by Vashti Hardy
“Everyone, to your posts!” Harriet called, looking over at Arthur and Maudie with a wink.
The great fabric balloon blossomed above.
Eudora Vane’s sky-ship, the Victorious, was the largest sky-ship and was above the docks a short distance away, rising powerfully, its wings spread majestically wide.
“Arthur, your cog!” Welby shouted.
Arthur realized everyone was already at theirs, so he dashed to the portside and began turning it.
Harriet Culpepper stood at the wheel, her hair and scarf flowing messily in the wind. “We need lift, fast!”
“Put your backs into it,” Welby bellowed.
They all turned their cogs furiously, until there was a loud click and a shudder. “Good work,” Harriet called.
Parthena took flight above them, leading them onwards. The Aurora lifted, the crowd’s cheers faded on the wind, and suddenly they were flying high, wings extended, balloon taut, Felicity hurrying to make a celebratory brew, duty notes being handed out by Welby.
The domes, spires and ordered rooftops of Lontown disappeared, and they passed over the crooked buildings of the Slumps, where a permanent grey haze seemed to settle. Then the houses petered to fields and tracks; everything became greener. They ate marsh cakes and talked and laughed as they sped above countryside and villages, taking off their jumpers as the midday sun shone down on them, and all the while, Harriet Culpepper kept her eyes on the horizon and hands on the wheel.
Not being a race, the sky-ships of the Armada all stayed within sight of one another, and after several chimes, the land became jammed with dreary-looking hills.
“Look, it’s the pitch mines,” said Arthur, calling to Maudie who was tinkering with what appeared to be a lever and chain on the deck. “Some of the sky-ships have already landed to top up.”
Maudie joined him. “I’m glad we don’t have to stop there. I feel filthy just looking at it.”
“To think we could have ended up there as forced labour,” Arthur said.
“Did you ever have a pitch engine, Harrie?” Maudie called over to Harriet.
She nodded. “There wasn’t much choice, but I always hated it, which is why I began developing the water engine at a young age.”
As sunset bloomed in the west like coloured ink spreading in water, Arthur and Maudie stood with Felicity and Gilly at the aft end of the sky-ship taking in the view of hills, rising and falling like gentle waves, criss-crossed with farm fields and wild woodland patches with full, blousy trees. It felt good to be under the wide sky again, the Aurora drifting almost soundlessly into the evening.
“It warms my soul being up here,” Felicity sighed.
“I can’t wait to get deep into the islands,” said Gilly, the curly-haired botanist. “I’ve visited several dozens of them, and what always amazes me is the sheer diversity, how no two are ever the same.”
“Do you think that’s why Ermitage liked going there?” asked Arthur.
“It’s an explorer’s paradise.”
“How about the last one we’ve been assigned to? Nova?”
Gilly smiled. “I’ve never been there, it’s the furthest one out, but I hear it’s quite beautiful.”
It seemed a little peculiar to Arthur that Eudora had sent them there. It was probably because she wanted to make things as difficult for Harriet’s crew as possible by sending them to the furthest reaches of the Wide, as far as people could exist.
The next day, they stopped off on the edge of a forest of great oaks not far from the coastal cliffs. In the distance they could see some of the other ships landing close to another hilly area of small pitch mines where they could top up on fuel before the long trip over the sea. The crew collected wood and Harriet pulled Arthur and Maudie aside.
“Here.” She passed them both thin ropes with a short rod of metal extending from a small case attached. They had the Culpepper symbol engraved on the metal. “It’s a strike-fire.” They had seen Harriet use something similar before to get fires started swiftly. “My parents always gifted me something useful on each expedition, so I thought I’d carry on the tradition. I’ve adapted it so that you can create a spark one-handed; simply hold it like so, and press the rod in with your index finger.” She demonstrated. “Or you can press it down on a hard surface and create the sparks that way.”
“Thank you!” they both said. Arthur put his in his pocket, and Maudie added hers straight to her toolbelt.
