The land swooped past in a poly-chrome blur of green fields, golden wheat crops, and blue veins of glittering rivers.The<span style="font-style: italic">Nauge Soltaire</span>cast the shadow of its bulbous balloon over the scenery, contrasting its cool lavender bulk against the fiery sunset. Below the helium ballast dangled the wooden length of a ship, nestled within a jungle of ropes, pulleys, and netting which secured it firmly to the floating mass above. From its flanks flared out the two sails that steered the vessel, also made from the purple fabric, which flapped violently in the dusk's winds. At the helm stood a wiry figure, desperately wrestling with the ship's wheel for control of the swaying ship.<br/><br/>Above the whistling of the winds, the clatter of loose objects, and the growl of the craft's single engine came a feminine shout, "Beauregard! BEAUREGARD! What ARE you doing?" Belladonna Andler emerged from the captain's cabin dressed in a pale blue dress and white corset laced with the same pale blue of her petticoats. The wind snatched at her dress and sent the neat flow of hair that fell over her shoulder flying. "Your wild steering has sent my teapot clear across my room. It's a right mess," she added while she pushed back the willful locks from her face. Despite the arduous task of prying control from the wheel, Beauregard replied in a calm manner, "My apologies Miss Andler. I'll be there shortly to clean it up." With a last look of annoyance Belladonna closed the door and retired to the tea leaf strewn cabin.<br/><br/>"It's such an ordeal having only one servant," thought Belladonna. She had requested the fastest Airship to take her to her sister's wedding, not expecting it to have capacity to ferry only two individuals. But when the salesman claimed that they would arrive three days ahead of any other airship, she was sold. She crossed the room, careful to avoid the puddle of tea that had soaked into the fur carpet. With a sigh she collapsed into her bed. She thought of her sister; of their childhood; cherishing the time they spent together. Her thoughts turned to the wedding. "You're so lucky," she whispered, hugging her pillow.<br/><br/>A thunderous boom roused Belladonna from her thoughts. Out the port window she saw a cloud of smoke billowing from the ship. Not wishing to face the monstrous wind outside, she pressed her face against the glass in the hopes of glimpsing what had happened. She manage to get a peek at a hole where she remembered the furnace that powered the ship to be. "Oh dear." she muttered.