Disclaimer: I am not Scott Westerfeld, nor do I own any of any of the Leviathan characters. If I did, this would totally be canon.
It was so good to see Alek again. The zoological society had wanted her to grow into her feminine form instead of a trouser wearing girl in men's clothing, so she had been given two years off. But in that time, Doctor Barlow had kept Alek bussy on politcal excursions so they hadn't been able to see each other. But those two years were up. And he was here. Unfortunately, that meant he had also met her mother. And no good could come of Alek meeting Ma. "How long ago did you get here?" she asked.
"Only a few moments ago. Why do you ask?"
Deryn was impressed. "I'm surprised Ma didn't hold you hostage for longer. When Jaspurt used to come back on leave, she could hold him in the doorway for over an hour of polite conversation."
Her face was dead serious. "Could you take these inside? Ma'd kill me if I came to the table with my dress a dirty."
"Well, we hardly have you getting killed, now can we!"
"Thanks." she said, giving him a quick hug before she started running off towards the barn. In Da's old workshop, she had made her room, since aunt Eloise had moved in & taken her room in the house. It was quite a task running past the vast fields of vegetables in a to small dress, but she managed it without breaking a sweat. Over the next gentle slope, a large green structure appeared. She opened one of the large doors ajar & squeezed through. Past the racks of dripping kale. Past the stacks of grain for the sheep. Past the old & dusty gondola that sent shivers up her spine every time she looked at it. Then there was her door. Inside there was a small room with a twin size bed, a dresser, and a desk with a chair. She pulled a pulled of the dress her mother had bullied onto her & instead put on her old uniform. She had been tailoring it to fit for a while now, but it finally fit perfectly.
Even though she was supposed to wear a dress & oblige the lady boffin's society, she knew how to get out of the obligation. She had an excuse for changing, & guests were over so Ma wouldn't argue. She just had to make sure there was never a time when her & her mother were alone together.
She pinned her air gallantry medal over her heart, & grbed the packed bag she had prepared last night. Inside were a few changes of clothes (all american fashion with trousers & shirts), her sketchbook, & the manual of aeronautics.
She ran back to the house, unhindered by skirts, & did so in half the time. When she entered, she saw everyone was seated for tea, chatting idly. Bovril & Doctor Barlow's loris sat on the back of her empty seat burbling nonsense to one another in various different tongues. "Deryn Sharp!" yelled Bovril.
"Ah, Miss Sharp! Glad you could join us." said the lady boffin.
Deryn sat down beside Alek. "Good to see you too ma'am. You said we would be heading off today?"
"To the point as always, Miss Sharp. Yes we will leaving today, strait from london."
The lady boffin had sent a letter saying that she required 'your assistance with a rather urgent matter.' The letter said that they were to to head to an island of the coast of Africa called Madagascar. She was going to be studying a genetic anomaly among the wildlife there. "We will have a small detour to Italy before we reach the island. I need to pick up a few bits of supplies there."
Ma cleared her throat. "Deryn, shouldn't you be wearing a dress. This zoological society has a dress code, does it not?"
"It's fine Mrs. Sharp. I think in Deryn's case, this atrie could be considered appropriate." said Dr. Barlow, directing the phantom of a smile in Deryn's direction. Deryn promptly directed a very smug simile in the direction of her mother.
Alek & doctor Barlow made merry small talk with the rest of her family, while Deryn stroked Bovril contemplatively. Doctor Barlow's loris muled very loudly at her, & promptly said "Hand head please."
Alek hadn't been kidding in his letters when he said the lorises had gotten smarter. Bovril climbed atop her shoulder obediently as the other loris moved to occupy her lap. As she stroked it's soft brown back she got to wondering. "Dr. Barlow," she asked, "Do you have a name for your loris?"
The lady boffin frowned at her. "No, I don't suppose it do. Do you have any suggestions?"
The time when the lady boffin's loris had modeled the fake mustache was still burned into her memory. "What about schnauzer?"
The doctor actually laughed. Once she had recovered, she said, "I think that is an excellent idea!"
"Schnauzer!" yelled both lorises.
Deryn could tell that Alek was trying very hard to stifle laughs. The best part was the confused expression on Ma's face. The advantages of learning german Ma. she thought.
Nearly a quarter of an hour later, they were off with many pleasantries & well wishing. "You family seems nice." said Alek cheerfully.
"You were wonderful in there!" said Deryn, putting an arm over his shoulder, & noticed how this wasn't so easy anymore. "You didn't miss a beet!"
"Your mother seems to be a little bit much if you don't mind my saying." said Doctor Barlow. Schnauzer looked up from her shoulder. "Een beetje veel." it said.
"Nogal." said Bovril solemnly from atop Alek's head.
When the lady boffin saw Deryn's confused stare, she answered, "Polish I think."