medeasteampunkd

THE MEDEA STEAMPUNK'D

Directly continued from Medea, Part 2, Chapter 6

By Atonia Walpole

(Picture creations also by Atonia)

“The Nautilus was piercing the water with its sharp spur, after having accomplished nearly 10,000 leagues In three months and a half. A distance greater than the circle of the earth. Where were we going now and what was reserved for the future?”

The Medea had been at sea now for nearly two months. She was on her way to Scotland, to Carlisle to pick up two passengers, Margret Langston and Lyssa Blaine. It had become home to David Blaine. The trip from Sicily was taking longer going back because of frequent stops. They spent a week in France, Billy, Mandi and he on the Isle of Nantes.

Something happened while there. Unaware there was anything special going on they were immediately the center of attention. The local populace thought they were part of the convention…the gathering of the strangely-dressed people who had descended on the area.

Once the yacht was secured they were caught up with the crowds wanting to know about the steam-driven yacht. Mandi was fascinated by the clothes and talked to the girls walking alongside them into the village. Billy was more intent on keeping Blaine upright on the uneven cobbles. He walked close to Blaine with an arm ready to steady him. Members of the crew brought their bags up from the docks to the old Victorian hotel in the town square.

David Blaine stuffed the cards and bits of paper in his pocket and took up his cane again. They checked into the hotel.

“We have been invited to many events tonight,” he said as Billy started the old fashioned lift to the third floor.

“Readings, a display of some sort. Tomorrow there will be the airship. There are parties also and the usual tourist attractions.”

“Can’t go like this.” She indicated her jeans. She had in mind to outfit them all in steampunk clothing.

A few doors down from the hotel was a boutique set up especially for steampunk. Mandi had been given a card and she directed them to the shop. There was a nice velvet chair for David to sit in with Billy behind him while she shopped. She brought out a few things for him to look at, hoping he would pick her outfit. He liked the jacket. She paired it with a black Victorian ruffled skirt and corset, knee-high velvet boots and a top hat with feathers.

She came out of the dressing room and did a 360 turn for him. He was amused.

Billy had his eye on a set of knee-high spats and stepped away from the chair for a moment.

“These, Blaine,” he said, kneeling in front of him and attaching them to his feet and legs.

He found him a burgundy velvet blazer and black embroidered waistcoat, a top hat.

Mandi sat in the chair waiting on Blaine. Billy had him in the dressing room now. She was so glad he’d gotten into the spirit of the thing. She’d seen so many sides of him on this voyage and some were not so attractive but he was great fun when he wanted to be. Now they were dressing him up for play. She had a pocket watch in her hands, all Steampunk’d up with cogs. She hoped he’d carry it.

“Oh, my God!” Mandi jumped up and clapped her hands. He was the picture of a Victorian gentleman with an edge. “You are beautiful!” She kissed him briefly and gave him the watch.

“Billy, while you were dressing him I found some things for you to try.” She indicated a pile of items on a stool.

Billy had a cap with goggles, a long leather duster and a velvet blazer. He added a few touches of his own. The girl behind the counter gladly took their money and boxed up the clothes they came in with, sending them on to the hotel. They stopped and admired a mechanical arm a man was wearing as they left the shop.

Blaine laughed. It was fun to play with them after what they’d been through in Sicily. Today they were his playmates and it was funny, he thought, the different roles they played. Sometimes he felt older, a father-like figure. Sometimes he was the child and wanted to be petted and loved. Love...what a strange thing it was. He loved Mandi; everything about her he loved. She was funky and free-spirited but inside was a strong devotion to him and a sense of what was right for them. He trusted her with his daughter, his body, and more and more with his heart. It scared him sometimes.

He felt Billy’s arm around him, steadying him as they crossed the street. Billy…he hadn’t planned on Billy. Ali was his true love but he needed Billy and he was always there. Before he knew what he wanted, Billy was there with it. He loved him, depended on him, leaned on him and trusted him to straighten him when he went too far. No one other than Ali could talk to him the way Billy could. Billy had known him before…before he was a broken man.

He needed them both and they had become his family. Mandi tottered ahead of him on those ridiculously-fashioned boots. She was nearly as tall as him with them on. He reached out and touched the back of her skirt.

