The Essential Writer's STEAM PUNKS

His lungs hurt. His lungs. It was happening all over again. Hank regained consciousness under water. Next to him was the Commander and he wasn't moving. Hank closed his second set of lids and quickly swam to get air. He inhaled to his maximum and went under again. He grabbed Obadiah and turned him over and blew air into his mouth. Gosh, I don't know what I'm doing, he thought with frustration.

Wrapping his arms around the Commander, Hank began to swim towards the steps. He wasn't strong, but he knew if he didn't muster all his strength the Commander might not wake up. Reaching the steps, Hank pulled Obadiah up above the water.

He looked at Doc. "Help me get him up!"
Doc nodded and they dragged the Commander on deck. Hank stood and watched as Doc turned him on his side. Hank began to worry, he felt helpless. "Wake up Commander."

 

"He's unconscious," declared Doc. The cabin was silent. Doc hunched over Obadiah who was laying motionless on the bed. Hank couldn't think of anything to say. "Probably from the concussion. He'll need to rest for a few days."

"What," said Hank, startled by these words. "Tomorrow afternoon we'll reach the Republic's limits. We need him to lead us."

"I'm sure things will be fine," reassured Doc.

"What about the kraken," asked Hank, blushing a bit.

"Those are child's tales, myths at most," said Doc. They were going into the unknown, and for now, Obadiah was useless.

OUT OF CHARACTER: Sorry about this turn of events. There has been an incident in my family so I am leaving for about 5 days, starting tomorrow. I wanted Obadiah's departure to go smoothly. Sorry for my personal problems, but stuff happens.

Good luck, Obadiah will be up and running by Friday. Please continue without me, I’ll be back soon. You can use Obadiah, but make sure he stays in bed! ;-)

 

Travis woke up to someone shaking his shoulder. He looked up, opening his eyes. He didn't know who it was.

"The Commander is out of commission for a couple days. You're in charge 'til he gets back."

Travis got up, trying not to act surprised or nervous. "Thanks," he said, patting the man on the shoulder. "I think I'll go get breakfast, then when everyone else gets up I'd like to talk to the crew. Spread the word."

With that, Travis walked away toward the kitchen, telling the cooks he had been put in charge and that the Commander was out for a couple days, he got an early breakfast so that he would be able to address the crew. He began to rehearse ideas for a speech in his head.

 

Zacky woke up to a commotion on deck, he rushed up and saw a man

"Hey, what's going on?"

"Oh, the Commander was in some sort of accident and is unconscious"

"Will he be alright tomorrow?"

"No clue, sorry"

"Crap"

He went to the kitchen and grabbed a muffin and ate it. Then he walked onto the deck asking himself if it was such a bright idea after all to go on the trip. That's when he noticed... the waters were bubbling as if something were under the water... something big

 

Jeno had found himself a room in the bowels of the ship, a real swanky pad. Steel grit floors, warm bronze pipes shooting along the iron walls, and a few beds at the end of the 'inviting' corridor, hammocks really, that he and a few other undesirables had slipped into. One had a radio, which miraculously still got some reception. They were nice guys, the three of them, working stiffs a bit younger than him.

One of them, Tommy, oldest of the trio, said as Belleville came on, "Ya fellas, this is da life, right? We're on the ****ing Axiom, with a few guys who aint complete **** heads," to that all of them laughed a little, "And I just happen to have a little booze." Reaching in his bag he brought out a pack of cigars and a bottle of brandy.

"Well damn Tom," said another, John, youngest, "I didn't know old ****s like you had it in ya!" he finished, grabbing one of the cigars and lighting it up.

"Hey now, I'm older than him, you got a problem with that?" retorted Jeno, lighting one up himself.

"Fellas, fellas, we're all friends right?" said the last one, Luca, a wannabe wise guy himself, as he slammed a bit of the booze.

Tom said angrily, "Hey save some jackass, I only have a few of those and we aren't getting anymore."

"No you aren't." said a new voice from down the hallway, almost on cue Cavalerie came on the radio. Stepping out of the steam rising down the hallway came a man of dignity, an Officer, his face full of sweat, not from being nervous, but rather from the heat of the place. They were all sweaty, but this guy, in his big bulky armor, was particularly sweating like a pig. "So, 'gentlemen', we having a little party down here, eh? A little circle jerk?"

"Hey, hey!" Luca said rising to his feet.

