8th bell of the Second watch
Arthelas climbed down onto the deck from the balloon above. He'd been checking the airsacs, and had found three punctured, and one in desperate need of attention. He'd be sure to tell Krôshnir about the problem. As he walked across the deck to the front of the ship, he saw the mouth of the great Karazan river, flowing from the highest peak of the Bluebelt range, all the way to the easternmost tip of the country. He walked into the helmroom and pointed it out to Carter. "When we reach that, we'll be going down the river about an hour, then we'll be there"
"We're that far already?!" J.C asked in surprise.
"Yes, she's a fast ship, thissun. It depends on the winds in the foothills, but I think we'll be there quite soon.
Arthe climbed down the ladder into the common area, the took the short walk to his cabin. It was a squeeze inside, but he appreciated the luxury of his own personal space on a ship this size. He'd added a shelf to the wall next to his bunk,and had cleaned the windows thoroughly, so he could admire the views properly. As he lay on his bed, watching the flickering lights on the coastline, he started to thing about all the people, busying themselves with unimportant tasks, when they could have the freedom of flying. It bewildered him why someone would turn down a chance to become an airman. The feel or the wind trough his hair, and the faintly pleasant smell of the lifting gas keeping them alive. The boiler room was well sealed, to keep the smell from the rest of the ship, and to protect against fires spreading to the balloon. As they drifted into the mouth of the river, he could see the salmon jumping, striving to get back to their spawning grounds. He lay there, watching, and drifted into an undisturbed sleep.