Mandi grinned, “I don’t know. Extra padding for hard seats?” She giggled and stepped back with Billy and him, letting him walk between them.

They were three extraordinarily handsome people and would have attracted attention on their own anywhere but here in this small setting the spotlight found them. Word spread about the yacht. People wanted to know about cruises, could they go out in the bay? Blaine said he would see if it could be arranged.

They followed a group into a tavern, faded in its Victorian splendor. Nothing had been changed, only maintained over the years. A man was sitting on a little stage reading from a book. Another played an electric violin in the background. A table near the stage was provided for them. A bottle of a deep smoky wine was in front of them.

It was a tight-knit group, tight because space was at a premium. People were sitting on the floors, tables and up a winding stairway in the corner. Billy wondered where it led. The music was mesmerizing, the wine intoxicating. He felt his head begin to swim. The man’s voice on the stage held you and you found yourself breathing when he did. He looked around him at the oddly-dressed people. He supposed they looked the same…all slightly drunk, slightly numb from lack of fresh air.

Blaine was listening to the man on the stage, a beautiful man in Victorian dress with a top hat adorned with feathers and goggles. He had something on his right hand like a fingerless glove but it was mechanical. He paused and someone handed him a glass of the house wine. He looked over at the table and locked eyes with Blaine.

Aware as he always was of Blaine, it came over the table like an electric charge and Billy glanced at Blaine. He was watching the man with his lips slightly apart. He wasn’t exactly flirting with him but he’d let him know he was interested. Billy closed his eyes; they didn’t know these people or what they’d fallen into. Sure, it all looked like a big party and maybe that’s all it was. He opened his eyes and looked over at Mandi. She was in profile to him and sitting up very straight in her corset with her breasts nearly escaping over the top.

The words were familiar to Blaine. He’d read Jules Verne but not in French. He liked to watch the man’s mouth as he read, here and there a flash of teeth. He was a Frenchman. Blaine could tell by his speech. He was fascinated by the thing on his hand. It didn’t seem to serve a purpose, only gleaming in the pale light streaming from a stained glass widow set high in the wall. The man’s nails were painted black.

He’d come to the end of the chapter, stood up and slightly bowed to the crowd and their applause. Picking up his wine glass with his left hand, he paused by their table. He reached out with the mechanical contraption and cupped Blaine’s chin. In an instant he’d bent and kissed him on the lips and then disappeared into the crowd. Billy had been half out of his chair, not knowing what his intent was and not trusting that thing on his hand.

“You aren’t going with him,” Mandi said, giving him a direct look. “You aren’t.”

“The lady has spoken,” Blaine said with an amused look in his eye. “He was rather…”

Someone came in the door and announced the air ship had arrived. The tavern thinned out a little. The violin began to play louder. A new group of people came in with some alarming weaponry pieces. They weren’t real and Blaine examined a strange-looking gun-like thing and handed it to Mandi. She shook her head and smiled. People were carrying these things around as accessories to their look.

Someone took the stage and announced when the airship would be leaving. A cheer went around the room.

And see more they did. There were some booths set up selling jewelry and Blaine bought Mandi a locket. It was so unexpected; she hugged him around the neck and had Billy fasten it for her. Everything was marketed as one of a kind, hand-crafted.

The seller said it was very old. Mandi kept touching it and glancing at Blaine. He was very generous with her. She could have anything she wanted but he rarely bought it for her. Billy smiled a little, understanding her pride.

“Ah, well, I thought you were all leaving on that ship. I guess some will stay then or go home.” He looked around at his partner.

Billy reached for her hand as they walked off. “You’ll stay on the ground, luv.”

“No. I’m not going up and neither is he. We’ll stick together,” Billy told her.

It was the birthplace of Jules Verne. Here on the Isle of Nantes was a tribute to him and also to Leonardo Di Vinci’s other world. Machines of the Isle visualized a travel through time located in the old warehouses of the shipyard. It was a tourist destination and although this was not tourist season for the area, the convention had drawn a large crowd.

The Great Elephant looked like fun. Blaine said he couldn’t climb it but would take their pictures. Reluctantly they left him below. The elephant was 12 meters high and 8 meters wide. It was designed to take 49 passengers on a 45 minute walk. Billy and Mandi hurried to the platform and waved down at Blaine. He took their picture. The mechanical elephant began its walk.

