Captain Kittyhawk & The Cloud Wars

Chapter 10/ Flights of Fancy

'23 23' said Trixie. Kitty knew a shortcut there and very soon they were outside a large aircraft hanger. From the outside Trixie could hear the engine starting up.

They  rushed inside to see Fox Oswald starting to guide his plane through the water to a large open door. They shouted and Fox Oswald put the plane into reverse. Kitty ran along the wing and Fox Oswald opened a door in the side of his plane. He didn't seem very happy to see them. The plane wasn't that large, it was a little bigger than a single seat biplane. Above the body were two large engines, now turning gently.

Inside there was a tiny cabin beneath the pilot. It was just long enough for the pilot to stretch out in. Kitty and Trixie sat on the bed with their two new bags in hand. They could see Fox Oswald's legs and the controls of the plane to the rear of the cabin. Fox Oswald himself sat with his head stuck out of the body.

While they caught their breath Fox Oswald piloted the plane slowly through the water. Trixie held on, there didn't seem to be any seat belts or anything for them and she was expecting to take off at any point. Fox Oswald just kept taxing along slowly in the water. Katie got up,

"So when are we going to take off ?" She finally asked.

To this Fox Oswald just stopped the planes engines. For a moment Trixie wondered if he was just taking them to the Kingdom's ships. She felt the plane bump against another boat in the water. Kitty looked out of the small porthole window in the door she had used to get in. She then went and sat down giving Trixie the chance to look out. Trixie peered out and she could see that the plane was surrounded by a small fleet of fishing boats. Fox Oswald was standing up in his pilots seat & this gave Kitty the chance to pop her head out of the plane to see what was going on. Fox Oswald had tied a rope to fishing boat and was gently been towed out of port by it. Fox Oswald sat down and Trixie wanted a look to. Standing in the cabin, her head came up to Fox Oswald's chest allowing her to peer out of the hole the pilot sat in. Trixie realized the plane was being hidden by the small fishing fleet. Like a swan being surrounded by a crowd of geese. Trixie guessed this is why Fox Oswald wanted to leave at such a specific time.

With the fleet around them they were protected from any Kington spies on the beaches. Later Fox Oswald came down into the cramped cabin. He showed them the tiny stove and was clearly annoyed that Kitty hadn't bought any food with her. He had some old cans and bottles of drink stowed away. While he cooked he talked to Kitty.

'So. What course do you set do set from here?'

Kitty sat on the bed and pulled out a rolled up map from a tiny drawer in the top of the cabin. She rolled the map out onto the bed. It was quite clear where Mountsorrel was on the map.

'From here you want to fly 46° north said Kitty.

Fox Oswald looked at the map. 'there is nothing 46° north of here' he said. Kitty not quite pleased with herself.

'not on these maps there isn't" she said so pleased she almost purred.

'What are you saying, this is a Mercator map. these are some of the best maps in the thousand Island Sea'.

'I know' said Kitty. 'I also know if you pay a Mercator enough islands can suddenly disappear from them.'

'Even the official ones?'

'especially the official ones, and Mercator supplies maps to the Kingdom'.

After dinner they had got far enough away that the fishing boats split up and left Fork's Oswald's plane in the water. He switched the engines on and then slowly took off gently lifting out the water like his plane was carrying a new born baby. Fox Oswald and Kitty agreed to fly the plane between them. Each took an hour on flying. Then they carefully swaped over when their turn was done at the controls. When Fox Oswald was flying he would let Trixie push her head up into the pilot seat. He even demonstrated the controls to her, even letting her take the control wheel and steer for a while. Trixie said it didn't look very difficult.

'Flying isn't difficult kitten' said Fox Oswald 'landing is the tricky part'.

'is Kitty a good pilot?' asked Trixie.

'one of the best, but she did get a good start in life by stealing one of the best planes in the Kingdom'.

'is that where she's from then?'

'I don't know sure, she doesn't share much about her early life with any body'.

Later Kitty and Fox Oswald changed over at the pilots sea.

While Kitty flew, Trixie sat in the tiny cabin talking to Fox Oswald.

'Why did Kitty shoot your last plane' Trixie asked.

'Well let's just say that Kitty is a very private person and she didn't really want to get any more friendly with me' said Fox.

'really?' said Trixie.

'Really' said Fox Oswald, 'it's my own fault really. I thought we were really made for each other, but I got really angry when she really wouldn't say anything about herself. My mother used to tell me that true love never has any secrets. I guess I must have just got annoyed. Take my advice young girl, never date a pirate, you could end up losing more than your tail' said Fox Oswald studying the map on the bed.

'I think she still likes you' said Trixie.

'You do?' asked Fox Oswald slightly surprised, 'I must say she has a funny way of showing it, don't you think? Now if you ask me that one is full of secrets, too many secrets. After all if you can hide an island you can hide anything'.

Fox tried to play with knobs on the tiny glowing radio at the back of the cabin while Trixie studied at the map imagining all the exciting places she could visit. But then she found her home Island and worried about her parents.

'Can you send a message on that to my parents?' She asked Fox.

'not now it's too late and the range isn't far enough to get too your home. If I see a ship later on I might send a message they have bigger transmitters and might be able to pass it to your parents. Anyway at this rate I will probably be able to fly you back, after we have picked up my money that is'.

Later for Oswald and Kitty swapped over leaving Kitty lying on the bed looking at the map.

'you like Fox don't you?' ask Trixie.

Kitty looked up, the noise of the engine drowned out, the conversation in the cabin.

'his nice enough' said Kitty.

'Then why did you shoot his plane?'

'It was a while ago I can't quite remember' said Kitty. 'he was getting a bit too close'.

Kitty wouldn't speak much more about things. She change the subject to some of the adventures she'd had and tired Trixie fell asleep on the bed.