About this story
The editor who wrote it, James Turnbull, comes out grinning rather than afraid: two men who agree on nothing except that the argument matters demand a duel the city would rather laugh off. A magistrate offers you both a quiet exit; you refuse it, and Turnbull's cab carries you to a rain-soaked orchard for swords instead — until the police arrive, tipped off by your own driver.
How it opens
Professor Lucifer's silver airship drifted level with the cross above Saint Paul's.
Professor LuciferScience has climbed high enough to inspect faith from above.
Monk MichaelHeight changes the view, Professor, not the truth beneath it.
Their argument ended when Lucifer left the monk clinging to the cathedral cross.
Choose
Defend those words to my face, editor.
I broke the glass because print made cowardice too comfortable.