“I stopped talking to him when he starting toting the value of his ‘time-compass’. Worthless junk if you ask me, and I almost lost his friendship telling him so. Now what’s this claptrap about him sending you to watch my back?” Firus asked.

“It’s the reason I requested this commission. I wasn’t lying when I said the Air Corp was looking for the best airship in the sky, but I also knew that the Heart’s Desire belonged to you. It took me weeks of following scattered sightings before I was able to get ahead of you.”

Firus scratched at the underside of his beard. “I still don’t see why the Major-”

“He’s not a major anymore. He hasn’t been for some time. He just owns a shop where people come for help. Most call him Preacher now.”

“Then what makes him so certain that I’m in danger.”

“Someone is killing airship mechanics- not the regular ones, but the innovators, the geniuses. He didn’t know if it had anything to do with you but he didn’t want to chance it. Plus your ship was going to be conscripted anyway.”