Chapter Three

(picture of large propeller (coming soon maybe?))

Whether you have been fleeing from you enemies, or making your way to another country for a brief vacation, then you will know the thrill of being in a plane, and watching down on everything, so small, as if you were the puppeteer, feeling in control, and the Baudelaire's felt the thrill through their bodies as the sounds of Sir and Vice Principal Nero became quieter as they fled back to their automobile, and they realize they'd soon be in the air.

Everything in the main room of the Hindenburger was quiet for a minute, as everyone digested where they were. Violet digested thoughts about the workings of the plane. Klaus digested thoughts about the Flying Library, and Sunny digested thoughts about cooking, and about escaping Count Olaf by an enormous altitude. Even Kit and her father, a man who I wish I could tell the truth, were thinking about their three knew guests on the Hindenburger. Then finally, someone spoke.

'Hindenburger?' Sunny asked curiously, looking up from in Violet's clutch.

'She means she likes the name,' Klaus explained,' and that she'd be fascinated to look around.'

'I rather like the name myself,' Kit's father said. 'I chose it. And I think you'd better have a snack and a drink first, maybe?'

'Kit gave us sandwiches on our long journey.' Violet said with a shrug. 'To be honest, I'm rather full up from them.'

'Well at least have a drink!' the man said. 'To wash away the taste of salt!'

The children suddenly remembered the disgusting taste of salt in their mouths, which they had been distracted from in their thoughts, and nodded at the man, and his daughter Kit. Swiftly, the adults turned, their backs facing the three Baudelaire children, and then to walked through a large archway of the plane, their shoes clashing against the white plastic-looking floor. The Baudelaire's followed, the taste of salt water still in their mouths from their adventures underwater, and soon found themselves walking through an interesting arch-shaped hallway, which was dim, with a grated metal roof curving above their heads. Through the grates, was a thick layer of darkness, where pipes and wires were running through the plane. On the walls were pictures: one was of the man himself, whilst others were of the V.F.D insignia, one of fire, delicately burning a newspaper, and an assortment of others which Violet, Klaus and Sunny didn't have time to see, as their journey following Kit and the man through the tunnel ended, and they arrived in a new room.

The room had several panels around the side, where there were toasters and blenders stacked around. There was a marble sink with shiny taps, and cupboards in the panels, which were closed, but the Baudelaires could imagine having dishes and silverware inside. As far as I know, from my research, it was pretty much the same as when I stayed there, safe and secure, drinking some fresh tea and reading an absurd newspaper article. The only differences were a couple of new refrigerators, and a small, hard to read message carved on a top shelf. In the middle of the room, was a large dining table, which was more or less the same when I had stayed aboard the Hindenburger. Around the table were assortments of grand looking stools, and there was a posh fruit bowl in the middle of the oak in the table.

'Wonderly!' Sunny cried, which meant something like, 'What a pleasant room!' and Violet was quick to translate it to Kit and her father.

'Why thank you, Sunny,' Kit says. 'We want to live in a pleasant enough environment when we're flying.'

Living in a pleasant enough environment is very important if you want to live a pleasant enough life. The pleasant enough environment for a gorilla is in a jungle, as the pleasant enough environment for a child is in a warm home. Depending who you are, an environment, a word which here means 'place around you', pleasant enough for you will be different then what other people think, but all five of the people in the room, agreed that the kitchen was a pleasant enough environment for eating meals, rolling out maps, and having healthy discussions about various things.

'I can say you've succeeded with that,' Violet replied politely at Kit with a smile.

'Why thank you, Violet,' Kit said. 'I must say, you three children sure are polite. It's a pleasure to have you on board.'

'Why thank you,' Klaus said with a grin, and Kit gave a small giggle in his direction.

'Well, I'm sure this room gives Sunny a big interest,' the man said,' with her culinary skills. But how about we show rooms that'll interest the elder of you three?'

'Great idea,' Kit said. 'I'm sure Violet would love to see the control rooms, where our assistant pilot is at the moment, and I'm sure Klaus would love to see the Flying Library, and read a few aeronautics book. Does that sound nice?'

'It sounds wonderful!' Violet said, the gears in her mind beginning to work.

'It sounds remarkable!' Klaus said, using a fancy word for 'wonderful'.

'Hooray!' Sunny cried, and with that, Kit and her pa turned towards another archway, and the children followed. This time, there was no tunnel with a grated roof and painting hanging on the wall, and they swiftly entered another room, where there was a bookshelf, and several sofas, as well as a coffee table, and another window and a sideboard.

'This is what we call the common room,' Kit explained. 'In here, we talk whilst sitting on the sofa. On the bookshelves are novels, and books about other things, in case you don't feel like reading about aeronautics. There are some board games, and a deck of cards in the sideboard there.' She pointed around the room as she explained each things, until she had spun herself slowly right around, and was facing the children once more. This room also looked like a pleasant enough environment for them all, and so the grins stayed on their faced. They had not felt this safe and happy since they had met with the Quagmires at Prufock Prep, where Nero had bossed them around, or maybe when they were with their Uncle Monty, or maybe they hadn't been this happy since they were content in the pleasant enough environment of the Baudelaire mansion, which was the environment they wished for in the times when they thought.

'Next stop!' the man called grandly with a chuckle. 'The Flying Library!' At the announcement, Klaus grinned even more, and his eyes widened as they walked through another stone archway, which was a small curved tunnel that lasted only several seconds to walk through.

Then, the tunnel ended, and the children arrived in a new room. Kit turned to face them as they entered, her smile broad across her face.

