At The Impossible, Cal double-checked the boiler pressure and fastened ropes to the rings at either end of the keel. She then coiled and fastened them to the floor of the gondola. The prince tied himself to the ring at the rear while Cal strapped in.
"Stand by to release mooring ropes." Cal cranked the fins out into position. The slight breeze tossed them about. "Release."
The Impossible floated up and clear of the warehouses. She hadn't topped up the hydrogen, so their buoyancy was closer to neutral. Better for flying, anyway.
Cal fed power to the engine and The Impossible headed across the port as she rose higher into the air.
"That should be good." Cal levelled the fins after turning to follow the railway track back to the city. "I'll need a better way to steer. Don't want to lose any passengers when we turn. Maybe something driven by foot pedals."
"You're the engineer." The prince sat watching out the back of the Gondola. "I never imagined this."