Chapter 2 #2
Pretty Face. Pip swallowed at the now familiar ache. There still had been no word of him. If he was going to walk out of Mongavaria, he would’ve done it by now. They could only hope he’d been captured rather than killed.
Rothilion gave a slight sniff. “We elves are capable of painting our own aeroplanes. We will not forgo the badge of the Half-Breed Squadron.”
How far Lt. Rothilion and the other elves of Flight A had come since the Half-Breed Squadron had been formed, almost haphazardly, at Dar Goranth.
“Ah, yes. Then I will leave the artwork in your capable hands.” Fieran shared a nod with Lt. Rothilion before he turned back to Pip. “This was worth putting off a shower.”
“The new aeroplanes are nice, but not all I wanted to show you.” Pip grabbed his hand again and dragged him away from Lt. Rothilion. She didn’t figure the elf lieutenant would mind the abrupt departure.
She led Fieran to the corner of the hangar where she’d had the ground crew pull one of the new aeroplanes closer to a workbench.
Fieran chuckled and gestured as they approached. “How long were these new aeroplanes parked here before you started fiddling with one?”
“A day.” Pip squirmed under Fieran’s look. “Well, a few hours. I had nothing else to do with the squadron away.”
She’d helped the mechanics for the other two squadrons after a few bombing raids, but even that hadn’t been enough to keep her busy.
But helping out those mechanics and seeing how shot up the aeroplanes of the other squadrons got had sparked this idea.
“Do you remember how I tried to create a magical shield for the aeroplanes back at Dar Goranth?” Pip halted beside the aeroplane.
“Yes. The magic of the ancient kings kept burning the aeroplane. And it drained the magical power cell too quickly.” Fieran stopped as well, studying the wires she’d rigged on the side of the aeroplane.
Those problems were the reasons they had stuck with him providing an active shield for the aeroplanes. That way he could control the magic directly.
“Yes, exactly. But I finally figured out how to overcome those problems.” Pip hopped onto the toe step of the aeroplane and patted the side, where a strip of aluminum lay beneath the protective wire, even though Fieran had probably already noted it.
“Louise sent me a roll of thin aluminum. It isn’t enough on its own, but once I infused it with my magic, it prevents the magic from leaping from the wires and burning the canvas. ”
“Smart.” Fieran nodded, his gaze taking in the strips of aluminum.
“And as for the other problem, that was even simpler.” Pip pointed toward the aeroplane’s nose.
“I added a second magical power cell. The older aeroplanes didn’t have the space for it, but these do.
I’ve rigged it so that the shield runs exclusively from this second power cell.
The shield still drains the power cell quickly, but that power cell can be safely used up without risking engine power.
I added a switch so the shield can be turned on and off as needed to conserve power or if one of those magic-grabbing machines is in the area. ”
The solutions were, she’d almost kicked herself for not thinking of them sooner.
But the older aeroplanes back at Dar Goranth hadn’t been sturdy enough to add anything else to them, nor had there been space for an additional magical power cell.
It hadn’t been until aeroplane technology had progressed enough that she had been able to make these modifications.
“You’re making me obsolete. Again.” Fieran gave her an exaggerated scowl.
“Hardly.” She struggled to keep her expression solemn. “Each aeroplane will use twice as many power cells. More, probably. You’re going to be needed to fill magical power cells more than ever.”
Fieran huffed a breath, muttering, “Oh joy.”
She felt a little bad teasing him about that, knowing that not all of his frustration was feigned.
He filled magical power cells because it was his duty, but he didn’t particularly enjoy it.
“Besides, your direct shield is still superior. A pilot can’t leave the shield on during a full battle.
It will drain out in minutes that way. It’s like the machine guns.
It needs to be used in short bursts only. ”
Fieran’s grin returned, and he patted the side of the aeroplane. “Still, this will be a lifesaver for the other squadrons.”
“Yes, well, it will be. Eventually.” Pip dropped back to the concrete floor. “It can’t be certified as safe for installing on more aeroplanes until a pilot with a magical engineering degree—preferably one who can shield himself if something should explode—runs it through a few tests.”
“Ah.” Fieran gave her that lopsided grin again. “Now I know why you were so excited to see me. It wasn’t because you missed me. It was because you needed your test pilot.”
“You caught me.” Pip clasped her hands in front of her, trying to put on an innocent expression.
“I knew your friendship with Louise was going to be trouble.” Fieran shook his head, chuckling with resigned mirth. “But I suppose I’m used to being a test subject. First for Louise and Bennett, and now you. It’s my lot in life.”
“You’re just so good at it.” Pip braved his grossness again to elbow him. Getting that close, she caught a whiff of him again. She grimaced and hurried backward once again. “Now, you really need to test out the showers.”
“Yes, Captain.” Fieran didn’t salute her, not even in jest—he was a major, after all—but he nodded to her before he spun and marched toward the nearest outer door.