'This is it!' she cried.' This is my domain!' She gave a chuckle, and stepped away from the centre of the room, the give the children a better look at what Kit called the Flying Library. The room was the grandest one on the plane that the children had seen, filled with grand pillars. Each bookshelf was tall with glass doors to open up and get out a book. There were curved modern lamps on each side of several comfortable looking chairs. For Klaus, it was wonderful, the most pleasant enough environment he had seen for a while.

'Wow,' he said in awe, gazing around the room. 'I think I'll spend a lot of time in here,' although he did not realize that there would be barely any time on his stay on the Hindenburger where he would spend there for his own enjoyment.

'Good to know!' Kit said,' There's nothing I like to see more then a smile!' Although I must correct, there are several things she did like seeing more.

'How long has it taken you to get this collection?' Klaus asked.

'Oh, a long time!' Kit said. 'My father got most of it, and I've just contributed a few things, taken from several libraries for several other mansions, and several library's of records and-well, you get the point.' At that, Klaus thought for a second about the Library of Records at Heimlich Hospital, and then about their recent stay at the Mortmain Mountains, but he kept quiet for now, as Kit's father grandly cried out something else.

'Onto the Control Room, yes?' he asked, and then without anyone answering, turned towards another hallway. This was another arch-shaped tunnel, but it was much a nicer environment then the others. The walls and ceiling of it were marble instead of grates, and the floor was a soft green carpet. At the end of the hallway, as Klaus thought of what Kit had said, and as Sunny thought of any recipes that she could try, Violet thought about what a proper plane control room would look like, and soon, they arrived at the end of the tunnel, where there was a wooden door with one word on it.

'"Controls",' Violet read. The father of Kit turned the shiny doorknob, and swung the wood far out, and soon they all piled into an empty room, that was quite small. There were some metal panels, curving almost right around the room, and several office chairs shoved by them, as if someone were about to do some office work and drink some office coffee. Although, as the children looked closely it became apparent that there would be no room so put any such coffee, as all around the curved panels were levers and buttons, and dials and switches and valves: a maze of them all around the room. Violet frowned at them deeply, wondering if she would ever have the chance to learn about how to use them, which she did, but only because her life was at risk. Above the panels, there was a window curving around just as the panels did themselves, and through them, was the site of the plains, where the taxi was parked, and the automobile of Sir and Nero was long gone. The sky above was blue, yet slightly cloudy.

'It looks like maybe a storm might come soon,' the man said with his croaky voice, which was a true predication, although he didn't know at the time.

'I hope not,' Violet said. 'I wouldn't want it to delay the journey.'

'Delay?' the man asked. 'We've got to set off very soon, Violet Baudelaire! We have to get to Hotel Denouement at top speed, if we want to get there before Olaf and stop his evil plans! Whilst he and his evil troupe are stuck on the ground, or underwater, so to speak, we'll be gliding through the air, getting closer to that Hotel!'

'But some members of his troupe are in the air!' Klaus pointed out. 'A man and a woman-the man's bald, and has a beard and the woman-'

'Has vice versa features,' Kit finished for him.

'Yes!' Violet said, and her eyes widened. 'Mr. Snicket,' she began, only for him to interrupt her.

'Jake!' Jake Snicket cried. 'Call me Jake!' Now Klaus' mind was not the only one in deep thought, as the youngest Baudelaire started thinking.

'They have eagles, Jake,' Violet said,' and they went after our friends, Duncan and Isadora Quagmire.'

'Hector!' Sunny added, still thinking.

'The Quagmires,' Jake said thoughtfully. 'They must be in danger then.'

'Exactly!' Violet cried. 'So, when we're flying, maybe we could look out for them! Volunteers helping one another!' Jake stroked his chin.

'Could we, Kit?' he asked,' Would it be wise?'

'It's helping volunteers, Pa,' Kit said, and stuck her hand out at Violet, who shook it. 'We'll help find those Quagmire's on our route to Hotel Denouement.'

Violet beamed, and the other two gave small smiles, although their minds were still busy. Finally, Klaus spoke.

'Kit,' he said carefully. 'You mentioned a Library Of Records, where the Snicket File was. Quigley Quagmire-the other Quagmire triplet said the three Snicket siblings were working on a file. Does that mean you know what's in the Snicket file? Does that mean you know the information to bring Count Olaf to justice?' Kit sighed and slowly shook her head.

'My brother, Jacques,' she replied quietly,' had the finished result. We planned to meet up at the Village Of Fowl Devotees for him to show it to me, but when I arrived, he was long dead, and the Snicket File had been taken to Heimlich Hospital. When I got there, someone had taken it. I've been pursuing it for ages, but I've had no luck. And now Count Olaf's in possession with it, it seems like we have no chance of bringing him to justice. The only way is to get to the gathering on Thursday, and the volunteers will all work together, to get rid of his evil, including me, and my Pa.'

'Me thinking!' Sunny cried, and Violet translated that she meant she also had some thoughts.

'Go on, Sunny,' Jake Snicket said. 'What are these thoughts?' Sunny looked at her siblings, and then pointed at Jake.

'J.S!' she cried. Violet and her brother looked up at the father of the Snicket siblings, and realized she spoke to truth.

'There have been some mysterious letters, messages and telegrams left for J.S,' Violet explained. 'And we've been wondering what the letters stood for. Is it you? Are you the J.S. we've wanted to know about?' Jake gave a long sigh.

'Follow me, Baudelaires,' he said, and the children did so, winding past the Flying Library, and going through the archway tunnels, through the common room, through the archway, and back into the kitchen.

'I'll start from the beginning,' Jake said. 'I'll tell you my story.'

Standing around the table where the children had first looked and seen the pleasant enough environment, they got ready to ask questions to the Snicket father, and they were hoping, that in the pleasant enough environment of the Hindenburger, they were about to get some answers.