Heavensent- Chapter 9, Part 4


They stayed inside the yellow lines as planes were tractored past them onto elevators. Engineers and air crew dashed back and forth, but everyone was too engrossed in their tasks to notice the three strangers in unmarked overalls. Still Sheel kept her arm locked and ready down by her side.

An ammunition loader, clipping shells into a chain, scattered bullets off his table. He grabbed another handful and continued. Bobb scooped three from the floor and gave them to Sheel. She slid them into the hole in her upper arm and willed explosive fragmentary projectiles be made from them.

Huge doors had been rolled open, to reveal a multi level hangar. A three motored transport plane was being pulled through the gap. Several rows of soldiers awaited its arrival. Swapped glances and shaken heads ruled that escape plan out. With the plane past, Bobb headed for a small door in the far wall.

They were back in human sized corridors, keeping left- as was the etiquette- and heading against the prevailing flow. The uniforms around them carried far more, and more complex, rank insignia. Still no one questioned their presence, however.

There was a large briefing room, with pilots grouped around a relief map. Bobb spotted briefing notes on a table just inside the door and grabbed some. �It�ll be nice to know where we�re going.�

The crowd thinned out as their route wound down side corridors. Finally they opened a door and were out in the open. They were looking out on the rear of a giant, moving island. There was a roar as a pair of planes flew overhead, having just taken off far above. Far below, a docking bay carved out of the structure of the ship held two flying boats. �This is huge. How could anyone build something this large?� Sheel had relaxed enough to unlock her arm, there was no movement below.

�They�d ask us the same question if they knew how we got here.� Bobb gestured with the maps, �You can fly one of those?�

�I�ve got all the principles. I don�t think I�ll kill us.�

�That�s reassuring. Let�s get off this thing.