Retribution Falls (53 page)

Maybe he owed the world something. For the crew he’d taken into Samarla and left to die. For every Trinica Dracken and Amalicia Thade whom he’d discarded and forgotten as soon as they showed signs of wanting more than he was prepared to give.

For his baby, that died for its parents’ cowardice.

He’d condemned them all when he agreed to take on the Ace of Skulls. But since then, he’d clawed back all he’d lost, and more besides. He’d forged a crew, and he’d reclaimed himself. Perhaps that was all that was needed, in the end.

‘What happens now, Trinica?’ he asked her.

‘I expect Grephen will hang,’ she said. ‘The Awakeners . . . well, they’re too powerful to be brought down, even by this. But I think the Archduke will redouble his efforts to cripple them from now on.’

‘I mean, what happens to us?’

Trinica gave him a bewildered look. ‘How would I know? I expect you’ll get your pardons, even if you’re not there to collect them.’

‘You’re letting us go?’

‘Of course I am,’ she said. ‘Everyone who put a bounty on your head has either withdrawn it or is in no position to pay any more. Why would I want you?’

His crew visibly relaxed. Frey brushed away a lock of hair that was blowing across his forehead.

‘And you?’ he asked.

‘I’ll be heading off somewhere,’ she replied, nonchalant. ‘I suppose I’ll have to keep out of the Navy’s way from now on, but I’ll survive.’

She motioned to her bosun, who filled a leather bag with coins from the chest. He tied it with a thin piece of rope and gave it to her. It was almost too big to hold in one hand. She weighed it thoughtfully, then hefted it towards Frey, who barely caught it.

‘Finder’s fee,’ she said. ‘That, and you can keep your craft.’

‘That’s uncommonly merciful of you, Trinica.’

She smiled, and this time it wasn’t the chilly, guarded smile he’d come to know. It was the smile of the old Trinica, from a time before her world had become full of horrors, and it flooded him with a bittersweet warmth.

‘I’m feeling sentimental,’ she said. ‘Goodbye, Captain.’

She turned her back on them then, and walked towards the shuttle that sat a short way distant. Her men closed the chest and gathered it up. Frey and his crew watched as they disappeared inside the craft, and it lifted off from the ground, taking them back to the Delirium Trigger.

‘Well,’ said Malvery, squinting against the dust as he watched them dwindle into the distance. ‘That’s just about our luck.’

‘Cheer up!’ said Frey. ‘We’ve got three aircraft, enough ducats to keep us in the sky for a year, and the world at our feet. I’d say we’re the luckiest crew in Vardia right now.’

‘I’d feel a damn sight luckier if that witch hadn’t buggered off with our loot,’ Malvery griped.

Frey slapped him on the shoulder. ‘Look on the bright side. She might have killed us.’

‘There is that,’ Malvery conceded.

‘Is . . . um . . . I was wondering, is anyone else hungry?’ Harkins enquired.

‘We should probably take Silo to a hospital,’ Jez suggested. ‘Get him a good bed and some nurses.’

Frey looked at Malvery. ‘How long before Silo’s capable of getting back to work? In your expert opinion?’

‘Three weeks, I’d say,’ Malvery said. ‘Maybe four.’

Frey scratched the back of his neck. ‘Well, what with all we’ve been through we probably deserve a little port time.’

Pinn’s eyes lit up at the prospect of booze and whores. Frey held up the bag of coins. ‘Drinks are on me tonight!’

There was a cheer from the men.

‘Jez!’ he barked.

‘Cap’n!’

‘Find us a nice, out-of-the-way port with a good hospital, lively nightlife and a place where a man can find a game of Rake.’

‘Skinner’s Gorge?’

‘Skinner’s Gorge sounds good to me.’

There was another cheer, and they slapped each other’s backs and shook hands in wild and vague congratulations. The chest full of ducats was forgotten already. They had all they needed. They were glad just to be alive.

Frey couldn’t keep down a grin. As he looked at the laughing faces of his crew, he was consumed by a surge of affection for these people, these men and women who shared his aircraft and his life. They were happy, and free, and the endless sky awaited them.

It was enough.

How to Play Rake

HISTORY

Rake is a variant of poker, in which the player must make the best five-card hand to win. The game has existed for centuries, since before the fall of the monarchy: the first recorded mention was as far back as 87/29 (UY3069). For most of that time it was confined to the peasantry, and was viewed as a rather vulgar pastime by the rich. It was popularised in Vardia during the First Aerium War, when the mingling of conscripted troops allowed the game to spread. Soon, even the aristocrats who commanded them had caught on, and Rake passed from the taverns and dens into the drawing-rooms of the wealthy. Since then it has become the most popular card game in Vardia.

THE DECK

Rake is played with a standard 52-card Vardic deck, comprising 13 cards of each of the four suits: Skulls, Wings, Fangs and Crosses. Each suit comprises (in order of value) the numbers 2-10, followed by the face cards: Priest, Lady, Duke, Ace. The Ace, the highest card, also functions as the number 1 for the purpose of runs.

SCORING

The object of a hand of Rake is to achieve to best possible combination of five cards. These combinations are scored below, in order of rank. Two pair beats three-of-a-kind, Suits Full beats a run, etc.

High Card

In this case, with no combination possible, only the highest card in the hand is counted. Therefore, a player whose highest card is an Ace beats one whose highest card is only a Priest.

Pair

Two cards of the same value. In the above example, the player has two tens. A higher pair, such as Ladies, will beat him. The remaining cards are disregarded, unless two players have identical pairs, in which case the one with the highest value remaining card wins.

Two Pair

Two pairs of the same value. If two players should have two pair, then the player with the highest pair wins. If both players have the same high pair, the player with the next highest pair wins. In the unlikely event that both have the same two pairs, the remaining card comes into play: again, the player with the highest card wins.

Three-of-a-kind

Three cards of the same value. If two or more players have three-of-a-kind, the highest triplet wins. The above hand would be referred to as Three Dukes.

Run

Five cards of sequential value, but different suits. An Ace in this case can count as either a one or an Ace. If two of more players have a Run, the one incorporating the highest card wins.

Suits Full

Five cards of the same suit. They are referred to as Wings Full, Crosses Full and so on. As in a Run, in the case of two players holding Suits Full, the one whose hand incorporates the highest card wins. If it is the same, they go to the next highest, etc, until the hand is resolved.

Full Pack

A Full Pack is three-of-a-kind of one value and a pair of another. In the case of two players holding it, the higher value three-of-a-kind wins.

Quads