Bab 115: Chapter 54: First Flight Part 1

The Crown Prince stopped in the door and gasped. Cal turned back toward him. In different circumstances, she'd have laughed out loud at his expression.

"I did tell you I was making my own prototype from odds and ends." She pointed to the ropes holding the ship to the ground. "I'll need one of you on each of those. But first I need to untie the ropes from on top." Cal scrambled up a ladder on the wall and walked across the beams, untying the ropes from the airship. "Hans, put the shield in place under the heating unit. It will smother the fire and prevent sparks." She slid down the ladder and traded her uniform jacket for the thick leather one she wore to protect herself from sparks. She took the harness off and threw over a shoulder as she pulled the matching leather pants over the ones she wore. Simpler than needing to change. On impulse, she put on the cap, too, and hung her welding goggles around her neck.

The ship bobbed in the barn as Cal climbed into the gondola.