NIMBUS AND THE KNIGHTS OF CENFERUM

Chapter 16

First Job...

Now Nimbus was face to face with what seemed to be his first boss, the person who would decide what his role would be on that ship. And this powerlessness made him uncomfortable, very uncomfortable.

— It seems like your master doesn't appreciate my engineering much, kid. I don't blame him — the old man laughed loudly. — Follow me; I'll show you around first. — He left the room and showed everything to the boy.

— See those structures there? — he pointed to the boxes assembled all over the place in the large hall. — These are the Hydrogen Generators of the Brand; we have forty, and parts to build at least two more if necessary.

Nimbus just looked at the large boxes.

— I think you don't understand what I'm talking about, do you, kid? — The old man scratched his head. — I might have to give you a lesson on how everything works around here.

— I didn't understand anything, to be honest — the boy tried to smile, but he was still a bit shaken, and the noise was almost unbearable.

— Well, I'll start from the beginning; this ship you're on is a frigate, a faster and lighter model than usual. When ships first appeared, frigates were the best. I still think frigates are the best, especially the Brand, but let's talk about that another time. Then they invented battleships, bigger, heavier, with much more firepower and armor, but they are slow.

— Yes, I already knew that — Nimbus said.

— Great, I can skip that part of the story and go straight to the technical part. — The old man patted the boy's shoulder and took him near a large box against the wall, and Nimbus noticed that this was where the noise originated. — Kid, this is what makes the Brand move — he pointed to the large structure that looked like a gigantic cylinder, about seven meters in diameter.

— I always wanted to know what makes a ship move — Nimbus said, but the old man didn't seem to hear because he spoke too quietly.

— Well! It's amazing, isn't it? — The old man noticed that Nimbus was amazed by the structure, although he didn't hear what the boy had said, he imagined. — So, this is what makes the ship move; the generators produce hydrogen that enters the turbine, and inside it, it explodes, making the turbine spin, propelling the ship forward. I also had a similar reaction when I saw a turbine for the first time. Well, let's continue. Do you know the composition of the ether?

— No!

— I'll tell you then; in the ether, there are several layers. The layer we see from here is rich in water and oxygen, it's not very dense, and we can surf through it without problems. The second layer is made of a gas slightly less dense than water; this gas is extremely corrosive. Anything that falls there disintegrates in a few minutes. The only things we know that survive in this layer are ether monsters and some other creatures we find in the ether sea, like lons and lins. We avoid this layer, but it is crucial for us because it provides stability for our turbines to propel us. We practically bounce on it while surfing on the ether. — Now the old man was walking with Nimbus to another part of the ship.

— But you said that this layer is corrosive, so how isn't the Brand's hull corroded when it bounces down there? — Now they had left the noisy room and were in the corridor.

— Good question, kid. Remember when I said the only things not corroded by this second layer are the ether monsters? So, we line the ship's hull with their skin in thick layers. We also have some paints derived from their skin that we use to paint the entire ship.

— So, it's possible for the Brand to dive into the ether and travel underneath if necessary?

— It's not quite like that, kid. The deeper you dive, the more corrosive the ether becomes, and despite the Brand having these protections, the skin that envelops it is not living tissue, so it doesn't regenerate. After a few minutes, it is also disintegrated. Furthermore, in the deeper layers, there is no ether rich in water, so we can't generate hydrogen and oxygen down there. And there's also compression; it's very difficult to seal all the gaps in the ships. There will always be ether entering the deep layers, corroding the ship from the inside, although at a slower speed than without its protection. — And after the man received an affirmative nod, he continued:

— I suppose you haven't seen the ship.

Nimbus shook his head and rubbed the back of his neck.

— I already figured. Sneaking in doesn't give someone much freedom. — The man laughed again.

— Come on, I'll show you everything. — The old man began to walk and explain each place to Nimbus. — This floor we're on is the third sublevel; engineering occupies half of this floor, and the other half is crew quarters. Upstairs are the officers' quarters, the kitchen, the restaurant, and common areas like the training gym and some lounges and the library. On the first floor are the knights' quarters, the captain's quarters, and the personnel working on the command bridge. Up there are also the cannons, the arsenal, the armory, the infirmary, and some meeting rooms. Below us is where you were hiding, the supply depot, and the water storage tank.

Nimbus thought about taking notes on everything the old man said, but he gave up when he realized he wouldn't stop talking. And when Dr. Henry asked if he understood, he agreed, even though he hadn't grasped much.

— Very well, I'll give you this day off to explore the ship, and tomorrow, bright and early, report to me, and I'll show you your role. Agreed?

— Yes, sir! — Nimbus responded, almost at attention.

— Sir is up in the sky, kid. Just call me Henry like everyone else. See you tomorrow, have fun.

Dr. Henry left, and Nimbus found himself alone in the middle of the crew quarters corridor. Since he didn't know what to do, he decided to explore the area.

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DR Henry