present

The humidity and dust was oppressive, one clinging to the other creating a thick, smoky miasma that haunted the room like a forlorn spirit cursed to spend eternity toiling away among the children of the breaker room. The machine was cacophonous, spitting the anthracite shards down half a dozen shoots like bullets from a hand-cranked gun. Staggered across the shoots, hunched over on small wooden backed slats, sat three dozen boys furious picking their way through the jagged, broken shards.

“The ‘Suade Boss is over there-” A soot covered hand pointed across the Captain's line of vision. “He’ll know which boy yer lookin’ fer.”

“‘Suade boss?” The Captain asked with a raised brow.

“Yeah. Sometimes the boys slack off, try take breaks or stop working all together. Need someone to-” The man made a jabbing motion as if to pantomime prodding the boys with a stick. “-persuade ‘em to get back to work.”

The miner chuckled, bearing his yellowed teeth in a smile, shining closer to bright white against the layer of coal dust coating his body.

“Clever… thanks for the help.”

The miner nodded, and slipped out the door. Captain Renwick Padgett envied him. The air was unbreathable, the heat overwhelming, and the clanging of the machinery and the flying coal was enough to deafen a man over time. The idea of sending an adult to work in these conditions was ridiculous enough, which made the fact that the Captain was here to retrieve a child even more astonishing. Suddenly, Padgett understood why the enlistment numbers for the realm’s military forces were going up every year.

Trudging his way over to speak to the ‘Suade Boss, Captain caught his eye before he could reach the end of the line. He prodded the boy he was berating one more time for good measure, and the boy wilted, only to force himself to continue picking through the shards.

“How can I help you, Captain?” The young man, who looked barely a few years older than these boys, shouted over the raging storm of the machine.

“I’m looking for Orion Gray. I have orders to retrieve him.”

“Must be my birthday,” the ‘Suade Boss joked, yelling louder as he moved towards the ramp that lead to the higher seats. “ Cause I’ve been wishin’ fer someone to take that sorry ingrate off my hands for weeks!”

Signaling for the Captain to follow him, Padgett made his way up the ramp, gripping the metal pipe that had been welded together to form a makeshift handrail- the only thing keeping his boots from sliding in the half inch of coal dust that seem to penetrate every nook and cranny of the room.

“There- that one!” The Boss pointed to the middle of the second row from the top, towards a boy who was virtually indistinguishable from the others under the filth. “I don’t envy you Captain. That one’s a menace. Been kicked outta two other work camps ‘fore they sent him here, and ain’t been nothin’ but trouble since I got ‘im.”

“What kind of trouble?”

“Rabble-rousin’ mostly. Getting the other boys riled up, disobeying orders, complaining’ about conditions.”

“Yeah…” Padgett found himself biting his tongue, fighting the urge to roll his eyes. “You’re right- absolute ingrate. Some people just don’t know how good the have it…”

“GRAY!” the ‘Suade Boss bellowed, though it sounded little more than a gentle shout in the din. The boy’s head popped up, his hands stopping for the first time since the boss had pointed him out. “Get over here!”

The boy stood up, arching his back in relief that showed on his face, and ambled his way over across the narrow path that ran along the back rests of each seat.

“What did I do now?” he shouted, throwing his hands up in the air.

“Don’t know, don’t care- you’re the military’s problem now,” the boss laughed as he shoved Gray towards the Captain, making his way back down the ramp, yelling at another boy and raising his stick.

The Captain gently nudged the boy down the ramp and out the door, who, no surprise to the Captain, made no complaint about his relocation. Once the wooden door to what looked little more than a ramshackle barn was closed behind them the noise reduced to a dull roar, but Padgett’s hearing was still a little muffled for the time being.

“Great…” the boy grumbled swiping his hand through his hair, shaking free a cloud of soot in the process that exposed a hair color that hinted more at dirty blond rather than the jet black it was currently stained. He stretched his hands out to allow his wrists to be cuffed. “Have I been impressed now?”

“In a manner of speaking, yes,” the Captain acknowledged as he began to walk away, leaving the boy standing with his hands hanging in the air and his head tilted in confusion. “Keep up.”

The boy dashed up to catch up to the Captain’s stride. “Where are we going?”

“The Palace.”

The boy paused a second time, once again being left behind as the Captain paced ahead of him.

“What? Why?”

“I’ll answer all your questions, kid,” Padgett said, turning to face the stunned boy, “but, the crew doesn’t like to be kept waiting.”

Padgett flung his thumb over his shoulder towards the airship sitting just outside the barricades. Suddenly noticing the magnificent ship just outside the gates of the work camp, the boys eyes widened, traveling the height of the ship.

“Who sent you?”

“Destiny, kid. Apparently, the Sisters really like you.”

“Orion.”

“Excuse me?”

“My name is Orion,” he said, stepping up to stand next to Padgett. “Not kid.”

The two of them shared a long stare, until Padgett slapped him on the back.

“Whatever you say, Orie.”