1889: Journey To The Moon (The Far Journey Chronicles) Read online

  ACCLAIM FOR 1889: JOURNEY TO THE MOON:

  Kring and Wier vault to the head of the burgeoning steampunk genre with this hyper-extrapolated, richly detailed saga. Every nut and bolt is tightened in place, and the cast of characters is a rogue’s gallery of 19th Century mad scientists, outlaws and adventurers. I haven’t had this much fun going to the Moon since H.G. Wells sent Bedford and Cavor into the sky.

  —KW Jeter, author of Infernal Devices and Fiendish Schemes

  Reads in the best way like a lost Jules Verne and H.G. Wells collaboration. Sense of wonder and the magic of great storytelling drive this fast-paced, steam-driven tale to a stunning conclusion with some adventurous stops along the way.

  —Joe R. Lansdale, author of Cold In July and The Bottoms

  1889: Journey to the Moon is a rip-roaring steampunk thrill-ride with a wonderful cast of characters. Bring on the sequel!

  —Bill Crider, author of the Sheriff Dan Rhodes Mysteries

  Kring and George Wier elevate the steampunk genre to its pinnacle in 1889: Journey to the Moon. More than Verne, more than Wells, these two have created a thrill-a-minute adventure with a menagerie of unlikely characters, such as Billy the Kid, Nikola Tesla, George Custer and so many others. And what's truly amazing, the science is plausible! This book will astound and entertain. Add in the special bonus of authentic language, dress and mannerisms, and you have the makings for a classic SF/steampunk novel that will go down in history—or rewrite it!

  —T.R. Harris, author of The Fringe Worlds

  1889: Journey to the Moon

  A Steampunk Novel

  BILLY KRING & GEORGE WIER

  Copyright © 2014 by Billy Kring and George Wier

  Published by

  Flagstone Books

  Austin, Texas

  1889: Journey to the Moon

  (The Far Journey Chronicles, Part 1)

  First Ebook Edition

  August 2014

  ISBN-13: 978-1500689018

  ISBN-10: 1500689017

  BISAC: Fiction / Science Fiction / Steampunk

  Cover images courtesy of Dreamtime.com

  Cover design by Elizabeth Mackey

  All Rights Reserved.

  This is a work of fiction. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any means without the prior permission of the Publisher, excepting brief quotes written in connection with reviews written specifically for a magazine or newspaper.

  Books by Billy Kring

  The Hunter Kincaid Mysteries:

  Quick

  Outlaw Road

  The Ronny Baca Mysteries:

  Baca

  L.A. Woman

  Romantic Suspense:

  Where Evil Cannot Enter

  Books by George Wier

  The Bill Travis Mysteries:

  The Last Call

  Capitol Offense

  Longnecks & Twisted Hearts

  The Devil To Pay

  Death On the Pedernales

  Slow Falling

  Caddo Cold

  Arrowmoon

  After the Fire

  With Milton T. Burton:

  Long Fall From Heaven

  With Robert A. Taylor

  The Vindicators—Book One: Last Defense

  1889: Journey to the Moon

  The Far Journey Chronicles - Part 1

  DEDICATION

  For the wives, Elizabeth Bradley Kring and Sallie Wier, this volume is humbly dedicated.

  Dramatis Personae

  The Crew and Passengers of the Arcadia:

  Judah Merkam, — Electrical engineer and inventor.

  Jack Ross — Steam engineer and inventor.

  Abigail (Stoff) Ross — Former fiancé of Judah Merkam and wife of Jack Ross.

  Billy Gostman aka William “Billy” Bonney (McCarty) aka “Billy the Kid” — Roustabout.

  Nikola Tesla — Famed electrical wizard and inventor.

  John Koothrappally — Mathematician and linguist.

  Jonathan Conklin aka “Jack the Ripper” — Surgeon aboard the Arcadia.

  Denys Jay-Patten — Big game hunter, explorer and swordsman.

  Ekka Gagarin — Chief Officer of the Arcadia. Caucasus native, war veteran (Russian invasion).

  Two Hats — Sioux warrior seeking vengeance against General Custer.

  Edward Teach IV aka “Blackbeard” — sky pirate.

  Other Characters

  General George Armstrong Custer, USA — Army General tasked with capturing the Arcadia.

  Pat Garrett – Sheriff of Lincoln County, New Mexico.

  Will Quinlan – Ensign, sky pirate.

  Percy LeJeune – Sky pirate, second in command to Edward Teach.

  Oliver – Circuit rider Judge, Colorado.

  Qui Dak Nan – Chinese immigrant, chef and karate instructor of Two Hats.

