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The sootie cried out and fell dead

Thetube to his h for Sophronia to hear Even though the leaking heliu the ry mouse

"And the same to any others who run Now, you six, finish the repairs The rest of you, prepare the fizz tube We’re bringing in heliuent Don’t even think about plotting to countermand my orders You work for us now, or you die, simple as that Prepare the boilers to burn up I’m with you to keep you on track Do as ordered and you may even be rewarded for your troubles Now move!"

The sooties--street-smart and blood-wary--did as instructed

Thetube vanished below The two others stood firm, weapons at the ready to ensure no others broke for freedom No other sootie tried

The six chosen sooties dutifully finished up repairs and assembled amidships, shoulders hunched and o to the fallen boy on the moor, but she did not doubt the Pickleht That poor lad was likely beyond what little aid she could offer The living needed her now

She continued toward the ship Theprisoners, not checking for possible infiltration

Sophronia ended up directly below the aft section with the propeller and its lone smokestack above her It was odd to see the airship so near the ground The bottom part of the propeller ale area, with the glass platform she’d ridden up the first time she came to Mademoiselle Geraldine’s That platform was locked into place, and there was no other point of entry

She turned her attention to the middle section, the lowest level of which here mechanicals were stored and serviced The kitchens were above that This section had a loading bay with massive doors that opened like a cellar’s Manned by mechanicals, these were too heavy for one person to push open However, along the side between this and the hold, servicing the kitchen and dining hall above, ran a tube of dus on the outside of the tubes, because the waiters often requiredShe pulled back to get a grip and then cliht, and she was shielded from view by the bulk of the ship

If the sooties had been ordered to prep the boilers, then her assessment of the situation was correct--the Pickle ships o and crew She would also lay very good odds that they intended to cannibalize the helium they needed from those balloons to reinflate the school’s

She didn’t need to watch it happen Soon as she could, she pulled out a hairpin and picked the lock of a maintenance hatch at the top of the dumbwaiter tube It was relatively easy to cli herself back and forth, although her wide skirts--even tucked up--gave the tube a thorough cleaning Her cli She felt that the kitchen was the best access point, since it was likely abandoned Pickleate in such a menial area

The kitchen was indeed e her lack of pockets, fed it to Bue of hard cheese, which she wrapped in her handkerchief, attaching it to her chatelaine Lady Linette was very fir food "A lady must always be prepared Snacks are an essential part of espionage"

Sophronia used the stairs out of the kitchen, e into the middle-level hallway This was the section with the asseer classroo This area was normally croith students, teachers, hu class, or stage-to-street perfor practice Now there was nothing but e Her obstructor was entirely unnecessary

She heard the boilers start up--the airship was once again fully upright

Sophronia sniffed the air and caught no lingering sas She kept out her obstructor just in case, and h the school on silent feet There was a faint lifting sensation, and a quick glance out a porthole showed the rounded flywayman ships with flaccid balloons All of their helium had been transferred to Madeo see what is happening in the pilot’s bubble? Do I try to find Madee? And what about Professor Braithwope? Sophronia was overwhelh her head

Never enter a situation, social or strategic, without understanding the personnel and protocols in place In other words, it is always better to know the state, color, and number of handkerchiefs in a room before you blow anyone’s nose

Sophronia took that to heart, partly because it gave her an objective First she would search the airship, count the number of Picklemen and flywaymen on board, and note their positions She’d already seen the three with guns, and two of those were still up on the squeak decks If she were in charge, she’d keep them as lookouts The third was down in the boiler rooe of the infiltration, and he’d want a command chair Would he station himself near the pilot’s bubble or on a squeak deck? No, safer somewhere inside the ship He’d need at least three runners to carry orders to the others Then there were probably two in the pilot’s bubble Plus an assorted number of heavy lifters--bully boys They’d have to spread out, with one to keep an eye on the headmistress and another to track Professor Braithwope That was a lot of men to account for Sophronia estimated a total--she wouldn’t take on a ship of this size without at least a dozen ht

She felt the propeller crank up Thatthe auxiliary propulsion boilers It also uidance system

Sophronia dove into a classroom and out onto a balcony to see So toward London And they weren’t doing so under steam cover The Picklemen didn’t care that they would be seen by every small town they floated over The secret of Made to be a secret o, it would be stashed in the hold with the glass elevator Sophronia decided to check that first She nipped around the dumbwaiters and down the access stairs At the door, she put her ear to the ja She pushed it open a crack

The hold was full of an upticking his tail in interest His alarerness to be put down to go to his compatriots But he certainly are of theled These were no se monsters, similar to the azebo the night of Petunia’s ball They bore little researgoyles The hold was cralass lift They did not move, but they looked like they could at any moment