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"Welco over to show an e his e ears was muffled to a whisper by thick tapestries and stone walls, so the huge statue seemed almost alive

In the corner of Deryn’s vision the lady boffin was curtsying siant statues every day Deryn recovered from her surprise and bowed fro the Leviathan’s officers She realized she had no idea how to behave around a barking emperor, and wished the lady boffin had spared a moment to tell her

"My Lord Sultan," Dr Barlow said "I bring you greetings froe"

"Peace be upon hi his head a little Behind hiift as well" Dr Barlow gestured at the egg box

The sultan’s eyebrows rose Deryn found herself relieved that the autoiant h as it was

"An odd shape for a dreadnought," the sultan said "And a bit small for a behemoth"

After a moment of uncomfortable silence, the lady boffin cleared her throat "Our little gift is not, of course, a replaceh His Majesty regrets that unfortunate affair"

"Does he?"

"Profusely," Dr Barlow said "We have only borrowed the Osreater Britain is at war, and your empire is - and hopefully shall stay - at peace"

"Peace has its burdens too" The sultan crossed his ar more closely now, Deryn noticed that the ht with tooto act sober Perhaps to aid the illusion, the sultan moved slowly and carefully, like an actor in a pantomime show Deryn wondered if he controlled the auto fro across levers and dials

Soe contraption less unsettling

"I areat, My Lord Sultan" Dr Barlow looked toward the egg box "And we hope that this fabricated creature, huh it is, will prove a welcoive us railroads, airships, and wireless towers," the sultan replied "All the glories of the mekanzimat They train our armies and service our machines They rebuilt this palace and helped us crush the revolution six years ago And all your king can offer is a distraction?"

The sultan gestured at the egg box, and the auto the air as it passed over Deryn’s head She hunched her shoulders, wondering hoerful those giant fingers were

Dr Barlow didn’t seem ruffled at all "Perhaps it is only a start," she said, bowing her head a little ift with hope for a happier future"

"A gift? After so ain "Perhaps we have been distracted long enough by your gifts"

Suddenly the giant fingers wrapped around the box, closing into a fist The crackle of splintering wood echoed from the stone walls, and pieces skittered likecrack, and translucent strands oozed between the ether on the stone floor, the reek of sulfur joined coal sasp of horror escaped the lady boffin’s mouth, and Deryn stared, wide eyed, at the closed fist, then at the sultan Oddly, the man seemed surprised hi Of course, he hadn’t done anything - the automaton had

Deryn looked at the sultan’s outstretched hand His fingers were still open, si box, not curled into a fist

Her eyes darted around the roo box wore astonished expressions, and there was no one else in the rooallery behind the statue’s head It was covered over with latticed s, and for adown between the slats

She glanced at Dr Barlow, trying to get her to notice the sultan’s open hand But the lady boffin’s face was pale and frozen, her poise shattered along with the egg

"I see, Lord Sultan, that I have come too late" Despite her devastated expression, there was steel in her voice

The sultan must have heard it too He cleared his throat softly before speaking

"Perhaps not, Dr Barlow" He brought his paliant hand frozen around the shattered, leaking egg "In a way the scales have already been balanced"

"How do you mean?"

"Just today we have been able to replace the dreadnought you ’borrowed’ from us, with two ships instead of one" The sultan smiled "May I present to you the new commander of the Ottoman navy, Admiral Wilhelm Souchon"

A man strode from the shadows, and Deryn’s jaw dropped He wore a crisp blue German naval uniform, except for the crimson fez on his head He clicked his heels and bowed to the sultan, then turned to salute Dr Barlow

"Madam, I welcome you to Istanbul"

Deryn sed So that was how the two German ironclads had disappeared - the Otto them! And they hadn’t just taken the ships, they’d put thenavy

The lady boffin simply stared, dumbstruck for the first time Deryn had ever seen The silence stretched out aardly, the only sound the last innards of the egg dripping onto the stone floor

Finally Deryn cleared her throat and returned the Ger officer present, I extend the thanks of the British Air Service For all your, um, hospitality"

Admiral Souchon looked coolly at her "I don’t believe we are acquainted, sir"