The Airship Race (Clockwork Calico Book 3) Read online

  The Airship Race

  Clockwork Calico Book 3

  Lana Axe

  Text copyright © 2016 Lana Axe

  All Rights Reserved

  Table of Contents

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  About the Author

  A strong gust of wind rippled Cali’s fur as she stood upon the gas-lamp factory’s rooftop. It was a fine, blustery morning, perfect weather for flying. Scents from all over Ticswyk mixed together on the breeze, delighting her senses and setting her mouth to watering. The scent of the bakery was particularly strong, and visions of creamed sugar played over in her mind. Perhaps their test flight would take them in that direction, and they could fetch some early-morning sweets. Assuming that Lionel was ready to fly soon. Otherwise, the calico cat would likely become bored and retreat to her windowsill for a nap. Sitting back on her haunches, she did her best to be patient.

  For months Lionel had been hard at work on his secret invention. He had told no one what project was occupying his time, stating only that everyone would be suitably impressed. It had been only two days ago that he’d revealed his invention to Cali, giving her a glimpse of the engine in its entirety. Cali hadn’t been impressed. Instead, she’d been totally confused. It looked like a mess of gears and pipes, with an occasional puff of steam rising from its rear.

  A thorough explanation had been required, and once she’d managed to picture the contraption in her mind, she became quite excited. Of course, if Lionel had simply shown her the schematics, she would have recognized it immediately as an airship. But Lionel never drew out his plans in their entirety. Not since the theft of his plans for a steam-powered hammer had been stolen by members of the Builders Guild. They’d gone on to profit from his design, never revealing its true inventor.

  His refusal to join any Guild left him vulnerable. But his freedom to choose which jobs he wanted to take was far too important. Plus, his inventions would remain his alone, rather than being credited to the Guild. Unfortunately, any tinker not among their ranks risked retaliation. The Engineers Guild coveted Lionel’s work above all others. Jamison Morcroft, the Guild’s leader, had kidnapped Lionel and tried to force him to work on a criminal project. Luckily Cali had been there to save the day. She was Lionel’s most prized invention, a calico cat enhanced to perfection. In return, she considered him her dearest friend.

  “That ought to do it,” Lionel said, tightening a final bolt. “Now where did I put that…” he trailed off as he sorted through a pile of tools. Finding what he was after, he set it to the side along with two other tools. “Those will have to come along with us,” he said. This would be the airship’s first test flight, and he had to be prepared to make adjustments along the way. He took as few tools as possible to avoid adding weight that would slow their journey. This vessel was designed for speed.

  Standing up straight, he stretched the workload from his back. Too many hours spent hunched over the engine was starting to take its toll. He was ready for a break, and the flight should provide the finest one he’d ever taken.

  Off to his left, the top of a lady’s yellow hat appeared, followed quickly by the lady herself. Florence ascended the zigzagging metal staircase that ran up the side of the factory to the roof. The wind rustled her skirt and threatened to blow the hat off her head. Instinctively she reached up to hold it in place. With her other hand, she stroked Cali’s tricolored fur.

  “Why didn’t you take the hatch?” Lionel asked. “It’s easier on your legs than walking up all those stairs.” For ease of transport of his engine, the tinker had installed a hatch in the roof, complete with a pulley system and platform. With the simple tug of a rope, he could lift himself and the engine to the roof, saving precious time and energy.

  “I prefer the stairs,” she said. “The platform is much too fast.”

  “Then pull the rope more slowly,” he countered.

  “There’s also nothing to hold onto,” she said. “Believe me, the stairs are easier on a lady in heels.”

  “I’ll install a handrail on the platform.” It would go on his long list of tasks awaiting completion.

  Florence only smiled and shrugged. “How’s this coming along?” she asked, nodding toward the engine.

  “You’re just in time for a test flight,” he answered, grinning.

  “No thanks,” Florence replied. Though she trusted her brother’s design, she had no desire to go sailing over the rooftops without firm ground beneath her. The basket looked sturdy enough, but it simply wasn’t terra firma. “It’s beautiful,” she said. A silk balloon of red and white, held in place by latticed ropes, rose toward the heavens and danced ever so slightly on the breeze. The engine was a marvelous contraption of shining copper and antiqued bronze. She didn’t understand its inner workings any more than Cali did, but it was certainly pretty to look at. It also appeared to be quite heavy. “Are you sure one propeller is enough?” she asked.

  “Oh yes,” Lionel replied, nodding. His voice contained no hint of doubt. He was entirely confident in his design.

  “That engine certainly looks heavy,” she observed. “Are all airships designed this way?”

  Lionel shrugged. “I’ve seen a few up close, and there are probably a hundred or more different designs out there. But you won’t find one powered like mine.”

  Florence wouldn’t know. She’d never traveled in one, and she didn’t intend to. “I thought they were bigger,” she said. Some could carry a large number of passengers and crew. This vessel was large enough for only one.

  “The rules of the race say single-person vessels only,” Lionel said.

  “Race? You’re entering?” This was news to her. She’d heard about the race being hosted in Ticswyk, of course, but Lionel hadn’t mentioned his plans to enter.