Blaine watched the Great Elephant take a few steps and took the pictures. He was enjoying himself and really had no desire to stand in a mechanical elephant while it strolled around. He turned to find some other amusement to occupy him until they returned and discovered the man from the tavern standing a few feet behind him. He looked at him a moment.

“I would like to spend some time with you.” He was now wearing a strange-looking monocle.

Blaine had spoken to him in English and he responded in flawless fashion. “I am waiting on my family.”

“I won’t take up much of your time. I have little myself. Have you been through the Machine of the Isle?”

“You should come. There might be a way to fix your back. We don’t know what wondrous things are waiting for us. You came on a steam yacht, I am told.”

“Neither do I. I am very careful who I kiss. You have two to kiss you and I have none.”

They paused at the entrance to the Machine of the Isle. He bought Blaine a monocle like his and fitted it over his eye.

“My money will not be of use to me in The Other. I want to spend it on you.”

“That is enough.” He let his fingers trail down Blaine’s shoulder. “I want…you.”

“You will be back by the time the elephant walks. Please.” He took Blaine’s elbow.

Blaine was glad to reach Gustav’s rooms. He’d walked about all he could for awhile.

“No…here.” He guided Blaine from the sofa where he was about to sit to the bed.

Three hours ago Blaine had lain down with Gustav. Billy and Mandi had exhausted the exhibits, the Machines of the Isle. They questioned everyone they met. Some remembered him from the tavern but had not seen him since.

“You know who we haven’t seen around anywhere…the man with the golden hand,” Billy said.

Mandi stopped in the street and looked at Billy. He’s with him…I know it.” She was near panic. It was now dark and the streets were full of people. She stayed close to Billy. They went back to the hotel to see if he’d shown up there. He had not.

“Will you be checking out before morning?” the desk clerk asked while they were standing in the lobby.

As he spoke a couple went up to the desk in full steampunk regalia and checked out. They only carried an old-fashioned bag with them.

Billy and Mandi looked at each other and left the hotel. They made their way to the old abandoned airfield where the airship was anchored.

“Quite impressive.” People were scattered out all over the airfield in the lights from the airship.

They began looking for anyone that looked familiar that might have been in the tavern. Both were questioning people. They had a name after a half hour. Gustav Jullian but so far no one knew where he was staying.

Billy ran up on the captain of the ship, a woman with goggles on her head. “I’m looking for someone, David Blaine. I need to know if he’s on the ship or not, also a Gustav Jullian.”

“Sorry. I’m not the ticket taker. I’m the captain. You can’t get on the ship without a ticket.”

“Thanks.” Billy began to run toward the ship, remembered Mandi and called her.

Mandi had an address for Gustav. She caught up with Billy. “What is it?”

“I found out Gustav is a student at the Universite de Paris. I got his home address from a friend of his. He doesn’t know where he is staying tonight, though.”

“That’s what we need.” Billy reached the airship. It sounded like a party going on inside. The ticket taker was busy taking tickets and matching them up with her manifest.

“Excuse me. Can you tell me if Gustav Jullian or David Blaine have got on yet?”

They had to wait a moment. “Non, and there is no David Blaine on the manifest.”

“Hotels, rooming houses, inns, anything with a bed.” He blinked and took her hand again so they wouldn’t get separated.

The window was open and the revelry from the street sounded like it was in the room. Blaine lay on his side, trailing his fingers up Gustav’s stomach. “What if it’s not there?”

“It will be…it’s there.” He turned and looked at Blaine. “We will fly until we find it.”

“On the internet, as most things do. The ship has come from Germany but there are many more stops to make. Once the manifest is complete then we will begin the search.”

“A list of people who have bought tickets. There are three hundred of us.”

"We will next stop in America and after that we will be ready.” Gustav smiled and caught Blaine’s hand on his stomach. "Please come with me.”

Blaine chuckled, “No, I am Chinese…inside. Perhaps more and more English as time goes by.”

“Yes.” He looked into Gustav’s eyes. “Why don’t you stay? Do not go.”

“I left my home, too, and I cannot go back but at least I knew where I was going. This is madness, Gustav.”

