Read Online Roma Aeronautica by Daniel Ottalini - Free Book Online
Authors: Daniel Ottalini
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two cadets attempted to readjust a stabilizing sail the wrong way. The cadets pulled fitfully at the crank. With a crack, the linkage snapped, causing one end of the metal chain to strike one of the cadets across the torso and arm.
“Medico,” Alexandros called across the bridge, shaking his head as the injured cadet was helped away.
Mentally kicking himself for not attending to all his other duties, he stood abruptly and nearly collided with his acting first officer, Furtis Ionia. The two men exchanged salutes.
“Captain, we’ve got a message from airfleet command.” He paused, a big smile coming to his face.
“The wireless transmitter is working?” Alexandros asked in surprise.
“Yes, sir! Cadet Fortes managed to jury-rig a connection point, so we were able to patch in to HQ. They want us to provide air cover for a convoy that should be passing to our southwest. Evidently, they’ve had a big problem with pirates,” he added.
Alexandros smiled and walked over to the speaking tube. This was his first time ordering his ship to battle stations. Hopefully, we don’t break something else this time. Like the engine.
“All hands to stations, level two. Man all observation points and be on the lookout for a wet navy convoy.” Alexandros chuckled at how the water and air navies could be classified as wet and dry. Perhaps salty and breezy would be better?
Minutes went by as the cadets searched for the convoy. The sunlight reflected off the sparkling waters of the ocean, blinding the cadets and forcing them to work in shifts to keep from permanently damaging their vision. They were forced to make do without the benefit of spyglasses or binoculars, as they had been… misplaced… before their departure.
Misplaced my non-traitorous behind. I’m getting the feeling that someone really doesn’t want this mission to be successful. Sounds of screeching and thumping came from below.
Oh gods, not the engine. Please not the engine . Some deity must have heard, as the sounds subsided. The door to the engine room flew open, and a thick plume of black smoke emerged, followed by Cadet Tuderis. The man was covered in black soot. Only his eyes remained free of grime, protected by the pair of engineer’s goggles he wore.
“By the gods, Captain, I swear I’ll have to rebuild that engine by the time this voyage is done,” Tuderis yelled across the deck, his frustration at the engine obvious.
“We make do with what we have, Cadet Engineer, and I know you’ll get us there and back in one piece.”
“One charred piece, maybe. You won’t be able to go at full speed sir, the engine is acting up again,” Tuderis informed him.
Alexandros cursed, then gave reluctant orders to slow to half speed. The engine noise subsided further, and Tuderis, smiling gratefully, gave a sloppy salute before descending into the depths of the engine room again.
Can something please go right on this trip? Please? he prayed.
Finally, a call came up from the starboard bow.
“Captain! Fleet in sight! Three points to starboard!”
“Excellent! Helmsman, plot a course…” He did a brief calculation, then hesitated before ordering the move. He walked over to the navigation station inside in the small wheelhouse and checked their current estimated position, then estimated the location of the fleet. “Plot a course to the west-northwest. And let’s drop down to just 500 feet. I want to try and communicate with the convoy lead.”
The airship descended, moving in to follow the convoy as it left white trails across the pearly blue-gray expanse. There were eight ships in the convoy, large vessels with paddlewheels, chugging along. Seven of the vessels appeared to be cargo haulers, large and tub-like. Probably impossible to handle during storms , he thought.
The last vessel was very different. It looked like a long wedge of metal with two protected paddlewheel mounts in the rear. The vessel rode lower in the water than the cargo haulers, but
“Medico,” Alexandros called across the bridge, shaking his head as the injured cadet was helped away.
Mentally kicking himself for not attending to all his other duties, he stood abruptly and nearly collided with his acting first officer, Furtis Ionia. The two men exchanged salutes.
“Captain, we’ve got a message from airfleet command.” He paused, a big smile coming to his face.
“The wireless transmitter is working?” Alexandros asked in surprise.
“Yes, sir! Cadet Fortes managed to jury-rig a connection point, so we were able to patch in to HQ. They want us to provide air cover for a convoy that should be passing to our southwest. Evidently, they’ve had a big problem with pirates,” he added.
Alexandros smiled and walked over to the speaking tube. This was his first time ordering his ship to battle stations. Hopefully, we don’t break something else this time. Like the engine.
“All hands to stations, level two. Man all observation points and be on the lookout for a wet navy convoy.” Alexandros chuckled at how the water and air navies could be classified as wet and dry. Perhaps salty and breezy would be better?
Minutes went by as the cadets searched for the convoy. The sunlight reflected off the sparkling waters of the ocean, blinding the cadets and forcing them to work in shifts to keep from permanently damaging their vision. They were forced to make do without the benefit of spyglasses or binoculars, as they had been… misplaced… before their departure.
Misplaced my non-traitorous behind. I’m getting the feeling that someone really doesn’t want this mission to be successful. Sounds of screeching and thumping came from below.
Oh gods, not the engine. Please not the engine . Some deity must have heard, as the sounds subsided. The door to the engine room flew open, and a thick plume of black smoke emerged, followed by Cadet Tuderis. The man was covered in black soot. Only his eyes remained free of grime, protected by the pair of engineer’s goggles he wore.
“By the gods, Captain, I swear I’ll have to rebuild that engine by the time this voyage is done,” Tuderis yelled across the deck, his frustration at the engine obvious.
“We make do with what we have, Cadet Engineer, and I know you’ll get us there and back in one piece.”
“One charred piece, maybe. You won’t be able to go at full speed sir, the engine is acting up again,” Tuderis informed him.
Alexandros cursed, then gave reluctant orders to slow to half speed. The engine noise subsided further, and Tuderis, smiling gratefully, gave a sloppy salute before descending into the depths of the engine room again.
Can something please go right on this trip? Please? he prayed.
Finally, a call came up from the starboard bow.
“Captain! Fleet in sight! Three points to starboard!”
“Excellent! Helmsman, plot a course…” He did a brief calculation, then hesitated before ordering the move. He walked over to the navigation station inside in the small wheelhouse and checked their current estimated position, then estimated the location of the fleet. “Plot a course to the west-northwest. And let’s drop down to just 500 feet. I want to try and communicate with the convoy lead.”
The airship descended, moving in to follow the convoy as it left white trails across the pearly blue-gray expanse. There were eight ships in the convoy, large vessels with paddlewheels, chugging along. Seven of the vessels appeared to be cargo haulers, large and tub-like. Probably impossible to handle during storms , he thought.
The last vessel was very different. It looked like a long wedge of metal with two protected paddlewheel mounts in the rear. The vessel rode lower in the water than the cargo haulers, but
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