"Si'down asshole." said Jeno in an annoyed tone, "He aint wort it." Luca looked at him a little uncertainly, but in the end he gave in. "Dats a good boy, nah sir it aint nothing like that, we was just celebrating, in fact, heres a toast to dis guy right here!" Jeno got up, grabbing a cigar and sticking it into the officer's mouth, then lighting it real fast. Patting him on the shoulder, he whispered, "We don't got no trouble right now sir, but come around here again talking like that and we might. We all just hanging out, no need for you to ruin that."

With a sarcastic laugh, the officer said, "Ya ya, no need Mr. Fracci, sure. Otherwise what? I go under in a pair of cement shoes? Haha, I just came by to tell you that the commander is out cold and we got a new one, he's holding a meeting in a few, so you's wise guys best get up der, eh?" He laughed again, walking down the hallway, stopping just before the cloud of steam he had entered through, and yelled back, "Oh, and thanks for the cigar! Do I owe you a favor? Hahaha!"

Luca jumped to his feet again, and began to yell, "Man I want to pummel dat guy!"

"Hey hey, every asshole has his day, but you need a docile man of authority to be successful, and he is docile as they get. Lets keep it dat way for a bit." said Jeno, stepping in front of Luca.

The young man's eyes gleamed with hate, his armpits wet with grease, causing a discoloration in his white shirt, but for a moment in the weird Axiom light, it almost looked like blood.

"Hey, listen to the man junior!" said Tom, sipping a bit of the brandy. "He knows what he's talking about, Gratzini the terrible don't hire no chumps."

Luca just about said something, but bit his tongue at the last minute and backed down. "Yeh, I suppose he don't, but what now?"

"We got up there and see what our new captain 'as to say." replied Jeno, already beginning to walk down the corridor and towards the deck of the ship, the other three following behind lazily, cigar smoke melding with the clouds of steam.

 

Zacky decided it was just the ship stirring the waters and paid no attention to it. He then walked towards the deck of the ship and spotted some men smoking. He decided to avoid them for the time being. At the deck, he waited for the temporary captain of the ship to speak. He sat down and tugged at the bandanna

"Was it such a good idea?"

For the time being though, he just had to sit down, and wait.

 

Hank sat with a blanket wrapped around himself. He was still shivering from the previous night when the Commander had been put out of commission. He tried to follow him to his quarters, but the doctor shooed him off.

Now Hank waited to hear from the second in command as to what the stasus of the mission was.

 

Travis stood nervously in front of the crew. He didn't know how to be a leader, but he was going to have to try. "As I'm sure most of you know," he began "the Commander has suffered an injury and will be out of commission for a few days." He gave this a moment to settle in with the crew while he attempted to stop his hands from shaking. He took a deep breath, then continued. "That leaves me in charge. The plan doesn't change, we're headed to the New World." So far so good he thought. Now to assert my position as leader. "I won't tolerate any disobedience. Alright, well that's all I have to say. Any questions?"

 

Zacky watched the new Commander for awhile.

"Hm, he doesn't seem half-bad" He thought. "But he doesn't seem as if he could use his position, that can't be good"

"Any questions?" asked the Commander

"Yeah, over here" Zacky said, "We're headed to the new world, have we gotten any reports about it? You know, temperatures, animals, environment etc.? Also, what weapons do we have? There was something in the water, and I'm hoping it wasn't... you know... a monster, or anything"

 

The crowd stood on the deck, wooden and moist, and before the crowd stood the commander, flanked on either side by soldiers. Work continued, but everyone was listening. Jeno and company had sat down on a few barrels and crates towards the right side of the crowd, near the door they had come out of, finishing the brandy and enjoying there cigars. About ten minutes after they had settled in the temporary commander had begun to speak.

"As I'm sure most of you know," he began "the Commander has suffered an injury and will be out of commission for a few days." He paused a moment, rather abruptly, practically shivering.

"We got a weak one boys," whispered Luca, a slur in his voice. The four laughed quietly to themselves as the man continued.

"That leaves me in charge. The plan doesn't change, we're headed to the New World. I won't tolerate any disobedience. Alright, well that's all I have to say. Any questions?"

"No disobedience, you hear that Jeno?" mumbled Tommy, wiping the sweat from his forehead. Smoke filled the air above the four, and the sweet aroma of fine cigars was undeniable.

"Yeh I here it you old ****," the wise guy chuckled back, smoke rising from his lips with each word.


