“The Days of the Consortium are numbered.”  Prince Albert.

The lodge was tucked in a small stand of aspen. It was a rough building built from hard labor and simple tools. It had a rustic charm. The horses were comfortable in the barn when the proprietor returned to light the fireplace against the evening chill. A silver-haired senior, Willy Wiles was happy for the company.

“By any chance,” asked Besh, “has Prince Albert stayed here?”

“Prince Albert,” Willy asked? “No. Saw some riders headed north though. Here, you fellas sit around the fire. I’ll put some coffee on.”

Willy waved them to a couch and two chairs arranged around the fireplace and hurried happily from the main room. He returned later with a metal coffee pot and five metal cups on a tray. His big genuine smile exposed uneven teeth stained yellow. His small eyes nestled under scruffy eyebrows like brown wrens in a dry brush. Willy pulled a chair to the fire and sat. He poured his coffee, sipped, and motioned for the men to help themselves.

Pouring for his fellow travelers, Besh asked Willy, “You stay here by yourself?”

“Yeah. Yeah,” said Willy over the steam from his cup. “Well, sometimes, my grandson comes to visit.”

“Do you get lonely here,” asked Besh, setting the pot on the tray.

“Nah,” said Willy. “I get by. Folks come and go. Old Willy’s here with whatever they need.”

“Well, we thank you for taking us in,” said Besh.

Willy replied happily, “Hey. It’s a Inn. It’s what I do.”

Sam tried the coffee and grunted admiration through the steam.

Willy said to Sam, “It’s good. Right?”

“Mean Joe,” Sam replied with a nod.

When Besh agreed, the younger men took up their cups, careful with the hot handles. The fire crackled in the hearth. The room was warm and friendly. Beasley sipped; Raul slurped loudly. Willy laughed.

“Yeah,” he said. “You gents are the first to stay in over a week.”

Raul laughed. He called to Sam, “You hear that, Captain? He called me a gent.”

Sam answered with his nose in the aromatic steam, “I think he was referring to Besh.”

“Oh.” Said Willy, turning to Sam. “You a Captain? I worked a ship back in the day. I ran the Salamander. Brought in the first load of people for the King.”

“I was one of those people,” answered Sam. “I Captain the Spiral Traul Colonial Harbinger.”

“Small world,” said Willy with a smile.

Besh asked, “What can you tell us about the men you saw going north?”

“Oh, well,” said Willy scratching his stubbled jaw. “They was driving about fifty head. Fine-looking horses, too. There’s a corral just north of here. That’s where most folks camp out on the way to Dead Tree. Ain’t much more to it than a big clearing in the trees, and the corral, of course.”

Besh said, “We were trying to catch up with someone we know in that group. We’ve been following them from the Holder ranch.”

“That Lilly,” said Willy finishing his coffee and setting the cup down. “She’s a real pepper, that one. Makes me wish I was a younger man. Well, most folks that camp the corral, stay a day or two. Some come in for supplies. I keep a good stock.”

Besh turned to Sam and said, “We may catch up to them tomorrow. What do you think? A good nights sleep and . . .”

“And up at the crack of dawn,” finished Sam. Raul giggled into his coffee, then Beasley giggled. Sam turned and demanded, “What?”

“Crack of dawn,” said Raul impishly, a laugh in his words. He turned to Beasley and they laughed together.

Besh turned and asked the younger men, “Get much coffee?” They laughed again.

Willy came slowly to his feet and waved a dismissive hand. “Kids,” he said smiling. “Now, I got two singles and a double up the stairs. Let me show you.”

The rooms were clean and comfortable. Sam put the young men together in the double room with Raul claiming the window bed. Besh could not sleep. He thought it was the strong coffee Willy had served. He dressed and went downstairs to sit on the porch. Sam sat on the rough steps watching the sky. Besh sat in a hand-crafted rocking chair and pulled his collar tight against the chill.

“Couldn’t sleep,” asked Sam without turning?

Besh replied, “Coffee should be a morning drink.”

Sam answered, “It’s always morning somewhere.”

Besh asked casually, “So, you were on the Salamander? I was on the Tail Wind.”

Sam sighed. “Yeah,” he said. “The money ship. The Salamander ferried released prisoners.”

Besh asked, “May I ask how long you were in prison?”

“Three years,” answered the Captain.

Taken aback, Besh asked, “How does a war hero dig himself such a deep hole?”

Sam turned and leaned against the rough column. “All it takes,” he said, “is speaking out against the Consortium. I found out their greed for mining rights left a wake of dead civilians. I said something.”

Besh was curious. He wanted to know more. His mouth was open to ask another question when Sam sat up and looked into the sky. Besh followed his gaze to the east. Above the trees were the lights of a slow-moving dark craft on a northerly course. A second ship appeared, quiet and low, brushing the tops of taller pine. Then there was a third. All headed north. The first craft trained a high beam forward, searching among the trees.

Sam jumped to his feet and said, “Something’s up.”

Besh asked, “What do you think it is?”

Sam replied, "I don’t know, but I’m going to find out.”

Besh arose from his seat as Sam strode away into the night. “Wait for me,” he called.

