Today we finally landed in Rio de Janeiro! What an exciting, bustling city! We landed at the airship port, hoping to re-supply and hire a guide. Dr. Smythe was able to ascertain fairly quickly where to go to find the right person, with his skills in Portugese. While he accomplished that task the rest of us went along with the Captain and Rose to the warehouses to find some fuel and provisions.
The markets were so different from London, so full of color, and people, and life. Miss O'Connor and I were easily distracted by the many wares available, but tried to keep up with the air crew as they moved speedily through the throngs. The past two days in the ship since our departure from the island made us all feel very closed-in, and though we were only stopping for a short while, it felt good to get walking around. The air was heavy and humid, but smelled salt-sweet, and the sky was cloudless. It was a beautiful day, and all seemed like it might finally be going as planned.
We arrived at the fuel supply company, and began negotiating with the owner. Apparently, the Pegasus' Rapture runs on a combination of diesel-oil and steam. His prices seemed higher than the Captain was looking for, so Rose interjected. "Are ye trying to make fools of us?" she asked, her eyebrow raised and her hands on her hips. "Nobody will pay those prices!"
The man just shrugged. "If you don't want to pay, you can't have the fuel." he said, in a thick Portugese accent. Rose narrowed her eyes and leaned down to the shorter man. Nonplussed, he crossed his arms in front of his chest. "Those are my prices. That's the best you'll find in Rio." Rose smiled wickedly. Suddenly, she punched him right in the face. He fell sprawled to the floor, and his men, who had been working, suddenly looked up and started over.
"Ladies," the Captain said, looking over at Miss O'Connor and myself, "you may want to stand aside." We took his advice, and along with Dr. Manton stood out of the way behind some barrels. As the first of the workers lunged at Rose, the Captain knocked him down hard. The men started to turn their attention to him, swinging at him and brandishing wrenches and tools. Rose grabbed a plank of wood and started swinging it around, hitting the men as they attacked.
At last, I couldn't bear the fighting any more. I needed that fuel if our trip was to continue. "Stop!" I shouted, emerging from our hiding place, and running up to the fray. "Stop this, right now!" To my very great surprise, the actually stopped. Mid-fight, the men, the Captain, and Rose, all stopped and looked at me. "This is ridiculous," I said. I looked at the owner. "Good sir, you cannot possibly expect anyone to pay the prices you are asking. You must take us for fools. I assure you, we are not." He stared at me, disbelieving. Rose's face was still red with anger, but the Captain looked as though he was trying not to laugh. His mockery gave me strength, and I continued. "Many expeditions from the continent are sure to come here, not just to study the natives, but to exploit the resources here. Now that Brazil is a sovereign country, your economy, and this warehouse, will be dependent on money from the outside. Unless you want every explorer, entrepreneur, and trader from here to Russia to boycott this warehouse, you will give us the fuel, and you will give us a fair price." I crossed my arms as he had done, and waited, my heart beating as though it would fly from my ribs.
He stared hard at me. "Fine," he said at last. "But I don't want to see this pair of thugs again," he grumbled, nodding his head at the Captain and Rose. He turned to leave, and when he had gone, signalling his men to help us, I let out the breath I had been holding.
The Captain finally allowed himself to chuckle. "Well," he said, laughing softly, "I never would have expected that."
I lifted my chin defiantly. "I never expected to clean up my Captain's messes." I replied curtly, and walked out.
When I arrived back at the ship, I found Dr. Smythe and our new guide, Diogo Silveira. He was young, maybe 20 or 21, shorter than myself, with thick curly black hair and black eyes, and tan skin. His face was youthful, as though he had never had any troubles or cares. I was skeptical, and asked Dr. Smythe if he was sure this young man would be suitable. "Don't let his youth and appearance fool you, Doctor," he said, "Mr. Silveira is a descendant of the native tribes, and has lived his life in the jungles until now. He knows their dangers and the secret paths better than anyone else we might find in the city." I nodded, then turned to go to my berth.
On the way there, I bumped into the Captain, quite literally. "Good-day Captain," I said, trying to get around him. "I will retire for now, I want to go over some notes."
He looked at me. "Are you upset about today? Rose is headstrong I'm afraid, I should thank you for helping us get our fuel."
"Has she always been so rash?" I asked.
"Oh, yes, always. I've been on the receiving end more than once, I can tell you." He smiled. "Thank you, again. You seem to have many surprises." He walked down the corridor. I went on to my berth. I wondered how long the Captain and Rose had been working together, and if they had always been working.
None of these matters are important. Tomorrow we fly to our final destination in the jungle, where we will strike out and find my lost tribe.
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