“It is adventure,” he replied. “Myself and 299 other intrepid souls will find a new world. We do believe it is there. A crack in the world. Tonight you hear them on the streets. This is their last party in this world. By dawn we will be aboard the ship and as the sun rises into the sky so shall we.”

“That is true. They come to wish us well and to say goodbye. Maybe they are land and sea animals like you.” He rose on his arm, leaned over and kissed Blaine.

It took some doing but they found the inn on a side street. It was a room above a tavern. Billy and Mandi stood in the tiny lobby, knowing the room number and looking at each other.

“Yeah, me, too, Mandi.” He looked around and saw the wooden chair against the wall. “You sit…we’ll just wait.”

After a while Billy went into the tavern and came back with two bags of crisps and two pints. Mandi dozed with her head against the wall. Billy dozed with his head in her lap.

Something banged against the wall and Mandi opened her eyes. It was the door to the stairway. She nudged Billy. He lifted his head but didn’t move from the floor. Gustav released Blaine against the wall and then handed him his canes. He’d carried him down the stairs. They kissed again and Gustav picked up the canvas bag he’d thrown down the stairs before starting down with Blaine.

Gustav adjusted the monocle and his golden hand piece. He passed by without seeing Mandi and Billy.

Blaine moved from the doorway with his canes. The look on his face when he saw Mandi and Billy was priceless. Billy would say later he’d have given a ha’penny for a camera.

Without saying a word Mandi and Billy rose and went out onto the sidewalk. It was still dark and the glow from the airfield seemed to be guiding the last of the passengers. They passed by several groups going in the opposite direction. Blaine followed them, stopping now and again to look toward the airfield. He really wanted to see it lift off but he knew they were in no mood to indulge him further.

He almost envied them but he was intelligent enough to know they’d all bought into a scam of epic proportions. He knew about such things. Golden Orbs no more existed than utopia. He was also trying to sort out his feelings. Yes, he was in trouble with his family. Their silence spoke volumes. But right now he was not sorry about Gustav.

Mandi was really dragging and reached out for Billy. He put his arm around her. “Lean on me, love. We’ll get to the bottom of this hill and then find a place for some breakfast.”

Blaine saw the gesture and smiled. As they reached the square they looked up. Above them the airship blotted out the rising sun. It was away. Blaine watched it until it was out of sight and the rays of the sun caught his glistening eyes. He blinked it away and followed them into a little corner café where the smell of fresh-pressed coffee made his mouth water.

They took a booth. Billy and Mandi on one side and Blaine on the other. She kept glancing up at him, noticing his fingernails painted black, and his hair still damp from a bath. She and Billy were still wearing the clothes they'd bought the day before. He’ d loosened her corset so she could breathe but it was uncomfortable at breakfast after sitting in a chair all night.

Blaine reached in his pocket, pulled out the monocle and tossed it on the table. He also looked at the watch Mandi had given him the day before.

“Wot’s this?” Billy picked it up and looked through the glass. “Hah…magnifiers! This might be useful.”

He laid it down and looked across the table at Blaine. “What have you got to say for yourself?”

“Yes.” Blaine picked up his coffee cup. He stole a glance at Mandi. She was ignoring him for the present.

“Searching for Utopia. Looking for a better world and they believe it’s out there. Three hundred people bought tickets on the airship.”

“Craziness. This whole place is…crazy. The clothes and the dress-up was fun, elephant walk was…fun. The fun ended for me and Mandi when we got off that bloody damn elephant and you were gone. We found you about eight last night and waited.”

“How was we to know? That’s why we waited. We wanted to see for ourselves. 'Cause if you weren’t all right, Blaine…” Billy left it hanging but his face told the story.

Mandi was giving her order for breakfast to the man in the apron. Billy followed and then Blaine. None of them had eaten anything other than junk since they left the yacht.

“I don’t want to go anywhere until I’ve had a bath and a sleep,” Mandi said, not looking at him.

Food arrived and the only sound was scraping of the plates. The hotel was only a half block away and Mandi and Billy went straight to their rooms. Blaine went to his room and removed his steampunk clothing. He found a silk kimono, wrapped that around him and lay on the bed. He thought about Gustav for a long time. Such a beautiful, loving young man…gone now and flying to oblivion. He slept for awhile and when he woke he didn’t want to be alone. He got up and slipped across the hall to Mandi’s room. She hadn’t locked her door.

