Brass Skies vol 2 (Draft)

Hired Gun part 17

Whatever Asuka was expecting a secret pirate port to look like, the port that bore the unofficial name Catherine's Base, was not it.

Cut into a mountainside of a relatively small innocuous island it was just barely visible from these relatively low heights, and only if looking from a certain direction. Any airship flying at normal altitudes would be virtually assured to overlook it in the midst of all the browns, blacks, and greens of the forested mountains of the island. If Peters had not shown her where to look, and she had not heard the shouts of the officers directing the crew or seen the half dozen airships attempting to be discreet while circling the island, Asuka would not have known anything was there.

As they gradually drifted lower toward a certain spot on the island, Asuka began to distinguish the docks and some of the town's buildings. She was amazed by how many of them were made of stone either in part or in full, and more astonished how many seemed to be cut into the mountainside itself.

Soon, Asuka could make out the narrow streets. Although the amount of people wasn't the sorts of crowds she was used to in the cities of Nippon, the Hawaiian Islands, or the few other places she had been, the streets weren't exactly sparely populated either. What the population lacked in numbers, however, it made up in variety.

The people she saw had skin tones ranged from so pale that from the distance they looked to be made of porcelain, to so dark they might have been made of the coal. Even more diverse than the range in skin tones was the diversity in costumes. Some were pure white, black, or some other color, many were made of coordinating colors and patterns, and still others were seemingly dizzying kaleidoscopes of random colors.

Some of the costumes seemed bulky and heavy as if to hide the body entirely or exaggerate parts of it to absurdity. Others had so little cloth that Asuka could barely consider them clothing. Still other's were would have been modest had the materials not been so light and sheer that varying amounts of skin could be shown through.

The limited exposure that Asuka had since leaving Nippon, had not prepared her for this. She continued to stare until the enormous balloons of another ship blocked her sight.

As the Robert's Revenge continued to slowly sink into her berth, Asuka's was treated to a view of the other ship. It was a nine-mast vessel that had to have been at least the size of the Robert's Revenge. Built of rich woods and iron painted such a glossy black it seemed to sparkle, the ship seemed somehow both sleeker and more elegant on the one hand but more predatory on the other. The gun ports were open, though the guns were not run out, and Asuka counted thirty-six cannon on just the side she was facing. Large black, shiny cast-iron letters proudly proclaimed her name as the IRN Molly's Black Gaze.

So engrossed in the ship was she, that Asuka almost didn't notice the hard jolt as the Robert's Revenge settled into her berth. She did however hear the whistle beside her.

"Damn, that's an Argyll class," Clarabelle whistled appreciatively.

"You know that ship?" Asuka asked.

"That ship? No, but I know one of her sisters," Clarabelle answered. "But you can recognize those ships because while the metal-work and figurehead change, they otherwise look pretty much exactly alike."

"That is unusual?" Asuka turned to Clarabelle.

"Until recently, it is," the blonde nodded. "It used to be each ship was pretty much its own custom design, even if built from a common base plan. Over the last few years the British started building airships are built according to a strict set of plans based on the purpose. When the Irish Resistance started building airships they decided to go with that approach as well. A set of ships with the same design and overall look is called a class."

"What class is Robert's Revenge?"

"It isn't," Clarabelle shrugged. "While it was originally meant to be for the British Navy, my father's shipyards had not yet changed over to that approach. As far as I know none of the colonial shipyards have yet. At least, not the ones that build airships."

"Is that a bad thing?"

Clarabelle thought for a moment. "Not really, no. Both methods have their advantages and disadvantages. It is usually easier to find parts for and repair ships that are of a class design, but it is harder to customize those ships, especially after they are built. Not to mention, if there is a flaw in the design, all of the ships will have that flaw. On the other hand if someone knows their way around one ship of a class design, they know their way around all of them, so it take's less time for that person to adjust to a new ship."

"So it is a trade then," Asuka mused.

"A trade-off, yes," the older woman answered. She gave Asuka a warm smile and stood waiting for a couple of minutes.

When those minutes were passed she cocked her eyebrow. "Aren't you going to ask me?"

"Ask you what?" Asuka inquired.

"About the fact I told you my father built this ship for the British Navy."

"I had not intended to, no," Asuka shrugged. "It is not something that concerns me."

"Oh," Clarabelle sounded surprised and slightly disappointed. She shifted awkwardly. "Well, now that we've landed, I have a few things to do, but then I have to run some errands in town while Robert and Jezzy take care of other matters. Would you like to join me?"

"Asuka thought about it a minute. "Hai, alright."

"Great. I'll meet you back here in an hour. Bring your weapons. This town can be a little rough."

So trivia time: aside from the nickname, this port doesn't have an official name yet even though it has been in at least four stories now, I STILL haven't named it.   I just haven't come up with names that feel right.