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

began with looking at clouds or the water below them. Then we flew over land
again and I could see farms and roads and towns. There were tiny things moving
on the roads below us, which had to be wagons and carriages.
    It
was near sunset when we arrived. Gerald said the winds had not been favourable
and it took longer than usual. Since Bradan was loaded first, he would be
unloaded last. It didn't matter much since he would be loaded onto my airship
as soon as he was taken off this one.
    While
we were waiting, a man came up to us. Gerald introduced him. His name was Ethan
and he was one of the aviators who would be piloting my airship. He addressed
Gerald, "We rechristened it as 'Clover' this morning. It seemed more
appropriate than the former name."
    I
looked over at my airship. It was a huge silver sausage-shaped balloon with a
gondola affixed below it. The name "Clover" was written in thick
letters taller than me on the side of the balloon. In the middle were two huge
fans extending out from the gondola. It had the usual fins at the rear. On a
rope between them and the bottom section was my flag, blowing gently in the
breeze. The setting sun reflected orange off the balloon and it was truly a
sight worth seeing. I said, "She's wonderful! I love her! Her name is
perfect! How soon until we are flying?"
    Gerald
replied, "It will take an hour to transfer your automaton and finish
loading provisions."
    "What
kind of provisions?" I asked.
    "We
will have a well-stocked icebox when we leave. More than enough to see us
through the trip there and back... twice."
    I
stood and waited, trying not to shuffle my feet like I did when I was a young
girl outside church. I would have loved to go into the city and browse the
shoppes. I thought about the last time I was here and all the fun I had in the
pubs too. I watched the cargo being moved between ships to pass the time
instead.
    "I
wonder if I can teach something smaller and lighter to do what Bradan does.
'Tis a lot of work to get him settled properly on airships."
    "What
were you thinking of?" asked Gerald.
    "A
puppy would be nice. I've been told that Saint Bernards are very
intelligent."
     We
watched the stevedores secure Bradan in the centre of the cargo area on my
airship just like he had been in the other airship.
    Ethan
announced, "We are ready to embark when you are, Miss."
    I
replied, "Please... Before we go, could you tell me where everything is
lest I become hopelessly lost inside of her?"
    "I
can do that. Let's start at the front. At the bottom is the control pod. That
is where myself and the other aviator will fly your airship from."
    "Does
it take both of you to fly it?"
    "This
ship only needs one, but we take turns to keep alert."
    "Please
continue. I will try not to interrupt."
    "Feel
free to ask questions as you wish. Behind the control pod is the sitting room.
The forward door opens into it. The stairs to the upper level are also
there."
    "My
airship has an upper level?"
    "Yes,
it does. Above the control pod is your stateroom. It has the best view on the
ship with those large windows allowing you to see where we are going and to
each side. Directly behind your suite are the rooms for the crew and passengers
as well as the galley. Our rooms are not as nice as yours, of course, but are
still quite spacious compared to the cabins in commercial airships."
    "I
didn't see any cabins on the ride here. We were in the sitting area the entire
time."
    Gerald
responded, "The ship we were on was built to hold as many people as
possible for daytime trips and lacks the amenities for long distances."
    I
asked him, "Oh. How far as we travelling?"
    He
replied, "The trip across the North Sea is actually shorter than the one
you just took."
    Ethan
resumed his description. "Amidships is where the engine room is. It spans
both floors for ease of servicing. Behind that, also on both decks, is the
cargo area. That is where your automaton is now. You can reach it via the
central hallway on the