Celia reached the hangar cave, almost running, as there was no time to lose. She was still furious, hurt, and bitter, trying to recoil from the blow her supervisor had just delivered. But she was also convinced that she had no other choice now. The time for compromise and cowering under the rule of others was over. She had enough influence and resources to break free, and she would not spend another five years waiting for the next opportunity like that.

When she reached the ship, she eyed the metal clasps and chains keeping the hull in place.

"Rhody!" she called.

The female engineer peeked down from the deck at her. "What's up, boss?"

"Come down here. I need you."

Without second-guessing, the woman slid from the line so graceful as if she was doing it thousands of times before. Which she probably did. Celia didn't waste time on empty pleasantries.

"I need you to take down all the safety holders."

Rhody's eyes widened. "But boss! She won't be stable. If she tips to the side, she will fall and crush at cave's floor! The amount of damage that would cause─"

Celia grabbed her shoulder and squeezed, interrupting her. "Percy will fly in a matter of minutes, Rhody. I need to remove anything that would keep her down."

The engineer paled. "Fly? But what if─"

"We don't have time for that now. I wouldn't do it if it were impossible, trust me. But the time has come. We must set Percy free of her chains."

Rhody pursed her lips coloured with blue paint, torn between common sense and the trust she had for Celia, but after a moment of hesitation, she straightened her back and nodded. "I'll get it done, boss." She turned on her heel and ran towards the stern, where two other people worked. "Ray! Cole! Move your arses here! I need you to help me take down all the safety clamps."

"What? Did you inhale too much smoke on your way here today?" asked a young man with a pale face smudged with soot.

"One more word, and I'll make you scrape algae from the keel for the rest of your miserable life!"

Celia didn't wait to hear the whole bickering exchange of her crew, as she knew Rhody would get things done as she always did. Instead, she climbed up the rope ladder to the deck, and the moment her feet touched the polished wood, a screeching cloud of feathers fell on her shoulder, almost toppling her.

"Boss is back!" Sir Prancer announced as if everyone had to hear it and then playfully pecked her ear.

"I'm glad to see you too, Sir Prancer, but I have no time to play now." She produced a little crumbled biscuit from one of her many pockets and offered it to the overexcited bird. "I need to call all the crew to the deck as soon as possible. Do you think you can do that for me?"

The parrot gobbled the treat and jumped into the air again. "Red alert! Red alert! All hands on deck! Red alert!"

Once Celia made sure Sir Prancer made enough racket to alert all the crew in the cave, she rushed below deck to find Theo. The lower she ventured into the ship, the hotter it got. She ordered the team to start up the boilers earlier that day. It took a few hours to heat all the water to the level that produced enough steam to push all the propellers. But judging by the temperature rise and a low rumble of the machinery, the ship was ready to move.

Celia made her way to the engine room, which was much busier than when she had visited before. Two men were handling the valves checking meters to ensure the pressure was on the desirable level in all places. They nodded in greetings when they spotted Celia.

"All good here?" she asked.

"Yes, boss," an older man replied. Eugene Compton was the only person that was not the original part of her Plunderers crew. Celia hired him secretly as an engineer specialising in ship's steam engines. She figured that if she wanted to make a flying boat her new home, the least she could do was to hire a few experts to lead the rest of the crew as they readjusted from thieves to sky sailors. Eugene screwed one of the valves tighter and turned to look at her, his pale grey eyes shining. "Are we really doing this? We're finally getting Percy for a ride?"

Celia might be slightly insane with her stubborn fascination with flying ships, but at least she was not the only one.

She smiled and patted Eugene's arm. "It's high time. She can't stay chained to the ground forever."

"May the Lady Luck guide us then." He grinned and turned back to bark the orders to his young assistant.

Celia moved further into the room, where she found Theo hunching over an open metal box that emitted a steady red glow. "Are we ready?" she asked without preamble. The engineer jumped, startled, almost dropping the wrench he was holding.

"Gosh, Celia, don't sneak up on me like that!" he huffed.

She scoffed. "Look around, Theo. I could march up with a trumpet, and you still wouldn't hear me with all that noise!" Celia stepped closer so she could stand shoulder to shoulder with him and peeked into the box.

It looked awfully simple. Celia imagined some complicated machinery, like a steam engine, but it was just a metal case with five crystals nested inside separate sockets.

"Sooooo.... How does that suppose to make us fly?"

"Do you want a full-length scientific explanation or the one for dummies?" Theo grinned.

Celia rolled her eyes. "Don't get too excited. I don't have time for a lecture about the properties of crystals."

"All right. Simple version it is. As you know, crystals are mostly used in a processed state thanks to their combustive properties. But hardly anyone uses them in their natural form, as it seems they are not as effective. When applied with heat, they mostly give it back in the same amount. And because they don't go boom, people think they are useless."

"But you know better." Celia grinned.

"Of course. I've heard stories about floating masses of mountains from the olden days. Most people dismiss them as fable. But in every legend, there is a seed of truth. So, I experimented with exposing crystals to various reactions. Most of them were inconclusive, as crystals hardly reacted to anything. Until I found just the right alloy."

