Old Sins Cast Long Shadows

It was just before midnight when the Raven dropped anchor above the mountain cliff. The arm of the boom was swung outward and the ropes and nets were lowered so the crates could be brought skyward to the airship. The operation went flawlessly and the crew gave a shout of relief. The captain handed over command to his second as he caught a few hours of much needed sleep. But not everyone was sleeping that night when they should have been. She made her way to what the crew called the lady's head. She was wearing a thin cotton robe since it was so damn hot. With every passing hour they grew closer and closer to the equator. It seemed like it grew more humid and warmer with each passing minute.

She opened the door and slipped inside. The toilet took up its place in the corner of the bathroom. Since space was so limited aboard the ship they couldn't afford to install a proper tub. Instead the chief engineer had placed a shower for bathing. The floor had a drain just below the shower head. She stripped down and placed her sweat soaked clothing on a hook. She pulled the chain and the cold water began to flow. She let out a squeal of surprise as her nipples hardened but the water felt amazing. She lathered up her petite frame and looked around when a sudden creak caught her attention. The lantern illuminating the shower cast shadows everywhere. A man could be hiding anywhere watching her wash her body. The naughty thought blossomed in her mind and she began pleasuring herself.

'Are you watching from the shadows,' she thought as she cupped her breasts and pinched her nipples. 'Can you see how wet I am?'

She bent over and reached between her legs and gently pulled her labia apart. Can you see my pink little pussy? Damn I am soaked to the bone! God I could take a cock to my core right now with ease! She slid two fingers into her cunt and began fucking herself. I hate this! I need a man... a real man like my brother. Now he has a cock! I've see him fucking the help since he was old enough to know what goes where. It is so long and thick and would fill up my pussy so very nice. Oh you wicked girl you, fantasizing about your brother's cock! You will surely burn in hell for that! Her fingers were working their naughty little magic and she was so damn close now. She looked down now and saw the legs, those hairy masculine legs.

"Oh, it's you," she whispers as he pulls her hand aside and places the tip inside of her. "Are you going to... UNNNNN... fuck me..."

She clamped a hand over her mouth as his hands grabbed her hips and began thrusting into her. His fat cock stretches out where only fingers have ever ventured. Her cries are blessedly muffled behind her hands as he thrusts harder and faster now. They are grunting in perfect timing with the pleasure he was giving her. He never says a word. He doesn't need to. His long thick thing speaks volumes to her. Her body shakes as she climaxes but he never slows down. His thing is hitting so deep it seems impossible. She nearly faints when she feels his cock grow even thicker. He pulls out of her and spins her around. He is stroking his erection and the head is pointed at her face. She closes her eyes and a moment later warm thick spunk hits her cheeks and lips.

"Whore," is all he mutters.

He dresses and leaves her shaking as she sits on the floor of the shower. She licks his cum from her fingers and lips. Is this what love tastes like? She touches her sore cunt and shivers. I am a woman now and a whore, his whore. She likes belonging to someone. Would he return the next evening? Oh God she hoped so. She finished and returned to the room she shared with the others. It was her secret, the secret that would spawn her wicked dreams.

The broke their fast as they passed the island of Corsica. By midday they would reach the northern most coast of Africa. They would slow their speed and begin their mapping routine. The captain would put the French whore to work. They would take on drinking water over the city of Tunis. Then they would begin rationing everyone's intake for the next ten days until they reached the Cape of Good Hope. They were making history and children would remember their names for the next thousand years!

"The captain seems in good spirits," Thaddeus commented as they ate breakfast.

"Indeed he does," Niles agreed.

"I will take that as a good sign," Alan added as he stared at the open locket. "If the master of the ship is happy then I am happy."

"Well said," Richard said raising his glass.

"Here's to a content captain," Thomas toasted.

While the men talked about the mapping mission the ladies plotted mischief. Malice went to work below decks maintaining the infernal machine as well as the engines. Anna joined the ladies in a game of cards until they reached the coast. The three chatted as they played and the talk eventually drifted to the fact that someone had disappeared for nearly an hour the night before.

