Prologue
The distress signals had come in the middle of the day, and the Leviathan had landed in the small town on the Erivan River by night. Although Persia was technically neutral, the British and Russians occupied it, and the airship's unfortunate demise was still a mystery. They had decided to approach with caution. Luckily, some of the Esperance's crew had survived, and, with much difficulty, had managed to secure the help of the locals and get the Leviathan close enough to the ground that the Huxleys could be sent down to retrieve a few of the men.
In the aftermath following the battle in Istanbul, the Leviathan had directed the Behemoth to a Russian hydrogen breather, which was to return it to Britain. Then it had begun its long journey east, exiting the Ottoman Empire for the exotic land of Persia. The ship was a week into her trip, and feistier than ever, but the pickup was going smoothly so far.
The last thing the crew of the Leviathan would have expected was an attack on the Esperance, but that had nevertheless been the cause of its downfall. Konrad Hahn's years of training had all lead up to this moment. The one and only purpose of this intricate mission was for him to pose as a British officer and transfer to the Leviathan. The ship was the biggest thorn in the Clankers' sides these days, especially after unleashing the Behemoth in Istanbul. But that would change. Soon, with his work, the Leviathan would be taken care of. Once and for all.
"Barking nasty weather, isn't it?" The chatty midshipman beside him muttered. And indeed, rain plummeted from the heavens in black sheets. The Huxley must have been the same one that Deryn had been unable to spook back up on the glacier, because it wasn't that perturbed.
Hahn smiled thinly and replied in perfect English, "Quite. And it looks as if it will only get worse."
"Great. And I have to feed the fléchette bats in half an hour," the boy complained. Then he perked up a little and stuck out his hand. "By the way, I'm Dylan Sharp. It's nice to meet you, Mr...?"
"Mr. George Hall," Hahn finished. "Pleased to make your acquaintance."