Fresh, and crisp as the bite in the air above the City of steel and steam is
the morning of discovery. For today, there is a new goal for Rico. One that
has...curiously eaten at him for days now. Not like him to let curiosity get
the better of him, but still, since he can, and for as long as the semi-silent
protests of his passengers could be ignored for now, he was going to investigate
the spot on the Kislev sky.

Drawing within sight of the great outer rim, the giant spokes to the central hub
more like lifelines then supports, Rico draws to a halt, the Stier roaring as it
hovers, several hundred sharls below the shimmering rotation of the barrier shield,
which almost glistens in the morning sunshine, reflecting shards of light off its
translucent surface somehow, as the surface of a shallow pond, showing its treasures
below. The observers half-stare, one with pensive silence, the other two with
furtive whisper.

"I hear ya, guys. Just havin' a look.".

Slowly, the Stier turns and begins to sink to the ground again, following the
trainees back to the gear docks, and home.

By Maria on Sunday, July 08, 2001 - 04:35 am:

The fresh air slowly wisped past the pavillion of the Shevat royal palace, causing Maria's gray hair to sway with it. Standing with her face to the sun, her eyes closed, enjoying the heat of the morning sun. She just barely heard the sound of one of Shevat's many attents.

"Miss Maria..." the man said as he came to a stop a couple feet behind her. "We need you down in the gear docks."

Maria sighed and tied the bow back in her hair. "I'll be down there shortly." Maria waved over her shoulder to the man, dismissing him. Within a few moments the man was gone and Maria once again looked up in the sky. Staring through the shimmering shield that protected Shevat, Maria saw something move and narrowed her eyes at it, and saw the faint shape of a small gear squad.

"Hmm, looks like trouble." Maria said to her-self. "I better go check on Seibzehn." With that Maria started away from the Pavillion and down the stairs into the Palace.