Free Copper Centurion (The Steam Empire Chronicles) by Daniel Ottalini

war on, or haven’t you heard?” he said, his tone more upbeat than it had been all day. “I know you’re doing the best you can, and I trust you to make this ship fly when she has to.”
    The engineer nodded. “We’ll do our best, sir.”
    Alexandros returned to the bridge to find his first officer clutching the all-call microphone. “Oh, there you are, Captain. I was just about to send for you. Ground control has sent a wireless message requesting we reduce altitude and prepare to load troops.”
    Nodding, Alexandros read the message, hastily written in a curved but legible scrawl on the thin parchment paper that was the hallmark of wireless dispatch offices everywhere. “Set us in motion, Mr. Travins. Be sure to watch the shore side of those mountains. I don’t really know how strong the wind is at ground level, but it’s probably stronger than what we’re currently feeling.”
    Engines pumping, the airship slowly descended toward the newly constructed airfield that graced one corner of the otherwise traditionally built Roman fort. The design hadn’t changed for centuries, and Alexandros was certain that even legionnaires from Roman Republic times could have found their way around this fort. They would just have wondered why such a large parade ground was built in one corner . Alexandros chuckled inwardly as the Scioparto closed in on the landing field.
    A few moments later, hearing the faint shouts of crewmembers as they tossed lengths of rope out the windows to waiting ground crew below, he walked over to the observation bubble to keep an eye on the ground. Although he was confident in his first officer’s skills, it was always better to be safe than sorry, especially with the low afternoon sun blasting its way through the bridge windows.
    A midshipman with a slider descended almost right on top of the observation window, cheekily waving to the captain as he dropped past. Leaning outward to follow the man’s trajectory, Alexandros watched the junior officer land gracefully and set about directing the ship with a pair of brightly dyed flags.
    Hearing a polite cough from a man beside him, Alexandros realized that he was interfering with normal landing procedures. I’ve got to stop doing that; I’m preventing the crew from doing their job! Must be the exhaustion . As if the thought had summoned it, fatigue welled up within him, and he had to put his hand out to steady himself. He held himself there for a few more moments, until he heard the steadying boom and jolt of the ship meeting the ground and, confident that the ship had touched down safely, he gestured to his first officer. “I’m taking a rest in my cabin. Wake me if anything critically important comes up.” With that, Alexandros at last retired to his cabin.

    The piercing clang of alarm bells woke him from a dead sleep. Reflexively shoving off his covers, Alexandros turned in his bunk and blinked at the clock. I’ve been asleep for nearly twelve hours! He was wiping the sleep from his eyes when someone pounded on his cabin door.
    “Captain! You’re needed on the bridge immediately! Enemy airships closing fast!”
    They would pick a dawn attack, Alexandros grumbled as he hurriedly pulled on his protective canvas captain’s jacket with the thin metal plates sewn into it. He grabbed his sword and scabbard and raced out the door.
    In the hallway, he navigated around knots of legionnaires trying to be as unobtrusive as heavily armed and armored men can be. Many of them also appeared to have been abruptly awakened by the clanging alarms. Dodging around one such group, Alexandros came face to face with Tribune Appius. “Tribune Appius! I’m glad to have your men on board. We may need them if things get dicey,” he said, honestly glad to havesome real soldiers on board —Not just my airmen, who don’t know one end of a sword from another.
    The tribune smiled. “Anywhere you need my men to be? Or should we just stay out of your way as much as