What Goes Up

*Posted by* Largehobbit

Posted: Mar 4, 2018, 10:09am

The Roost - 18th August – Morning

Eli stood on the deck of the Seraphim grinning at the sky. The Maelstrom boiled up ahead, the thick black and grey clouds churning and bubbling like tar on the boil. The occasional spark of energy flickered between the clouds, green streaks of death that could burn an airship to cinders if its captain was not prepared. Eli was always prepared.

“She’s a moody old bitch this morning.” He growled as he plucked a pocket scope from inside the folds of his thick woollen tunic. He tapped a button on the side of the scope and with a series of soft clicks it extended to around a foot in length. He trained his one eye on the thin circular patch of lighter cloud directly above the city. The Nexus was open and ready for business.

“You ever wonder how they do it?” his first mate Lina Kellgorian came to stand alongside him. He gave a grunt of welcome and handed the spyglass over to her.

“The bastards live in a flying city, shifting a few clouds is a parlour trick compared to that.” Eli reached down and produced a small hip flask and began to unscrew the lid.

“Not on deck sir, remember.” She gave him an insolent grin as she snatched it away and he resisted the urge to snatch the flask back. She continued, “I just wish we could make our own Nexus..”

“Don’t be a fool.” He snarled rounding on her, “You could get yourself a nice padded cell in the Black Gallows for even thinking a thing like that.” He took advantage of her momentary shock to swipe back the flask and take a swig before she could stop him.

“Ghaah! Now I’m ready, let’s climb.” Lina shook her head and turned to bark orders at the crew. Several minutes of frantic activity passed by and Eli stood there glaring up at the Nexus above as the burn of the Whisky warmed his old bones.

“Away anchors.” Lina cried at last as the ship lurched into the air. There came a roar from below decks as flagslag\* was fed into the furnace. The power generated would run the ships steering and propulsion while the steam produced would feed the great balloon that help the craft aloft.

Eli said little as the Seraphim made the climb up towards the open maw of the maelstrom above. Lina was capable and was not long for running her own crew and ship. The steering propellers to port and starboard did their work well as they made their way upwards, while the fan to the rear of the ship drove them onward at a pace. Once they got up there something extra would be required.

“Looks to be calming down.” Lina commented as she came back to stand beside him. They were on the last stretch now before entering the Nexus proper. All around them the Maelstrom loomed, its broiling clouds shifting hungrily.

“Never trust the bitch.” Eli murmured as he watched the clouds. This close the rumbling of the maelstrom was loud enough to drown out the sound of the airship, and a hard wind was starting to pick up all around them.

“Hold fast.” Eli cried out and his crew obeyed, just as a huge gust came out of nowhere and almost drove the ship onto its side. One of the cords that held the airship fastened to its balloon sprang free and started to whip around the deck. One crewman began to chase it.

“Leave it be and hold fast!” Eli roared but the man did not hear him. Another gust came in and the ship lurched back the other way. There was a sharp scream and a flash of movement as the crewman was pitched over board and out into the air. There was a horrid moment as the man hung there suspended in the crosswinds before he flew from sight. Not downwards but upwards into the black bulge of the waiting clouds. Eli gave a grim nod and turned to face his crew.

“Drop the hammer!” he cried and there was a loud clang and small controlled explosion below decks as a nugget of pure flagesium was dropped into the furnace. The rear fan was lowered and two thrusters popped up at the stern.

“Draw in the side props and fire on three.” Eli roared. They were at the lip of the nexus now, swirling mist and shadow stretch up above them and all around them the maelstrom roared in a relentless black fury. Another second and they were inside.

“Three!”

The thrusters fired and the Seraphim tore through the mist on an upwards trajectory.

\*flagslag = flagesium infused coal.