6. Illogic

Remora reached the top of the rocky hillock overlooking Terrapin Isle and promptly collapsed from utter exhaustion.

Someone on the island should put up warning signs, truly. The hill had not seemed daunting from below, but she regretted her eagerness (and lack of companions) long before reaching even the halfway point of the steep slope. Her pack seemed to gain poundage at an alarming rate and despite stopping once to loose the laces on her corset, her lungs still burned and ached from lack of air. Her legs, she was certain, might never bear her weight again, so dreadfully did they shake and quiver.

Testing the device on her own had seemed such a captivating plan back on the Miraj. Serena and Montgomery felt the Thumper wasn’t yet ready for testing, but they had run out of time to seek perfection. The Miraj left port on the morrow.

The device would work. Of that, Remora had no doubt. What she did not know, however, was what else the Thumper might do. Her inventions frequently exhibited unintended behaviors. Naturally, that left only one option. It must be tested.

She wanted to do this alone. This was, after all, her quest. The others were only along because she was paying them—she was under no misconception that any of them truly cared about proving Starbirth.

Nor did she expect them to, really. They wouldn’t understand why it was so important to her.

From her left, a rock clattered down the slope.

Heart leaping, she rose from her prone position, fingers scrabbling for the pistol in her pocket. “Who is it?” she called out.

No response.

Freed from the folds of her pocket, she checked the liquid level in the alchemy chamber to make sure the little gun was armed. Surely an assassin couldn’t have found her here already. She’d been so careful in using her pseudonym. Everyone here knew her as Miss Gates.

“I know someone is out there.” She paused, uncertain. “Jinn, if you have disobeyed my orders and followed me, I shall be quite cross with you!”

Another silent moment passed, during which Remora began to wonder if perhaps the stone had been dislodged by a rabbit. How embarrassing, should anyone have seen her frightened by a rodent!

Another rock clattered and her heart sped up. No rabbit, that.

Downslope, a slim figure moved from behind a thin tree. Remora’s gun hand shook, then finally lowered.

“Bones!” Dizzy with relief, she dropped her hands to her lap, hiding their sudden tremble in the folds of her skirt. “What in the name of the dawnstar are you doing here?”

The ticker walked closer, the wind blowing the long flaps of his jacket behind him. “Jinn requested that I follow you, as your orders impaired his ability to keep you safe.”

Relief, mingled with disappointment. She’d wanted to test the Thumper herself, but she had to admit that she felt better knowing that Bones was here. She hadn’t expected being alone to feel so very lonely. Just a few days aboard the Miraj and already she’d become accustomed to the company of her crew.

“Very well,” she said, rising. Her legs still quivered, but her skirts hid the weakness. Perhaps she should begin some sort of physical regimen, such as Jinn practiced. Her adventures might well require that she be fit enough to climb more than a rocky hill before her quest was over, and she could well imagine the look on McCoy’s face should she falter in his presence. The cad might well toss her over his shoulder rather than pause while she collected herself. The thought brought patches of heat to her cheeks.

She would most definitely speak to Jinn of exercises upon her return.

“If I may ask,” Bones said, moving closer, “why did you choose to come here alone? The decision is not a logical one. Either Jinn or I would have been glad to come, and the shonfra will be cross at missing the testing of your new device.”

Remora reached for her pack. “I suppose you are correct. It was a terribly illogical act.”

Bones’ eyes flashed, intent. “But you are a cogsmith. Surely you understand the importance of logic and order. Why behave in a manner you know to be senseless?’

Remora thought about her answer as she removed the Thumper from her pack. She held the slim, coppery device at arm’s length and flicked a safety catch with her thumb to reach the button beneath it. Pressed, the button released the springs holding the Thumper’s legs, which telescoped out to one side, creating a sturdy tripod. She placed the tripod firmly on the ground and pressed another button, which released the rod from the center of the device toward the dusty ground below. As it lowered itself, biting into the earth and burying its nose in the ground, she finally answered Bones.

“As a cogsmith, I also value serendipity and imagination. The world is an illogical and disorderly place, Bones.” She paused and turned her head to the side, surveying him. The rod reached its required depth and stopped. “I know so little about tickers. What I’ve read in the Ardelan Encyclopedia seems to be constantly refuted by you, so I do hope you’ll forgive if I ask a silly question. You seem no more soulless than I and you’ve displayed emotion on more than one occasion. Emotion is, I believe, the root of illogical behavior.”

“If you know this,” said Bones, eyebeam colors whirling, “why not strive to eliminate emotion and become more logical?”

“If I were a truly logical creature, I should never have found myself in the Jolly Rooster, and I should never have met you.” Her smile softened. “And I am very glad to have met you, Bones.”

At that, his eyebeams began fluctuating color rather rapidly. She turned away to allow him time to compose himself.

“So!” she said, lifting the locket from her necklace and opening the clamshell, “I believe that although illogic can lead to misfortune, it can also lead to great rewards. I try to do one illogical thing each day. They say that fortune favors the bold, my dear Bones, and I believe them.”

“What do you say?” she asked, eyes sparkling and sun casting odd highlights from the purple crystal in her locket. “Shall we do something illogical?”