nudged forward and she saw what Lord Engal meant. Toward the center of the hull was a round depression, gently curving up.
As they drew closer, she saw it must be some sort of docking platform. It was a bell shape hollowed out of the bottom of the hull, with a platform half-circling it. Emilie couldn’t imagine what sort of craft it was meant for, except that whatever it was must be round. The airship angled around and she spotted the circular shape of a door, just above the platform. It was closed, but it was there, and it was the only door-like thing they had seen so far.
Miss Marlende said, “Hmm. I don’t suppose we’re far enough up in the current to roll the airship sideways.”
“No, unfortunately, we must stay on this level.” Dr Marlende picked up the speaking tube. “Seth, find the grappling gear and bring it up to the main cabin, if you would be so kind.”
The protective spell around the airship extended out over the gallery that ran along the main cabin, so though it was more exposed, it was just as safe as the cabin interior. It was purely Emilie’s nerves that made it seem like a bad idea to open the door and step out on it.
But that was what Dr Marlende did when Seth brought in a rolled-up bundle of ropes. Seth deposited the bundle on the deck and went back for more, and Dr Marlende moved to the railing and peered upward. Lord Engal and the professor joined him. Miss Marlende was still in the control cabin, keeping the airship in place. Taking a deep breath, Emilie stepped out after them.
It shouldn’t be that different from looking out the ports, but it was. The view of the space around them was vast and forever, the shadings of blue more vivid and alive. It was as if there was no world below them, nothing existing in all this emptiness but the fragile construction of metal and cloth that their lives depended on. Emilie was suddenly aware that she couldn’t let go of the door frame.
Dr Marlende, Lord Engal, and Professor Abindon were all looking up as if they were on a balcony in Meneport, contemplating the stars. Lord Engal said, “It’s rather a bad angle, with the balloon in the way. But it can’t be helped. You don’t think the aether current’s natural buoyance will interfere with the grappling launcher?”
“Natural buoyance?” Emilie wondered.
“The current makes things float,” Professor Abindon explained.
Dr Marlende said, “There will be some interference. But the grappling launcher should be powerful enough to get the hook to the platform.”
“You’re both mad,” Professor Abindon said, but added thoughtfully, “It should work, however.”
Emilie made herself look up, and almost ducked in involuntary reaction. The aether-sailer filled the sky above them, the great long curved shapes of the triple hull as big as mountains from this angle. The bell-shaped depression with its half-circle of platform and tantalizing door looked terribly far away.
Daniel stuck his head out the cabin door and she jumped a little. He said, “All the way up there? Huh,” and stepped back in.
Emilie ducked in after him and saw him crouching on the floor with a spring-loaded device used to shoot a grappling hook attached to a line. It was useful for attaching ropes to objects at a distance, so an airship could be tied off to them if they were solid enough, or to attach lines and draw up a rope ladder.
Daniel, Cobbier, Mikel, Seth, Dr Marlende, and Lord Engal all began to lay out the various ropes and hooks they would need, something that took up most of the main cabin and the balcony. Emilie retreated up the stairs to the upper cabin to watch from there, where she was out of the way.
She had only been there a few moments when Efrain came up the stairs. Emilie grimaced, aware she had allowed herself to be trapped into a private conversation. She said, hoping against hope, “The water closet is back there.”
Efrain ignored that. He said, “Seth told me what you did.”
Emilie
As they drew closer, she saw it must be some sort of docking platform. It was a bell shape hollowed out of the bottom of the hull, with a platform half-circling it. Emilie couldn’t imagine what sort of craft it was meant for, except that whatever it was must be round. The airship angled around and she spotted the circular shape of a door, just above the platform. It was closed, but it was there, and it was the only door-like thing they had seen so far.
Miss Marlende said, “Hmm. I don’t suppose we’re far enough up in the current to roll the airship sideways.”
“No, unfortunately, we must stay on this level.” Dr Marlende picked up the speaking tube. “Seth, find the grappling gear and bring it up to the main cabin, if you would be so kind.”
The protective spell around the airship extended out over the gallery that ran along the main cabin, so though it was more exposed, it was just as safe as the cabin interior. It was purely Emilie’s nerves that made it seem like a bad idea to open the door and step out on it.
But that was what Dr Marlende did when Seth brought in a rolled-up bundle of ropes. Seth deposited the bundle on the deck and went back for more, and Dr Marlende moved to the railing and peered upward. Lord Engal and the professor joined him. Miss Marlende was still in the control cabin, keeping the airship in place. Taking a deep breath, Emilie stepped out after them.
It shouldn’t be that different from looking out the ports, but it was. The view of the space around them was vast and forever, the shadings of blue more vivid and alive. It was as if there was no world below them, nothing existing in all this emptiness but the fragile construction of metal and cloth that their lives depended on. Emilie was suddenly aware that she couldn’t let go of the door frame.
Dr Marlende, Lord Engal, and Professor Abindon were all looking up as if they were on a balcony in Meneport, contemplating the stars. Lord Engal said, “It’s rather a bad angle, with the balloon in the way. But it can’t be helped. You don’t think the aether current’s natural buoyance will interfere with the grappling launcher?”
“Natural buoyance?” Emilie wondered.
“The current makes things float,” Professor Abindon explained.
Dr Marlende said, “There will be some interference. But the grappling launcher should be powerful enough to get the hook to the platform.”
“You’re both mad,” Professor Abindon said, but added thoughtfully, “It should work, however.”
Emilie made herself look up, and almost ducked in involuntary reaction. The aether-sailer filled the sky above them, the great long curved shapes of the triple hull as big as mountains from this angle. The bell-shaped depression with its half-circle of platform and tantalizing door looked terribly far away.
Daniel stuck his head out the cabin door and she jumped a little. He said, “All the way up there? Huh,” and stepped back in.
Emilie ducked in after him and saw him crouching on the floor with a spring-loaded device used to shoot a grappling hook attached to a line. It was useful for attaching ropes to objects at a distance, so an airship could be tied off to them if they were solid enough, or to attach lines and draw up a rope ladder.
Daniel, Cobbier, Mikel, Seth, Dr Marlende, and Lord Engal all began to lay out the various ropes and hooks they would need, something that took up most of the main cabin and the balcony. Emilie retreated up the stairs to the upper cabin to watch from there, where she was out of the way.
She had only been there a few moments when Efrain came up the stairs. Emilie grimaced, aware she had allowed herself to be trapped into a private conversation. She said, hoping against hope, “The water closet is back there.”
Efrain ignored that. He said, “Seth told me what you did.”
Emilie
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