Prelude to Anarchy - Princess of Steam

Employment

Katherine had no reason to trust him, but it was better to be safe than sorry. Her business here was done anyway. Hurrying towards the alley where her ship was parked with her arms crossed, Katherine slowed to a halt before reaching the edge, not wanting to stand out too much in the empty streets. Poking her head around the corner she spotted three Crown soldiers inspecting her vehicle. One of them, a female officer in a tight grey uniform, was handling a notepad as she inspected the Mosquito thoroughly.

The other two were standing by and waiting, shifting their weight from foot to foot while looking up and down the alley. Katherine saw the glint of revolvers at their belts, and telescoping rods they could use to whip at anybody that passed. The beggars and homeless folk had already scurried away, leaving their cardboard homes behind until the officers cleared the scene and it would be safe for their kind to return.

Katherine took a deep breath and looked back. The man in the long dark coat had just moved out of the bar, but he was still just standing by the entrance, facing her way with his face hidden in deeper shadows.

She walked around the corner and pulled the lapels of her jacket higher, as she brought her hands down, she slipped the steel rod she had hidden out from within her jacket and held it at her side.

The two Crown men looked at her and sneered. "Move along," one of them advised, then he made a shooing motion at her.

She moved aside and into the shadows that were rampant within the alley. Her dark jacket and lowered head made her harder to notice. One of the two men turned and ignored her, the other, who had told her to back off, glared. "I said," he said. "Piss off."

There were only three long paces between her and the man. She slowed, then stopped.

The officer sighed and scratched at the nape of his neck. "Girlie, I said move along, this is official business."

Katherine jumped forwards and spun on her heel.

She saw surprise flash in the man's eyes, but he was too slow to more out of the way of her outstretched arm. The rod whistled through the air like a shell about to hit ground, then crashed against the side of his head with a wet thump.

He went down like a ragdoll.

His friend whirled around and raised an arm. The rod whacked against the arm and sent a shiver up Katherine's arm that made her hand go limp from the sudden vibration. They both cried out.

Then she was on him, raking at his face with sharp nails and then punching at his gut when he brought his guard up to fend her off.

In a moment they were rolling on the dusty, grimy ground of the alley. He was stronger than she was, but she was faster, and had already delivered a few feeble blows that had knocked the air out of his lungs.

It took her only a moment to see her disadvantage. From the ground, she had no leverage with which to overpower the officer. Soon, she was struggling to get out of his grasp while he barked swears at her with enough venom in his voice to splatter spittle all across her face.

She planted a foot and heaved, shoving him into the ground and loosening his grip. Then, with her free hand balled into a tight fist, she began to pummel at the Crown soldier's face.

A hand grabbed her by the collar and yanked her away. Her balance tipped and she fell on her rump. panting and growling with every erratic breath.

A tall, officially clad woman stood above her, pointing a snub-nosed gun towards her face. "Stop that, at once," the officer said.

Katherine glared at her, then fell back onto her elbows. The man she had been punching groaned, rolled over to his back and panted hard while rubbing at his nose. His hand came back bloody. The other man didn't move, though Katherine saw that he was still breathing.