She was sound asleep and he didn’t wake her. He lay down beside her. She found him there three hours later when she woke.

She squeezed her eyes shut and looked at him again. “There is no need for me to say it, is there…no need for me to jump up and down on this bed, no need for me to beat your chest with my fists and cry.”

“I wonder that there is any left for me. Maybe I shouldn’t expect it.”

“Shh!” He placed a finger on her lips. “I’ve never been like that. I do not completely understand why I did this time. I’m not sorry about him. If that is what you want, I cannot give it.”

“I know.” He smiled a little. “If I didn’t love you I wouldn’t be here.”

“Um hm.” He turned her to her side facing him and she cradled his head while he suckled her breast.

It was an upside down day. Billy woke at noon, got up and shaved and dressed. He folded away his steampunk clothes. Now that Blaine was back it was all right again. They would eventually have a talk about all this. He was a little concerned about Mandi so left his room and went down the hall, knocking quietly. He tried the knob, saw Blaine in her bed and closed the door. So that was sorted…good.

Down in the lobby he got a drink from a soft drink machine and walked out on the sidewalk. The streets were nearly empty. Only a few out today. The airship was gone and so was the excitement. Three hundred people in that airship…not likely to find the likes of him up there. He was more than ready to resume their voyage to Scotland.

Billy went to Blaine’s room to help get him ready for dinner. “I’m glad you’ve got Mandi sorted out.”

“Me…oh, no. I understand these things.” He was checking Blaine’s body as he dressed him, making sure there were no marks or other signs of abuse.

A black tank went over his head and Blaine rested his arms on Billy’s shoulders. “Do you understand these things? “

“I wasn’t abused. I was loved.” He pulled Billy against him and kissed him. “Kind of like that. I’ll explain it further later tonight.”

Several times Blaine looked up from his dinner to see Mandi looking at him. It stirred something within him. She could do that. He reached for her hand under the table and she placed it on his thigh. After dinner they went outside for a walk. Blaine found a bench but Billy and Mandi walked down to the waterfront.

“Yes, of course.” Billy looked out over the water and felt her arm go around his waist. His went around her shoulders.

“Well…we are. We love each other, don’t we, yes? And we both love Blaine.”

Billy laughed a little. “We are not that different." He turned her in his arms and kissed her.

They kissed again thoroughly. “You know where I sleep. If ever you…can’t,” he said to her.

She smiled and hugged him. “There are times I want you but I didn’t know if you’d want to.”

Blaine had done a lot of walking, not to mention other things, and his back was bothering him he said. Billy oiled him up and gave him a good massage that released the muscles causing his problems.

The next morning they said goodbye to Nantes. All were on deck when the Medea pulled out. Billy wore his steampunk hat and Mandi her locket. Blaine wore the watch but it was covered by his jacket.

“Well, now I can say I’ve been to Nantes,” Billy smiled, “and I don’t have to go back.”

“It was a little too weird for me. I don’t believe in all that science fiction stuff. I guess it was a bit of fun, though.”

Blaine hugged him. “Yes, it was.” He reached around for Mandi and brought her to his other side. “Non-stop to Scotland now.”

Blaine kissed the top of her head. “So am I. Good-bye to airships and steampunk. I hope they find that Utopia.”

In seven days they were off the coast of Scotland. The airship had been in the news. It touched down in upstate New York where it was greeted by hundreds of steampunk fans.

The mist was heavy up on deck and Mandi and Billy were in Blaine’s cabin with him.

Blaine looked at each of them. “Tomorrow we will pick up Lyssa and Margret Langston. Things will be different. We will behave like we should around them.”

Mandi crawled across the bed to Billy and kissed him soundly on the lips. He lay her down on the bed and kissed her back.

That night Blaine dreamed about Gustav. He woke to find Mandi and Billy both in bed with him and he cuddled them close, still haunted by the dream.

Later on land he would see a newspaper article about the airship that disappeared over northern Canada. No wreckage was ever found. There was much speculation about the airship. Had it exploded over an unpopulated area? It was way too large to have just disappeared without a trace. Canada, Russia and the US had no explanation for why it disappeared from their radar screens. It was a mystery like the Bermuda Triangle disappearances.