Gareth and th Lost Island by Patrick Mallard Page B

are used for long distance hauling between the
major shipping ports. Like their name implies, they draw their
power from the Leylines that crisscross Hadronus. They use the
magic coming from the planet to levitate and propel themselves.
Each Leyline ship has some sort of magical battery that they can
use to levitate if they leave one of the Leylines. The batteries
aren’t powerful enough to provide thrust as well, so the ships rely
on wind power to move them when they are away from a Leyline,” she
explained.
    Izzy pointed to a dirigible that was passing
overhead. “Those are Mech ships. They burn coal to power their
steam engines. They aren’t able to travel far without refueling,
but they aren’t tied to the Leylines in any way,” she told him.
    Gareth gave Tralnis a questioning look. “I would have
thought that as a Dwarf you would know this stuff already,” he
commented.
    Tralnis turned on the bench to glare at Gareth.
“Dammit Gareth, I’m a doctor not an engineer!” he swore. At the
instant Tralnis was done speaking, an airman wearing a red linen
tunic fell off of the passing dirigible when the railing he was
leaning on gave way. The railing had been a design flaw the crew
had complained about frequently to their engineer. The airman’s
scream as he fell cut off abruptly when he hit the ground. Gareth
started to rise from the back of the wagon, but Tralnis put a hand
on the young man’s shoulder and pushed him back down. “He’s dead,
Gareth,” Tralnis told him in a somber tone. Gareth and Tralnis
stared at each other as a sudden odd feeling swept over them. Once
the feeling passed, they relaxed, and continued their trip deeper
into the airship port.
    Tralnis turned back around so he could see Izzy.
“Forgive this ignorant Dwarf for asking a stupid question, but why
don’t they have steam engines on Leyline ships? I would think it
would be much more efficient,” he asked.
    Gareth jumped into the conversation. “Same reason as
why there were two types of diving rigs. There will always be
religious fanatics willing to destroy anything that might combine
magic with mechanical,” he stated.
    “That’s right,” Izzy agreed while nodding her head.
She gave a mental sigh of relief. On occasion, the Glorious Dawn
had flown with devout followers of one religion or another. Keeping
their mouths shut about their own views was always taxing on the
crew. “The only exceptions to the rule are the Aetherium pumps and
Aetherium ore furnaces in a Leyship’s engine room. The Wizards said
that the Aetherium machines were allowed because they had been part
of the Leyships since before the Second Great Apocalypse. Even with
the exception, a Leyship has to submit to an inspection by a priest
once a year to make sure the Aetherium machines are the only mixing
of magic and machines on the ship,” she explained.
    “Sounds like hypocritical moleshit to me. There’s
nothing wrong with combining two proven techniques to make an even
better one,” Tralnis groused.
    Izzy tapped Henry on the shoulder, and indicated they
should turn right at the next set of berths. Henry did so, and
stopped the wagon when they reached the end of the dock. Once the
wagon stopped, they all hopped out. The three males smiled as they
looked at a ship that truly earned the name, Glorious Dawn. It was
a huge airship with four masts that towered high into the sky. The
hull was at least 250 feet long, and was 75 feet from the bottom of
the hull to the top deck. The outriggers were 175 feet long with
the rune bands polished to a mirror like shine. Four sets of two
guns each were set up at intervals along the top deck.
    “She’s quite the beauty,” Tralnis said in
admiration.
    Izzy stepped close to Gareth, and nodded her head to
the ship in front of them. “That’s the Retribution, a pirate
hunter,” she said. Izzy put her hands on Gareth’s shoulders and
turned him around to look at a different ship. “ This is the
Glorious Dawn,” she