Skykeep by Joseph R. Lallo

it
look like?”
    “I’ve said. There was a thunderous sound, and
a rush of dust and steam.”
    “Mmm. Yes. That is what you said. A
thunderous sound. Just one? Not perhaps a smaller sound first?”
    “Just one burst.”
    “And no flash of light to go with the
explosion?”
    “Just dust and debris. And steam.”
    Gunner nodded again and sipped some more.
“People are looking for you, you know. The doctors wanted to know
if you were all right.”
    “I’m fine. Nothing to worry about. They
should focus on finding your crewmates.”
    “Are you certain you’re well enough? It would
be a real tragedy if you had an injury you didn’t notice. Your
hearing, for instance. An explosion in a mine can be quite
detrimental to one’s ears.”
    “I’ve got a bit of a ringing, but I can hear
well enough.”
    “Never can be too careful about that,” Gunner
finished his ale. “I’ll tell you what. Join me outside for a
moment. Let’s have a quick hearing test.”
    “That really isn’t…”
    Gunner pulled back his coat a bit more to
reach into his pocket, revealing two more holsters with similarly
threatening contents. He fished out a few coins and threw them on
the bar. “For my friend’s latest drink.”
    “Really, sir,” Matthews said. “That isn’t
necessary. And I don’t need a hearing test.”
    “Nonsense. I insist,” Gunner said, adding in
a more ominous tone, “On both counts.”
    Matthews looked to Gunner, an unreadable
expression on the latter man’s face.
    “I really would rather not step away at the
moment,” Matthews said.
    “Very well, we can do it in here,” Gunner
said.
    In a smooth, practiced motion he drew a
pistol from one of his many holsters, cocked it, and fired it into
the floorboards. The sound was painfully loud, startling all of the
patrons and prompting a few passersby to look curiously inside.
    “Did everyone hear that?” Gunner asked
innocently.
    “Of course we all heard that. You nearly
deafened us!” Henry growled. “Just what are you trying to do,
firing that thing in my pub?”
    “And you, Matthews?” Gunner asked calmly,
placing the revolver on the bar, its barrel pointed at the man’s
chest. “Did you hear that?”
    “Yes. Of course,” Matthews said.
    “Rather loud indoors, isn’t it?” Gunner
remarked.
    “Very.”
    Gunner picked the revolver back up and spun
the chamber, popping it open and fishing a fresh bullet from his
pocket to reload. As he did, he chatted idly. “This is my favorite
medium-caliber weapon, Matthews. Small enough to conceal, powerful
enough to be devastating to a person, and even a bit of a threat to
machinery. I’ve made sure every member of the crew has one.
Everyone except Nita. She never did embrace the firearm as readily
as she might have.” He snapped the weapon shut. “Are you certain you didn’t hear anything before or after the
explosion?”
    “Th-there was nothing to hear.”
    Gunner nodded. “Captain’s been talking to the
mayor. I understand you’ve been a real help to him. A liaison
between him and the other miners.”
    “I do what I can,” he said.
    “And what did you do before ?”
    “What does that have to do with—”
    “The mayor says you were in charge of a pilot
crew at a little repair pier about seventy miles south of Keystone.
You’d bring damaged ships down into the fug for the fuggers to
repair. Obviously, since you’re here, you lost your right to do
such things… for some reason or another. But you had plenty of contact with the fuggers before that happened. Plenty of
contact, and plenty of contacts.”
    “That was a long time ago,” he said.
    “So very long ago. … Let me ask you this,
Matthews. If I were to walk you to your home right now, would I
find your bags packed?”
    “I’m not comfortable—”
    “Any reason you bought a ticket on a ferry
out to Clemens Isle, but no return ticket?”
    “How do you know—”
    “The mayor has been very helpful. He and the
captain are rather