Then—suddenly enough to be a little disorienting—they were ready. Galea gave the order to board. An understrength ground crew of company employees who hadn't disappeared in the wake of the latest attacks slowly hauled the airship, small only compared to others of her kind, out of the shed. Smoke flavored the light breeze and a few bits of flame still flickered here and there across the city, almost the only illumination. The ship's bell sounded a crisp signal to cast off, the ground crew let go the mooring lines, and Comet rose smoothly into the night sky.