The crew made a campfire, with Arthur and Maudie testing their strike-fires to get it going, and then ate vegetable pies followed by berry buns. After their meal, Maudie excused herself, saying she needed to work on something behind a tent on deck for a while and declaring that no one was allowed to see what it was. Arthur got up to follow her, itching to know what she was up to.
“That includes you, Arty.”
“What? But you said you’d show me once we were on the expedition and—”
“And I’m not quite ready to, so you’ll have to be patient.”
Arthur wasn’t good at patience. He huffed.
The next morning everyone was on deck bright and early to set sail. Today they would be leaving their home continent and travelling over the sea to the first of the islands – Ephemeral Isle.
It would take three days just to get to this first island, and that was if the wind was in their favour. Meriwether, with her golden hair waving in the wind and her slightly unscientific method of licking her finger and putting it to the sky, assured them it would be.
Maudie vanished back into her mysterious canvas workspace straight after breakfast.
“I take it that’s not a new iron arm you’re working on behind there,” Arthur called. The arm Maudie had made him had been rather bashed up on their last expedition and she’d promised to make him a new one, although in truth he was more than happy without it. While it was useful when they were climbing the rooftops back home, and sometimes it stopped stares in Lontown, it could cause chaffing around his shoulder and strain on his neck. So he didn’t miss wearing it; he more enjoyed seeing Maudie create better versions of it.
“I’ll get back to it soon, I promise,” she called.
That afternoon was to be Arthur’s first navigation lesson with Welby, so he went to the library after lunch, his explorer’s journal and pencil ready.
Arthur laid the map Harriet had been given by Eudora out on the table. There were hundreds of islands. He scoured the shelves for any books on the Stella Oceanus that might include a clue as to what Ermitage had been looking for. After a while he found one called Going East – A Myriad of Isles to Discover, written by Wrigglesworth himself. There were many maps inside of various islands. “Brilliant!” Arthur said to himself and continued looking for similar books. Next, he found a book by Zora Acquafreeda. The Acquafreedas had explored the Stella Oceanus fairly thoroughly in their sea-bound ships. When he compared the two books, he found the Acquafreeda maps to be more difficult to work out and inconsistent in their portrayal of the islands, but as they were viewing from the sea rather than above, perhaps this was to be expected. But there were intricate drawings and measurements of the channels and seaways and rivers, which he thought might be useful.
Arthur suddenly became aware that Welby had crept into the room and was looking over his shoulder. He put a book as thick as a brick and a small leather case on the table beside Arthur’s map.
“You need to work on your surveying skills. Finding Wrigglesworth may be the purpose of this voyage, but an expedition is never just about the main reason you are going.”
Arthur looked at him as though he was speaking backwards.
Welby raised his eyebrows. “Arthur, if you want to captain your own ship one day, you will need the full range of skills.”
Captain his own ship? Arthur had never imagined such a thing, but as Welby said it an undeniable tingle ran the length of his spine.
“If you are only focused on the mission in front of you, you may achieve it, but you will not
better your skills and knowledge. That takes extra work and commitment.”
“I have been reading lots,” Arthur said in an effort to impress. “Look, this is Going East, written by Wrigglesworth. I’m trying to find a pattern in his routes.”
Welby raised his eyebrows. Was he impressed? It was hard to tell.
“Your eyes are always on the goal, Arthur, and I mean that as a compliment.”
The warm glow Arthur began to feel was swiftly extinguished when Welby continued. “However, you need to also take time to study the full range of calculations in depth, even though you won’t use your full armoury in a single expedition. For example, this book here.” He tapped the huge book he had put on the table. “Navigational Complete is the most comprehensive navigation book in the Wide.”
When Arthur flicked through the pages, he saw so many symbols and numbers that it made his head spin and he shut it again.
Welby tutted.
“I’m sorry. I will try, Welby, it’s just numbers and working it out is a bit more Maudie’s thing.”
