“So, how do you think you’d feel about me removing an arm?”

“I don’t think I’d like that very much. Why?” Estelle patiently sat in Navi’s stateroom, draped as though she were at the tailors for a fitting. Though the doll was only vaguely female in form, Navi thought it best to treat her as much as a person despite her current condition. Casey was yawning, but watching from the bed she shared with Navi.

“Well…” Navi held up the arm of the doll she’d just removed. “The good news is, you don’t seem to feel anything with it removed. Can you try to move the fingers of this arm?”

Estelle looked at her arm. The hand did not move. “I can’t move it.” She looked at Navi. “What does that mean?”

“Let me fix it for you and I can tell you what I’m thinking.” A few moments later, the arm was back in place. “Now move your fingers.” Estelle was able to do so without trouble. “It seems that whatever is binding you to this form is concentrated around your winding mechanism, so we’ll take a look at that next, all right?”

“Okay.” Estelle turned back to face the window, clutching her blanket in the front and Navi began to undo the bolts on her back.

Navi had known the doll was a work of art the moment they had taken her out of the box, but to get a closer look at the workings of her limbs and the unidentified plating was humbling. She wanted to meet the maker of this body and ask so many questions. When she undid the last bolt, she took a deep breath. “Okay, Estelle. I’m removing your back plates. Let me know if you feel anything different or wrong.”

“All right,” the doll replied agreeably. “Although, feeling anything would be a relief, I think.”

The mechanic had no response for this, instead opening the plates on finely crafted hinges. What she saw inside made her gasp. “Oh my god!”

“What? What is it?” Estelle tried to turn.

Casey had crept up besides Navi to peer into Estelle’s chest cavity. “What is that Navi?”

“I couldn’t’ tell you…but I know I’m not going to touch it.” Navi was gazing at the simple clockwork type mechanism wrapped and integrated with a column of glowing crystal. It almost looked as though the crystal had attached itself to the springs and gears in an organic fashion. She watched the mechanism tick and the column slowly spun. The crystal glowed a brilliant blue, sending rays of light dancing throughout the cabin. “I’m sorry, Estelle. Whatever is powering your clockwork mechanisms is melded in a way that I can’t want to touch it. We need an expert.”

“I understand. Thank you for taking a look.” Estelle tried to hide her disappointment.

Navi noticed and scrambled for a way to reassure her. “Don’t worry, Estelle. We can find some answers. We’re headed to my hometown and I can guarantee we’ll get some answers there.”

The doll looked up. “Why? What’s in Winterhaven?”

“Uh…” Navi was wracking her brains. “Well, my family is there.”

“Oh…” Estelle turned to look back out the window. Navi face palmed.

“No! No! No! I mean, my father is a greater mechanic than me!” She hated how squeaky she sounded when she knew she fell short of brilliance. “So, he would have a better idea of how to handle your core. And-and-and I know a fairy who owes me a favor!”

Casey’s eyes grew even larger if that were possible. “You know a fairy?” she breathed. “A real fairy?”

Even Estelle had turned back to her in interest. “I’m sorry for dragging you into this Ifanta,” Navi mentally apologized to her friend. “Yes, I know a real fairy, but you have to keep her a secret,” she said.

“Well, I’m a living doll that may or may not need to be destroyed, so I guess I can keep a secret,” Estelle said teasingly. Navi relaxed.

“I’ve always wanted to meet a real fairy! I’ll keep her so secret, no one will ever, ever know—except for Faffy, of course!” Casey swore. (The bunny was not in the room for some reason.) All her sleepiness was forgotten as she bounced around the room. “We’re going to meet a fairy!”

__________________________

Two months after the True North set off on its maiden flight, it returned to dock in its berth on the lower rings of Winterhaven. Winterhaven was a semi-progressive town with two ports of call--one on the South and one on the North--plus a major train line. While not as glorious as the Capital of Lambasca, it had a lucrative location on the Southern coast of the Empire.

Scarcely had the ramp been lowered when several people came charging up towards the ship. The first of whom were local reporters swarming the loading deck. They were shouting and jostling each other while they waited for the crew to appear. The small crowd milling started to part as a pair of Drathinians attempted to make their up into the ship.

"Get out of our way! Who are you people anyway? Navi! Where is that girl?" the woman called out.

"Get back, you lot! Who even called you anyway? The man shouted, pushing back against the reports on the end of the gangplank. The reporters pushed back.

"May I help you, sir?" Jaehyun stepped into the doorway of the to see what was happening.  

The crowd went silent. The couple turned at the sound of his voice. Jaehyun raised a hand to the reporters and stepped onto the gangplank to greet the couple. The woman had incredibly pale gray eyes which gave her an unsettling look. The man had no hair save for bushy eyebrows and a thick mustache that hid his upper lips. He was a short, but muscular man with a strangely watchful air about him. The resemblance was unmistakable. They could only be her parents.

Then the reporters started shouting their questions again, flashing their cameras.

“Is it true the True North crash landed full of explosives on her maiden voyage and still made the drop three days early?”

“The Heaven’s Fist is a known menace in the North. How did you get by without a scratch?”

“Is it true the True North has aquatic capabilities?!?”

“What’s the secret behind the True North’s engines?”

“Who is the owner of the True North?”

"Who are you and what are you doing on my daughter's ship?" The man stepped towards Jaehyun; his bushy brows were so low they almost met his mustache.

"I am in your daughter's hire, Mr. Sitara." He extended his hand with a smile. "I am Jaehyun Park, currently the pilot for the True North."

Mr. Sitara scrutinized him for a moment before engulfing the pale hand in his massive brown paw. "Revo and Nani Sitara. We are looking for Navi."

