FADE IN. DAY. HALLS OF THE LEVIATHAN. DERYN is walking through the halls of the gondola. She is looking for NEWKIRK. DERYN heads down a hall and down a set of stairs. She walks into a large, cave-like room with stained walls and floor. There are bats hanging from the walls and ceiling. NEWKIRK stands off to the side of the room, near a large opening to the sky and landscape below. NEWKIRK looks up.

NEWKIRK

Dylan!

DERYN

Aye. I decided to come. Alek is watching the eggs

NEWKIRK (snorts)

Did you abandon him?

DERYN

No! He told me to leave. Besides, we're not supposed to

watch the eggs together.

NEWKIRK

Then why were you both watching them in the first place?

You know how the lady boffin is very cautious on the

temperature of the room changing.

DERYN

That was only because she wanted the last eggs to hatch

when Alek was there. These beasties aren't going to come

out until we reach Italy. That's not for a while now.

NEWKIRK

Well, I'm going topside right now, if you want to join me

DERYN (ecstatic)

Barking spiders, I would!

NEWKIRK tosses her a flight suit, and she quickly puts it on. DERYN runs up to the opening of the room, turns, grabs onto the ratlines on the outside of the ship, and pulls herself up onto them. NEWKIRK, still tying himself a safety harness, looks at her in astonishment.

DERYN (shouting)

What are you waiting for?

NEWKIRK (muttering to himself)

I see you haven't lost your air-sense.

CUT TO TOP SIDE. DERYN is standing with is arms half spread and eyes closed. The wind is blowing her hair in all directions.

DERYN (laughing)

I'd forgotten what it was like!

NEWKIRK

You've been out of the service for a barking year, and still

you manage to beat me in climbing the ratlines! How did

you do that?

DERYN

Alek and I have had arm wrestling competitions a few times.

I win every time, but the daft boy still tries. (Laughs)

I think he wants to save his pride, but there is no way that he

can beat me. That and I'm just pure dead amazing.

NEWKIRK

And modest too.

DERYN

We can't forget the modesty, but I am barking brilliant.

NEWKIRK

I can see that your ego hasn't changed either, but I don't know

why I was expecting it to.

DERYN walks farther ahead on the spine, then peers over the side of the ship. She turns back to NEWKIRK.

DERYN

Where do you suppose we are now?

NEWKIRK joins DERYN where she is standing and looks over the side.

NEWKIRK

I'd say somewhere over the coast of France. I'm still not used

to how fast we can travel with the Clanker engines.

DERYN

Well if we've flown all the way to France in one night, we'll get

to Italy in no time.

NEWKIRK

What are you doing in Italy anyway?

DERYN

I'm afraid that is a military secret, Mr. Newkirk. I can't tell a

lowly middie like yourself. It might destroy the whole mission.

NEWKIRK

Oh come on, Sharp. I can keep a secret.

DERYN

I bet you can't.

NEWKIRK

Bet I can.

DERYN

I'm still not telling a bum-rag like you

NEWKIRK (mumbling)

Fine then. I won't tell you what I'll be doing in Italy.

DERYN (whipping her head around suddenly)

What was that?

A message lizard scampers up to the two of them, distracting them from the conversation, and speaks in DR. BARLOW's voice

MESSAGE

Mr. Sharp, I am in need of your assistance in the egg room.

Mr. Hohenburg seems to have misplaced himself.

DERYN (very confused and to herself)

Misplaced himself? (Speaking to the message lizard) Aye ma'am

I'll be down in half a squick. End message.

DERYN turns and sprints to the ratlines and scrambles down. FADE OUT.