New Story: Steam-Pack Part 2

Steam-Pack: Part 2

The large, brass grandfather clock, in the lab, rang lightly with each passing hour. Jed interpreted the results from the analog computer. Still he scratched his head and pondered over the meaning of each carefully produced number. Sir Walton left the lab five hours ago, the time is now midnight. Jed removed some chocolate treats carefully wrapped in white paper from his lab coat. He gobbled up the treats and walked over to the window.

He peered out into the dark sky. The flames of zeppelins could be seen in the distance. Floating homes were anchored to the ground via large steel orbs. There were very few lights on in the homes. The hullabaloo in the sky grew calm with each passing hour. Still, Jed wanted to join them.

He toiled until morning. Sir Walton found Jed asleep, draped over his plans. “My boy,” he boomed. Jed sat upright, a piece of paper stuck to his head. “Uhhh yes, how are you sir?” Asked Jed.

“Quite fine, but you are the one who should be receiving that question.” Sir Walton said. “A tired mind needs rest.”

"But sir, I'm almost there. The computer produced some dimensions for the combustion tank. I just need to build it to those specifications. There should be enough kinetic energy between the cathode and the anode to produce high pressured steam." Jed exclaimed, his tired mind put him into a hyperactive trance.
     

Sir Walton knew that Jed was close to the solution. He nodded and left the lab.
     

Two hours later Jed came running out of the lab with the Steam Pack in hand. He held it up in triumph and strapped it to his back. The first test run was successful. He left the ground in a cloud of steam. A crowd gathered to watch the young engineer enter the sky, enter the elite. He rocketed up past the zeppelins and dirigibles. He darted between two floating houses. The shimmering Steam Pack caught the light of the sun and sent a glimmer to the ground. Jed waved to everyone as he traveled between them. He blasted past the balloons, feeling the heat from the blaze within the hot air chambers. He adjusted his velocity with a hand switch, and soon shot past everyone, soaring higher and higher. The crowd below was just mere specks from his perspective from so high in the sky.  He gazed down to the fuel indicator. The water compartment is running low. Just enough time, he thought, to make a grandiose landing.
      

He slowly drifted in between the crowd. He slowed himself down with the hand switch and came to a landing in a line between the gathering. Everyone cheered including Sir Walton, and even Jed's family came to see the engineer’s grand feat.
      

That night, the town threw a luxurious party for Jed. He finally did it, he accomplished his dream. He became one of the elite.