Dark Crow Rising

Walking into the hangar, for once, I can hear the clear click of my heels due to the absence of most of its contents. Most spare aircraft have already departed on the long journey to the in-danger cities. We still have some classifications waiting for the go-ahead, however, I need to inspect them. Rather, the example one that has been brought in for my benefit.

Minding a small group of tired aircrew, I carry on to the group standing at the end of a ramp. I glance up towards the large engines of the docked airship and look further along its bulbous shape. If I were to make any guesses, this is a specific kind of freighter vehicle. One not used in the shipment of people.

At least, not yet.

Though, I suppose that is a good thought to have pass through my mind. The giant destroys everything it is near with that aura. Livestock, material goods, precious items. Our priorities should remain people-oriented but I have to wonder if we should try and get out what resources we can.

Once this crisis is over, we will be looking at the complete collapse of the national economy and more. Entire sectors of industry will be gone, new environmental hazards will be up and causing short-term delays. Shaking my head, I keep my focus on the here and now and the dealing with of that giant. The Clockwork Council are the ones who handle bureaucratic affairs anyway.

Arriving at the group, those under my original authority salute and stand aside. One of them directs the man who must be in charge of this airship towards me. Our hands shake firmly and I shift to a stiffer stance. We share a look up the boarding ramp.

"Freighter Captain Polimmissar, Grandguard Inerish." the man introduces himself as and I nod, taking the first step towards the entrance.

"Let us keep it to a first-name basis for the purposes of a swifter inspection." I tell him and the Jhermonikra give me their looks of wide-eyed bewilderment. Showing them the back of my head and ponytail again, I roll my eyes out of sight. These people and their need to be overly formal.

A pair of boots rush up the metal to catch up with me as I reach what might as well be a skeletal interior. This is not a luxury craft by any stretch, it is purely for the transportation of needed material. The floor makes a slightly different noise than usual and I glance down. With a quick scan, I see how many different stains of all kinds have basically painted themselves onto the steel.

"You have been brought up to speed as to what you have been called here for?" I ask the captain and he nods after he stops fidgeting with some dials and valves.

"I have, yes. Airships across the country are being requisitioned for a matter of national importance." he answers and I nod once and simply, moving on out of this industrial oil-scented tunnel.

"Correct, and here I am to inspect this classification of airship to make sure it is useable." I expand on, picking up a loose manifest tablet and using its built-in magic to change the details about it. It seems this airship has recently been fitted out for the transportation of liquid ore. Straight from the mills and foundries, onto the more advanced wind magic-using factories home and abroad.

"As you've probably just read, Grandguard Inerish. We're currently fitted for the transport of molten cargo." the captain answers and I turn to him, brow slightly cocked. He catches onto his mistake and flinches a little.

"Polimmissar, how long does it generally take for an airship of this make to be refitted for say... Livestock?" I ask, choosing livestock as my example as surely those parts to carry animals can handle a household family a piece. Depending on how many capsules or whatever it is they use can be filled, these crafts will prove helpful.

"I've never personally had my airship refitted for such deliveries. The pay's generally pretty good if this old girl has a heated belly." he tries to joke, his hand patting the closest bit of piping he can. A finger traces the signs of heat scarring. I think of my fiery homeland for a fraction of a second.

"Then you will have a regulations tablet on board which will have the timeframe?" I ask and he nods, heading off already.

"Yes, we do have something like that. It's a legal requirement so we can inform our employers of any industry standards. The details of it can be a little unhelpful, but, it's nice to have something that keeps my bank account filling." he explains, waffling on with needless information while he neatens things up. One of these items is a little doll with a small picture frame sewed into its grip. Gently, I pick it up and he smiles at the picture.

"This is your little girl?" I ask and he nods, reaching for it with the caution of someone who doesn't quite trust you enough to not break it. I hand the doll to him and he puts it away in a small cabinet loaded with other random items.

"She is, yeah. I'm not around as much as I'd like to be, but, she likes it when I take pictures of all the places I go. She keeps telling me, that, when she's old enough, she will join my crew and we can have Mummy both worry about us." he nervously laughs and I let my posture relax a bit before looking him in the eye.

"This is good, I want you to focus on such things when you are sent south. We are looking at a situation where I want as many families to remain united." I tell him, keeping it modestly vague so as not to spook him. Though, I suppose I should try and spare as many military officials as I can for moments like this. We as a country cannot allow spinelessness to overtake the evacuation efforts as the giant comes into view.

"Understood, shall we carry on to the bridge?" he asks and I answer by following after him. Making a mental checklist, I endeavour to remember as many small things as possible about this airship's interior. I've already given out the order for non-essential equipment to be removed for the sake of more space. But, depending on how things go, we may need more than what we currently have.

