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Sophronia didn’t bother with the student residences The ene to search through the to her own rooency convinced her she hadn’t the ti now that she had covered it with leather Leather, she reflected, was good like that

The front section of the third level housed the exertion and tuave theh, unsurprised to find all empty The Picklemen did not strike her as the type to enjoy physical discipline nor literary pursuits or sun exposure on a regular basis Above her were the testing rooms and the compartments where the weapons and soldierthose were as inaccessible to the Picklemen as they were to her, Sophronia had only two zones left to explore: below her, thethe New Year’s tea, and the very front forward top of the ship, back in the red-tassel section, where the adotten and unused

It hen Sophronia reached the dining hall that everything beca hall without the cover of a crowded tea party So she took to the outer hull and peeked through one of the portholes that lined the top of the cavernous rooe point, but did not per ability was good, but h impossible Perhaps this was on purpose? Dimity always said beards were suspicious Now Sophronia was inclined to agree with her

The bulk of the eneainst the starboard side, but the head table was in place It was set with salvaged food, and four Pickleated around it, partaking The youngerthe roo used as ers to cohorts in the propeller room, in the boiler room, in the pilot’s bubble, and on the squeak decks These must have been the ones who had infiltrated the tea party--they looked young, and tere beardless

A half dozen flywayuished from the Picklemen by crass mannerisms and poor dress, each looked like a cross between a country squire out for the hunt and an old-fashioned pirate By contrast, the Picklereen ribbons about their hats Even though they were at a meal, they still wore their hats Perhaps because it wasn’t a forement?

Sophronia scrutinized each man for any clue or relevant tidbit of inforuished by a wider ribbon around a stovepipe topper that was both taller and shiner than any other hat there He was on the corpulent end of the spectrue flat face that looked as if it had been sat on regularly But when he stood, he htly on his feet that Sophronia knew to be wary There was such an air of arrogance about him, and the others treated him with such respect, that he could only be the Chutney His closest confidant was a gangly old spectacles, and terrible posture He slouched over a note pad, jotting things down The two others were heavy muscled bully boys

Sophronia turned her attention to the flywayht be the erous, and which was the weakest It took her a moment, but eventually she realized that one of the flywaymen wasn’t a man at all It was Mada no atte business as if she had alorked a the enemy

She seemed to be liaised with the flywayman commander, either as a lover or as a lieutenant, or both Sophronia wasn’t sure what this meant Had the record room been correct? Had she betrayed them? Or was she so deep in her infiltration that any erous?

It would be very useful, thought Sophronia, if I had so to contact her or will that expose us both?

It occurred to Sophronia to worry about the record rooot hold of the inforencers would be in danger I have to destroy it before they find it

Sophronia withdrew froot closer to the squeak decks, she was scared of being seen by the lookouts, so sheat speed for the record roo than expected As vacant as the lower levels had been, the uppernized the to the school but suspected they had been fitted with the new crystalline valves There was no knohat their new protocols ht her Fortunately, there were no soldier er ht instructions

Sophronia had to employ her obstructor the entire way to the record room It ith some relief that she finally reached the door

She barely inched it open A quick glance inside had her twirling away and flattening herself against the hallall At one of the desks sat a Pickleman, one of intellect rather thancopious scribbles in a small notebook

At the far end of the hallway, ’round a bend where the tiny administrative rooed

"And stay there, you i the corridor toward Sophronia, the voice now yelling, "Bawkin! Spice Administrator Bawkin? He wants your report immediately"

Sophronia turned and sprinted around the next bend in the hallway Just the other side of the corner, she flattened herself against the wall, straining to hear as said The door to the record room crashed open--Deep Voice was inexcusably brutal to doors--and she heard hi about You’re wanted in the dining hall for the next stage"

"But there is so ed with Yorkshire

"Stuff it, Spicer Gather your things And come back to me before you head down I’ve a few items of interest for the Gherkin"--That means Duke Golborne is on board! How did I ation for that idiotic book of yours The blasted runner scaet our recruits these days? Honestly, I don’t knoe bother" Fro back the way he’d coe wall-shaped sort of chap was striding away He’d left the door to the record roo, and take Note-taker out right now Or I can target his notebook, and steal it after he’s gotten the next bit of information from Deep Voice Sophronia liked the second option best Once Note-taker was on his own, headed to the Gherkin, he’d be vulnerable Then again, if he had encountered Madame Spetuna’s record and kneho she was, the man himself must also be elie a Pickleht now e is surprise No one knows I’hter She was capable, of course, but always found e She wasn’t squeamish, like Dimity, but she wasn’t as bloodthirsty as Preshea, either