Interlude: 18 months later - Summer in Steelhead ...

Like all old-timers, the Constable of the Port of Steelhead and Copper-tooth, the old air sailor sat at bar of Saloon, a typical day. Two young cavalrymen fresh from the floating front were sitting in a corner booth, quietly trading stories and drinking away the fear. They were no doubt relieved to be back in the homeland. 

The bartender was an old Furry named Gustavo Ferretstein. He appeared as Fox with rabbit ears. 

Cooper-tooth didn't understand that. Sipping his second gin and tonic, he thought that does make more sense than most things around here. 

The constable ordered the second pint.

“Obviously, working hard today, Constable?”, Copper-tooth joked. 

“Slow day, after the quarantine was put in place, the docks became a ghost town” 

Gus put the pint in front of the constable.

“No one comes here to cause trouble with the curfew”

Copper- Tooth sighed. “Life during wartime”

“No time for nightclubs or lovey-dovey”, Gus added.

Cooper-Tooth resisted rolling his eyes at the joke.

Gus turned to dry a glass. The constable spoke up “The threat of a nothing bomb has sure cut down on petty 

crime.”

“I thought it was sending all the poor people to the front”.

Gus had his back turned to the bar, “I heard the Vicereine's speech on Radio GabeReel. She still says the war is going to be over quickly.”

The constable spoke up, “what a load of tosh. They have said the same for months. Gov’ah made it sound like as soon as we attacked lower Mondrago, it was to be over.” 

“I reckon the Pirate lords were gobsmacked over that one. I hear the Neko’s mercenaries leveled the place - started to liberate the non-humans...” 

Copper-tooth interrupted, “Nah, I heard when they attacked. Callidus used one of those witch bombs on own people. Leveled Calla Mondrago, Just like Iron Cloud. I reckon he did it on purpose so he could rebuild in his image.” 

The Constable added, “Those witch bombs are pure evil. But they are not really Witchcraft, some Djinn shit merged with some type of technology. Oxbridge and Babbage were working on it. As long as they keep that far from Steelhead, that's fine. We seized plans for one in the port. a notebook with drawings, strange scary gibberish.”. 

“Burned all my notebooks, can’t they can't help me survive”, Gus mentioned to no one in particular. 

Copper-Tooth finished his drink. 

“Another?”

“Why not”

“So how long do you reckon this war last?” 

“Well hard to say for sure, Steelhead, Rose Heaven and Caledon are all pretty well defended, but the Clockheads have Babbage locked down. Not sure, about the camel fuckers in Mondrago. St. John is too far to worry about and Armada’s gone”. 

”I heard someone spotted it again”. 

”I don't know about that. But I do know the only real shooting has been with random pirate attacks and the Neko’s attack on Mondrago”. 

“What about that voodoo bad mojo stuff in St. John?”, asked Copper-tooth

”Well, GebeReel on the radio says it wasn't a true story but you never can tell with them. Not even sure what side they are on” offered the Constable. 

Gus finished drying the glasses, he put three glasses on the bar. He poured himself, the Constable and Copper-Head a tall glass of St. John’s Bourbon. As he poured, he added, “you can’t tell about anyone round these parts. Steams-lands Just ain't the Steam-lands any more”. He pushed two of the glasses to the old-timers. 

Copper-Tooth shook his head, “No, was always like this”. 

The old Constable raised his glass quietly and smiled. “Broken and fading away?. 

Copper-Tooth smiled, “Nah, the Steam-lands are eternal, the people they have always been broken