Much as I want to believe that we have the means to bring the giant down, I cannot be confident in the idea. When the Gnomon's gun failed to bring down the giant, I lost most of my optimism. I returned to my command centre with a smile on my face and I was met with wide eyes and naught but shock. I couldn't get a response until one man lethargically replayed that caught scene.

The power to level entire mountain ranges and to gut countries like is happening to us right now... The giant came out of it unscathed, we had an impact but no change in its shape or stature. That skyscraper of a sword blocked the full might of Thrurstradutr's brilliance and with a fist to the flat- Only the sky felt the power of the Guiders of the Gnomon.

The strongest weapon in our nation's arsenal was tossed aside and the giant went back on its walk. The caution I was once sure of was proven false and a major population centre was lost. I had the last census brought to me when we received the final transmission from the branch within Grimmicksal. That giant peeled the mountain open like a damn orange...

One-hundred and twenty million people lived on and throughout that mountain state.

"Inerish?" the captain calls out and I shake my thoughts out of their spiral.

"Yes, what is it?" I ask.

"Sorry, you looked a little out of this world for a moment there." he explains and I gesture an apology. Following him up the final set of stairs, we reach the bridge and he starts to go through the mess of old food wrappers. I raise a brow at the often heated surface with black char on it. He has the means to barbeque himself snacks on this thing?

"This is the tablet you mentioned before?" I question and he nods, the stone entering my grip. Taking the least worn chair up on its offer of a comfortable recline, I get to reading. I skim through whatever I take as bloat and Polimmissar spends the time checking his systems. Finally reaching the point I need to get to, I slow down with the reading and make sure to memorise the main details.

Muttering some of the details quietly, I find myself on the 'page' that has diagrams and details regarding refitting times. An airship of this size when done within the usual bureaucratic timeframe is a couple of weeks. The parts taken off are inspected and what comes is treated much the same. Tests are then needed afterwards to make sure it is all up to standards.

Assuming perfection.

Shaking my head as a non-existent thud somehow bangs down my ear canals, I come to a decision. We must circumvent this usual time-wasting and heel-dragging and get the airships up quickly. I will need to put the order out to have these sorts of things rolled back for the duration of the crisis. Airships like these need to be shipping people and resources out, the latter only if we have the time.

Nodding some more and getting back onto my feet, Polimmissar gets up with me. I look at him and smile, giving him one more nod and I start to leave with the tablet. He follows after with rapidity and we make it back into the hangar proper in record time. He lingers at the top of the ramp and the rest of his crew come to attention.

"I am briefly going to hang onto this and have copies of it pulled from our archives for distribution. I will return it to you and then I want you to head to a refitting facility. I will be putting out a national order for all airships of this class to be fitted for living cargo. In turn, when ready, you will join in with the evacuations, Freighter Captain Polimmissar." I explain to him and the lot of them give me their best salutes. I smile a little, knowing what I can correct but I leave them as they are.

"At ease. And, as this will likely be our final time seeing each other... Gods and goddesses be with the lot of you and all alike." I tell them and I depart. A lingering officer joins me and I hand the tablet over.

"Straight to the archives?" he asks.

"Affirmative." I punch laconically. He vanishes from view at the first opportunity and I take this chance to head towards a cafeteria for something to eat. Maybe I will go for something meaty and greasy. That char-covered grill has certainly left a lingering thought in my mouth.

The smells of the hangar start to fall back and the victorious smells of the chefs and ovens fill me with delight. The clean and sterile, oily and industrial, it's nice to be in a part of the Gnomon that smells like neither. However, the mood of this one cafeteria fills me with some degree of dread. The usual, exasperated joy people have is not here.

Everyone is tired and quiet. I have been strict as to what information is allowed in and out of the Gnomon. But, within these walls, we're an echo chamber. You whisper word of the giant and his smashes back against you with deafening ferocity.

We're all working shifts longer than what we are used to and many of them want to go home. Their children are not waking up to their father's and mother's being home for the weekend. No change in turns to take the little ones to school or out somewhere for the day. We're all cooped up in this expansive building that's feeling smaller by the day.

It may become a needed thing for me to divert the tasks of the lowest priority to external companies and groups. Tasks non-essential to the handling of the giant can become someone else's burden. I'm sure it will look nice on their company records anyhow, saying that they were Gnomon-approved. But, I digress and my feet come to a stop.

The woman in front looks behind with bags under her eyes and somehow I scare the life back into her. The queue takes a step forward and I take up a tray at the first opportunity. Though, I am hesitant to admit that I am just copying what the woman in front is doing. This is my first time actually eating within a public cafeteria, I have a personal chef otherwise.

Well, we higher-ups have a personal team. Though, actually, while I have emergency powers... I could set up a chef just for me and have all my meals hot and wheeled into my office with little bits of flashiness. But, for now, I am satisfied with the juicy cut of meat awaiting me once the queue moves ahead just one more step.

My nose flares up and I wet my lips.