Firus actually looked a little bit unsettled. “Now where did you hear that, lad?”

I ignored the question and started ticking names off on my fingers. “Lofthouse, Minusc, Jerem, Lallos. Ships disappeared. Icarus, Krillmann, Rennar. Murdered. Preacher sent me to join your crew and see if I could find who was doing it, because sooner or later they’re going to come for you.”

Firus sat down heavily on a crate of u-valves. “Aye, heard the same story myself in Cloudstop. Barkeep told me to watch it, or I’d be next.” he said, tiredly. “Icarus too? He told me he was going to make the triple-flanged D-gate pressure cylinder work, the devil. He always was a genius with high-pressure mechanics… Rennar, he made the finest engines you’ll ever see, lad. And now you say they’re after me?”

I shrugged. “No one’s ever made a faster ship than the Heart’s Desire, and the Air Corps mechanics have been trying for nigh on a dozen years – you know that, Firus. There’s no way they’re not after you as well.”