Geneve heard the rumble of the<em>Hawkstone</em>'s engines and smiled. It was time to go. She took another drag of her cigarette before tossing it away and headed toward the ship at a brisk pace. She'd have to be on guard today. There had been unsettling rumors lately about strange black ships that nobody had ever seen before. It was said that the black ships were not built the same as other airships and that they were dangerous. She had heard there might be some in the area.<br/><br/>She boarded the ship and moments later was standing on the bridge, having taken her customary place at the helm. The OOW barked out various orders at the crew and the pilots checked the instruments a final time. When it was confirmed that all equipment was in working order, the<em>Hawkstone</em>began its ascent.<br/><br/>As always Geneve felt her spirits lift as the ship rose into the air. There was something almost magical about using machines to defy gravity. She loved the sense of freedom and excitement that came with each journey. For her, each flight was an adventure. Today they were delivering a shipment of water to Los Angeles City. Water was a big deal with certain cities, and Los Angeles City was one of them.<br/><br/>Los Angeles City was a veritable fortress. Massive smooth metal walls, which had been built during the war, surrounded the entire city making it difficult to access. The only way in or out was by airship. The massive metal gates had not been opened since the end of the war for fear of radiation. Because the city was contained, there was limited access to drinking water so they constantly contracted with ship captains like Geneve to bargain for water. The money for such a venture was definitely worth the hassle.<br/><br/>Once the coordinates were set, the OOW gave out orders to the rest of the crew over the intercom. Geneve left the bridge and took a stroll along the deck. The sun shown brilliantly over a puffy white sea of clouds. She went over to the railing and looked down. Below she could see the brown-grey patches of earth, remnants of the damage of war, through holes in the cloud cover.