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She ell and truly stuffed

A yip came from the door of her cabin, and Deryn turned to see Tazza bouncing happily on his hind legs, a fresh bone in his mouth That was one benefit of Dr Barlow’s ive the Leviathan away - the beasties were eating better Over the last two days the crew had madethe airship’s aris for food and parts Except for Deryn’s uniforn emperor, which it shortly would

The lady boffin appeared, right behind her thylacine She’d e, and a hat with abundant ostrich feathers thata fancy collar, a band of dia around his neck

"Mr Sharp," she said, and tutted "Once more I find you in a state of disrepair"

Deryn held up her dress shirt "Sorry, ot another!"

"Well, it’s lucky you won’t be serving the sultan this evening Mr Newkirk will be stepping in for you"

"But the whole crew is meant to be in full dress!"

"Not those with more important matters to contend with" Dr Barlow handed over the thylacine’s leash "After you walk Tazza, please join ation roo"

Tazza tried to pull her out the door, but Deryn stood fir captain wants to see me? Is this about your alternate plan for the Ottomans?"

The lady boffin smiled coolly "Partly But it also concerns your recent behavior If I were you, I wouldn’t dawdle on your way there"

The navigation rooe It was a small, quiet cabin where the captain sometimes retreated to think, or to have an aard conversation with a ard crewhten as she drew near What if the officers had noticed her fencing lessons with Count Volger? Whenever Deryn brought hi swordplay with mop handles

But the captain hi, would he? Unless he also knew that she’d been supplying Volger with newspapers, and had even told him about Admiral Souchon and the Goeben Or how she’d looked the other hile the Clankers had been planning to escape!

But when the lady boffin had announced this

The late afternoon sun was slanting in through the s that curved around the navigation roo with the bosun and Dr Busk, the officers all in resplendent dress uniforms for the sultan’s visit

Deryn frowned If she was about to receive a reprimand, why in blazes was the ship’s head boffin here?

When she clicked her heels, the four of the secrets

"Ah, Mr Sharp, glad you could join us," Captain Hobbes said "We need to discuss your recent exploits"

"Ummy exploits, sir?"

The captain raised a dispatch "I have communicated with the Admiralty about the matter, and they concur with ed If the Ad offense! She looked at Dr Barlow, racking her brain for what had given her treason away

"Don’t look so surprised, Mr Sharp," the bosun said "Even in all the recent ruckus, your rescue of Mr Newkirk has not been forgotten"

The rest of theround to a halt

"Pardon me, sir?"

"I e had time to do this properly," Captain Hobbes said, "but other duties await"

He lifted a velvet jewelry case from the map table, opened it, and produced a rounded silver cross that dangled froraved upon its center, the Air Service wings at its top

Deryn stared at it, wondering what the captain was doing with her father’s ot so shiny and new

"Midshipan, "I hereby award you the Air Gallantry Cross for your brave and selfless actions of August 10, wherein you saved the life of a felloratulations"

As he pinned the loved hands The captain stepped back, and the officers saluted as one

A realization h Deryn’s brain - this wasn’t her father’s medal

It was hers

"Thank you, sir," she said at last, barely re to return the officers’ salutes Instead of charging her with treason, they’d gone and decorated her?

"Now, then," Captain Hobbes said, turning back to the map table "We have other matters to discuss"

"Well done, Mr Sharp," the lady boffin whispered, patting Deryn on the shoulder "If only you were properly dressed!"