“Please come aboard,” Jaehyun gestured to the doorway. “She’s onboard preparing to disembark. I’ll handle the reporters.”

Revo nodded his thanks and guided his wife up the gangplank while Jaehyun went to meet the reporters.

“Gentlemen—and ladies,” he added with an especially charming smile towards the two female reporters he spotted in the crowd. “I will be taking all of your questions now.”

______________________

“Three men, Navilene Sitara! Three—and a child—gallivanting across God’s creation! What has gotten into you?” Nani Sitara fussed at her daughter as she scurried around the table, serving up the appetizers.

“It just happened that way, Mum,” she said under her breath.

“Three men?” her younger sister, Devri, teased. “And I thought I was the trouble-maker!”

“Shut up!” Navi hissed. She reached over to grab a roll, surreptiously elbowing Devri in the process.

“Ow! Mom!”

The entire crew was seated at the Sitara residence having dinner, most of whom were amused at seeing their reclusive mechanic get scolded like a child. They were also relishing being at ease off ship. Drathinian households ate together on low tables amidst heaps of floor cushions. They sipped at tea while nibbling spiced rolls. Dinner was slow cooking in the kitchen which left plenty of time for getting to know one another.

“This food is delicious, Mrs. Sitara,” Jaehyun raised his voice over the squabbling siblings. "And I can assure you, madam, not a soul has made an untoward move towards your daughter."

"She threatened to dismember the engine while we were midair if we had any ideas—not that any of us had any ideas." Jethro's heavy bass, quieted the bickering. He raised his glass to Revo "You've raised your chicky right well!"

That seemed to reassure Nani who calmed her picking at Navi. “It’s good to know she has some sense. More tea, anyone?”

___________________

Navi was home! He dashed through the streets of Winterhaven, dodging the carriages. He heard that the True North had docked around 3 and counted down the hours until six. On the dot, he flew out of the shop with a hurried “Bye, sir! See you tomorrow!” He was gone before his boss, Mr. Keats, had time to register his clerk’s departure.

It had rained earlier that day. Everything was still wet, but the sun made everything sparkle. He was sure that his heart would beat out of his chest—and not just because of the running. A carefully-wrapped package was nestled in his arms. Navi was home!

His feet flew down the familiar streets until he rounded a corner. In a cul-de-sac, a cozy house with a lush garden flourished next to a massive warehouse—the Sitara Mechworks. He could see the warm light filling the windows. The warmth filled his chest. He took a deep breath as he slowed to a stop outside the door, then knocked smartly.

The door opened and Devri peered up at him. She grinned, flinging the door wide open. “Hey, everyone! Leo is here!” she called, dragging him in.  

“Devi, what’s going o-oh!” Leo froze at the new faces in the Sitara residence. His eyes honed in on the one person he was looking for. Navi raised a half-eaten roll in his direction.

“Oh, hi, Leo. Come have a seat!” she said. “Mom’s finishing up dinner.”

Devri dragged him into the room. “Yeah, Leo! Why don’t you have a seat with Navi? I know you’ve been waiting for her to get home!”

“Well, I—Devri!” She shoved him down onto the cushions by Navi, then took her place across the low table from them. “S-sorry. I was just on my way home….”

“Sure, you were! And you just happened to be making a delivery on this side of town, right?” Devri said, tapping her chin. Then she snapped her fingers. “Oh yeah, you should meet everyone! Everyone, this is Leo. He’s one of our oldest family friends—ever since we moved here!”

The crew raised their glasses or generally nodded in his direction. Leo could feel his face burning and he could not look at Navi. Instead, he used this moment to take a look at the new faces. He exchanged a friendly nod with Lamond and Jethro, and a smile with a wink for Casey who grinned back at him. His eyes lingered a little on the curiously veiled woman, then paused briefly meeting the scowl of the apprentice. He shook it off then stopped when he saw Jaehyun calmly sipping tea. His heart sank. Who was this handsome, well-dressed man?

Jaehyun looked up to meet the young man’s gaze. The newcomer was a few years younger than him, tall with thick brown hair, light brown eyes and a handsome, freckled face. He smiled politely, but the young man’s intense gaze soured. Trying to clear the air, Jaehyun reached over. “Jaehyun Park, pilot of the True North. It’s a pleasure, Mr. Leo.”

Leo took his hand as though it were a snake, then tried to crush it in his grip. “Cravatz. Leo Cravatz. And I wish I could say the same, Mr. Park,” Leo glowered at him.

Jaehyun looked confused. “Have I…offended you somehow?”

“Don’t hurt my pilot, Leo.” Navi interrupted them, tapping on their still clasped hands. “Medical leave is expensive.”

The young man released Jaehyun quickly. “Oh, I’m sorry. I wouldn’t want to inconvenience you, Navi. I didn’t think a handshake would hurt him.”

Jaehyun frowned, catching on. “A handshake is unlikely to set me back much. But let me tell you about something that did.” He turned as if addressing the group at large, raising his voice. “Have I ever told you about the time I broke an arm taking on a hippogriff with nothing but a dagger?”

“Really?” Casey and the last of the Sitara siblings, Akeen, popped up, eyes round. The two had become fast friends.

Jaehyun’s announcement had the effect he had intended and now everyone on the table was interested in hearing his feats. He glanced at Leo. The young man was scowling harder. He smiled—the clear victor—and launched into his story. He felt a little bad to having to pull rank, but he was not about to let the man’s clouded judgement get the better of him.

By the time the story ended, Nani brought the food out and everyone had settled in. Navi relaxed. It was good to be home.