Wind Dancer: Secret War Steampunk Series - Adventure, Mystery + Mad Science Read Online Free PDF Page A

us.” He paused. “Survivors to be taken back if we
find any of course.” This earned an even louder round of chuckles from the
hardened landing force. They knew the odds of anyone surviving an attack such
as the Wind Dancer had experienced.
    “Do not take any unnecessary risks,” Will continued. He
raised his fist, and everyone else raised theirs in response. “And remember,
everyone returns!” The last two words were repeated solemnly by all the Tigers.
It was the Wind Dancer’s unofficial motto. While it might seem arcane to
someone not schooled in the ways of the airdevils, it was as close as a prayer
as they all came. The crew were all veterans of the air, and knew that for some
ships it was a standard answer to fly off and leave them on the ground.
Sometimes even dump the wounded over the side to lighten the load. Not on Wind
Dancer .
    “Alright,” Saira ordered, gesturing to the flat hanging from
a power winch over the loading hatch. “Everyone to their places, Captain and
Ravin in the center.” The Tigers climbed onto the lift, facing outward, leaving
room for Saira, Will, and Ravin at the center of the lift. Saira signaled the Cargo
Master and the lift began its descent.
    The heat hit them like a hammer as they descended. By the
time the lift touched down, even Will was soaked through with sweat. He hated
to think what the Tigers were going through in their rubber suits. Still when
the lift touched the ground they moved off it in sharp order, weapons at the
ready. Two of the Tigers peeled off from the rest, scouting the area.
    Will looked at the wreckage of the Raja Goh. Twisted spars
curved overhead, tattered bits of the air ship’s covering hung from them like
burnt skin. Everywhere debris was scattered across the ground. Will pointed to
a section of hull.
    “Ravin,” he ordered. “Catch that spot there. We want to show
to the bean-counters that their ship was shot down.” Ravin dutifully raised the
kinescope towards where Will pointed. The picture electronically etched itself
onto the thin metal spool within it. Ravin stood patiently while the scope
vibrated in his hands. When it stopped, he moved the lens slightly to catch a
different angle, then depressed the trigger again. He looked up at the cry of
one of the scouts.
    “Over here!” came the scout’s voice. Saira and Will both
turned to follow the voice over the slight rise of the hill the wreck had
settled on. Following the rest, Ravin stopped when he saw the bodies staked out
on the ground. These crew had clearly survived the ambush only to be taken by
the savage tribesmen. Ravin swallowed hard, fighting his stomach at the stench.
    “Get them on the reel, Ravin,” Will said quietly. “The
Company will want it.” Saira was looking around sharply, rifle raised, as if
she were hunting the perpetrators of the outrage.
    As Ravin’s scope recorded the scene, a single musket shot
rang out across the hills. Will was flung backwards into the dirt, as the rest
dived for cover. Saira stood over him and snarled wordlessly, her rifle coming
up, a violet flash coming from the muzzle. Across the depression, the head of
the attacker burst into flame, his rifle falling to the ground. Saira then
dropped to crouch over her Captain. To her amazement, Will tried to rise to his
elbows.
    “What are you doing?” she exclaimed. “I thought you were
dead!” Her head snapped back up, searching for more attackers. Other Tigers had
run crouched over to where the ambusher laid. They straightened up signaling
the all clear.
    “It’s not that bad, Saira,” Will replied calmly, “the vest
must have caught it.” He held up a flattened bullet. “The damn thing has gone
all stiff though and I can’t get up.” He held up a hand. The Arms-Master helped
him up.
    “Now I know that, I want one of those vests,” Saira quipped.
“I want to dance naked through a landing too!” Will smiled at this.
    “I will see to it that you get the next one,” Will