  “Yes, ma’am,” he said, placing his thumbs behind his suspenders. “And I’m going to win.”

  “It’s that fast?” she asked.

  “The fastest,” he replied.

  “You can bet the Guilds have rigged the competition somehow,” she said. “They’re bound to make trouble for any contestants who aren’t among their membership.”

  “There’ll be too many witnesses for that sort of thing,” Lionel said. “All of Ticswyk will turn out to see the race, and so will half the neighboring cities.”

  “Yes, but the Guilds are bound to make mischief,” she warned him. She would never trust the Guilds not to cheat, and rightly so. They were notorious for that sort of behavior.

  “No problem,” he replied. “I’ll outrun all of them.”

  “Because you’ll be the fastest,” she added.

  “That’s right,” he said.

  “Faster than Jamison Morcroft?” she asked. She hadn’t seen the race’s list of participants, but she felt certain Morcroft’s name would be on it.

  “You bet,” Lionel replied.

  “Have you seen his airship?” she wondered.

  “No,” he answered honestly. “But I don’t need to. He’s got too many other schemes in the works. I’m surprised he’s even competing.”

  “So he is in the competition,” she said. The comment was more to herself than to her brother.

  “Of course he is,” Lionel replied. “Any time he has a chance to get his name on a prize, he takes it.”

  �
��And what’s the prize for the winner?” she asked.

  “A gold trophy as tall as a man,” he replied. “Along with bragging rights and a contract to have the winning airship mass-produced.” He paused to look at the clouds. “Picture it: Lionel Cogg’s patented airship flying all over the sky. I might even have Cali’s likeness painted on the balloons.”

  Looking skyward, Cali could picture that very scene. Lionel was brilliant and deserving of recognition, and her own face adorning the vessels would add a splash of color to the skies.

  Florence patted Cali on the head. “That would be a wonderful sight.” Leaning toward her brother, she kissed his cheek. “Best of luck, Lionel,” she said. “And don’t fly too high.”

  He chuckled, and said, “I can’t promise that.” Climbing inside the basket, he gave the engine a thorough inspection. “You sure you don’t want to come along?”

  Florence shook her head. “How do you know it’s going to stay in the air?” After all, he hadn’t actually flown it before.

  “Warm air,” he replied. “You’ve seen plenty of folks on balloon rides before.”

  “Yes, but not one this heavy,” she said. “Is that the fuel tank?” She pointed to a small copper tank with pipes leading out of it.

  “That’s it,” he said.

  “It looks rather small. How far can you go on that amount of fuel?” Her brow wrinkled with worry.

  “The smaller tank means a lighter ship,” Lionel pointed out. “And don’t worry about me running out of gas.” He tapped a glass retort mounted to one side of the engine. “This little gadget here traps condensation, which turns into steam power.”

  “Doesn’t the water make it heavy?” she asked.

  Lionel scratched his head. “I don’t think I’m explaining this correctly. You see, it won’t add any weight since there’s already humidity in the air and…”

  “All right,” she said, waving her hands to halt the lengthy explanation. “I’m sure you know what you’re doing.”

  “Don’t you worry one bit,” he reassured her. “This ship is lighter and faster than most, and I haven’t compromised anything on fuel. You’ll see. This vessel will fly as far or farther than any other.” The gleam in his eye was unmistakable.

  Another gust of wind caught Florence off-guard, and she stumbled in her high-heeled shoes. Bracing herself against the basket, she managed to stay on her feet.

  “You might want to go back down,” Lionel said. “The platform is right there.” He pointed at the rectangular section cut out of the roof.

  “I’ll use the stairs,” she said. “But first I’ll watch you take off.”

  “You coming, Cali?” Lionel called to the cat.

  Bounding forward, Cali hopped inside the basket and purred. There wasn’t a doubt in her mind that the airship would fly smoothly. Her faith in Lionel’s abilities was absolute.

  Cali’s presence in the basket helped set Florence’s mind at ease. Lionel would never risk harming her. If he had the slightest doubt, he would never let her in the basket. Florence took it as a sign that all would be well, her face settling into a calm expression.

  Lionel eyed the balloon to be sure it was fully inflated. Satisfied that everything was in order, he cranked up the engine. It purred to life, then roared. Squinting at the gears, he checked the connections for the umpteenth time. He’d gone over everything so many times, he could hardly think of anything he might have missed. After a few moments, the engine quieted down, settling into a low hum.

  Nodding to his sister, the tinker took hold of the wheel and prepared for liftoff. The basket swayed slightly, but not enough to unbalance him. Glancing down at Cali, he found her perfectly at ease. In two pulls of a lever, the basket hovered a few inches above the roof and slowly moved toward the edge.

  Florence held her breath and refused to blink. When the balloon cleared the edge of the roof and began to ascend, she finally exhaled, pressing her hand to her heart. She waved to her brother, bidding him a safe journey.

  Lionel leaned over the basket’s edge to wave back before securing the goggles over his eyes. Too much wind would leave him blinded, and if he couldn’t see, he couldn’t avoid obstacles. Luckily, there didn’t appear to be any other airships in the vicinity. Soon he would be high enough to avoid collisions with buildings or trees.

