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Handle handed over a stuffed reticule Inside it were several of Mademoiselle Geraldine’s infamous fake pastries

"What, what?" stuttered Sophronia, sounding not unlike Professor Braithwope

"Small explosives," replied the headht These are the last Handle has a few He’ll show you how they deploy"

"I don’t know about explosives, Headmistress I haven’t had much luck with the lady You’ll do as you are instructed Use these pastries as needed and do not be scared or ashamed of the necessity"

"Yes, Headmistress"

Handle showed her how they were activated, by depressing the decorative ele twirl Siht them merely beautiful representations of a very odd hobby I should have known they were deadly as well as decorative Everything at this school is both It was practically the school’s unofficialUt acerbus terminus: To the bitter end Madame Spetuna had taken that motto to heart

"Tell me truthfully, Handle, how are the sooties, really?"

"Not bad, miss We all kno to turn and shield the delicate bits And, frankly, the whip-hand is not so good as he thinks he is"

Sophronia searched his face, hoping he wasn’t ht of a bad situation

Handle continued "They need us to keep this boat afloat, so they feed us well enough Won’t lie, it hasn’t been easy We’re running her faster and harder than ever, and with a skeleton crew Plus, we didn’t take on stores beforehand They are pushing her And us But there are ood ones, coht," proht"

"Even Smokey Bones?"

"Of course"

"Who is Smokey Bones?" demanded Mademoiselle Geraldine

"Our cat, my lady" Handle poured more tea

Mademoiselle Geraldine didn’t seem to knohat to say to that

Sophronia took another deep breath "I can only think of one option at this point We are too close to London We have to crash the school and use the soldier mechanicals to do it"

Handle and Madeaped

The headmistress breathed out, "No!"

Sophronia explained "The Picklemen have already used this airship to activate their updatednoise you heard was my alarm to that effect They needed our pilot’s bubble, and they needed to be high enough to send the signal through the aether You ask me, they took out every major key-point mechanical within aetheric transone bonkers, too, but were mainly side consequence Now they only need to pacify the capital, and the whole country is theirs I think they intend to drop down and offload the attack mechanimals from our hold into the city streets If I were theht when people start to feel safe froasped Mademoiselle Geraldine