  LETTERS AND ARTICLES

  Letter from Judah Merkam to Abigail Stoff:

  June 15, 1871

  Miss Abigail Stoff

  17 Magnolia Ave.

  Woodbridge, Virginia

  My Dearest Abby,

  It is with a great deal of excitement, and dare I say, trepidation, that I begin my electrical experiments. As you know, I have corresponded with Drs. Faraday and Maxwell, and each are in agreement, if not upon my basic principles, then that I am at least well-founded scientifically in my hypothesis with regard to the nature of the electrical aura and its potential use.

  I know that you should like to hear platitudes, sweet nothings upon your delicate lobes, and were I there at your side I would so engage myself, for there is nothing fairer than you. But my work calls me and I thought I might draft a quick correspondence to you.

  My only real problem is one of kinetic energy. No, not personally--not my own bodily energy. I refer to “machine” energy. For I badly need a machine that should produce tremendous quantities of force, for it is force I require. Currently (I make a pun, dear) the state of technology in this world is that of steam. Steam runs trains. It runs ships and factories. Steam powers the world. But steam is crude and it is, at the same instant, dangerous and unforgiving. I should not like to be nearby when the engineer neglects the dial on the boiler!

  I must close. I will write you as soon as is practicable. Please convey my well wishes to your Father and your Dame. I miss them, their conversation, and our evenings together in the Drawing Room.

  I am afraid when next we meet I shall ask for your hand.

  With sincere fondness,

  Article in the Picayune Press

  January 3, 1879

  MERKAM'S “MAGNIFICENT” FAILURE

  Dr. Judah Merkam, who stunned the world with his announcement of an engineering and scientific break-through, is not accepting interviews these days. Three nights ago his “Magnificent Engine” was tested before a carnival crowd in Brookhurst, Illinois. The resulting fire and injury to his workingman, Jack Ross, shocked the crowd of several hundred gawkers first into silence, and then into a stampede to clear the area should the dreadnaught explode with pyrotechnic spectacularity.

  As the reader is aware, Merkam has attempted to convert the powerful force of steam into a type of electrical energy with which to empower flight. Merkam's “Magnificent Engine”, however, apparently arced a bolt of purest lightning into the side of the boiler.

  The esteemed Dr. James Clerk Maxwell, upon hearing the news, telegraphed his comment along the wire this morning: “Electricity is not a fairground toy. In an earlier time it would have been considered an element of Zeus's justice. Today, it is within the purview of the serious laboratory scienti
st only, and buffoons must be debarred from playing with it, if not for their own safety, then for the safety of those more innocent, if not more nosey.”

  Merkam has retreated to Colorado, where, it is reported, he hopes to continue his “research” in seclusion.

  Letter to Jack Ross from Judah Merkam:

  August 17, 1887

  Jack Ross

  1112 State Street

  New York

  My Friend Jack,

  I have every hope that you have fully recovered from your injuries of eight years ago. As you know, I have ever felt responsible for the accident. I hope this missive finds you well.

  The truth is, I am writing to you for reasons selfish in the extreme. I need an engineer. I need “Steam” Ross. If you could come to Colorado Springs, I should be most grateful.

  I have found a way to channel the electrical aura--the “flow”, as you used to call it--but I may not tell you the secret in a letter, lest it fall into the hands of the unscrupulous.

  As I told you all those years ago, my designs will allow man to break free of the iron-grip bonds of this planet and catapult us into the ether. And now, that other orb awaits.

  That's right, friend Jack. We are going to The Moon. The Planet Luna.

  Don't think me daft, for I have the answer.

  Come and see, I beg you.

  Your estimable colleague,

  Judah Merkam

  Letter from Denys Jay-Patten to Judah Merkam:

  January 4, 1888

  Denys Jay-Patten

  Swali Kraal

  Mbale, Uganda

  Greetings Jude,

  In hopes of finding you hale, I wished to express my excitement and convey the amazing results of our consult of last year. The 6.5 JPM (I so christened it, using the first letters of our last names) is extraordinary in all aspects. I designed the rifle to be lighter than any of its contemporary cousins. When fired, there is no recoil, smoke or report, other than a sharp hiss of steam, which is momentary in nature. The 6.5 bullet needs no gunpowder, so more rounds may be carried. Also, because of mineral amendments I added to the base of the projectiles, they leave a glowing trail of light from barrel to target. A Bright green trail emanates from the standard 6.5 bullet, and bright red from my new, exploding 6.5 bullet. Both are quite visual, I must say.

  Your suggestion of placing the miniature electrical flow engine within the gunstock allowed convenience and protection for the mechanism itself. It was a simple matter to align the necessary components to the water chamber situated in front of the trigger mechanism.

  I must tell you, the results far exceeded my hopes. In one instance, and to make sure my claim was not seen to be exaggerated boasting, I tested the weapon on an impala, the witnesses being two Swahili chiefs and my dear friend, the Right Honorable Cecil Rhodes. The three men, without assistance from my person, measured, verified, and signed an attestation to the findings, which were thus: I fired a single round and hit the impala in the heart, killing it instantly. In deference to your country’s measuring system, they measured the kill shot to be a distance of nine hundred seventy three yards, eight inches. My new explosive bullet is perhaps even more impressive. A single shot into the chest of a charging cape buffalo left only the head, and completely decimated the rest of the brute to atoms.

