Chenda and the Airship Brofman Read Online Free PDF Page A

sat back with a satisfied look on her face.
    Chenda blinked at her.
    Then, still receiving no explanation, she blinked at Candice again.
    “You know! Sea floor spreading?” Candice said, suddenly frowning. “Studying the volcanic regions of the ocean floor will allow us to acquire the necessary papers. Also, with the amount of seafloor out there to cover, no one will question the time we will be gone, and why we need an airship capable of spending several weeks over the Kohlian Sea. Then all we have to do is find a way to slip over to the Tugrulian Empire and into the capitol city Kotal unnoticed, find a hidden mystic, fulfill your destiny and hopefully make it back to the Republic alive. Simple as that.”
    Candice isn't one for half measures, Chenda thought. When she steps in, it's with both feet.
    “How are we going to get from the middle of Kohlian Sea to the eastern shore?” Chenda asked.
    “That's where Henrietta is going to help us,” Candice replied. “For a well mannered lady, Henrietta knows some pretty slippery characters and a surprising number of airship captains  - most of them shifty. She's going to connect us with the right airship for our ultimate needs.” Candice looked everywhere in the room except for where Chenda was sitting. “Hmm,” she said scratching her wrist nervously. “This won't be cheap.”
    Chenda's face broke into a broad smile. “Don't you read the gossip columns? They say I'm the richest widow in the Republic.” Her smile faded. “Edison's money will cover just about any expense.”
    She shifted in her seat, sinking until one elbow rested on Candice's desk. “What I lack is not money.” Chenda straightened in her chair and said, “How can I explain? I grew up in the convent school of St Elgin in Wadpole-on-the-River. When the war started, my father left me in the care of the Sisters there. I was two-years old. I have no memories of life before then, and I can't remember my mother at all. The Sisters took care of me, and then Daddy died.”
    Chenda paused a moment, then carried on. “At Edison's estate, an entire staff waited to take care of my needs - even before I knew what they were. To be honest, I've wanted for nothing my entire life. Now, Edison's money is more than enough to keep me in luxury for the rest of my life – ten lifetimes or more. His wealth, however, won't give me a sense of who I am, and what I'm supposed to do with my life. He says my path is out there, and he's told me where to find it. So, the sky is the limit. If you think we need something, we get it.”
    “Unlimited funds. Well, thank you, that's one advantage we have.” Candice made a dismissing gesture and said, “Look, I see a thousand new students walk into this University each year. Most of them have no clue what they are going to do with their life. It's really unreasonable to ask a teenager to decide what they want to do with the rest of their lives. Maybe one in a hundred have the vaguest sense of direction for themselves. Just like you, they just need a little time and experience to grow up! Don't be so hard on yourself.”
    Chenda looked away as Candice continued, “At least you've got the means to follow your path, even if it is a dangerous one. You're enrolling in the school of hard knocks, really. And, another thing – stop calling it Edison's money. It's yours now. Own it.”
    The professor let her words sink in for a moment and then asked, “I've been wondering, and please stop me if I am being rude, but if Edison never left his estate, how did you two meet and marry?”
    “Oh, that question is not rude. I was his ward,” Chenda replied.
    “Ward? Who would give a recluse a child to look after?” Candice realized that her question was a bit unkind, but Chenda just made a sad smile and explained.
    “My father, Commander Alexander Bode, did. Daddy was the Commander of the Valiant Eagle .  They served together for years and were very close. When Edison returned from the war,