Setting the Trap

Belle gives a quick, impish grin. "Shouldn't be too difficult. Gasbags are my specialty."

"What he wants is the leg, of course," says Kaze, as she tries to subtly herd them away from the open space. "That and Sah-Ne... and Miss Tane."


"Yes, the leg!" says Richter excitedly. "I'd better keep that close at hand."

"There should be look-outs. I volunteer to be one of them. And if Miss Weather should wish to stay with me, I can ensure she is faded if, after her attack, they are able to ascertain her position."

"Sounds good. Nick, you can stay quiet when you need to. Get on a lookout where you can see both us and Kaze and Belle's position."

Casting around with his hands, Richter leads the Grimnoir to a flat rock overgrown by bushes. But the rock behind the bushes is flat, with a stream behind it, and considerable blackening of the rocks.

"A still site!" he exclaims. "Water for cooling, brush for concealment. And those branches overhead to diffuse the smoke -- probably why they're not in leaf now. The moonshiners won't be out for a month or more, but we can hide in there and see the airship from a distance."

Nick speaks up. "Have we any rifles?"

Everyone brandishes their tommy guns, pistols and knives.

"No, I said rifles," Nick says. He looks philosophically resigned when there are none.

"I see a spot which will do for a lone lookout. I will fire two shots if the enemy spots you, and then cover you as long as I can. If your position were near a slope, I can freeze the slope with ice and make them slip."

Richter: "Fine, fine. Outstanding initiative, Voinovich. The rest of you are in the still site with me, unless you think you can be more use outside. I don't want us to get cut up in detail again -- remember, this gink's a Traveler."

"If you have something you want to add, now's the time," he concludes.