Something niggled at Greg. Little hints and suggestions he'd gathered over the time he'd known Adena implied she was a lot older than she looked. He squinted at her.
"How long ago was it when you established this place?"
Her lips quirked. "Why Greg! Are you so gentlemanly as to ask a lady her age in such a circumspect way?"
"I must admit I'm curious."
She leaned forward and fixed him with her gaze. "I'll tell you before the crew assembles, although I suspect they know. I told you I'm a QuadSang, Greg. We tend to be long-lived. Not as long as our Pure Blood relatives, but long by human standards. I'm over eighty years old according to your calendar."
Greg felt his jaw drop open like a fool and closed it with a snap. "You... you certainly don't look it."
"Thank you. I'm glad you like older women." She grinned, showing the points of her canine teeth, which were longer than any human would feel comfortable looking at. Greg shivered. Although he'd seen Adena's teeth before, it still gave him a little shock to see clear proof that she wasn't entirely human.
The crew began to file into the lounge, and Adena sat back with a twinkle in her eye. Greg's mind struggled with the concept of the attractive, dark-skinned woman sitting near him being as old as his grandmother.
Jake saluted her. "All crew present and correct, Captain."
"Thank you, Number One." She stood, leaning on the table to address them. "You've probably learned by now that the... creature that held us hostage has been destroyed by Mr. Phibuli." A ripple of relief ran through the dozen crew-members and smiles broke out here and there.
Adena continued. "Unfortunately, we lost Mr. Phibuli in the process. He fell into the abyss at the heart of this mesa, and I plan on getting him back." She let that settle in for a few seconds. "I need one volunteer to accompany me and Mr. Cole on an expedition to do just that."
"Only one, Skipper?" Hsu-Li Oliphant the navigator spoke up, sounding surprised.
Adena nodded. "Yes, three should be enough to keep watch and help with carrying the gear and rappelling when needed. There were some difficult spots to cross the last time I was down there, which was quite a while back." She glanced at Greg. "We need to reach the floor of the abyss and return. It'll take three or four days, all being well. So, who's with us?"
After spending so much time in the confines of the gondola with them, Greg knew enough of the Occulus Nightingale's crew to not be surprised when most of them stepped forward. Jake stood off to one side, as far as he could in the crowded room, marking his exemption in a pointed fashion. Other key personnel, like the engineer, and Hsu-Li seemed to know they wouldn't be accepted, so they also stood back.
One of those who stepped forward was Penny the ventral gunner. Greg had seen her formidable skills in action against the murriks over the City, although she'd faded into the background when not in action.
He took a good look at her. She was a large, well-proportioned woman with short strawberry-blond hair and a dusting of freckles across a pleasant face. Like most of the crew, her gear seemed to consist of leather and metal and looked snug-fitting, presumably so it wouldn't snag on anything in action. All in all, she gave off an aura of competence and confidence. She saw Greg eyeing her and gave him the ghost of a wink.
Adena looked at her with approval. "Penny, I hoped you'd step forward."
Penny smiled. "Well, I figure you wouldn't need a ventral gunner here in dock, and I've gotten kinda bored since we left the City."
She spoke with a slow drawl which Greg pinned down as originating somewhere in Oklahoma. He'd never heard her speak until now. His pulse quickened and his ears pricked up. "You're from Earth?"
Penny shrugged. "A long time ago, Mr. Cole. Fifteen years by your reckonin'."
Questions filled his mind, but he knew it wasn't the right time to ask them. Penny must have sensed his dilemma, for she gave him a quick nod and a look of understanding, which seemed to imply later.
Adena pointed at her. "You're hired. Draw a carbine and ammunition from the magazine. Conner? Prepare camping gear and enough rations for three people for four days. I want a reserve in case we're delayed." She clapped her hands. "Dismissed, and hurry it along, people. We've got a parrot to rescue."
Chapter 14
Adena led them out the next morning, the gangplank echoing beneath their boots as they walked down to the wharf. Greg looked dazed. She noticed Conner had changed the dressing on Greg's forearm, and it looked longer than the previous evening. Adena hid a smile at Greg's confusion.
Mr. Phibuli works his magic yet again. Damn, but I miss that silly bird!
Penny stood with her carbine slung over her left shoulder, looking solid and competent. Her habitual fawn-colored padded leather gunner's cap covered her head, a sheathed short-sword sat on her generous hip, balanced by a canteen on the other side. Like the others, she carried a backpack stuffed with rations and camping gear, topped with a bedroll. A coil of rope with a grapnel fixed to one end of it was strapped to the pack.
Greg carried a spare coil of rope and a cluster of pitons. Since he was unable to use a carbine, he'd opted for a revolver that sat in a holster on his right hip. It was secured to the Sam Browne belt so he could draw it left-handed at need. A sheathed heavy combat knife sat on his other hip.
Adena smiled. Knowing what Mr. Phibuli is capable of, Greg won't be troubled by being one-handed for much longer.
Most of the crew followed them down, with two peeling off at Jake's command to check the tunnel leading to the abyss. Their lantern light
