Airship City

Chapter 21

The week passed slowly for Joseph. He was looking forward to his trip to Aeropolis, and to seeing Ione again, but he felt guilty about lying to his mother. He had told her that Churchill needed him at Chartwell, his country estate, that weekend. And the manila envelope was like a burden on his mind, intruding into his thoughts at inopportune moments. He knew that he probably would make the drop, to prove himself to Monmouth and so get a chance to find out more about what had happened to his father: he was afraid that if he didn’t do as he was supposed to, he would never know the truth. 

But that didn’t mean he liked the thought of doing it. He decided to wait until the last possible moment to make the final decision.

On Wednesday Joseph received a telegram from Blake Vanross, notifying him that he was expected at London Air Park at four pm on Friday, there to meet the captain of the Lotus Flower, one Igor Rasmussen, who would give him passage to Aeropolis. Joseph did feel some excitement at that, trying to conjure up in his mind’s eye an airship exotic enough to warrant such a name. He imagined that Rasmussen must be some sort of dashing Russian nobleman, with knee-high leather boots, fearsome mustaches, and, for some reason, an eyepatch. He nurtured these images fondly through Thursday and Friday morning, until at last he could leave work early and make his way to the airfield.

On the train to Feltham, the excitement grew to such a point that it almost, but not quite, drowned out the worry caused by the manila envelope, which was at the bottom of his little suitcase. He got off the train at the station and followed the signs to the air park entrance, enquiring at the gate as to where he might find the Lotus Flower, and receiving directions from a man who seemed to find his request highly amusing. Joseph found this odd, but as he made his way in the direction indicated, marvelling at all the airships, large and small, he soon forgot about it.

At last he came up to the landing pad he had been directed to. In the centre stood a modest airship. Joseph could tell from her engine casings that she was not a new model, and she looked to be in poor repair. Rust stained her canvas envelope, running down from corroded docking cables and mooring points, and the paint on her gondola was faded, and flaking in parts, showing dull aluminium struts, or sometimes dry wood. She looked sad, and tired.

Joseph shook his head in annoyance. He must have been misdirected, or had misheard the pad number. This ancient wreck could not be the Lotus Flower. He turned around, looking back the way he had come, wondering if he had unknowingly passed the ship on his way here. As he did so his eye was caught by a shambling figure emerging from the old airship.

"You boy! Why you stand there? You go away!" shouted the man. He was tall, with a long, unkempt beard and greasy hair. His long leather flying coat was very old and cracked, and his boots were sadly scuffed and shapeless.

Anger rose in Joseph. "I'm not a boy! And I'll stand wherever I like!"

The man shuffled over to him. As he got closer, it became obvious that, tall as he was, Joseph was taller. Some of the aggression seemed to leak out of him. "What are you doing here?" he grunted, eyes sliding away from Joseph's steady gaze. 

Maybe he can help direct me. It’s got to be worth a try. “I’m looking for a ship called the Lotus Flower.”

To Joseph’s astonishment, the man’s face lit up with a broad smile, and he turned and indicated his ship with a flourish. “Here she is! Finest ship to sail in air. You are Joseph, yes? My name Igor Rasmussen! I am very pleased to be meeting you, Joseph!" He stuck out a great paw of a hand. Joseph shook it cautiously, trying to overcome the shock of his fond imaginings bursting like soap bubbles in the presence of harsh reality.

He stared again at the airship. Joseph didn't think he had ever seen one less airworthy. It was a wonder Rasmussen was here at all. 

"Come, take a closer look!" said Rasmussen. He urged Joseph toward the battered hulk. Hiding his dismay, Joseph walked slowly around the Lotus Flower, looking up at the engine nacelles and the envelope. The more he looked, the more faults he spotted. There were missing screws on the nacelles, badly patched tears in the canvas, even a large dent in the gondola wall.