01-06-2013, 11:43 PM
"A little smoke won't hurt me." Crispin grinned and removed his sooty glasses, knocking off the oculars that had been on top of his head. He let out a muffled curse and grabbed for the expensive eyepieces, catching them just before they hit the ground and further traumatizing Cassandra's guards by the sudden movement. He spotted the apprentice-- or at least he assumed the bronze-clad blob near the door was an apprentice, it was hard to tell without his glasses on, and waved him over. "Could you take these back to my workshop, please?"
The apprentice hurried out, and Crispin searched through his pockets to find a handkerchief. He turned back to Cassandra and polished his glasses. "The mechanism will be fine... the timing was just off, and it interfered with the exhaust. When I fixed it, the pressure all got released at once. It should work fine, now."
A quick squint at his glasses showed a clear view, and he put them back on before turning thoughtful bronze eyes on the draped machine. "She'll probably be ready for a test flight tomorrow, but we have direct orders from your father that you are not to go up until she's been tested and fine-tuned."
Knowing Cassandra would be disappointed by that, he gave a conspiratorial grin. He liked the princess, and understood her passion for piloting. It seemed very similar to his own for building and inventing. "I think he's trying to delay things as long as possible, but we plan on having her ready for you by your birthday."
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