Chapter 61: And Then ... Part 3
"Your Highness, it blew a hole right through the sea serpent killing it instantly. It sounds like a powerful weapon, but we were lucky. The tank had started to deform, another few minutes it would have blown and taken us, and probably the ship to the bottom of the ocean."
"What if you wanted to move something slowly?"
"You'd be better off running a steam engine and setting the gears to whatever speed you want. Steam is highly compressible, water is not, which is why it's important to keep the water level right, too high and you have little volume to work, too low and the pressure won't hold."
"Fascinating. So you could use water to lift or lower heavy objects?"
"There is no reason why not. Don't you have engineers working for you?" Cal lowered her head. "My apologies, I shouldn't be presumptuous."
The prince laughed.
"In private you may be as presumptuous as you need. In answer, yes, we have engineers, but they are old, hidebound, already thinking in terms of tradition and what's already been done. I need people who don't know what's impossible, like someone who builds a steam cannon to kill a monster."
"I am at your service, your Highness."
"Calliope, you are a delight."
"Your Highness, I'm going to be presumptuous again and ask you to call me Cal. Calliope always makes me wince."
"Cal." The Prince paused as if tasting the name. "It suits you."
The coach slowed and stopped. The Prince jumped out and held his hand out to Cal. She had no choice but to let him help her from the coach.
"My daughter married a prince in Ferandica. Not the Crown Prince, but second or third in line. She wrote to me that the Crown Prince would be visiting and to expect him soon. It normally takes a week of travel for someone to journey between our countries. He arrived in three days in that." The Prince pointed up. A huge ship floated high above the field.
"I've heard about airships." Cal stared up in awe. "But I've never seen one, and I didn't imagine it would be so big."
"He brought twenty people with him, and has been insufferably smug about it. Good thing we're on friendly terms."
"So you want the lift to raise and lower people and cargo to the airship?"
"I knew you were the right choice. The others stared at me and told me it had never been done."
"I will research and experiment." She looked wistfully at the airship. "I have an obligation to the Kestrel."
"I need you on the Kestrel, Cal, learning how to command, what it takes to run a ship. Learn it from top to bottom. Then come back and build me one of those." He pointed up.
"Are you crazy?" Cal peered up at the ship. "It floats, so somehow it is lighter than the air. How? They journeyed here in three days, so they have an engine, and I see two propellers. How did they build it light enough? How much coal do they need, how much water? Every ounce they put on board means that much more lift, somehow. It doesn't even begin to address what it's made of - "
"The fact you're asking those questions makes you the right person to do it. You won't be alone. I have others working on it. They'll send you ideas by Royal packet. If we know your itinerary, it will be simple."
Cal stared at him.
"You really expect me to do this."
"What if an unfriendly country builds one? They could float over us dropping bricks on our heads."
"Bricks would be too heavy. Their ship wouldn't be able to take off."
"Fine, feather pillows." The Prince flipped his hand in irritation. "We need to have our own ships, and we need to use them for peaceful purposes."
"Because they'll assume we have a fleet in reserve." Cal straightened up and faced him to salute. "Your Highness, I will do this, somehow."
"That's what I wanted to hear. Now, we'll do this again later with all the fancy dress and foofaraw[KB4], next time you're on shore." The prince pulled something from his pocket. He handed her a tiny scroll. "Stand still and let me pin this on."
Cal looked down to see a gold gear, hanging from a star with the crown engraved on its center.
"What?"
"You are the very first of my Royal Engineers, Lady Calliope Shillingsworth. The scroll is a Royal Warrant allowing you to commandeer aid from any embassy or ship under our flag. There's some boring stuff about budgets and such, you'll get a letter."
Cal ran her finger across the star. "Lady?"
"I can't have stuffy peers giving you a hard time, it will interfere with your work."
"Can you please call me Cal?"
The Crown Prince laughed. "Cal, I promise, when there's no need to be formal." He took her elbow and guided her back to the coach. "Time to get to work, Royal Engineer."
He helped her in, then climbed in after her and rapped on the ceiling.
Cal knew it was impossibly rude, but she couldn't help herself. She gazed, entranced, out the window of the coach at the airship until it finally dropped out of sight.
END OF BOOK ONE
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