Welby tutted again. “When Harriet was a young girl, she hated all the working out too. She just wanted to ‘do it’, to get out there and explore the Wide in a sky-ship of her own. But she quickly realized that in order to achieve her dreams, sometimes you have to learn things that may seem difficult and irrelevant at first, but they end up playing a part. What she does when she’s steering the Aurora might look instinctive to you, but behind it are years of careful study and, yes, some hefty calculations. The most fruitful learning often comes with a bit of hardship.” Welby opened the lid of the metal case. “This is for your studies. Some of the equipment we use in navigation.”
It was full of strange-looking tools. He’d seen similar at Brightstorm House in his father’s office, but tools were more Maudie’s area of expertise and he couldn’t say they excited him as much as Wrigglesworth’s books.
“Thanks,” he said.
“Finish chapter one by the morning. I’ll be testing you on the contents tomorrow afternoon.”
“Test?” Arthur said in horror.
Welby nodded and left the room.
Parthena hopped across to Arthur and butted her head consolingly on his leg.
“I bet you don’t have to work out loads of calculations in order to fly.” He sighed and opened Navigational Complete at chapter one. It showed how to put together a piece of equipment, something called the Campbell Verniere, but the diagrams were complicated and after half an hour of fiddling he had created something … that looked nothing like the picture.
After an hour of trying he sighed and looked at Parthena. “Do you think Felicity will have me back in the kitchen?”
CHAPTER 6
EPHEMERAL ISLE
Later, hoping for a bit of sympathy, Arthur told Maudie about Welby’s test and how much he tutted at him.
She laughed. “Oh, Arthur, you’d think he was asking you to eat worms!” She opened the great book and read silently for a minute then took out his attempt from the box, and swiftly pulled it apart. “Look, this chapter is only telling you how to put this together. Twist this in here, line up this part with this, bolt this on … and it’s done.” She passed it back to him.
“Can you do all of my Welby work?”
“I’ve got quite enough of my own to do, thank you.” She looked over at the mysterious tented area. “I have to finish my project, and I have at least ten engineering books that Harriet has recommended on the go.”
Not knowing what was under the tent was becoming torturous. “I’m your brother, your twin; can’t you at least—”
“No. Now help me with this loose end, because the wind is picking up.”
They had always tied Maudie’s ribbon together, as Dad had said it would be good for Arthur’s coordination when he was young, and it had now become just a thing that they did without thinking.
The initial rush of adventure petered away as the land disappeared behind them and the sea below became endless and flat. The skies turned a uniform grey of cloud that neither let the sun in nor brought rain, as though the day was quite bored with itself.
As Maudie had put the piece of equipment together, he decided he’d leave it in one piece and maybe not correct Welby if he assumed Arthur had done it. Instead, he’d spend some time reading Going East. He also gathered every other book by Wrigglesworth, and it was evident that Ermitage Wrigglesworth explored more in the east than anywhere else, his trips becoming more and more frequent up until his disappearance. He also had a fascination with history.
Before Arthur knew it, the morning had almost gone, and when he looked at the chime, he realized Welby would be there soon for Arthur’s navigation lesson. So he put the books away and sat ready with Navigational Complete.
The following days brought a welcome shift in the weather, so Arthur brought his books up on to the deck. He hadn’t seen Maudie that morning, but clangs and bangs were sounding from somewhere, so he assumed she was working on her project. They were due to land on Ephemeral Isle by early afternoon, where, if it all went to plan, every sky-ship in the armada would land as well.
From her place at the wheel, Harriet glanced over to where Arthur sat, surrounded by books. “Would you like to take over for a while?”
He frowned. “Me? At the wheel?”
“Yes,” she said, as though she had no idea why that would be a strange thing to ask, when really everybody knew it was only ever Harriet or Welby who steered.