"What's so special about it?"

"It has a solid portion of tantalum in it. Now, do you know where this metal is most widely used?"

"In the support beams for the platforms," she replied cocking her head. "Because it's highly corrosive resistant. There was a huge debate over what metal to use after one of the platforms in Iron Shore collapsed a few years ago."

"Yes, that's the property that tantalum is known for. But because it is used, most people ignore other properties, like high-temperature resistance. And that one makes it a perfect material for the case for the crystals."

"Why do we need the case for them?"

"How about I show you?" Theo asked, hardly containing his excitement. He handed her goggles and put on his own, then closed the box's lid and fastened the secure lock. There was a little panel with fortified glass so that they could peak inside.

Theo put on heavy gloves and fiddled with the machinery nearby. "Now, what will happen if we apply the heat to the crystals?" he asked and lit a fire in the little hearth under the box.

"Won't they explode?" Celia asked wearily.

"Not in this form." Theo closed the little door shutting the flame inside, and unscrewed a valve, making the fire bigger and brighter. "In most cases, nothing happens when the heat is applied to the crystals in their natural form. For some reason, they react with tantalum. So, if we heat them, they try to give back that heat. But as there is no way out of the box, it keeps building and then...."

And then Celia heard it.

"The crystals... hum?" she asked, her eyes wide under the goggles as she leaned closer to look through a little window. The crystals' glow seemed to intensify, and they started vibrating, emitting a low, distinct hum that was heard above all machinery sounds around them.

"That's a strong reaction," Theo agreed smugly, "and If we keep adding more heat...." He unscrewed another valve, and the humming intensified. After a few seconds, the entire ship started to tremble and move.

Surprised shouts erupted all around them. Celia grabbed Theo's arm for support. "Are we...?"

"Ascending? Yes."

But then, a violent tug shook the vessel again, almost toppling them both. The metal clamps on Theo's legs hissed as they adjusted to hold the unbalanced weight, but they did not buckle.

"What the heck?" Theo checked on the valves, but Celia cursed.

"The safety clamps are not taken down yet. Can you make it stop? Gently?"

"Sure thing." He fiddled with the machinery, and the flame slowly died while Percy dropped down to her dry dock with a thud that shook the whole hull again. They both look at the unassuming box for a moment, not entirely comprehending what just happened. But when Celia turned her eyes to Theo, the pure joy she saw on his face flooded her whole body.

"You did it. I'd be drowned and eaten by fishes, but you did it!" Celia squealed and jumped at Theo, wrapping her hands around him.

He buckled back, his supporters hissing furiously on sudden added weight, but he managed to keep himself upright and return the hug. "You said you were certain I would. But now you seem so surprised that I think it was all a big fat lie," he complained, but he couldn't stop the grin from stretching his mouth.

"Believing and seeing something are two different things."

"Right. So, since it worked, I think we are ready for a big demonstration for Chief. When is he coming down to see us?"

Celia stiffened and slowly withdrew from the hug, looking away. "He's not coming."

Theo took in a sharp breath. "What do you mean he's not coming? Then why all the rush to do this?"

Celia straightened her back and turned to face him. "Because with his permission or without it, we are leaving."

Theo stared at her with his mouth agape. After a moment, he caught himself, closed his mouth and blinked several times, trying to gauge if she was joking. But when Celia didn't laugh, he frowned. "Wait, are you serious? You want to steal Percy from the most powerful criminal on this side of the High Seas?"

"He gave me no choice, Theo." She crossed her arms, looking at him defiantly.

"You've got to be kidding me! There's always a choice, Celia. And picking a bone with a man like Chief is the worst choice I can think of! You must know it's insane."

"He's giving Percy over to Hector," she said quietly, knowing it was the only argument to convince her friend. He loved this ship as much as she did.

His eyes widened. "To this brute? But he will wreck her in no time!"

"Yes, he will. That's why we can't risk it."

"Rust and starvation!" he cursed and threw the wrench, which clattered loudly on the floor.

Celia stepped closer to Theo and put hands on his shoulders, looking him in the eyes, her voice laced with excitement. "We have all we need. I've got us all supplies we will need to fly out of here, as far as the horizon. There's no way for him to chase us through the skies. It's freedom, Theo. After all these years, we'll finally get our freedom! You could stop designing deadly weapons and start creating things that would improve our lives!"

Theo gently took her hands from his arms, still frowning. "You planned all this? I thought you wanted to talk Chief into letting us use Percy."

Celia smiled sadly, squeezing his hands. "I had many plans, Theo. You know I always have. What kind of leader would I be if I didn't consider every possibility? I hoped he would see reason, but he didn't, so we've got to work with what we have." She bit her lip and lowered her head. "I know I'm asking a lot of you. It will be dangerous, and there is a high chance that we end up crashing at the bottom of the sea, but...." Celia blinked back her tears and looked back at him. "I can't imagine doing it without you. You are my rock and the only person I trust without a shadow of a doubt. Though I understand if you'd rather not risk it and stay behind."

