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"Well, no…"

Rue went to talk to her gunners

"I’ thee"

"You got a lot of faith in our abilities" Aggie registered displeasure out of orneriness, not lack of confidence

Rue arched her brows "I never doubted you for one second, Miss Phinkerlington Remember, it was always the other way around"

Tasherit nodded at Spoo to prepare the Bruce Spoo checked the cartridges with an intent face

"Anitra?" Rue called to the young Drifter wo the decks with no concrete roll to play aboard ship She clearly wished to pitch in, being born to the skies, but knew that on a well-run airship she was likely to be a hindrance until she got their rhythh another’s eyes Corace to their movements Not too shabby, if I do say so myself Is that because of, or despite, -up, everyone!" Rue wanted to ensure they knew she appreciated the in their duties

Anitra cae to your fa while afloat?"

"But of course" Anitra pulled out two sht red scarves from her sleeves, as if she were about to do sonalling for attention from their escort

"What should I say?"

"Ask the to stop?"

"No, we’re going to set a trap"

The Spotted Custard pretended weakness, puffing out gouts of s down and away from any protection afforded by the balloons

The hunters closed in, ignoring the Drifters

Tasherit and Aggie engaged in a solid exchange of fire Aggie ed to take down a second ornithopter while Tasherit and Spoo annihilated the balloon of the sed, but they were liest and best ood shots of its own One bullet splintered the aft section of the Custard’s gondola, while a second put a sizable hole through her balloon It was enough to s scuttled to climb the lines and patch the tear Rue let theunshot They couldn’t afford to actually be weak

Meanwhile, the Drifters dropped back and were co around the ene the to join the fight Instead, they hovered over the re hostile like a sht, they dropped one of their ible’s alondola below Nothing happened for a led up in the propeller beneath

The propeller cracked and splintered, one paddle falling completely off

The crew of The Spotted Custard cheered