?” He tilted his head as he worked, examining the small stowaway.
    “My name is Sorahiko,” he mumbled. “They call me Hiko.”
    Toby nodded. “You’re Japanese.”
    Hiko shrugged. “My father, yes – not my mother.”
    “Well, there’re not many questions on the Phoenix – just what you’re wanted for and where. The captain puts back murderers and rapists, but most others get to stay if there’s a space.”
    Hiko looked away. “Do you really think he’ll let me stay? I’m not going to be much use. I’m just a kid.”
    “You’ve been useful already and I need you right now.” Toby dropped the loosened line and gestured to a shovel by the door. “You’ll have to empty the combustion chamber for me. Open the porthole, get all that foamed-up fuel out and dump it. Then refill the burner with the dry compressed chunks, over there.” He pointed. “Keep an eye on that feed-water gauge so you can tell me how high thelevels are. As soon as I get back we can relight the boiler. It’s going to take a while to get a head of steam built up. I just hope we’ve got enough time.”
    “So, I’m going to be your assistant?”
    “I guess.” Toby looked up as if he could see through the ceiling and clamped his screwdriver into his belt. “Now I’m going for the line.”
    “Polly want a cracker,” Polly squawked.

    Toby stood in the passageway above the boiler room.
    “Did you unhook the line I thought you did?” Polly swayed from foot to foot.
    Toby nodded. “It’s the only one that’ll fit.”
    “You’d better hope the galley’s