  Cali hopped up on a raised platform that resembled her favorite windowsill. Lionel had installed it for her comfort, and she purred as she kneaded the cushion with her paws. Looking over the basket’s edge, the first thing she saw was Florence, her yellow dress shining in the sunlight as she descended the steps. Cali wondered why the woman had no interest in flying. She was brave and intelligent, with an independent streak a mile long. If she were in the basket, she’d probably be working the controls by now. Someday Cali would have to coax her along for a ride. Once she’d had a taste of how amazing it was, she’d come around.

  Cali caught a glimpse of something gray-blue emerging from the roof hatch. Emmit had come to see her off. He had been absent earlier that morning when she went to invite him along.

  She and the mouse had grown close since their first meeting. She had apologized more than once for trying to eat him on that occasion. But Emmit was a forgiving sort and insisted she think no more on the subject. Everything that had transpired between them since had been pleasant, even if it was sometimes dangerous. The mouse was a good friend to have around in a sticky situation, and Cali always thought of him first when she needed help. Today, however, he had been out on the town, likely enjoying breakfast somewhere. Rather than risk missing Lionel’s takeoff, Cali had left a short note behind in Emmit’s house, the mouse hole behind Florence’s desk in the factory.

  Emmit must have found the note upon his return and hurried to the roof to see the balloon’s first flight. He squinted up at her and waved his little paw. Despite his small stature, she could see his every movement. Her mechanical eye missed nothing. Lifting her paw, she returned the sentiment.

  Though Emmit had accompanied Cali on a few adventures, this time he was content to stay on the ground. Many humans traveled by balloon, but Emmit had never been inside one. He’d often stated that such contraptions flew too high and too fast, and when made aware of Lionel’s new invention, he had professed his unwillingness to climb aboard it. Lionel’s racing vessel would no doubt be among the fastest in the air. That wasn’t an adventure Emmit was ready to take. But Cali was certainly enjoying herself; the smile on her face was unmistakable, even from a distance. Once they landed she would want to tell him all about it, and Emmit, as always, would be happy to listen.

  The engine sputtered and hissed, sending a shudder through the basket. Lionel placed a lever between the spokes of the steering wheel to hold it in place before stepping to the back of the vessel. After a few minor adjustments, the engine purred softly.

  “Like a cat,” Lionel commented, reaching toward Cali and mussing the fur on the top of her head.

  Cali beamed with delight. Though they’d been airborne less than three minutes, Cali was already enjoying the trip. The wind on her face was refreshing, and from her position, she could look down on a large portion of Ticswyk at once. She wondered briefly if they could fly high enough to take in the entire city, but that was unlikely. She wasn’t sure how far off the ground they’d need to be, but the air up there might be too thin for Lionel. Not for Cali, though. With her enhancements, she was sure she could endure such a flight.

  While Lionel continued to monitor his engine, Cali looked down upon the city. From here, the different districts looked like a patchwork quilt, the streets crisscrossing between each square. To her surprise, some of the streets ran diagonally, ending in odd intersections. These roads were situated in the older part of the city, constructed at a time when planning was not necessary. She wondered what Ticswyk looked like before industry had come about, and the population had grown by leaps and bounds. Were there farms? Forests? And what manner of people might have lived here? Those wer
e questions she couldn’t answer. Maybe Emmit could. He spent a lot of time reading newspaper articles and could be a wealth of knowledge. She made a note to ask him someday.

  As they approached the market district, the craft dipped lower. Throngs of citizens appeared beneath the ship. This area was always busy with merchants and customers, so it wasn’t a surprise to see them. But the people were certainly surprised to see Lionel and Cali flying above their heads. They turned their faces skyward, gaping and pointing. Shopkeepers emerged from their shops, and a curious apple thief dropped his ill-gotten prize as the airship moved past.

  Amused by the attention, Lionel waved to the people on the ground. Many of them waved back, slow at first, and then with more enthusiasm. Some shouted, “Hello there!” while others were too slack-jawed to say anything. Chuckling, Lionel cranked up the engine and picked up speed. A convenient gust of wind gave the vessel an added push, and it sped off, leaving the gawkers behind.

  Cali wondered why the citizens were so easily impressed. Airships weren’t all that uncommon. On the contrary, they came to Ticswyk daily. Of course, they rarely flew as low as she and Lionel were currently flying. Unless it was coming in for a landing, it wasn’t possible to make eye contact between the ship’s passengers and people on the ground. She suspected they had yet to see an enhanced cat riding along in an airship. Also, the look of Lionel’s engine must seem like something from another world. With pipes snaking through it and its gears exposed, they were given a glimpse of something normally hidden on a transport ship.

  Of course, with the race coming up, the citizens were likely excited to get an early look at one of the competitors. They’d be making bets well before the race began, and having inside information could make a person wealthy.

  Turning her attention to the clouds, Cali began to daydream. The feeling of weightlessness overcame her, and she drifted off to sleep. When the sound of the engine changed once again, she awoke with a start.

  “Hold on tight, Cali!” came Lionel’s voice.