| Chapter Two - A Proposition |
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Following a robust push from Sydeian, the tavern door swung reluctantly open. We stepped into the interior and an ample but comely serving wench ushered us over to a recently cleared and secluded table at the rear of the establishment. It took several moments for my eyes to become accustomed to the dim and smoky interior of the taproom. Sydeian's companion patted her enthusiastically on the rump and dropped a few silver coins in her hand whilst whispering to her softly. Yes, this was clearly not a chance meeting. Judging by her giggles the wench was well acquainted with my mysterious gentleman companion. I sat and gratefully accepted the cloudy ale, which was offered. We all wrinkled our noses at the smell of the brew but its taste was surprisingly full & refreshing. "Captain" Sydeian, as he re-introduced himself, was an animated, genial man and good company. He was also in possession of a sharp, enquiring mind, which even in times of light hearted conversation never bent from its focus - he was clearly a man with pressing concerns. This fact confirmed his stated title as genuine, only an officer would display such discipline. He was a well-built man who while not old, showed signs of a hard life. Tiny scars criss-crossed his features and he looked as if he had not slept properly in some time. The devilled kidneys arrived and they were indeed excellent, our old family cook would have been impressed.
While we ate I perused our surroundings. I had not visited the Newgate Arms before and in comparison to the inns, which I had been frequenting recently, it was a most pleasant setting. The clientele were spirited but good naturedly so and were managed in an efficient and light hearted manner by the barman and his serving wenches. A small band of much-travelled looking players occupied the opposite corner, playing a pleasing mix of upbeat folk music and traditional ballads, all of which allowed us to conduct our discussion with a minimum of scrutiny and greatly reduced the chance of being overheard. The Captain had chosen his venue well and I was beginning to realise that this was a man with a considerable depth of thought and guile. The subject matter of conversation soon diverted my mind from such trivialities however. We discussed the theory of flight. The Captain was impressed with the design of my crowd-pleasing kite, remarking favourably and with warmth upon its manoeuvrability and acrobatic qualities. Time passed unnoticed as our enthusiasm, coupled with the free-flowing ale, loosened our tongues. After what seemed like a brief time we left and I accompanied Captain Sydeian to the quarters of his associate. Here, discussions took a darker twist as Captain Sydeian outlined his recent history and of the sinister threat that now faced mankind. He explained the groundbreaking technologies behind some of his breathtaking inventions, which were so fantastical to me that they seemed almost from another world. I was later to discover that in some cases this was the literal truth! As the small hours of the morning approached I confessed that this was all very interesting but that I wasn’t entirely sure why the Captain was confiding in me so. He took several puffs on his pipe, blew out an impressive smoke ring and simply replied: "Because I have a job for you my boy, fully paid of course - you’re going to help men to fly....." |
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