Steam and Stars: The Precious Cargo is a Frenchman

New London had been the 27th city founded in the Outersphere to bear that name, and it
had not been the first left to rot up here among groaning rocks, cosmic creatures, and twinkling
lights of distant suns. Despite it all, hundreds of residents clung to life like their town clung to
the mountain-sized asteroid. People went about their daily lives up here: newspaper boys from
two rival companies that each only had a dozen readers shouted on street corners. A single
startuna factory belched out cans at an unalarming rate. Old men played checkers with one of the
missing black pieces replaced with a lump of coal. A dog barked. Idle chatter echoed down tight
streets. It was a boring life they all lived, and therefore peaceful.
Ellie Wilkerson contemplated all this as she finished off her apple cider. The warm lights
of the pub buzzed rhythmically while dowsing her and the rest of the patrons in a golden glow
that particularly highlighted her red hair of short curls. Most of the town could have fit in here
and tonight it looked like at least a sixth of the population was passing the time and the bottle.
She was about to order what she thought would be her seventh or eighth round when she spotted
a well dressed man heading her way.
With a body like an old twig the tall gentleman with a black suit and matching bowler hat
rushed past weary stellar sailors and drunken star captains as his loafers clacked like a train. His
outfit, clean face, and well-groomed moustache immediately made him stand out. He stopped
before Ellie and the various labeled pocket watches swung from his pocket chains and ticked
furiously. She looked up at the man and forced out a greeting. “Hello...Arthur.”
“Ms. Wilkerson. I do hope you're having a pleasant evening.” He smiled genuinely at her.
“Well I was until you showed up. What exactly are you doing back here talking to me?
We settled our debt back at Albion Station.” She said.
“Well I'm here to collect a report from the mayor in his office upstairs.” he tilted his hat
and checked the time on one of his watches. “Also, I really do need your help Ms. Wilkerson.”
Ellie pushed down a rude response and looked Arthur in the eyes. “I told you last time I
was done working with you and your agency. Doing more of the Empire’s dirty business is not
how I planned on spending my retirement.” She stood up from the bar stool, closed her trench
coat and pulled her beret tight. She started to walk off but Arthur stood between her and the door.
“I should make this clear.” He said. “This work does not concern the Outersphere
Imperial Agency. This is a personal matter to me, and even concerns you. It’s a job that I'd like to
compensate you handsomely for.” Ellie stared for a moment before walking out the doors into
the cramped town. Arthur called out to her with one sentence that stopped her in her tracks.

“There will be alcohol provided!”

The port of New London was in desperate need of renovations as it jutted out from the
main street. Ellie stood on a creaking wooden board looking out into the wild yonder. The
Outersphere could be mistaken at times for some savage location back on earth. Most of the
asteroids and floating stones were encased in an atmosphere, and so it looked like the sky was in
all directions. Ellie sometimes felt as if she was on the edge of some mountain with mist and fog
obscuring the ground. Though rarely through layers and layers of rock or any foliage that would
grow one might see a peek of starlight.
Ellie turned back towards the town as she heard Arthur come up behind her. “Did the
mayor have anything for you?” She half-heartedly asked.
“Nothing exciting. Just that the Heavenly Free Territory has been more active than usual.
He didn't even ask for reinforcements from Albion. Poor chap probably didn't have the heart.”
He mused.
“That's another thing.” Ellie began, “What, why, and how are you going into rebel space?
You work for the OIA for God’s sake! What business would you have there?”
Arthur gave a weak smile as he headed towards the floating steam ship docked nearby.
“Sometimes we have a change of perspective, so to speak.” He walked up the ramp and onboard
as Ellie followed with her rifle slumped over her shoulder. Though she did stare a bit at the
rusted cargo hauler they'd be on with skeptical eyes. The ship’s whistle shouted out their
departure and with a lurch they set off deeper into the frontier. Ellie gave a last look out at New
London. So tight and dense among the ruins of a much bigger city slowly faded away.

After procuring a bottle of vintage cherry wine without a glass Ellie followed Arthur
below the deck and into a cargo chamber; taking a swig of the sour and sweet liquid. “So what
are we delivering exactly? You still havent told me and the charm of mystery isn't really doing it
for me.” Arthur didn’t respond as he navigated the labyrinth of crates. When they reached a more
open area he felt for a switch and stared back at her as he flicked it on. They both turned, and
sitting at a desk was a man in a dirty patchwork suit with wild hair spiraling out and a moustache
equally as feral and long. Through his spectacles his eyes met theirs and he gave a curt wave.
Ellie stared back, for once no quick comeback or rudeness. She ran to the man to throw her arms
around him. He met her halfway and the two embraced.
“Leon you bastard. I thought you were dead.” Her voice trembled.
He stepped back after a few moments and placed his hands on her shoulder. “My dear, I
would not let the dreaded Anglo keep this man down.” He laughed.
The sound of her friend, despite the harsh accent, was comforting to her. Ellie turned
back to Arthur. “I want an explanation.”
“Happy to comply.” He sat on the edge of the desk, but not before politely moving aside
the papers on it. “I was sent back to earthside a few months back to deliver reports to our
headquarters back in london. As we drifted down my ship was intercepted by a raiding party
from the French Communes. On one of the airships was our soon to be mutual friend Leon, who
treated me quite well as a captive. After some polite conversation it was revealed to us we both
knew the Red Baroness . A.K.A Ellie Wilkins.” he winked. “We soon conversed more deeply
and I was released on the condition that I smuggled him and some war supplies to any fellow
anarchist revolutionaries in the Outersphere.”
 Ellie looked between the two men for a moment. “I guess I shouldn't be surprised, Arthur.
Your heart was always too big to be serving the Crown.” Arthur tried not to shed tears of his own
at that remark. “But Leon, why do you want to be up here?”
Leon shrugged. “I’m a rebel at heart. I can't sit still and wanted to lend my body and soul
to a like-minded cause. Besides, we can't all start successful revolutions in the American
colonies before retiring, Red Baroness.” he elbowed her as he emphasized her nickname. Ellie
swatted him away and smirked. “You both know I can't stand that moniker. Now I hate to steer
this reunion away from its current subject matter but how about we discuss this over food and
drinks? I'm famished.”

Hours later after a hearty meal and some revelry Ellie and Arthur stood on the edge of the
deck. The sky had turned from pale blue to a verdant green as the asteroids covered in coniferous
forests drifted past the occasional homestead. Distant sounds of fellow ships most likely
belonging to the Heavenly Free Territory whistled through the expanse. Ellie was the first to
speak. “Arthur, I really must thank you for what you did.”
“It's really no trouble Ms. Wilkins.”
“Don't be so modest, you did a good thing for me.” She looked down at her nearly empty
wine bottle and tossed it overboard. “I was wasting my life in a crummy town and now I'm with
my old friend again.” she paused, “And a new friend.”
Arthur smiled. “So what will you do now?” he asked.
Ellie felt the weight of her rifle and the cool air smelling of pine whisper past her. She
straightened her shoulders and told Arthur what she wanted, what she had wanted for a long time
now.

“I'm ready to fight for a cause again.”