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You snap out of it. You will worry about merchants and rubies and fiancés tomorrow. You need something to take your mind off of this unpleasant train of thought.
A suitable diversion occurs to you. You manage to snatch Alejandro for a brief moment. "You know, I've just realized I don't know the first thing about how an airship is flown. You don't suppose you could arrange for me to visit the bridge? If it is not too much trouble, of course."
"Why, my beautiful, all you have to do is ask. I would think the crew would be honoured to show you around."
It took scarcely more than a snap of the fingers, a few whispered instructions to one of the valets present, and you were on your way, escorted through a service exit, and descending the spiral stairs to the lower decks - where you hadn't set foot once since you came aboard. It was scarcely thirty feet away, but it was an entirely new world. Instead of polished floors and upholstery, there were chipped boards and rusted iron. In place of paintings and patterns on walls, there were dirty diagrams and indicators.
The crewmembers, clad in comfortable overalls rather than a uniform, greet you in fairly high spirits as you pass by. They are professional and polite. But you are very familiar with the looks they are giving you. This is the look that says that you are the Other. You are one of the Haves; while this is he realm of the Have-nots. The people who work and toil so you could enjoy a pleasant supper upstairs.
You enter the bridge proper, and are quite surprised at how small it is. The ceiling looms quite low, and the oil-lamps are giving everything a slightly subdued mood. It is more windows and instruments than anything else.
In the front, a bona-fide wheel like that on ships of wood and sail operated by a helmsman. You are fairly certain it is there just for the feel of it. There is a total of four crewmembers here.
The captain is a relatively young man, and his features are olive-dark, probably of Babylonian stock. His Dominican is utterly dreadful. He is barely able to formally welcome you to the bridge, and explains his name is Mahir. Communication at first is very laborious. But, you soon find out he is reasonably proficient with Hellenic, and from there it goes smoothly. It quickly becomes apparent that he is sharp and technically capable. He used to run locomotives in Babylonia for years before getting an apprenticeship as an airship deck-hand.
