Read My Shorts

Under Pressure

The door to the wood panelled study opened on well oiled hinges and an elegant walking cane preceded the man in the top hat. He closed the door with a soft 'click' and sat, placing his hat and cane on the solid oak table. "This had better be good Linus. You risk a great deal coming here, particularly now." 

Linus reached into a bag on the floor and placed some apparatus on the table between them. "It is urgent, my Lord. You said you wanted to see me as soon as I found anything of import, so here I am." A vessel of water hung suspended from a clamp, various pipes connecting it to what appeared to be a woven mesh of metal. At the opposite side of the apparatus to the vessel hung a small steam dynamo and a lightbulb. "This is a prototype stolen from the labs of Dr Bienowski." 

"This mesh is a woven construct Linus?" 

"Yes, my Lord. The mesh is a myriad of small metal tubes. All interconnect, but seal instantaneously if broken so pressure is maintained. The mesh is filled from the reservoir and the steam produced drives the dynamo which lights the bulb." 

"And how does it make steam?" Lord Cornwallshire steepled his fingers looking irritable. "This flexible metal fabric," he poked it with a finger, looking surprised when it moved, "containing the water needs heat.” 

Linus smiled thinly and placed the palm of his hand against the metallic fabric. After a few seconds the steam dynamo chugged into life getting faster and faster as the water inside changed to vapour. 

"Body temperature?" said Cornwallshire incredulously. "It produces steam from body heat?" 

"Yes, or from the sun or any other nearby heat source." 

"How far developed is this?" 

"I'm not sure, my Lord. I heard a rumour they were attempting to make a full suit from it, but I think that's pie in the sky."

The two men paused as the study door opened. Dr Bienowski walked into the room and sketched a short bow. "No need to stand gentlemen, although using that particular word is stretching the definition: you are thieves without honour. I see you managed to abscond with my little toy Linus, you may have slightly more talent as a spy than I thought.” Bienowski raised one arm and shot him, a sharp hiss of steam the only sound as Linus collapsed in his seat. 

"Things are a little more developed than either of you suspected." Beinowski removed his travel cloak to reveal a shining metal suit, tailored impeccably to the doctor's slight form. A gun connected into the suit’s power system rested in his right hand. “Every movement I make is now augmented, but I don’t think we need to talk too much about that, as quite frankly Cornwallshire, you are surplus to requirements.

Another hiss of steam and a thud preluded Bienowski’s exit from the room, two cooling bodies the first of many as London gained another killer.

~~~ The End? ~~~ 

A 500 word short steampunk spy story for the Tevun Krus challenge (see external link).