Khronos (Hanover and Singh Book 3) Read Online Free Page B

stuffing her notebook into a leather satchel hanging at her left hip, the strap leading up and over her right shoulder.
    “I thought I would have to fight,” Hari stroked his beard. “This is most puzzling.”
    Luise laughed, “I am sure it is. A rather unique experience, I would think.”
    “We don’t want any trouble, Miss,” the crewman nodded at Hari. “Can you tell your friend that?”
    “I think they might just let us go, Hari,” Luise smiled at the crewman.
    “Oh, we will,” the crewman turned to look at the men behind him. “We can even introduce you to the Captain.”
    “Wait a minute,” Hari shifted his hand to the pommel of his kukri.
    “Only if you want to,” the man raised his hands higher. “It was just a suggestion.”
    “What is he like?” Luise gestured for the man to lower his hands.
    “Well, Jacques knows him best,” the crewman pointed behind Hari and Luise.
    “I think I probably do,” Jacques approached them with his hands held high.
    “You can put your hands down, Jacques,” Luise let go of Hari and fiddled with the buckles and straps of her satchel. “Tell us about him, and the ship.” She bumped into Hari as the airship lurched. The crewmen exchanged glances. Jacques stared at Hari.
    “Your clothes,” Jacques pointed at Hari’s sandals and robes, “my brother described clothes like that when he came back from Afghanistan.”
    “Truly?” Hari tucked his hands around his belt. “Your brother was a soldier?”
    “Yes,” Jacques nodded. “He was with the King’s Royal Electric...”
    “Rifles,” Hari smiled. “I know these men.”
    “Of course,” Jacques shrugged, “they should have changed the name at the coronation of the queen, but my brother said they were too stubborn.”
    “As one has to be, in the mountains of Afghanistan,” Hari glanced at Luise. “And clever,” he added, grinning.
    “Perhaps,” Jacques gestured at the crewmen behind him, “if these men can come in and tie down the crates, I can tell you a bit about the Captain while they work?”
    “Of course,” Luise stepped aside to let the men pass. She whispered to Hari, “This is a lot easier than you imagined, isn’t it?”
    “Truly,” Hari stepped into the corridor. Luise joined him as the men lifted coils of ropes from where they hung on from the metal struts criss-crossing the cargo hold.
    “The Captain,” Jacques steadied himself with a hand on the doorframe, squinting as he stepped into the brightly lit corridor, “is a quiet man. Fair and rational. I’ve never seen a more steady hand on the wheel, which is a good thing considering this storm is of a character unlike what we’ve seen before. Right lads?”
    The crewmen grunted their agreement as they looped and tied the ropes through eyelets in the grille walkway and through holes in the struts. Cinching the ropes tight, they worked their way along the walkway, securing the crates and cases to on each side.
    “What is the Captain’s name?” Luise bumped against Hari as The Flying Scotsman listed to port.
    “Cairn,” Jacques grinned.
    “Just Cairn ?” Luise steadied herself.
    “Aye, he has no other name.”
    “And yours?” Hari reached out his hand.
    “Jacques McGhan,” he shook Hari’s hand. “The Captain is my uncle, on my father’s side. He was a Scot. My mother was French Canadian.”
    “Well, Jacques,” Hari let go of the man’s hand. “Perhaps we should meet your uncle. If he is as fair and rational as you say, perhaps he will look favourably on a couple of stowaways looking for safe passage out of the country.”
    “Oh, I doubt it,” Jacques shook his head as he led Hari and Luise to the stairs. “The Captain is terrible fierce when it comes to stowaways on his ship.”
    “Really?” Luise glanced at Hari.
    “Oh, yes,” Jacques began to climb the stairs. “The last time we had stowaways, he had them thrown overboard.”
    “Then why...”
    Jacques turned at the top of the stairs. He sat down on