Fianna Kelly Versus the Jeebees: A Collection of Steampunk Stories by Harry Dodgson

told us where you were going and when you were
leaving, they told us how you were going and what your father's demands were to
allow it."
    Bevin
added, "So have a fun time and don't forget about us when you are in the
souvenir shoppes."
    Darina
looked at my boarding pass. "Is this a window seat? You know she's a
virgin flyer and deserves the best view."
    "Gerald
says I will have my own airship once we reach London so I will have plenty of
room to bring home surprises," I boasted.
    They
all tried to talk at once, but Melissa was first. "Your own airship? What
competition gives those out as prizes?"
    I
looked over at Gerald. "Your turn."
    "Well...
She needs to be in a certain place and at a certain time. The schedules for
commercial airships were not flexible enough for our needs."
    Melissa
pressed on. "So you just gave her an airship?"
    I
interrupted before he could answer that. "I will even have my own flag on
it."
    Darina
asked, "Can we go along? I bet you have enough room for four more."
    I
smiled sweetly and looked at Gerald. The other women followed along with their
best pouts. "They followed me here, can we keep them?" I asked.
    "How
about you take them for a ride when we return? We are on a tight schedule."
    Bevin
was first to reply. "Do you promise?"
    I
answered quickly before Gerald could think. "We promise. I'll let you know
when I'm headed home and you can watch for my airship to land in the meadow
behind Sheela's house. I believe 'tis big enough."
    I
addressed Gerald, "I'd like to check on Bradan before we go. Can we do
that?"
    He
replied, "That should be no problem as long as we don't get in the
way."
    That
was much easier to say than to do. Men were everywhere with luggage and boxes
of all sizes. I had no idea how they managed to stay out of each other's way.
We cautiously walked to get to where Bradan was placed a few steps at a time.
They had tied him down to a large wooden board and that was in turn secured to
the walls so it would not shift.
    "How
are you doing?" I asked.
    IMPROPER
LOCKDOWN
    I
asked him, "How can we fix that?"
    REAR
LEG MUST BE FREE
     I
called to a nearby worker. "Can you help us?"
    The
stevedore asked, "Why does it need that? It is more secure when we tie
down all its legs."
    Gerald
replied, "The automaton knows the airship is not always on an even keel,
but it needs to stay as level as it can. With one leg free, it can adjust
itself as necessary."
    The
stevedore relented. "Normally, we'd put items like that in a sling, but
that wouldn't work either. I guess with two legs secured fore and aft, it won't
shift much."
    I
looked at Gerald and asked, "How did you know that?"
    He
replied, "It just made sense."
    Gerald
and I started to board the airship as my friends waved and shouted at me. I ran
back and gave them all hugs. Once inside, we found our seats next to a small
window and I waved to them. It was difficult to accept that I was finally going
to be flying. I kept getting goose flesh on my arms whenever I thought about
it.
    It
was a weird feeling as we rose into the air. The entire ship leant backwards as
we went up and my ears kept getting plugged. Gerald pointed out the women near
us who would cover their face with a fan as they yawned. I thought that a bit
pretentious, but I followed their example. My ears would clear for a moment or
two and I'd have to do it again.
    I
had seen some sparse, fluffy clouds from the ground and Gerald brought my
attention to the window as we went through them. It was like the thickest fog I
had ever been in. Water droplets formed on the window and were swept away. We
flew above the clouds and I looked down at them. They looked like giant sheep;
so soft and thick with wool. I felt like I could just walk out and go to sleep
on them. That would be a sleep I would not wake up from, unfortunately.
    The
ship levelled off and I could stop clearing my ears at last. As I expected, it
was an uneventful flight to London. I spent most of it looking out the window.
It