"Well," Anna asked. "How was it?"

"You don't really think you can keep secrets on a ship do you," Elinor added.

"You spied on us didn't you," Felicity said eyes narrowing.

"It was impossible not to," Elinor admitted.

"I almost joined in," Anna admitted. "A specimen as fine as that is hard to find, I should know."

"Who was it," Elinor asked. "All I could see was him from the back."

"Yes do tell," Anna begged.

"No, I won't deny what happened but I will keep his identity secret."

"I don't blame you," Anna said after a long pause. "If I had exclusive rights to that, I'd be selfish too."

The rest of their talk was about sex and poor Elinor, being the only remaining virgin, could only listen and feel that wicked heat grow between her legs. When they reached Tunis and stopped for water poor flustered Elinor disappeared behind closed doors. The crew took on water but they also found a few crates of oranges as a gift to the masters of the flying ship. The superstitious Tunisians saw the dark balloon and believed it was a storm cloud the English had somehow bound to their service. The captain felt that was as good an explanation as any. They hauled up the anchor and headed towards the continent's interior.

Four Days Later:

The storm came out of nowhere. Everything had been going so well but it all changed after midnight. The night watch saw the flashes of lightning off in the distance. They woke the captain and he alerted the entire crew. It was their keen observations and his quick thinking that saved lives. The winds began to gust as Malice drove the ship's engines into the red zone trying to flee the sand storm. The three of them drove the Raven to its very limits. Malice manned the infernal machine, Anna had memorized the ship's maps and shouted out course corrections and the captain manned the wheel and piloted his ship to safety. If any of them had hesitated or doubted the others the ship would have been destroyed by the wall of blistering sand. Anna guided them to the safe side of a rocky outcropping. It is here that the ship dropped altitude and used the stone like a shield.

"I take back all the times I called you a French Whore," the captain said as the worst of the storm passed them by.

"Pity, I guess you'll never know now," Anna said with a fabulous smile.

"We are going nowhere," Malice called from the engine room through the speaking tube. "I will tell you when we can move."

"Clear the bridge," the captain ordered and as everyone left he placed his hand on Anna's shoulder. "Oh no, not you..."

"Oh Captain my Captain," she moaned as he leaned down to kiss her.

Malice took the wrench and began opening up the infernal machine when the lewd noises drifted down from the bridge. The talk tube remained uncovered and it was obvious what was occurring up there. Seriously, you pick now of all times to fuck like animals. What is wrong with you people? It does sound like she is having a good time. Malice continued to work and open the access panel but damn it the noises were blunting her normally razor sharp concentration. She could feel her tight little cunt getting wet.

"Son of a bitch," she cursed. "I can't keep going if they keep making those filthy squishy noises."

"Chief, are you alright," Warren asked. "You look angry."

"Warren," Malice turned to face her junior engineer. "How long have you been working for me?"

"Um... let me see, six no seven years," he said quite pleased with himself. "Why?"

"Well, it's like this... no, I need a great big... aw fuck," Malice looked up at the six foot muscle bound lug. "Warren do you have a girlfriend?"

"Oh no Chief," he said blushing furiously. "I am too shy for that sort of thing."

"Are you a virgin Warren?" Malice asked licking her lips.

"Well... you won't make fun of me will ya?" He asked and she shook her head. "Yep, I've never been with a girl before. Why do you ask boss?"

"Warren today is your lucky day," she growled. "You know how I tell you how to fix stuff."

"Yeah, you point and tell me what tool to use. What does that have to do with... holy shit Chief you're getting naked!"

"Cock... Here... NOW..." Malice ordered as she bent over and began fixing the infernal machine.

"I don't know if it is going to fit," Warren said as he lined things up. "Here goes nothing..."

"Hot damn Warren, I should have done this... years ago," Malice squealed as he slid his cock inside of her. "That is a tight fit... easy now... slowly... slow... oh fuck!"

"It's in Chief," Warren moaned. "Now what...?"

