The Steam War (The Steam War #1)

Chapter 15: Anticipation

With two hours left until the speech, nearly everybody had their sky-blue and cloud-white school uniforms on. The men's uniform was a blue hat and overcoat with a pair of white pants and a shirt, while the female uniform sported a white skirt with a blue jacket and hat. While neither uniform traditionally required goggles, many wore their normal ones. On the left sides of their chests, they brandished a brass gear, the generic airman insignia.

"I feel so preppy," Cog said, arms outstretched at a downward angle, as if frozen in place. She remembered the last time she wore the uniform was for a job shadow on the A.S. Scavenger during her airship economics class. There were just twenty-five kids on the trip, but it created an unbearable wave of blue and white.

In contrast, there were at least ninety already in the mess hall wearing the uniform.

"More preppy than earlier?" Gogs shot. "You were already dressed for the occasion."

"Yeah, I was. I still have the heels on, too."

Sail walked over, also wearing the uniform, visibly uncomfortable. "This is too much for me. I prefer cotton and leather, not silk."

"Well, Sail," Gogs started, "the good news is, we're over Baton Rouge still. If you don't get eaten by an alligator, you can get all the cotton and leather you want." He elbowed Cog, prompting her to respond.

"Yeah," she agreed, "pure alligator leather. People like Gogs would die for it."

"No, he'd die getting it," Sprocket teased.

-=[ ]=-

The room was alive with talking and laughter, with just an hour and a half until President Carter was on television. People were bouncing in their seats with mixed emotions. Excitement buzzed like bees through the air, the teens acting as the unpollinated flowers. Anxiety laid low like fog. You could almost see and feel it. Very few were left unaffected by the rising level of energy.

For many, conversations drifted between Carter, Christmas, and the Nazis. Strange scenarios kept popping up, like the Nazis invading Israel on Christmas.

Cog had more tangible problems in mind, however.

"Since I didn't get to do as much practice as I should've," she said, "can we practice a little more?"

"I don't see why not," Sprocket reasoned.

Amp quickly rushed over as they approached the stage, out of breath. "I don't have a lot of time. There's some stuff in the cockpit I have to deal with. All I have to say is that you don't need to wear your uniforms, you can stay in whatever you were in. Sorry I didn't get to you before you switched into them. Best of luck, you guys. I'll see you five minutes ahead of time."

The four watched in disbelief as he jogged away.

"Wait!" Sprocket pointlessly called after him. "Do I get to wear my 'Steampunk Santa' outfit?"

"I guess it's time to change back," Gogs groaned, dropping his shoulders and walking back to change again.

-=[ ]=-

With just barely thirty minutes remaining on the clock, Lukas was ready, if not nervous. He grabbed the crowbar that was quietly stashed away and went to the pipe room, ever so lightly tapping the ball he had stuffed down there. It immediately expanded, blocking any further circulation.

His plan was now in motion. His despicable, dastardly plan. At that moment, thousands of toxic spores were released from inside the ball. They would now travel down the pipe, trailing rapidly to their end target.

Now was the time to act fast. He rushed down to Amp's office and stood at the doorway in front of him. Most doors on board were powered by gear trains, as they had previously learned in class. That meant if he could stop the gears from turning, the door would no longer open, vacuum-sealing the room inside.