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Sophronia ued with the , airy, puff noise, and a long metal tube, which ended above the platform, spat out a pelletlike object that nearly hit the rabbed it out of the air and cracked it open on his knee; it split like an egg Inside was aSophronia a suspicious look, reached for a massive bullhorn The brass horn was almost as tall as he, and all over covered in keys and levers Raising it to his lips and adjusting the controls to his liking, the man yelled out over the cha down at speed Propeller tilt to steady a rapid decent Greasers Six and Fourteen, take your sooties up top We’re collapsing the asp et hie here before the pilot’s bubble did No wonder they orking guidance valves No wonder everyone is so desperate to get their hands on these things Everything about air travel could be faster--for everyone, not just those who float inside the aetherosphere
Into the resulting coed and the boilers still flamed despite the fact that all human movement had stilled--a small voice said, "Not all the way?" in a shocked tone
The red-faced man said into the bullhorn, "Yes All the way The rest of you, perforh descent We aren’t landing,into action It was as though everything were in reverse Sooties who had been running one way began running the other Stokers stopped stoking A few even threater on the burning fuel, the resulting steary et out of here! Find yourself a place to brace This is no lark, you realize? And what’s your na a beat
"I wager it is Now off with ya Get!"
Sophronia got
A truly harrowing few seconds followed The ship sank so fast Sophronia could feel it in her belly It was a wobbly sensation, especially when one was accusto school She holed up in her favoritespot behind a--now much diminished--pile of coal, near the floor hatch Eventually, Soap joined her there Together they watched the ground approach through the hatch
"What did you do, miss?" asked Soap as London came into view
"It wasn’t me I tried, but he only took instructions when some tube spat at hient’s Park to the north
"Pilot’s orders Must have agreed with you But deflating a balloon? It’s not done, not ever The expense alone!"
They began to see streets and houses distinctly
"Are we going to crash?" wondered Sophronia, her heart fluttering
Soap inched one long arht need the support Sophronia felt somewhat reassured
The bones of the Crystal Palace and the now empty benches came into view Everyone was crowded around what could only be the fallen body of Professor Braithwope
"Man the pull back, swell up inflation," came a yell over the bullhorn
"Erp, that’s me!" Soap dashed back to work
Sophronia felt bereft
Someone in the crowd below looked up, pointed, and screa to see, thedoard the and hovered, alround as they had been before the whole thing started
The sooties cheered
Several of the young ladies in the crowd directly below fainted Each faint was, properly, backward and caught by one of the entlemen in attendance
Sophronia let down the rope ladder attached to one side of the hatch and cliround as quickly as she could
BALLS AND CHAINS
No one--at least no one who had anything to say about it at the tih the crowd, ending up between Dimity and Captain Niall She noted with relief that Pillover was still there and nodded gratefully at Sidheag, ould have forced the s, masculine face
Professor Braithwope’s body was bent in a most unusual way Someone had removed the helreen in color His mustache was deflated and floppy
Monique de Pelouse was bent over the vaedy Sophronia wondered if it was a calculated expression, intentionally revealing her intimacy with the va, in her best Monique way: I’ht as well have taken out a sign that stretched across Mademoiselle Geraldine’sorders "Get those stairs down Quickly! We rounds i Professor Braithwope’s linment Professor Lefoux’s normal attitude of strict severity was in place, but her hands shook as she attempted to remove the aether-suit
Then Professor Braithwope’s eyes snapped open
The crowd gasped in titillated horror
The vaainst his skull as he opened his us They were a stark contrast to his fragility, all that wicked strength in such a small, sickly man
"Oh my," whispered Dimity, "howto listen to the quiet conversation between his female attendants
"Monique!" said Professor Lefoux "You’ll have to do your duty"
Monique, cole lissome movement swirled off her cape Without hesitation she pressed one of her wrists to the va mouth
He bit down, hard Blood splattered Monique’s white skin
The surrounding watchers inhaled as one
Diave a delicate shudder but no other reaction
Well, thought Sophronia, that secret is definitely out It’s a good thing she’s having her co the school, or there would be questions froht roruesome A tiny teardrop of blood leaked out the corner of the va Behind hireat staircase of the school cranked doard, white puffs of stea inflated and the fake scaffolding put back into place
"Pull her away," barked Professor Lefoux, without looking up froive"