Lady Linette hustled her and Professor Braithwope out into the corridor. “What could possibly be so important, Professor?”
“The aetheric long-scan monocular sensors are picking something up. Possibly adversaries.”
Sophronia said, “She doesn’t know, does she?”
“Who doesn’t know what?” Lady Linette’s attention swiveled.
Discernment and discretion, indeed! “The headmistress doesn’t know what’s really going on here.”
“Oh, and what is that?”
“I haven’t quite figured out the particulars myself, but you’re keeping her in the dark intentionally, aren’t you?”
“No, dear, you’re keeping her in the dark intentionally. You students. It’s part of the training.”
“You’re keeping me in the dark, too. Am I supposed to figure something out? Is this a test?”
“Lady Linette,” interrupted the professor, “we really haven’t the time.”
“Oh, yes, lead on, do. To the squeak deck.”
“Whot-ho.”
“I suppose you’d better follow, Miss Temminnick. Can’t have you gallivanting about the tassel section on your own. The mechanicals are already overwrought.”
They moved through a series of corridors. Professor Braithwope led the way with a kind of controlled speed that hinted at a truly heightened fitness level under those fancy clothes—he must be a sportsman. Cricket, perhaps? Exiting onto one of the observation decks, he veered off and felt around the back of a railing. There must have been a lever hidden there, for a secret door snapped down, revealing a set of stairs. The three of them climbed up. These stairs were not lit by gas, and there were no windows. It was only the regularity of the steps that kept Sophronia from stumbling.
Eventually, they emerged out onto one of the very top decks, directly under one of the three colossal balloons. This deck was a full circle, stretching from one side of the ship to the other. It was like being on a rooftop. Looking down over one of the railings, Sophronia could see various other sets of decks bulging out, like enormous semicircular steps leading down into cloudy nothingness. Looking across, she could see there were two other decks just like hers, one under each of the other two massive balloons. Out the far back of the ship was a crow’s nest, raised up to be almost touching the underside of the last balloon. Turning about, she saw that at the front, near them, was another crow’s nest. This one was enclosed. It looked like a bathtub overturned on top of another bathtub. There was no apparent means of access, as the only thing holding it up was a set of struts and one long beam.
She pointed. “What’s that?”
“Pilot’s bubble,” Lady Linette answered from behind one of the several telescopes that dotted the edge of the deck.
Professor Braithwope merely stood, squinting, into the night sky. His mustache quivered, due either to the slight breeze or to agitation—it was difficult to tell which.
“How does it land?” Sophronia wanted to know.
“What?” Lady Linette was distracted.
“The school, how does it land?”
“It doesn’t, dear. Not all the way. Mostly, we drift,” replied Lady Linette.
“Then why do you need a pilot?”
Professor Braithwope turned piercing eyes upon her. “You ask a lot of questions, little bite.”
“Well, Professor, sir, you are providing me with a number of curiosities.”
He returned to scanning the skies. Suddenly he pointed. “There!”
Lady Linette swiveled her telescope around, following his pointing finger. “Ah, yes, I see. Oh, dear. Flywaymen.”
“A direct attack? I hardly think that likely, whot?”
“Nevertheless, best warn the engine chamber. Have them wake up all the sooties.”
“Of course.” The professor straightened the shoulders of his fine-cut tails, touched the brim of his top hat at the two ladies, and was off. Instead of going down, as Sophronia assumed one would in order to contact an engine room, he did the most extraordinary thing. He ran up the beam to the pilot’s bubble. He did it with perfect balance and complete fearlessness, despite the wind and the ground far below. He did it so quickly, like a spider, that Sophronia wondered if she’d really seen it at all.
“Can he teach me to do that?” she asked Lady Linette.
“I’m afraid not, dear. That is a skill that has taken him more time to master than you have.”
That only caused Sophronia to look militant. I wager he was in the circus. But there was no time to argue, for the professor had already returned. His attention was distracted by a group of six airdinghies heading purposefully in their direction.
Lady Linette said, “Best to sound the alarm.”
Professor Braithwope nodded and did his rapid scuttle over to a small brass box affixed to a railing. He opened this with a key from his waistcoat pocket, reached inside, and toggled something. A loud bell began clanging—a bell that seemed to have sister bells throughout the ship.
Lady Linette said, “When you hear that in future, Miss Temminnick, it means deck access is restricted and all students are to remain stationary and not involve themselves.”
Sophronia didn’t say anything in response to that. In all her fourteen long years, she had never stayed stationary and uninvolved in anything. Nevertheless, she did end up following her new teacher’s orders this once, for the squeak deck became suddenly covered in mechanicals. Sophronia was hard put to find a spot safe from being bumped.