Theo sighed and rolled his eyes. "Of course, I won't leave you, dummy. You wouldn't survive a week without me. Not to mention that you would crash my ship in no time."

"It's my ship, Theo," she protested but couldn't stop a relieved smile.

"And who keeps her running, huh? Or, shall I say, flying?"

Celia laughed and fished a little pocket watch from her corset. "All right. Let's do this. We have fifty-eight minutes left."

"To what?"

"To get out before Hector gets here. Come on. I must address the crew and ensure they are all with us."

***

Celia's eyes scanned the crowd gathered on the ship's main deck. She knew them and could vouch for every single person there because she handpicked them all herself. They were the best, most trustworthy people one could find in a criminal cartel. But what she was about to propose might not sit well with all of them. After all, it was a considerable risk.

It was her job to convince them it was worth taking.

She jumped on the railing, her feet sure on the narrow bar as if she was treading the solid ground. Her eyes met Theo's, and even though he had his arms crossed, he nodded, giving her silent encouragement. And so, she brought the most brilliant smile to her face, even though she didn't feel half as confident as she appeared to be.

"Thank you all for coming here on such short notice."

"Well, the bird wouldn't shut up if we didn't come," said Uriah, a burly man who, just like Zed, was one of the heavy lifters in the crew.

A few people laughed and patted his back, but most still looked curiously at Celia.

"You all know that I've been making preparation for some time now. Gathering supplies, making sure Percy is in top-notch form. Arranging the whole crew schedule the way we are all on standby now." She paused and carefully chose the following words. "I did my best to convince Chief that Percy will be the game-changing asset thanks to what we did with her. Unfortunately, he failed to see that; instead, he plans to hand it to someone else as a regular ship."

The crew gasped and murmured in protest. Everyone here worked very hard on restoring that ship. Percy became part of their little family, and the thought of giving up on her was hard to swallow. Celia raised her hands to silence them.

"I know you are angry. I am too. You all know I care for this ship more than my life. And so, we have two choices now. We can either bend our necks again and hand over the work of our life and then watch it getting wrecked by people who don't give a rusted shard about her."

People cried out in protest; faces contorted in anger.

"Or we take Percy and make a run for it."

A few crewmates pumped their fists in the air and cheered, but most of their faces were a mixture of disbelief, fear and confusion.

"Make a run for it?" Abner pulled on his moustache nervously. "Wouldn't Chief come after us? I don't think he would like to see this ship sailing away from him."

"He most certainly will." Celia nodded. "But when we take it to the air, there is no way he can catch us."

"You mean to fly? What if we can't fly?" asked Octavius. He was a short, thin man and looked rather unassuming, but thanks to his keen eyes, he was the best forger in the whole cartel. "They will catch us in no time, and we'll all pay for this stunt with our lives."

"She will fly," Rhody replied, surprising Celia. "She floated ten feet up just a moment ago, haven't you seen?"

More people nodded, and the excitement slowly replaced fear.

Celia smiled. "Yes, Percy will fly. We've already tested it, and we did it!" She gave Theo a grateful glance. "And this is changing everything. We are in possession of the only working airship that I know of. Do you know how much power it gives us? I will not give that away." She moved across the railing to get closer to her crew. "I understand if some of you refuse to join me. I can't guarantee you will be safe or that there won't be any backlash from Plunderers if we take that step. But I can promise you something else."

She paused to look each of them in the eyes, ensuring they felt the same thrill of adventure and excitement as she did. "I can promise you that you would never be slaves again. The government might have abolished slavery as it's inhumane, but the truth is, every one of us is still a slave for the cartel. Forced to pay never-ending debts for our families and loved ones with no way out."

People murmured and nodded in agreement.

"I can promise you that you wouldn't have to hide in a dark cave and hardly see daylight. That you will no longer work to earn coins for people who grew too complacent to earn them themselves! We have all the power now. We will take what we need, leave this dying world behind and venture beyond Thundering Massive!"

The cheer was louder this time, but some people still looked sceptical. Celia smiled at them, trying to project her own confidence at them. She raised her hand, pointing at the mouth of the cave.

"There is a whole new world out there. The world free of the taint that is slowly killing us. Where you can breathe the air without choking on it! Where there is no debt going back three generations. We will make our way into that world and create a place for ourselves. Think of all the riches and adventures awaiting us where no other humans ventured yet. I'm getting excited just thinking about it!"

The crew laughed and cheered; exciting whispers filled the air. Celia smiled as she knew she had them.

"I can promise you that I will make sure we all finally get a reward for our hard work. I won't let any of you get hurt if it would be in my power to prevent it. All I ask of you is to trust me, as you have trusted me so far with every mission and assignment we fulfilled. I promise I will not fail you."

Now the shouts were deafening. Celia grinned. They were all opportunists and knew their world was ruined, so it was only a matter of time before everything collapsed into the raging seas. Venturing over the mountains was their best bet on survival. She looked at Theo, and he gave her thumbs up, his eyes bright.

But when the cheers died, the slow clapping echoed from the cave entrance.