The captain had to tie the wheel down as he took Anna up against the helm. His hands mauled her naked breasts as he slammed his cock in and out of her. This was all Felicity's fault, if she hadn't gone and gotten her pussy fucked like that. She wouldn't have been so damn aroused. Anna had been thinking about sex for days now. The captain was fucking her like his life depended on it. She liked a man with nothing to lose. The other officer's would tease her about this little rendezvous but she didn't care. She was the captain's woman now. Anna surrendered to his hunger and her body was reaching its climax.

"Close Mon Capitan," she moaned in his ear. "I am so fucking close!"

"Me too," he growled through clenched teeth. "Just a little longer... almost..."

The Captain and Anna clung to each other as he shot deep inside of her. He let go as he eased out of her. He kissed her once more before he got dressed. Anna smiled and helped him collect himself. Only then did she dress herself and left without another word. The captain waited for a count of thirty before going out on deck. By that time he took damage reports from all over the ship and he discovered the Raven was still in good shape. It could have been so much worse. They had gotten lucky and everyone knew it. But they had weathered the storm and would continue on to Cape Town. As he barked out orders for repairs he turned to head down to the engine room. Two junior engineers informed him that the Chief was hip deep in the infernal machine.

"Sounds intense," the captain replied and the engineers could only nod. "Well, when she is done tell her to see me."

"Aye Captain," the older engineer replied with a salute.

"Hip deep," the younger engineer said after the captain was out of ear shot. "You had to go with that?"

"It's not like we can tell him what is really going on down there."

"True, we have to protect our chief."

"That we do, now let's get onto those repairs laddie," the elder engineer added.

While none of the repairs proved to be serious there were quite a few of them. The Raven lost an entire day to the unforeseen weather anomaly. The new rifles and pistols were uncrated and passed out since the ship was so close to the ground and more prone to assault. Early the next afternoon the ship rose to its cruising altitude and continued south with its mapping duties. The captain ordered a message heliographed to one of the friendly towns along their course to inform London of their delay and its cause. The message also informed them that no hands were lost during the crisis.

The next two days passed with little fanfare except a noticeable moodiness in Sir Alan Croft. Thaddeus Black noted in his diary that Alan seemed a bit reclusive and down in spirit. He attributed it to the sand storm and wrote that Alan would be back to his old self in no time. On the third day after the storm Alan Croft seemed to make a marked improvement and was far more sociable. This was the day that the Raven changed course and headed West in search of the triple mountains. Anna's duties were reduced as they were more intent on speed than accuracy at this point in their journey.

While the others passed their time playing cards or other games Alan rarely left the upper deck save to eat, use the toilet or sleep, which he did little of these days. The ship's surgeon was called upon on their second day of their Westerly advance and poor Alan had gone nearly forty eight hours with little rest. The physician called it a manic episode but monitored him carefully. The third night on the Western course the nightmares began. It was only the most sensitive of the crew at first but by the fifth night the entire crew was plagued with the damn things. To each man and woman a personal demon had been loosed to plague them. Alan was no longer alone with the inability to sleep. The captain called for shorter duty shifts with fewer men. He now ran fifteen men for six hours at a time instead of the usual twenty for eight hours.

The sixth day they spotted the three spires of rock and nestled between them the hidden valley. The crew had mixed feelings as did the officers. There were murmurings of curses, demons and worse. The Raven set down on the flat grass plain and the chief engineer called for armed guards around the infernal machine as well as the engines. The captain conceded and placed three men at all times in those locations. Since there were no signs of habitation within the valley he could afford to reassign them. Malice went so far as to arm her engineers with these new revolver pistols. Her nightmares involved the destruction of these two key items and being stranded in the valley with the shadowy things.

The members of the Orcus Club were thrilled as they gathered their belongings and began exploring the hidden valley. While the center of the vale was flat and grass covered the outskirts were irregular and seemed to contain fallen pillars of great age and size. They wouldn't know for sure until they took proper measurements but the largest outcropping was monstrously huge.

"How could savages cut and raise stones of such measure?" Elinor inquired.

"Who says they were savages," Alan replied.

