>>5658310He laughs. "The entire merchant fleet affectionately calls it that. It's some sort of a large whale or hydrosaurid, follows shipping sometimes. Too large to be a narwhal. Probably the poor thing wandered in from the Atlantean ocean into Hadrian's sea, and can't find its way back. We think it's attracted by the lights of the Semaphore Line. It never caused any incidents. So far it has only been seen by airships, it seems to dislike surface shipping. The Imperial Society of Aecumen offers prize for identifying or catching a specimen. Why, Zam here spotted it just yesterday! So if my lady ever feels up to some whaling..."
"I shall have to work on my harpooning skills, I'm afraid."
Mahir translates your remark to the other folks and the bridge erupts in soft laughter.
Well, you can't say you leaerned anything particularly useful. You had hoped for something saucier, in particular the mysterious origin of Alejandro's newfound wealth. Something told you scumbags like Newt would be interested in it.
But everything Mahir said pretty much confirms what you knew so far, and is in line with what you knew of the Empress' travels yourself. You spend some more time inquiring about the weather in the Caliphate of Al Avraam, trying to subtly worm out where the ship docked in the recent months before you boarded it, hoping to maybe grasp the secret of the rubies' origin, but you get nowhere. And there is no way that an entire airship with all its crew would be involved, if any secrecy was required, anyway.
All in all, you consider yourself quite clever for couching your true line of interrogation in between all these boring technickal questions. There is only so much you can cover under the veneer of jealousy, so it's best not to push your luck. Captain Mahir seems loyal, and it wouldn't do for him to warn his employer about just how inquisitive you have been. At the very least, it is safe to say you know more about airships than you'd ever hoped to learn in your life.
"I am very grateful to you, Captain. You and the crew have been most forthcoming. How can I ever repay you for this imposition?"
"Nonsense, my lady, begging your pardon! You are our guest - just between us, one of the most pleasant we've had the honour of serving on this ship yet. Please come visit us again, we'd be very glad for your company."
Captain Mahir returns to barking orders into the tubes. Zam gives you a smile and a thumbs up. You respond in kind, and leave the bridge.