  I have used the 6.5 JPM with so much success in recent months that the Ugandan Premiere proclaimed me the greatest elephant hunter in Africa. The remitted check to you is your share of ivory sales. I realize it is a considerable sum, but I could do no less.

  With affection and friendship,

  Denys

  P.S. I am intrigued by your mention of this new adventure. I wait to hear more!

  Article from the Wardencliff Journal, May 9, 1888

  TESLA FILES PATENT RIPOFF SUIT

  World famous Nikola Tesla has filed for injunctive relief in the Superior Court of the Borough of Manhattan citing Dr. Judah Merkam with infringement of his patent for a very high frequency electromagnetic field.

  Dr. Merkam, the reader may recall, was ostracized by the scientific and academic community for his insistence on unconventional research methods and for placing himself and others at risk.

  While at this stage it is nothing more than unsubstantiated rumor, by all creditable reports Dr. Merkam has contacted individuals in divers fields about an upcoming announcement.

  Are we to see another “Magnificent Engine” emerge from the cloistered Merkam workshop in Colorado Springs similar to that great failure in Illinois? While the patent infringement alleged by Dr. Tesla refers to the production of electrical energies, to what uses could such very high frequencies be put? This reporter should like to be on the edge of the crowd when Judah Merkam makes his next public appearance. The far edge.

  Letter to Koper Ghandi from John Koothrappally:

  March 21, 1889

  Koper Ghandi

  c/o The Christian School

  12 Kindalia Roadway

  Zone 14

  Dehli, India

  Nephew,

  I am being sending you a letter in the language English. Very nearly I becoming the expert!

  Inform your brother Mohan that his Uncle states he must begin the ceasement of his argument with the crown of the people British. That is all I shall be being of the subject saying.

  It is not being of the acceptable that I to inform you of the adventure to be embarkating upon am I. Only that as a graduate of the accepted schools mathematic have I been fortuned to commence to the strange land--no, telling you where is not of the answer to so state!

  I am being knowing that this great letter shall arrive in three months of the time of the sending by ship unto my home, and yours. Therefore, attend to look out your window on the night upon which you will be most happy to have this paper in your hand the first time. Look to the brightness in the sky and say a prayer of the Christian for your Uncle John, who is esteemed among great men.

  Your excellent Uncle,

  John Koothrappally

  Letter from Judah Merkam to Dr. Jonathan Conklin:

  Judah Merkam, Electrical Engineer and Inventor

  September 1, 1889

  Dr. Jonathan Conklin

  C/o St. James Hospital

  Whitechapel

  London, England

  Dear Dr. Conklin,

  Your expertise in the fields of anatomy and surgery are required for the success of an expedition to the Moon. I would appeal to your sense of propriety as a scientist and as a physician not to divulge the details of, and even my request for, your participation in this expedition, regardless of whether you should accede or demur. With regard to your stated fields of research, it has come to my attention that the lunar surface is inhabited, and these “peoples” do not appear to be...human. Therefore, a doctor is essential to the success of the voyage. These aliens must somehow fit somewhere within the purview of the body sciences.

  Please come to Colorado Springs, USA, and present yourself at the front gate at Merkam House, 1 Ute Avenue. We shall depart on schedule on December 15, 1889.

  Respectfully,

  Your esteemed colleague

  Judah Merkam

  Letter from Billy Gostman to Pat Garrett:

  December 1, 1889

  Pat Garret

  c/o Sheriff’s Office

  Lincoln County

  New Mexico Territory

  Dear Mr. Garrett,

  This new typewriter invention is something else. It will probably take me an hour or more to write out what I could have told you in a minute.

  Per our arrangement, I was supposed to let you know if and when I might depart the country. Also, I was supposed to drop you a letter once a year to let you know how I was getting on. I apologize for the last two years, but as you said I have been trying to re-invent myself. Not sure what that means, but I’m learning. Figured I’d be dead long before now, and probably would have been if you hadn’t changed your mind when you got the drop on me.

 
Anyway, this is to let you know that I am leaving the country. I guess you can say that I’m leaving all of the countries. Don’t know if and when I’ll make it back. If you don’t hear from me by, say, Christmas, you’ll know I’m dead anyways.

  I haven’t killed anyone since I last saw you. That’s about eight years. See, I do keep the important promises.

  Your friend,

  Billy

  PART I:

  DESIGNS

  [ 1 ]

  Billy Gostman climbed the last few feet to the top of the rock and sat himself to gaze out over the city as the last light faded from the sky. The shadow of Pike’s Peak here from the Garden of the Gods hid him in effective absolute darkness. He extracted the field glass from his jacket pocket and aimed it at the lights of the town below.