I’ve been using the #vss365 and #flexvss hashtags to write fragments of a new Revin story that happens after the events of Revin’s Heart. These parts are set on Devishire.
Revin spent days exploring to draw up a #plan of the sewer. Returning, he was ambushed by the girls armed with sponges & buckets. While Tiny held his arms, they stripped him naked and — over vociferous protests — thoroughly washed him.
— Steven D. BREWER 🏳️⚧️ (@author_sdbrewer) July 15, 2022
“No More Stinky Boy!” they chanted.#flexvss
“The closest entrance to the #address is here,” Revin said, indicating the plan he’d painstakingly mapped out. “But it requires traversing this open plaza.”
— Steven D. BREWER 🏳️⚧️ (@author_sdbrewer) July 16, 2022
“What about this one?” Tiny asked.
“That one,” Revin replied, consulting his notes, “Is inside the guard barracks.”#vss365
Revin stood at the discharge point of the sewer overlooking the sea at sunrise. He #scanned the sky until he spotted the airship standing off-and-on just over the horizon. Using his signaling mirror, he flashed until acknowledged & then he flashed a short message.#flexvss #scan
— Steven D. BREWER 🏳️⚧️ (@author_sdbrewer) July 16, 2022
As Revin returned to the book repository, he saw a small #animal struggling in the effluent. Then he heard it whimper.
— Steven D. BREWER 🏳️⚧️ (@author_sdbrewer) July 17, 2022
“You’re not a rat!” he said, springing into the flow. He scooped it up, held it to his chest, and struggled back out.
The puppy tried to lick his mouth.#vss365
Revin emerged from the sewer and, after one whiff, a cry went up from the girls.
— Steven D. BREWER 🏳️⚧️ (@author_sdbrewer) July 17, 2022
“We #Hate Stinky Boy!” they chanted going back for buckets & sponges.
“It’s not my fault!” Revin pleaded, holding up the puppy. “Look!”
“Wash first!” they said gagging & holding their noses.#flexvss
“You plan to #arm the girls?” Tiny asked.
— Steven D. BREWER 🏳️⚧️ (@author_sdbrewer) July 18, 2022
“As a precaution, yes,” Revin said. “Just in case. They should be prepared. And it will give them something to do.”
“But who is going to train them?” she demanded.
“Me?”
“Bullshit! I was the infantryman. I’ll train them on spear.”#vss365
“Well met, #Master‘s Mate,” Grip said. Revin embraced him & made room for the elite marines that followed.
— Steven D. BREWER 🏳️⚧️ (@author_sdbrewer) July 18, 2022
“Just warning,” Revin said. “If you so much as crack a smile when you see the girls drilling, their sergeant will kick your ass.”
Smiling did not seem to be a risk.#flexvss
Someone pounded on the door of the book repository.
— Steven D. BREWER 🏳️⚧️ (@author_sdbrewer) July 19, 2022
“Throw down your weapons and come out, and no #harm will come to you!”
“Quickly!” Revin whispered. “Just like we trained!”
The girls ran to the manhole and slid down, then ran along the ledge, deeper into the sewer.#flexvss
Revin couldn’t reliably make strong towlines, but he had found he could just keep trying. After four tries, he made one to the manhole cover so strong that nobody would be able to lift it. But it would only last while he maintained it. He settled down with Stinky to wait.#vss365
— Steven D. BREWER 🏳️⚧️ (@author_sdbrewer) July 19, 2022
“The girls are away. When #do you want to make a run for it?” Grip said emerging from out of the gloom.
— Steven D. BREWER 🏳️⚧️ (@author_sdbrewer) July 20, 2022
Revin had noticed a couple of attempts to open the manhole cover and knew that, sooner or later, they’d come down another way to investigate. He stood up.
“Let’s go!” #flexvss
After they emerged, Revin tapped on a door while Grip replaced the manhole cover. He then turned & was brought face-to-face with Rachel, his former fiancee.
— Steven D. BREWER 🏳️⚧️ (@author_sdbrewer) July 20, 2022
There was silence, but for the buzzing of #flies.
“Sorry,” Revin said. “I didn’t get a chance to warn you both.”#vss365
There was a long, awkward silence, then Grip bowed low.
— Steven D. BREWER 🏳️⚧️ (@author_sdbrewer) July 21, 2022
“I’m #very pleased see you again, Milady,” he said.
“No, Milord,” she replied, with a curtsy. “It is I who am pleased to see you.”
“This is all very nice,” Revin said. “But if the guards see us, we’re screwed.”#flexvss
“We need to prepare enough #food for twenty,” Rachel said, rubbing her hands briskly.
— Steven D. BREWER 🏳️⚧️ (@author_sdbrewer) July 21, 2022
“I can help,” Grip said. “I’m used to preparing meals for a whole crew.”
Rachel looked at Grip with surprise.
Tiny nudged Revin.
“Are the pyrotechnics cancelled? Or just postponed?”#vss365
Grip found potatoes, onions, carrots, and a big ham in the root cellar. Using these, he prepared a giant pot of potato stew. Emma and Dexy helped out, serving and carrying bowls and cups around. Revin was relegated to a corner to keep Stinky from getting under #foot.#vss365
— Steven D. BREWER 🏳️⚧️ (@author_sdbrewer) July 22, 2022
As dinner was served, Grip brought a bowl for Revin & held Stinky while he ate.
— Steven D. BREWER 🏳️⚧️ (@author_sdbrewer) July 22, 2022
“How is #Will?” Revin asked around a mouthful of stew.
Grip smiled. “He’s glad to be back aboard the Queen,” he said, scritching Stinky’s ears. “Politics is hard. Dirty. He needed a break.”#flexvss
Rachel approached and offered Revin something.
— Steven D. BREWER 🏳️⚧️ (@author_sdbrewer) July 23, 2022
“A collar & #lead? For Stinky? Thank you, Milady!”
“Why did you name him that?” she asked, as he fastened the collar.
“When I rescued him from the sewer, the girls said someone had to be named Stinky. It was him or me!”#vss365