"We are in Africa, the Egyptians influence never reached this far south," Thaddeus added.

"I think Alan is offering that another civilization dwelt here in ancient times. A people that were perhaps lost to sickness or war and this valley, their capitol." Richard said looking at Alan.

"I couldn't have put it any better Richard, thank you," Alan said.

"Well, let's have a look and I will do my best to sketch out the valley in proper scale," Anna offered.

Nightmares forgotten for the moment the group made their way to the outcropping and stared up in awe at the fallen titans. Distance made scale impossible to judge until they were right on top of the buried monoliths. Niles paced off one of the smallest fragments and called out fifty feet. The largest and most intact had to be at least two hundred feet or more. Of course there was no telling how deep the monoliths were buried, they were guessing on what was visible above the earth. Alan and Thaddeus attacked the small obelisk with their folding shovels and worked on one corner. After an hour they took a break but they had uncovered a portion of the dark volcanic stone beneath the soil. It was pitted as if from great age and yet the markings remained.

"I don't like it," Anna said keeping her distance from the exposed rock. "It's... well it's evil."

"Good lord woman, it is just a hunk of stone," Alan said in exasperation.

"No, I agree with Anna," Elinor said weakly. "There is a darkness here and we should let it sleep."

"You can't be serious Elinor. We just got here after travelling all this way and you just want to leave?" Richard said shaking his head.

"We came here to find the temple. Alan can hopefully translate these curious markings and then we will have enough coin to build a fleet of flying ships. We can revolutionize trade, travel and hell even warfare." Niles said his eyes wide with excitement.

"One thing at a time," Thaddeus said bringing everyone back to earth. "Temple first and then we shall see."

The men took turns uncovering the fallen pillar as Anna took measurements and began sketching this portion of the valley. They returned to the ship as the light began to fade. They ate a large meal after all the digging they had done and went to bed early. Three men went missing that night. One was on watch while the other two were asleep in their bunks. The captain was awoken and shown the two empty hammocks and a few drops of dried blood on the floor. He brought the guard back up to full strength. They would search for the men at first light. Mark Trent offered his services as tracker when he heard about the missing men.

"We should postpone the dig until these men are found," Niles proposed.

"NO, we are HERE, we need to find the damn temple," Alan argued.

"Alan, three men are gone, two taken right out of their hammocks for God's sake," Thaddeus fired back.

"There are marines, they can take care of themselves," Alan said undeterred.

"Lives are at stake Alan," Felicity begged. "We need to search for them. The temple isn't going anywhere."

Alan opened his mouth to argue but saw the expression on his sister's face. He conceded and even offered to lead one of the search teams. Twenty men were left at the ship while the rest were divided into teams to search for the missing marines. Those with tracking skills were assigned as team leaders and the women waited patiently for news of the missing men. None ever came, but something unexpected was found, a cave entrance. The opening was marked with flags and the men returned back to the ship to report their findings to the captain. He was about to launch a search of the cave when he saw how close nightfall was and decided to begin the search anew at dawn.

The captain ordered the guards to pair up for the night watch. This would hopefully minimize their losses. His gut told him that the three that had been lost the previous night was only the beginning. Someone or something was out there hunting them. He hated the idea of being prey, he was British after all and it went against everything he believed in. The Empire was the greatest power in the world. The sun never set on the Empire but even as the thought formed in his brain the sense of dread became overwhelming.

"God save the Queen," he whispered as the darkness thickened around him.

His scream echoed for a long moment before being cut off suddenly. The door to the captain's room was locked from the inside. It took ten minutes to break down the door made from stout English oak. The room was empty but a few drops of blood marked the last known whereabouts of the captain. The officers called a meeting and broke the news to the crew and the members of the Orcus Club. The morale of the crew was splintering. Fully half of the marines wanted to leave at dawn. The other half wanted bloody revenge on whoever had taken their people. It was decided that the marines would stand watch and at dawn would go to the cave, see if there were any signs of the missing men and if there was they would seek out and destroy those responsible. The lieutenant's words were passionate and swayed just about everyone, there was one notable exception.