“But … Welby…”
“Welby is assisting Dr Quirke with preparing the vaccination programme and new tropical weather kit, so he’ll be a while yet.”
Arthur approached the steering wheel. Queenie was sitting on the top. She eyed Arthur uncertainly and gave a muted hiss of disapproval.
“Oh, don’t be silly, dearest,” said Harriet.
Parthena, who had been flying happily alongside the Aurora all morning, descended a little to see what was going on.
Harriet let go of the wheel and gestured towards it.
“But … what do I do?” He suddenly noticed that the wheel had several levers and switches built into it. It was far more complex than he’d realized.
“Just hold on and get a feel for it. We’re cruising at the moment; the weather is fine … simply take it.”
Queenie jumped down and wound herself around Harriet’s ankles.
Arthur stepped forward, reached out his hand, and grasped the upper left side. Instantly he felt the subtle vibrations of the Aurora rippling through his fingertips, his hand, his arm, through his body to his chest, so that he felt part of it, as though they were one. It was unexpected, incredible.
Harriet was watching his face intently.
He looked ahead; he was lined up with the prow, the Wide laid out before him. He had the ability to go anywhere. It was so vast, so astonishing, so full of possibility. Dad must have felt that too, and at that moment he felt a connection, as though his father was somehow back with him.
Parthena landed on the top of the wheel and squawked happily.
Arthur noticed Harriet was grinning widely. “How about one day soon I teach you about the levers and switches?”
He nodded.
“Of course, there are manuals in the library, but this ship has many quirks, and I’d very much like to teach you myself.”
All he could do was continue to nod and smile because his happiness threatened to choke him if he tried to speak.
“Ah look,” Harriet said, whipping her uniscope from her belt. “The Acquafreeda sea-ship. We’ve caught up.”
The deck beneath Arthur’s feet suddenly rose.
“Hey! Move, I need to get out!” a muffled voice shouted.
Startled, he stepped aside. A hatch in the deck opened, and Maudie peered out. “I’ve finished the captain’s weather shield, Harrie!”
“The what? And what the clanking cogs are you doing down there?” asked Arthur.
“It’s a weather shield for the captain
, or whoever is steering the ship,” she said, suddenly realizing he must’ve been standing at the wheel. “You pull the lever there, and the panels rise around you. They’re positioned so that they slot together automatically. The front one has an extra part so that it becomes the roof. If you are in a storm and it’s not safe to land, you can still steer, because the panels have windows.”
“Impressive!”
“This one isn’t my design, it’s Harriet’s. But she’s letting me work on it. She said the more experience I can show in my engineering journal the better when it comes to universitas.”
“And the panels keep hidden beneath the deck?”
“Yes, there’s a compartment just below that houses them. If it needs maintenance, then you put your fingers into these small slots either side of the deck here and pull them aside. It connects to the engine rooms and the wing mechanism in what was part of the attic.”
“Nice work! Although I’m not sure it’ll get much use,” said Arthur. “Ermitage wrote that the skies to the east are clear as a diamond.”
“Harrie thinks we might be able to approach the Geographical Society with it, don’t you, Harrie, and roll it out to other sky-ships.”
“Along with your other project, you’re going to be the most impressive candidate they’ve seen in a long time,” Harriet said as she reattached her uniscope to her belt.
“Ah, the secret project.”
“Arty, you really have no patience.”
“I tell you everything! I’ve shown you my Welby work.”
“Only because you wanted … help,” she whispered. “Anyway, the surprise is for your own benefit. It’ll be more exciting that way. Speaking of Welby, here he comes.”
It was time for Arthur’s next lesson in the library. With a heavy sigh, Arthur obediently followed Welby below deck, wishing he could stay at the wheel.
The temperature had been increasing as they headed south-east and the climate was balmy but pleasant. Later, after they’d all had a late lunch on the sunny deck, Harriet declared that Ephemeral Isle was in view. A cheer broke out, and the twins rushed to the front to see it with Maudie’s uniscope.