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the factories until they grew too big for the cramped work or were crushed by the tonnes of machinery they had to work within.
    Aeris looked like a large cat with tan-coloured fur, though her ears were too large for her head and her hindquarters were like a hare’s. She blinked lazily at Lenis as he carried her over to his bed and snuggled into his blankets with her. He didn’t think he’d ever be able to sleep, but curled up on his bunk they fell asleep together.

    Missy Clemens woke refreshed despite the fact she had only been able to manage a light, nervous doze. Today theywere going to steal the Hiryû right from the Warlord’s own airdock! A pang went through her as she thought of how Lenis had acted the night before. Not at all like him. He’d been getting quieter and more subdued every day since they left Pure Land, almost as though he were leaving something of his true self behind.
    Missy shook her head and savoured the last moments of her anticipation before leaping out of her bunk – no small feat given the cramped confines of her cabin – changing into her uniform, and smoothing her sandy-blonde hair into the tight tail favoured by the Shinzôn working class. It wouldn’t be a bad idea, she figured, to try and emulate the behaviour of her owners. She would never fit in, of course. Her hair was too light, her eyes too large and blue-green.
    Suddenly, the captain’s voice reverberated down through the airship’s speech tube. ‘All hands on deck.’ He spoke in the common tongue, so Missy figured the rest of the crew had boarded sometime during the early hours of the morning.
    Missy grinned as another thrill ran through her. This was it! She felt like a co-conspirator in the theft of the airship, even though she’d had no say in the matter. She ran down the hallway to the stairs leading up to the deck and poked her head through the entrance to Lenis’s engine room. He was still lying in his bunk, curled around Aeris’s sleeping form.
    â€˜Time to get up, little brother!’
    Lenis moved his head and dragged himself into a sitting position, trying not to disturb the Bestia beside him. Hemoved slowly, and another pang went through Missy. This wasn’t like him at all.
    â€˜Are you okay?’
    â€˜Didn’t get much sleep.’ He stifled a yawn.
    â€˜Well, you’d better get moving. The captain’s called all hands.’ Missy pointed above her head.
    Lenis started to his feet, jolting Aeris awake. She mewed in protest as Lenis scooped her up and placed her back in the hutch, where the other Bestia were beginning to stir. He scooped out feed for them and checked their water as Missy waited in the doorway, arms crossed in agitation. She was eager to be off but knew Lenis wouldn’t do anything without taking care of his Bestia first.
    Finally he was satisfied, and the two made their way up the stairs in front of the engine room’s door. Missy spotted Arthur Knyght as soon as she emerged on deck. The First Officer was easy to identify, standing on top of one of the sets of steps leading to the crystal dome of the bridge. He was from Kyst and still wore the dress uniform of a Kystian noble: white trousers, polished black boots, and a navy short coat with two rows of golden buttons down the front. He’d been wearing the same thing when she’d seen him yesterday afternoon as he made a tour of the airship. Missy wasn’t sure if his stern expression was also regulation or simply personal preference. His face was broad, his forehead high, and he looked at the gathering crew from under thick, brown eyebrows. Missy wondered how sucha dour man would handle the captain’s decision to steal the Hiryû.
    As the twins fell into line behind the other crewmembers facing Arthur, another jolt ran through Missy, but this time it didn’t feel good. What if the captain hadn’t agreed to Assen Chi’s plan after all? What