"Yeah, over here" said a voice nearby, a man with some shiny glove. "We're headed to the new world, have we gotten any reports about it? You know, temperatures, animals, environment etc.? Also, what weapons do we have? There was something in the water, and I'm hoping it wasn't... you know... a monster, or anything"

Johnny laughed drunkenly, loud enough for all to hear him. "A monster? Haha, thats a steaming pile of dog**** and you know it!" His three companions laughed a little as well, but Jeno laughed the least, an annoyed look on his face.

"Thats enough Johnny," said Jeno quietly, still pretending to laugh.

"Alright, alright, your right, I'm done, I gotta lie down." said the kid, calming down. He was the most drunk of the four of them, being the youngest and having the least experience with booze. He sat quietly then, finishing his cigar, a stupid grin on his tan, sweaty face.

Jeno stood now, "The man raises a point, commander," he began, "What sort of guns has the big bad army given us?"

 

Derek decided it was best to address the questions in order. "Sea creatures are a myth. Nothin' but tales to scare little children. As for our armaments, we've got an armory filled with the newest and most efficient rifles as well as newly made bows, swords, knives, and some spears. We've got enough ammunition to last us quite awhile. Anything else?" Derek paused for a moment, hearing nothing. "No? Alright then, let's get back to work." To close, he clapped his hands once, then turned and walked away.

 

"Work, work" Zacky though "Wait, what am i supposed to do????"

Zacky chased after the captain and asked him

"I'm not sure what post i should be in sir, I would prefer to be in the crow's nest, because my gauntlet has a "scope" and it can zoom in everywhere. But I'm not one for staying still so I would prefer one where I could work using my hands, I'm an inventor you see, my hands are my pride"

Zacky waited patiently for the captain to answer.

 

"No? Alright then, let's get back to work," ordered the new captain.

Hank did like him as much as Obadiah, but he followed command and went back below deck.

He walked into the open boiler room. Immediately he began to sweat. The humidity in the room was almost unbearable, made worse by the pipe bursting. There was still water on the ground, being pumped out manually because the auto-pump was broken. Everything is starting to break on this ship, Hank thought with a sigh. He sloshed through the water over to the pipe he had attempted to fix previously. It still dripped water, but otherwise was fine. The water level was down to covering Hank's ankles, which was also good.

"Hey kid!" Shouted one of the other workers.
Hank turned and spotted the source of the voice.
"Yeah you, c'mere," said a man who was working the pump. "Give me some relief here, I've been pumping this thing for an hour."
Hank nodded and made his way over.
"You just pump it with your foot like this," the man demonstrated before giving Hank his turn. "My name is Jessup."
"Hank," the boy replied.
"Oh yeeeah," replied Jessup. "You're the one that pulled ole Obadiah out of the water."
Jessup patted Hank on the shoulder. "Good work kid."
"Thanks," said Hank timidly. "What do you think of the new captain?"
"Eh, didn't get a chance to hear what he had to say," said Jessup. "Everyone ran upstairs and left me to pump out the water."
"Sorry about that."
Jessup laughed. "No need to apologize," he said. "Listen, I'm going to the gally, you want anything?"
"No thanks," Hank said.
"K, I'll be back soon, just keep pumping!"

Jessup waved and went up a flight of steps to a door. Hank was alone in the boiler room, the boilers were stocked for the time being which meant some relief time for the workers. Despite the emptiness, there was still a lot going on despite no one was working. The clicks, the clocks, the pumps, the whistles, the hisses, the snaps and his own thoughts kept Hank from getting bored. He kept thinking about the diary, it was a puzzle to get into. He planned on snagging a sword from the armorery in hope of getting the thing open. But he had to figure out how to do that without getting in trouble.

Amongst the commotion, Hank heard a foreign noise. It sounded like it was coming from outside the ships hull. He heard it again. A deep baritone noise, almost like a yell from underwater. He stopped pumping and walked towards the outermost wall. It was warm to touch, but Hank pressed his ear against the hull and listened. It was as if all other noise around him stopped. Then he heard it again.

Hank stepped back, looking at the hull, as if for explanation. He turned and walked back to the pump. "Just the ship," he told himself.

 

Obadiah woke up, the sun streaming through the window and casting light upon his face. He was sore everywhere. A cup of tea sat on the table beside him, wisps of steam dancing away from it. He reached out for it.

Except nothing happened. His arm didn't move.

 

The captain didn't reply, he didn't even turn around to look at him.

"This is weird" Zacky thought

"Um... alrighty then, I guess I'll just leave you here"

Zacky decided to visit the captain, he went inside his cabin and he saw the captain was awake and he was staring at a cup.

"Hello Commander Obadiah, it's so good to see you awake, how are you feeling today?"