Sam and Besh crouched behind the trees, hiding in the night. The corral and clearing were ahead of them. Nervous horses danced in alarm as the last craft landed just beyond the fires. In the door of the furthest craft stood a man and woman. Making a brisk motion with one of his hands, the man led the woman into the craft. Men on the ground whistled to one another as they erected a temporary chute between the corral and ships. The horses were being loaded for transport. The first craft rose into the air and slowly turned west.

To his amazement, Besh heard Sam whisper the word, “Pirates!”

On the morrow, Besh sat with Sam at the kitchen table. Willy served coffee, piping hot. The inviting smell of eggs, bacon, and biscuits drew the young men from their room. Yawning, they stepped over the long seat on the oven side of the table. Willy’s coffee was received with enthusiasm. Content, Willy whistled a happy tune.

Blinking heavily, Beasley asked, “Why so early? The sun isn’t even up.”

“Yeah,” said Raul through a cloud of aromatic steam, “it’s like the middle of the night.”

Willy laughed. “Early to bed and early to rise,” said Willy as he dropped a platter of eggs and bacon in the center of the long table. Besh watched the young men attack the platter voraciously. Willy laughed again and dropped a plate of fluffy homemade biscuits on the table. “Help yourselves,” he said with a big smile. “There’s plenty more where that came from.”

Raul spoke around a full mouth. “Dios Mio! This is so good.”

Willy seated himself and served a plate for himself. He questioned Sam and Besh, “You two not hungry?”

Sam answered, “Sorry. Just thinking.”

Besh, sitting next to Willy, passed the biscuits to Sam as he filled his plate with bacon and eggs. He passed the coffee pot after refilling his cup and turned to Willy.

“Willy,” he asked, “have you ever known pirates to frequent these parts?”

“No sir,” said Willy chewing loudly. “I seen you two were up late. You see some pirates?”

“Pirates,” interjected Beasley, “here?”

Sam washed down a bite of his breakfast and answered all. “We saw three pirate ships last night. They were at the corral loading horses.”

“That’s a new one,” said Willy. “Most folk head up to Dead Tree.”

Besh said to Sam, “If the Prince was with them, he’s gone now.”

“What a waste,” said Beasley. “Out in the boonies for nothing.”

“What do we do now,” asked Raul?

Sam answered, “We go on to North Breed and find an airship.”

“That would be the place,” agreed Willy.

Besh asked, “Willy, have you heard of the Badgers?”

Pausing, cup to mouth, Willy said, “Yeah. Heard they shot some up in Breed.”

Besh continued, “There’s a war coming, Willy. Badgers and pirates are gathering supplies.”

“The hell you say!” Willy was surprised.

Raul added, “We’ve been attacked three times.”

“Yes,” said Besh. “We owe our lives to the Captain, here.”

Raul added, “He’s a war hero,” prompting Willy to peer around Besh for a good look.

Sam finished his coffee and addressed the younger men. “You two get dressed and join me in the barn.” His tone left no room for debate. He stood, thanked Willy, and left the room. Beasley found the last drop of coffee and followed. Raul left with a smile for Willy, taking the last cold strip of bacon.

Besh turned to Willy and said, “I’ll help clear the table.”

“Your money’s good,” said Willy. “You don’t owe me anything else.”

Besh stood and began gathering plates into a pile. He lifted them and walked to the sink. He said to Willy, “I want to ask you something, Willy.”

Willy checked the pot and found it empty. “Yessir,” he prompted.

“It’s a favor,” said Besh. “It’s not for me. It’s for the King.”

“I’m the King’s man,” answered Willy. “You just tell me what it is.”

“I’d like for you to keep an eye out for unusual air traffic in this area. Report everything you see to the King. If there is a war coming, he’ll need the support of all his subjects.”

“Yessir,” said Willy. “I’ll do just that. Anything for the King. Of course,” he paused and scratched his chin. “I’d need a communicator for that.”

“Here,” said Besh, immediately removing his wrist communicator and handing it to Willy. “Take mine.”

“You sure,” asked Willy? “Looks expensive.”

“Yes,” Besh replied. “I can get another in North Breed.”

“Well, thanks,” said Willy. He took the wrist communicator from Besh and hefted it in the palm of his hand, assessing the weighted quality of the item. “Then again,” he added, “my eyes ain’t so good anymore, especially at night. I could sit on the roof and keep a lookout if I had a good spyglass.”

Besh smiled from the kitchen door. “I tell you what,” said Besh. “I might have a small telescope in my backpack. If I do, it’s yours. I’ll check and be back down.”

“You’re a good man,” said Willy.

The sun was peeking through the trees when Besh turned in his saddle and waved goodbye to Willy. Besh truly liked the man. A man of solid character is hard to find, he thought. Character takes many forms. Sam was also a man of character. Besh liked to think that he also had a measure; it was like gold in a world of silver. However, the sobering reality was that each moment of a man’s life demanded character in each decision, each choice, each small act of kindness. Willy raised the small telescope in his hand and waved as they rode away.

Sam spoke. “You had that in your bag all along?”

“Well, yes,” answered Besh.

“Would have been nice to know,” said Sam.

“It was deep,” said Besh.

Beasley said to Raul, “Thanks for trading with me. She seems to like you better.”

“Mira,” said Raul. “You just gotta show ‘em whose boss. Right, Captain?”

Sam answered, “Treat a girl with respect, and the ride is guaranteed.”